Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
SmackDown takes it last stop on the road to WrestleMania this weekend for WWE Fastlane 2018. Will the blue brand have any surprises in store?
WWE SmackDown will take its last stop on the road to WrestleMania when they present Fastlane this Sunday night. On the face of it, Fastlane is not a very exciting pay-per-view. Unlike Raw’s Elimination Chamber, the event will not determine any number 1 contenders for WrestleNania, and while the matches should deliver in terms of quality, the outcomes feel far too predictable.
This is the road to WrestleMania, however, and the WWE has been known to swerve fans late in the day as the big event gets closer. A huge surprise at Fastlane could change the whole direction of Smackdown heading into New Orleans, and would certainly help draw fans attention to a show that is becomingly increasingly mediocre in comparison to its Monday night counterpart.
With that in mind, let’s take at three possible upsets we could see at Fastlane, and take a look at the effect they would have on WrestleMania 34.
Photo by WWE’s Twitter
The New Day Win the Tag Team Titles
The New Day and The Usos had one of the best rivalries of 2017, and it hasn’t taken much for the two teams to build hype for another potentially show-stealing bout at this Sunday’s Fastlane. The feud between the two teams in the second half of last year was perhaps most notable for the number of times the two teams exchanged the title belts.
While there are some fans who may argue that playing hot potato with a belt undermines its worth, there is another argument that it can highlight just how similarly matched the two teams are. The Usos came out on top of the feud last year, but there is every chance that the company may want to continue their previous trend at Fastlane, and have The New Day walk away with the tag team titles.
Given their history, this wouldn’t be the biggest surprise at Fastlane. It would be surprising, though, when you consider the fact that the company have spent the last month building tension between The Usos and The Bludgeon Brothers. A tension that it is safe to assume, is likely going to come to a head at WrestleMania.
The New Day winning on Sunday wouldn’t change that, it would just mean that a triple-threat is more likely to take place at WrestleMania, and considering how popular The New Day are, it would make sense to have them compete on the biggest show of the year, especially after playing hosts at last year’s event.
Credit: WWE.Com
Carmella becomes Women’s Champion
While there is no denying the success of the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches, the verdict is still out on the first ever Mrs Money in the Bank in the WWE. Carmella’s win was tainted from day one when James Ellsworth won the briefcase for her, and over the last few months, she had slipped deeper and deeper into obscurity on Tuesday nights.
Outside of a cash-in attempt a few weeks ago on SmackDown, Carmella’s briefcase has barely been on screen in the first few months of 2018, and with this year’s Money in the Bank event only 3 months away, she is running out of time to use her title shot.
With WrestleMania on the horizon, it would make sense for Carmella to want to cash in her briefcase just before the event, earning herself a place on the main show in the process. It still remains unclear as to who Asuka is going to be challenging in New Orleans, and if she does decide to stay on Raw, then Charlotte Vs Carmella may be one of the only real options that SmackDown has on the table. Carmella will be wrestling at Fastlane, where she will team with Natalya against Becky Lynch and Naomi. This match has most likely been added just to fill time, but it does also guarantee she will be at the show, and at the very least, tease a cash in.
Charlotte’s match against Ruby Riott is one of the least attractive bouts on the card this Sunday, purely because of how predictable the outcome appears to be. Having The Riott Squad attack Charlotte after the match at Fastlane, allowing Carmella to run down and cash in her briefcase would certainly add excitement to the night if nothing else.
Source: WWE.com
John Cena Wins the WWE Title
Wrestling fans the world over were elated when Shinsuke Nakamura eliminated Roman Reigns to win this year’s Royal Rumble. AJ Styles Vs Shinsuke Nakamura was considered a dream match by many WWE fans, and one that many thought they would never get to see grace the grandest stage of them all.
Vince McMahon allowing two stars who have made their names outside of the WWE to compete for the company’s biggest prize at Wrestlemania has been previously underheard of, and there are many fans who fear that Vince may get cold feet in the build-up to the event.
If Vince does begin to worry about the match, then it stands to reason that he may add another superstar to the mix as an insurance policy. Looking at the five men challenging AJ Styles for his title at Fastlane, John Cena makes the most sense to be one to dethrone him.
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Cena is a guaranteed draw and his presence in the match would add a guaranteed ‘WWE’ feeling to proceedings. Cena winning on Sunday would also see him become the first ever 17 time champion in the WWE, and while you may think that the WWE wouldn’t give this away on what is, essentially, a B show, Cena’s victory would build some considerable hype for WrestleMania and add an ‘anything can happen on the road to WrestleMania’ element to the upcoming episodes of Raw and SmackDown. This would also work as a nice backup plan if The Undertaker is not returning to face John Cena at WrestleMania.