Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Greg Coleman and Bodeen Green review WWE Fastlane 2021.
Fastlane 2021 was the final stop on the Road to WrestleMania 37, but just how successful was the show in creating a sense of intrigue for the biggest show of the year?
Question 1: Which undercard match did you most enjoy? Conversely, which match was the most disappointing?
ALLSOPP: Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed the Kick Off Show match between Riddle and Mustafa Ali. Both men are talented in the ring, and without the constraints of a spot on the pay-per-view proper, they had me suitably entertained. Unfortunately, the Women’s Tag Team Championship match was a huge disappointment, although this was due to a combination of factors. Nia Jax is an awful performer, Shayna Baszler is a shadow of her NXT persona, and the storyline between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair has been turgid and disappointing. Therefore, this match had no chance to succeed.
COLEMAN: Seth Rollins vs Shinsuke Nakamura was the undercard match I enjoyed the most. This was a match that would’ve been considered a dream match when Nakamura first came to NXT, and we got a glimpse of why at Fastlane. Whilst I know Rollins’ immediate future is a feud with Cesaro, which will no doubt be excellent, I hope we have not seen the last of these two.
The undercard match that disappointed me the most was the Intercontinental Championship match between Big E and Apollo Crews, and it is mainly down to the finish. I would’ve been good with a non-finish or a Dusty finish of some sort to extend the feud to WrestleMania. However, the way they went about it with the reversal of a cradle seemed like a let down after we just saw the brawl they had on last Friday’s episode of SmackDown. The match should’ve ended with Big E getting disqualified for beating the hell out of Crews.
GREEN: Without a doubt, the No Holds Barred match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus was my favourite match on the card. Both men absolutely destroyed each other, showing the legitimate toughness of both men. The Kendo Stick strikes from both men were absolutely brutal, with Sheamus' pale skin showing off just how hard both men were striking each other. Both men also used the Thunderdome space well, with the shot of McIntyre screaming after throwing Sheamus off The Thunderdome stage looking absolutely amazing. This match also did an amazing job in saving the Fastlane card, as the first half of the show felt dull and lacklustre, especially after the weird finish between Big E and Apollo Crews.
Unfortunately, the Intercontinental Championship match between Big E and Apollo Crews was my least favorite match on the undercard. Whilst the match between Braun Strowman and Elias felt slow and pointless, the match between Apollo Crews and Big E felt extremely disappointing. This match could have been a great chance to showcase Crews’ new character, as well as display the vicious side of Big E we occasionally see. Instead, we saw a short match with a poor finish that you would expect to see on an episode of Raw or SmackDown.
Question 2: Did you enjoy the return of The Fiend? What do you think is the ultimate fate of this feud?
COLEMAN: I am not a fan of The Burned Fiend. His return was ok, but it would’ve been better served if the first time we saw him was at WrestleMania. The ultimate fate of this feud is another Firefly Fun House match, or some form of a cinematic match.
GREEN: Whilst I know the feud between Alexa Bliss, The Fiend, and Randy Orton has not been everyone's cup of tea, I personally enjoyed seeing The Fiend return at Fastlane. Even though the feud has dragged on at times, especially without The Fiend, the pure sight of seeing the Fiend return at Fastlane was great to see. I'm also a huge fan of his new look.
Without a doubt, we will see Orton and The Fiend square off at WrestleMania in some crazy match type, with this most likely being a Firefly Fun House match. It will be interesting to see how much of the match will be cinematic now that WrestleMania has a live crowd watching. It will also be interesting to see if they will blend live action with prerecorded cinematic action.
ALLSOPP: The Fiend mark in me says yes, it was enjoyable. Seeing the return of my favourite character in such emphatic fashion was great, but the execution of his return was admittedly botched. His outfit screams campy Scooby Doo villain, rather than the compelling anti-hero that The Fiend previously resembled. I expect The Fiend to put Randy Orton away at WrestleMania, before using some of his powers to revert to his old form. Do I agree with this? No. But I understand why they are doing this, as it is one of the very few storylines that has received long term booking.
Question 3: Was Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan the best match yet for Reigns’ Tribal Chief persona? Do you anticipate that the WWE Universal Championship will be defended in a Triple Threat match?
GREEN: Despite this match being a great contest, I personally don't think it was the Tribal Chief's best work. That being said, I still have to praise this match for the incredible storytelling we saw throughout, with Daniel Bryan playing with Roman Reigns early on in the match, which was a great sight that highlighted how fearless Bryan is. Edge did a great job after he completely lost it, striking Bryan and Reigns with a steel chair which showed his unhinged side. My only gripe about this match was the fact it seemed somewhat overbooked, with the finish reminding me of the Vince Russo era of WCW.
As we head into WrestleMania, I can see the main event for the WWE Universal Championship being a Triple Threat match. Alternatively, I would love to see WWE use the two night WrestleMania schedule to their advantage and have Edge challenge Bryan on night one, with the winner facing Reigns for the belt the next night.
ALLSOPP: In terms of athletic contests, yes. I absolutely adored how competitive this match was, with Daniel Bryan bringing the very best out of Roman Reigns. Edge’s involvement was the perfect addition to the match, especially as he descended further into his heelish persona we all love to hate. I’d be crushed if these three don’t collide in a Triple Threat match, as it truly would feel like a match worthy to headline the second night of WrestleMania. Either man deserves to win, and I can guarantee this will be the most anticipated match of the show.
COLEMAN: Without a doubt, Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan at Fastlane was the best match Reigns has had during his heel run. Bryan is an all time great, and his performance during the match with Reigns was near flawless. The WWE Universal Championship match at WrestleMania should be a Triple Threat match. I predict that WWE won’t botch another potential Bryan run by leaving him out of the WWE Universal Championship match.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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