WWE: Bold Predictions; Roman Reigns Continues to be Cheered

Thin Fastlane Card Doesn’t Add Too Much Bulk

As of this writing, there are four matches scheduled for Fastlane. There’s the Six Pack Challenge for the WWE Championship, a United States Championship match, a Women’s Title bout, and a Tag Team Championship clash. You would think that, with only one more show to air before the pay per view, that Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan would have figured out how to fill three hours – let alone the Kickoff Show.

Let’s take a look at the superstars who have yet to be booked onto the card. Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal can’t get a match. Nor can Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura. Also absent? Mojo Rawley, Aiden English, Rusev, The Fashion Police, The Bludgeon Brothers, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, and Natalya. If we want to go further down the card, The Ascension, Tye Dillinger, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Lana, Zack Ryder, and Sin Cara are also MIA.

Even if WWE wants to get another two or three matches on the Fastlane card, what is there to really work with? Let’s say Nakamura vs. Rusev gets added to the show. What other match of any substance could also make the cut? Lynch vs. Naomi? Or Carmella? Or Natalya? Outside of Charlotte vs. Ruby Riott, there’s been no focus on the women of SmackDown of late. None of those potential matches would be worth anything, other than maybe a god, but heatless match.

Perhaps it’s the “condensed” showtime of two hours, but SmackDown has done a very poor job of storytelling over the past few months. There’s some halfway decent stuff mixed in with the main event scene. But if Shane and Bryan aren’t involved in your story, you’re screwed. Maybe the post-Mania pay per view changes will force the writers to be more focused.