How WWE Should Book Fastlane 2019

 

Hey everyone! Ever since Night Of Champions 2015, through multiple accounts, every month before major WWE pay-per-views, I’ve come on here and booked the cards to make them as exciting, intriguing, and best possible scenarios for the future. I do both NXT and main-roster pay-per-views, as well as the occasional big RAW or Smackdown weekly show. Without further ado, here is how WWE Should Book Fastlane 2019!

MY FASTLANE POSTS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS:

·         2016: Got removed and is lost forever. Sad!

·         2017: https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/5xje5e/how_wwe_should_book_fast_lane_2017_raw/

·         2018: https://old.reddit.com/r/fantasybooking/comments/83hm3f/how_wwe_should_book_fastlane_2018_sdlive/

KICKOFF-SHOW:

·         We get our usual panel with Jonathan Coachman, Beth Phoenix, Booker T, and Sam Roberts. They hype up the matches, show us video packages and give their predictions. Usually, this is where I’ll say who I would put on the Social Media Q&A Lounge segment that they like to do on these kickoffs, but it doesn’t appear they’ve been doing them anymore. If they do decide to bring it back, I’d have Kevin Owens in there, use #AskOwens. It’s very rare to have multiple kickoff matches on a non Big-4 PPV, but they’ve announced TWO for this hour. Let’s get into them. About 15 minutes into the kickoff, we get to the first of two kickoff matches.

1ST KICKOFF MATCH: The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura (w/ Lana) (Tag Team match)

·         New Day are out first NOT with Kofi, followed by NakaRuRu. You want to create the illusion that Kofi isn’t there at the show at all, so that when he does end up making a run-in in the main event, it’ll be an even bigger shock. The match goes 12 minutes. This match has had no build and was really just thrown together on this kickoff to fill time, it’s no secret. New Day are a well established team and we are in DESPERATE NEED of credible teams in the SmackDown division that aren’t New Day, The Bar or The Usos, and now especially with Gallows and Anderson reportedly on their way out. The match ends when Woods is legal, crawling to tag in Big E on the apron, but Rusev swings in out of nowhere and Machka Kicks E to the ground. Woods looks around, realizing that his partner is down and out, and turns around right into a KINSHASA from Nakamura, followed by an Accolade from Rusev. Woods passes out and this newfound team gets the win. Nak and Rusev could be an entertaining as hell team, and New Day won’t move up or down in the power rankings with a win here.

WINNERS by SUBMISSION: Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura

·         The panel continues to blab on for a bit longer, and about 40 minutes in, we get to our THE PRE-MAIN-EVENT. The pre-show stoppers, ANDRADE VS. REY.

2ND KICKOFF MATCH: Andrade (w/ Zelina Vega) vs. Rey Mysterio

·         Mysterio is out first followed by Andrade Cien Alm- NO. JUST ANDRADE. The match goes 16 minutes. No matter what anyone in WWE wants to tell you, the kickoff is not part of the main show. Most of the time whoever is wrestling on them wrestles in front of half-empty crowds that aren’t ready to be loud yet, and the production value is always just down from the rest of the event. So for these two guys, a pair who have been having some of the greatest TV matches anyone has ever seen. Rey has said himself that when he’s in the ring with Almas, he’s reminded of the matches he had with EDDIE GUERRERO. Very simply, in NO WAY should this feud end on the KICKOFF SHOW of FAST LANE. PAY PER VIEW ON THE WWE NETWORK FOR ONlY $9.99. This is MONEY. This needs to stretch out until Wrestlemania, mask vs. hair. Andrade’s been growing his hair super long in recent weeks which could be a sign. Originally I was thinking of having this match just end in a Draw, or some sort of no-contest, but that’s really just no way to start a show off. The crowd would deflate fast. I do think Mysterio should ultimately be the one to come out on top on this feud. For now, it would make the most sense for Andrade to win. Andrade would win this match with the Running Knees in the corner followed by 3 Amigos, finished off by his Hammerlock DDT for the pin, all in succession. In the next number of weeks leading up to Mania, it can follow a story similar to that of the Wrestlemania 26 rematch between Taker and Michaels, where Andrade refuses to give Rey another match with him, but Rey offers to put something as drastic as his MASK on the line, Andrade accepts, but he, the cocky arrogant heel, is SO confident that he will defeat Rey again that he puts his HAIR on the line. It doesn’t get much easier to book than that. Have them open Wrestlemania’s MAIN show, and the magic will cast itself.

WINNER by PINFALL: Andrade

·         We return to the panelists for a brief number of minutes as they give their final predictions for the main events, get all their plugs in, and we get on with the main card.

MAIN-SHOW:

·         IT’S THE ULTIMATE THRILL RIDE…. Wait wrong show. It is still a ride of some kind, however, as we’ve arrived to the final stop on the road to Wrestlemania, FASTLANE. Everyone’s favorite PPV. Tonight we’re gonna set up some big angles for Wrestlemania. Just under a month away. I’ll have my FULL FINALIZED card for the biggest event in any company all year long at the end of this post. Without further ado, adjust your mirrors, click your seatbelt, put the key in the ignition, let’s get on with the post.

1ST MATCH: The Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson) (c) vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. Bobby Roode and Chad Gable (Triple Threat Tag Team match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships

·         The Revival are out first in their very FIRST full-entrance since becoming champions, followed by GabrOode, and finally Ricocheting Mass. WWE PLEASE HIRE ME TO COME UP WITH YOUR TAG TEAM NAMES. The match goes 18 minutes. Man, this could so easily end up being the greatest Tag Team match in company history. If WWE just gives them 18 minutes or above, puts no restrictions or shackles on them, and just lets them go out there and do what they have to do, this could be one of the best PPV openers EVER. WWE likes to change up their rules for multi-team matches, sometimes it’s 3 people in the ring at once, one from each time, other times it’s only two in the ring but you can tag anyone in. Truthfully, I would like to see the former. Now, for the result of this match. Sometimes in life, you gotta take chances, and when you take those chances, they end up building and building until you realize that chance you took worked out so well, you’re just a happy little man. That’s the case here with Ricochet and Aleister Black. I would have them become champs here. They have already beat the top teams on both brands, and are quickly rising in the eyes of all fans. Very rarely should you have an act achieve the feat of winning championships so early after their debut, but this is a chance worth taking. Their styles and characters are going to win the crowds over so fast, and them achieving such a shocking upset and winning the titles so fast will only skyrocket them to become two new top stars that will carry your company into the future. The chaotic match ends after Gable hits rolling suplexes on both Revival members, Black runs in to try to take on Gable, but Roode is right there and tries for a Glorious DDT on Black, but Black squirms out, nails a Black Mass, Roode rolls out of the ring, Black nails a Black Mass on Gable, and Ricochet hits a 450 for the pin. Take this chance. It will pay off. So rare nowadays are true shocking swerve moments, this could be that.

WINNERS by PINFALL and NEW WWE Raw Tag Team Champions: Aleister Black and Ricochet

·         We get an ad for Tapout.

2ND MATCH: Asuka (c) vs. Mandy Rose (w/ Sonya Deville) (Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship)

·         MAAAAANNNNDYYYYYYY is out first followed by Asuka. If ANYTHING on this show was gonna be put on the kickoff over Andrade/Rey, it should have been this, and I think that both of these women are great. The match goes 13 minutes and we get formal ring introductions. The whole story of the match would be that Mandy keeps trying to play dirty and use illegal tactics behind the ref’s back while Asuka just uses her brutal strikes and offense like a true, fair champion to take the less experienced girl down. While I do think that Mandy has been improving drastically in all fields as of late, there shouldn’t be a title switch here. Not in the lead up to Wrestlemania, where every decision you make is like a domino effect on the rest of the company. Plus Vince apparently wants Asuka vs. Lacey Evans for Mania, so there’s no sense in a title switch. Asuka gets the win when Mandy taps out in the Asuka Lock. Afterwards, Lacey Evans walks out, walks back, and we’re all confused. WRESTLING!

WINNER by SUBMISSION and STILL WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion: Asuka

·         We get an ad for the WWE Shop dot community website.

3RD MATCH: The Usos (Jey and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. The Miz and Shane McMahon (Tag Team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships)

·         It’s George Mizanin’s time to shine. The Usos are out first followed by The Co-Besties In The World. We get formal ring introductions and the match goes around 11 minutes. It does seem that the road we’re headed down with this storyline is Shane McMahon vs. The Miz at Mania in a singles match, and I’m really not sure on who should be the one to turn heel in this situation. No matter what, it shouldn’t happen tonight, because especially on the road to Wrestlemania, you gotta keep people guessing, but also more importantly, there’s a much bigger turn that I would have happen later on this show. More than one turn in the same night devalues the other. In the match, dissension grows between Shane and Miz, but they don’t come to blows until the following Tuesday on Smackdown. The Usos rightfully retain after a Double Uso Splash to Shane in the center of the ring. Post-match, GEORGE comes into the ring and tries to console Miz, and Shane gets in his face. Shane and MizDad argue and it looks like Shane is about to snap but Miz comes in and pulls them apart before anything can happen. Miz and Dad walk to the back and Shane lags behind them. Cliffhanger moment, you gotta tune into Smackdown to see what happens next.

WINNERS by PINFALL and STILL WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Usos

·         We get a backstage interview with your NEW RAW Tag Team Champions, Aleister Black and Ricochet. They cut an off-the-script, heartfelt promo about the journey they’ve both had leading up to this point, the hardships they’ve faced and overcome. They vow to TAKEOVER.

4TH MATCH: Boss ‘N Hug Connection (Bayley & Sasha Banks) (c) vs. Nia Jax and Tamina (Tag Team match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)

·         Nia and Tamina are out first followed by the FIRST EVER Women’s Tag Team champions, because the Jumping Bomb Angels never existed ever WHO ARE THE JUMPING BOMB ANGELS??? The match goes 15 minutes and mid-ring introductions, Nia and Tamina ambush their competition from behind and the match gets underway after the referees seperate Nia from Bayley. Right out of the gate, the bell rings and Nia nails an Atomic Legdrop on Bayley. It looks like this is gonna be a squash match but BAYLEY just manages to get her foot on the bottom rope. Coming off Elimination Chamber, this was definitely the feud that most made sense for Boss N’ Hug to first defend their titles against, as the 4 had been feuding for months in different combinations of opponets. There’s no reason for Sasha and Bayley to drop the titles now, and Nia gets pinned all the damn time as it is. The match ends when Bayley drops Nia Jax to the mat with a Bayley To Belly off the middle rope, while Sasha simultaneously hits a Hurricanrana off the top to Tamina. Sasha locks in the Bank Statement on Tamina for the retain. Sasha and Bayley are due for a big showcase match at Mania, whether it’s defending against Trish and Lita, Nattie and Beth Phoenix, whoever. You can’t waste that on Nia and Tamina.

WINNERS by PINFALL and STILL WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions: Bayley and Sasha Banks

·         We get an ad for Yamaha, the official sponsor of the PPV.

5TH MATCH: Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley (w/ Lio Rush) and Drew McIntyre vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) (Six-man Tag Team match)

·         The heels come out first followed by The Shield for their GRAND FINALE LAST TIME EVER SUPER DUPER SHOWDOWN REUNION EXTRAVAGANZA entrance through the crowd. The match goes roughly 20 minutes and to start us off it’s Seth Rollins against Drew McIntyre. This might be the clearest decision I’ve ever seen to be made in my many years of viewing this great SPORT known as Titan Towers Co. Roman just returned from cancer, you’re not gonna have him lose his first match back. Not on Fastlane. Seth Rollins is in a World Title match at your biggest show of the year. You’re not gonna have him look weak before he takes on Brock Lesnar. Dean Ambrose may be leaving soon. Long story short, the match ends when Baron Corbin is legal for the heels. Ambrose hits a Rebound Lariat, Rollins hits a Ripcord Knee, and Reigns OHHHHAHHHHHS and spears the soul out of Corbin for the victory. Here’s where it gets interesting. Before anyone can have a chance to celebrate at all, before The Shield music even hits, DEAN AMBROSE IMMEDIATELY HITS REIGNS WITH DIRTY DEEDS. Rollins had a hunch Dean would try this and goes to Curb Stomp him but Dean guts him and hits a Dirty Deeds to Seth as well. Ambrose tosses Rollins out of the ring, he’s had his battles with Rollins already, he’s old news to him. Now it’s Roman he’s set in his sights. The guy that in his mind forced him to do what he did the night he announced Leukemia, the man Ambrose blames for the interior evisceration of Monday Night Raw from his speech onward, the man that had he not come back when he did, Dean would’ve took his ball to go home. But now he has something again, something to fight for again, not all Big Dogs live forever. Dean hits Dirty Deeds all over the arena. In the ring, on the apron, on the floor outside, through the announce table. Ambrose seals it by ripping the Shield vest off of Roman’s body, and walks to the back with a cold, dead stare in his eyes. Dean agreed to reform the Shield for one night, for the LAST night ever, never did he promise to become the same old, obsolete Dean Ambrose after all was said and done. He fufilled his promise, now The Shield is dead, no more reunions, no more. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns, Dean’s last match, the final appearence of the Shield ever on WWE televison, at Wrestlemania. No Holds Barred.

WINNERS by PINFALL: The Shield

·         We get an ad for what’s coming to the WWE Network in new content.

6TH MATCH: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (Singles match; If Lynch wins, she will be added to the WWE Raw Women’s Championship match at Wrestlemania 35)

·         Charlotte is out first followed by THE MAN. The match goes 22 minutes Both women are showing signs of wear and tear from the attacks they’ve suffered in recent weeks, Charlotte’s arm and shoulders are all taped up because of the Disarmher, and Becky is wearing a knee brace. WWE truly has convoluted what should have been such a simple storyline, but we’re all along for the ride and I’ve been enjoying it nonetheless. Not really much to say about this match, other than let the two women wrestle their hearts out and beat each other into bloody pulps. It’s not frequent nowadays, but I think stealing each others submission finishers would work super well in this match. In fact, that could exactly lead into the finish of this match. The match ends when Becky gets Charlotte down and locks in a Figure 8. Charlotte reverse the pressure and is able to snatch Becky’s arm for a Disarmher. The crowd is electric and it looks like the man is about to lose to her own move, but Becky rolls over for a pin. Charlotte kicks out, picks Becky up and spears her into the corner into the referee. The ref is down now, and just as fate would have it, OUT COMES RONDA ROUSEY TO SCREW THE WOO AND DAMN THE MAN. Ronda gets into the ring, both women down, and she realizes it’s time to make a decision. After a few moments of hesitation, looking back and forth, RONDA GRABS BECKY LYNCH AND LAYS HER OVER CHARLOTTE. Ronda exits the ring and slowly backs up the ramp, watching as the ref wakes up and counts the 3. The bell rings, Becky’s music hits, and Ronda grabs the title from the timekeepers area and lays it on the apron between her and Becky, pointing at the Mania sign. This is an idea that has been stirring in my head for weeks now, ever since this match was announced, and because this feud has so strongly reminded me of the build-up to Wrestlemania 13. If any of you remember in 1997, when Shawn Michaels lost his smile and WWE was booked into a corner, there were various instances where both Stone Cold and The Undertaker would come out and help their rivals win certain matches, because they wanted to face them that badly. That’s the case here, Ronda is obsessed with Becky, obsessed with the fact she’s not in the match, that she can’t get to her. So instead of coming out and beating Becky so bad that she can’t even make it to WM, she lays her over Charlotte and helps her bitter rival gain entry to the match so that now Ronda gets who she wants. Ronda gets to break her arm on the biggest stage of the year. It’s official, it’s a Triple Threat at Wrestlemania, and they just sold themselves into the main event.

WINNER by PINFALL: Becky Lynch

·         We get a teaser for Wrestlemania 35 next month, and then we go to the announcers as they thank the artist of the official theme song of the PPV.

7TH MATCH: Daniel Bryan (c) (w/ Redwood Rowan) vs. Kevin Owens (Singles match for the WWE Championship)

·         I was debating whether I would put this or the Charlotte/Lynch match on last, but ultimately you could swap either one and it wouldn’t make much of a difference in the quality and sense of the show. I think the thing that won me over is that the women have had the main event segment of pretty much ever Raw and Smackdown since the Rumble, and they’re about to main event Wrestlemania. The WWE title never gets to main event (except just last month at EC), and this could definitely be match of the night. Owens is out first followed by Bryan and his intellectual equal, ROWAN. We get formal ring introductions and the match goes 25 minutes, the longest of the night. One thing right out of the gate that this match absolutely needs to avoid is having Daniel Bryan kick out of the Stunner (clean) at any point. There are truly very few protected finishers in WWE nowadays, and there’s no need to make the Stunner seem like just another move like so many other moves have suffered over the years, such as the DDT, Superkick or Superplex. It’s been awhile since Kevin has had the opportunity to have any seriously great matches as all of us know he can have, his match with Rollins on RAW in Toronto last year being an example, and this could be his chance. At the climax of the match, Rowan ends up getting himself ejected from ringside after he pulls the referee out of the ring as Owens is pinning Bryan, and tries to play it off like it wasn’t him. Now Daniel Bryan is ALONE, ALL BY HIMSELF, DEVOID OF ANY INTELLECTUAL PEERS, or so you’ll be made to think. The match is drawing closer to it’s conclusion and the pair go at it for a few more minutes when all of a sudden THE NEW DAY’S MUSIC HITS and out walks Kofi Kingston, all by himself, slowly and with a purpose, to the ring. Kofi and Bryan stare each other down, from the apron to inside the ring, and Bryan spits in Kofi’s face. Kofi gets into the ring now and Bryan starts to hop away, laughing. Owens hits a STUNNER on Bryan, and then collapses again. Kofi sees his opportunity now, and calls for the Trouble In Paradise. Boom. Boom. Boom. Bryan looks up at his inevitable fate standing before him, and just readies himself for the blow. Kofi runs and spins for the kick but HE’S STOPPED WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE A SMALL MAN IN A FLANNEL AND A GAS MASK RUNS IN AND CLOTHESLINES KINGSTON OUT OF HIS BOOTS. The mystery man takes off his disguise and it’s revealed to be the returning SAMI ZAYN. Zayn nails his first Helluva Kick back to Kofi, sending him over the top and out on the outside. Zayn rallies Bryan on as Owens is looking like he’s just seen a ghost, and Bryan and Sami exchange a nod of understanding as it’s now apparent who’s side Zayn is on. Bryan does Yes in the corner and flattens Owen’s nose with a vicious Running Knee for the retain. IMAGINE this stable. Daniel Bryan, Rowan, and Sami Zayn. Zayn and Bryan have always shared the same values, the world is full of useless consumption, Twitter and social media is a waste and downtrodden with negativity and ignorance, and I even think Sami is a vegan in real life as well. The roles are now reversed with Owens and Zayn, with Owens as the valiant babyface and Zayn as the heel, preaching the values of his once-best friend, and maybe they could end up having a Mania match. This role would be fantastic for Sami and a great way to bring him back. Fastlane goes off the air with Bryan on his knees, his two cult environmentalist followers standing over him. KofiMania still to come.

WINNER by PINFALL and STILL WWE Champion: Daniel Bryan

FINAL RESULTS:

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1PS	Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura (w/ Lana) defeated The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) by Submission	Tag Team match	12 minutes
2PS	Andrade (w/ Zelina Vega) defeated Rey Mysterio by Pinfall	Singles match	16 minutes
3	Aleister Black and Ricochet defeated The Revival (c) and Bobby Roode & Chad Gable by Pinfall	Triple Threat Tag Team match for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships	18 minutes
4	Asuka (c) defeated Mandy Rose (w/ Sonya Deville) by Submission	Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship	13 minutes
5	The Usos (c) defeated The Miz and Shane McMahon by Pinfall	Tag Team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships	11 minutes
6	Boss ‘N Hug Connection (Bayley & Sasha Banks) (c) defeated Nia Jax and Tamina by Submission	Tag Team match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships	15 minutes
7	The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) defeated Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre by Pinfall; Ambrose snaps and brutally atacks Reigns post-match	Six-man Tag Team match	20 minutes
8	Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte Flair by Pinfall	Singles match; If Lynch wins, she will be added to the WWE Raw Women’s Championship match at Wrestlemania	22 minutes
9	Daniel Bryan (c) (w/ Rowan) defeated Kevin Owens by Pinfall (and Kofi Kingston/Sami Zayn interference)	Singles match for the WWE Championship	25 minutes

WRESTLEMANIA 35 CARD (April 7, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ)

No.	Matches	Stipulations
1	Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair	Triple Threat match for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship
2	Brock Lesnar (c) (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Seth Rollins	Singles match for the WWE Universal Championship
3	Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kofi Kingston	Last Chance Singles match for the WWE Championship
4	Finn Balor (c) vs. Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Elias	6-Man Ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
5	Samoa Joe (c) vs. John Cena	Singles match for the WWE United States Championship
6	Asuka (c) vs. Lacey Evans	Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
7	Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection (Bayley & Sasha Banks) (c) vs. Lita and Trish Stratus	Tag Team match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships
8	The Usos (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz	Tag Team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships
9	Batista vs. Triple H	Career Threatening match
10	AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton	Singles match
11	The Miz vs. Shane McMahon	Singles match
12	Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns	No Holds Barred match
13	Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio	Hair vs. Mask match
14PS	Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Cedric Alexander	Singles match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
15PS	2019 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal	Men’s Battle Royal for the Andre The Giant Trophy (Winner: The Velveteen Dream)
16PS	2019 Sensational Invitational Battle Royal	Women’s Battle Royal for the Miss Wrestlemania Trophy (Winner: Sonya Deville)

·         PS = Pre Show

·         NOTE: You might notice that there’s a sensible match for every main roster championship on the card, except the RAW Tag Titles. I had originally penciled in The Revival defending the titles against Gable & Roode and Ricochet & Aleister Black, but the match was later announced for Fastlane, and the main show already has 13 MATCHES as is. Just too much. They can all be in the Andre Battle Royal instead.

Well, that was how I think Fastlane 2019 should be booked. Thanks for reading. Tell me what you liked or didn’t like from the post, and what from this you’d like to see actually happen on the show. As always, be sure to look out for my post on the next upcoming PPV’s, THE BIGGEST WRESTLING WEEKEND OF THE YEAR, “How NXT Takeover: New York Should Be Booked” AND “How WWE Should Book Wrestlemania 35” the weekend of those shows. Enjoy the pay-per-view, everyone.