The final stop on the road to WrestleMania is coming this Sunday when WWE hosts Fastlane
2018.
AJ Styles defends his WWE Championship in a six pack challenge, Charlotte faces Ruby
Riott and a rivalry is renewed as The New Day challenge The Usos for the Smackdown Live
Tag Team Championships.
I am Luke Owen and these are some of the biggest news stories, rumours, surprises, potential
spoilers and crazy conspiracy theories going into the PPV.
1.Final Brand Exclusive PPV
This one is less of a rumour and more of a dead cert.
Earlier this year WWE announced that Backlash - the first PPV following WrestleMania - will
be a dual branded show featuring both Raw and Smackdown Live wrestlers.
Not only that, but this will be the new model moving forward, meaning Fastlane will be the
final-ever Smackdown Live exclusive PPV.
2.
AJ Styles Retains The WWE Championship
Since Money in the Bank last year, WWE have been teasing a showdown between AJ Styles
and Shinsuke Nakamura - hoping to recapture the magic of their Wrestle Kingdom 10 encounter
from New Japan.
Nakamura won the Royal Rumble in January and announced that he wanted to face AJ Styles
for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania - and the two have filmed backstage segments on
Smackdown Live talking about the match.
Although John Cena teased on Raw this week that it could be a Triple Threat match between
himself, Styles and Nakamura, PWTorch reports, “More likely, it remains a singles match
between Styles and Nakamura, renewing their rivalry from the Tokyo Dome and having what
most would see as the most likely show-stealing match.”
3.
Charlotte Flair Retains The Smackdown Live Women’s Championship
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer has been reporting that the plan for WrestleMania 34
is Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka for the Smackdown Live Women’s Championship.
Should that be the case, Charlotte is likely retaining against Ruby Riott at Fastlane.
Colour me shocked.
Although nothing has been built up on TV towards Charlotte and Asuka on the grandest stage
of them all, Charlotte told Maria Menounos this week, “I want to wrestle Asuka, I want
to break her streak...
I think it’s definitely a WrestleMania moment.
That’s who I would like to face.”
Dave Meltzer added in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Nia Jax vs. Alexa
Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship is still the plan for WrestleMania 34, but they
can’t announce Asuka vs. Charlotte until after Fastlane, with Mike Johnson noting in
The Torch that Charlotte’s promo on Smackdown was to start a heel turn for her program with
Asuka.
So that’s AJ and Charlotte rumoured to retain, what about the Usos and The New Day?
4.
There Will Be No Title Changes
According to Cage Side Seats, the report is that there will be no title changes whatsoever
at Fastlane, meaning Bobby Roode will retain his United States Championship against Randy
Orton, and The Usos will retain their Smackdown Live Tag Team Championships against The New
Day.
Dave Meltzer has reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that whoever wins the
match will face The Bludgeon Brothers at WrestleMania 34 - which has been teased on TV - but there
is another rumour that suggests we may see those teams clash before then.
5.
The Bludgeon Brothers Will Be Added To The Tag Team Match
Cage Side Seats note in their preview for Fastlane, “There have been rumors that The
Bludgeon Brothers could be added to the tag team title match, and they’ve teased that
on television of late.”.
So keep an eye on that one.
6.
Carmella Cashes In
While there hasn’t been many other people reporting this, Twitter scooperstar Rovert
has been teasing that Carmella will be cashing in her Money in the Bank contract before WrestleMania.
And one other outlet has reported that Carmella will be the one to break Asuka’s streak,
so there are rumours that Carmella vs. Asuka could happen at WrestleMania instead of Asuka
vs. Charlotte.
However, I would take those rumours with a huge pinch of salt.
7.
A Big Angle Is Going To Take Place
While they don’t say what that angle could be, Cage Side Seats have reported, “there
may be a big angle planned for the main event.”
Maybe it could be a big return, someone like:
8.
Renee Young Returns
Renee Young missed this week’s Raw and Smackdown Live due to illness, however Dave Meltzer
notes in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that she’s hopeful to return at Fastlane.
And while it will be great to have Renee on our screens again, Cage Side Seats’ report
could be about a different big return.
9.
The Undertaker Returns
Since late last year, the reported plans for WrestleMania were that we would see John Cena
clash against The Undertaker on the grandest stage of them all.
Cena even called out The Undertaker on Raw two weeks ago, teasing that this match will
take place.
Although he is in the six pack challenge for the WWE Championship, he likely won’t win
and we could see The Undertaker come out or appear on the big screen to distract him and
set up their WrestleMania match.
And if WWE are planning a big angle for the main event of Fastlane, this one makes the
most sense.
Watch myself and Oli Davis give our in-depth thoughts on this week’s episode of Raw and
Smackdown Live and why not subscribe to the podcast version where Oli talks about his
love for the live-action Winnie The Pooh trailer!