THE BIG DOG.
- Well, this crowd is already better than Lafayette.
- Roman Reigns' music hits to a crazy ovation. He spends the first 7-8 minutes sharing moments with people at ringside before saying he misses the crowd and thanking everyone.
- Reigns says that it is "our yard."
- Reigns says that he's gotten a lot of support from almost everyone he could. He wants to use this WWE platform to raise awareness and support those who are in need like he was.
- Roman Reigns announces that he's in remission. He gets an amazing standing ovation. He tells the crowd that he loves them before he leaves.
- Roman hugs his mother at ringside, and meets Seth Rollins on the ramp. No Dean Ambrose in sight.
Aleister Black & Ricochet defeated The Revival
5.5/10 (short)
- The Revival attack from behind and get their asses kicked as a result. The crowd is into this one.
- We come back from a break to hear the crowd explode for a Black tag.
- Black is cracked with a big DDT that he sells well. Ricochet stops a Steiner Bulldog and moonsaults Dash.
- Black Mass. That's it.
- Okay. Dunno if beating your new tag champs every week is such a hot idea instead of developing characters, but I guess we'll see.
DONE DIRT CHEAP
- Elias is interrupted by Lacey Evans immediately, who leaves.
- Next, Elias is interrupted by Ambrose, who wants a match with Drew McIntyre, NO DQ.
- Ambrose says he's a fan of Elias after Elias trolls the crowd about the Super Bowl. Ambrose asks Elias if he knows how to play "Dirty Deeds."
- Elias tries to hit Ambrose with a guitar and ends up getting hit with Dirty Deeds.
Natalya & Ronda Rousey defeated Riott Squad (w/ Liv Morgan)
4.75/10
- Ruby wearing a beanie while she wrestled popped me. She eats a double suplex from Rousey and Natalya.
- An STO slows Rousey down.
- Rousey and Natalya hit a really bad looking version of the Hart Attack.
- Logan cracks Natalya with a big knee. After the commercial, Natalya goes through Logan's legs twice.
- I feel like Rousey has gotten less polished as her time in WWE went on. That being said, her step up knee was amazing.
- Piper's Pit hits, but before the armbar is applied, Becky Lynch shows up with a crutch.
- Becky decks Natalya, and brawls with Ronda Rousey. THAT'S A DQ.
ROUSEY AND BECKS
- Security breaks the fight up. Police arrest Becky Lynch and haul her off.
- Rousey and Lynch do a GREAT job acting like they wanna destroy one another.
- That Becky Lynch mugshot is gonna get me so many clickity clacks.
- Ronda Rousey calls out Vince McMahon, and gets Stephanie instead. I thought Jimmy Van was about to come out when I heard that theme!
- Rousey pleads with Stephanie to give her Becky Lynch or at least put her in the WrestleMania match, but Stephanie says that can't happen.
- Ronda Rousey leaves her title in the ring.
Kurt Angle defeated Jinder Mahal (w/ Singh Bros.)
5/10 (short)
- Jinder Mahal comes out to TALK THAT SHIT about Ric Flair. He says he's going to have an after party of his own since he wasn't invited to Ric's birthday party.
- He's interrupted by Kurt Angle.
- Jinder Mahal beats down Kurt before a German suplex hits.
- The Singh Bros. are knocked off the apron, and Angle escapes the Khallas to win with an Ankle Lock.
- This was a nothing match, had no story, and was filler on a show that probably didn't need filler.
Intercontinental Championship
Finn Balor (c) defeated Lio Rush
6/10
- Alexa Bliss is out.
- Finn Balor comes out and challenges Lio Rush for.....Balor's championship?
- Alexa Bliss makes the match for some reason?
- The heat on Lio Rush backstage has died down big time in recent weeks. Producers are high on his mic skills.
- No surprise, Lio Rush is outstanding in the ring. He hits a great Asai moonsault but eats knees on a frog splash.
- Lio Rush works over Finn Balor's leg really well.
- I'll say it again, I've never quite had a "woah" moment when watching someone wrestle live for the first time like when I saw Lio Rush wrestle for the first time in person.
- This is an outstanding showcase for Lio, especially this kick he does.
- This is a great dynamic. Seeing Balor play the bigger opponent.
- Balor made Lio Rush look like a million bucks. That doesn't take much work, but he sold like crazy for Lio.
- Balor counters a springboard stunner with the 1916, and wins with Coup De Grace for the win.
- A good match, a good story, stakes, and a good crowd.
- Lashley is livid backstage and goes off on Lio Rush. This was excellent.
- Bobby Lashley was FANTASTIC there.
Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley (w/ Lio Rush)
N/A
- Lashley comes out really aggressive, the best I've seen him in ring from a demeanor standpoint since he's come back.
- Lashley eats a BOOOOOT and gets squishered.
- Strowman mows down Lashley, then Lio, who moved out of the way.
- Braun just LEAVES.
Backstage Crappenings
- The Ascension troll Tucker and bully Otis, which Tucker warns them about. They accuse Otis of dumpster diving, and they get sent into the boxes backstage. Okay.
- We see STING backstage
NO DQ
Drew McIntyre defeated Dean Ambrose
5.5/10
- Ambrose and Drew go right at it. Drew ends up beating Ambrose with a belt before a commercial.
- Ambrose jumps from the top rope to the outside with an elbow.
- They end up brawling outside until Ambrose regains control with the belt. Drew cracks him with a headbutt though.
- Drew's stair plot is foiled with a drop toe hold.
- Elias attacks Ambrose with a guitar. Claymore and a pin.
- Lashley and Baron Corbin jump in on the fun.
- Seth Rollins and ROMAN REIGNS make the save and clear the ring.
- They just leave Dean Ambrose in the ring.
- As mentioned on FightfulSelect.com's Q&A show last week, we'd heard that Roman Reigns and the Shield would have a presence at WWE Fastlane. Subscribe today. It's like five bucks bro.
Bayley (w/ Sasha Banks) defeated Nia Jax (w/ Tamina)
5.5/10
- Bayley hits a nice hiptoss, but Nia kicks out.
- Some good back and forth including a Nia Oklahoma Stampede, but her undoing comes when she goes after Sasha.
- Bayley knees Nia in the face. Sasha sidesteps Tamina, who eats stairs.
- Bayley wins with a flying elbow drop. Didn't see that coming!
BIRTHDAY TIME
- Triple H and Stephanie bring out Shawn Michaels, Ricky Steamboat, Kurt Angle, Sting.
- Ricky Steamboat looks GREAT.
- They run a Ric Flair video package, but Flair doesn't come out.
- BATISTA IS BACKSTAGE! He drags out Ric Flair and asks if he has Triple H's attention now.
- That was a FANTASTIC show closer.
Rating guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5.The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
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