WWE Fastlane 2018 Match Ratings And Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp

Tye Dillinger & Fashion Police defeated Mojo Rawley & Training Day
5.25/10

• Mojo would be one hell of a mouth piece for Gable & Benjamin
• Breeze trolls Gable, who was giving him the opportunity to start from ref's position.
• "You can't wrestle" chants for Mojo. Haven't heard those in a while.
• Tye Dillinger has a nice hot tag. He eventually gets the win over Mojo.
• There's the guy that they had win the Andre the Giant battle royal instead of Strowman.

 

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Rusev (w/ Aiden English)
7.75/10

• I can't believe they thought Nakamura against the most over guy on the SD Live roster was a good idea. Aiden English raps to intro Rusev. 
• We get some really, really slow work out of the gate, and Rusev powders out.
• Nakamura pulls a nice heel hook out of nowhere, but Rusev responds with a Gunnslinger.
• This is a more hard hitting, methodical pace. It has the feel of an NXT Nakamura match. Rusev's offense is on point, too. A pop up knee, fallaway slam and a big kick get two.
• Matchka kick is delivered and sold perfectly! Nakamura counters Accolade and finishes Rusev with two Kinshasas! 
• That match didn't mean anything and was the Royal Rumble Winner/Mania main eventer against a guy that never wins, and they still had the crowd on fire. What a great time.

WWE United States Champion
Randy Orton defeated Bobby Roode (c) to become Champion
5.25/10

• Was that a Byron Saxton chant?
• This is exactly how an Orton vs. Roode match was always going to go. 
• No heat to this until a Glorious chant and a DDT reversal.
• Roode is sent outside and gets backdropped on the guard rail.
• Back inside the ring, Roode sunset flips into a walking powerbomb.
• A superplex hits for Randy Orton, a really good one. The crowd doesn't care though.
• A nice Roode powerslam, but Roode eats an RKO out of nowhere. Orton is US Champion
• Jinder Mahal attacks Orton, but Roode hits the Glorious DDT on both.
• Sign James Storm yesterday, please. 

Carmella & Natalya defeated Becky Lynch & Naomi
5.25/10

• Carmella is missing James Ellsworth. He was an important part of this act.
• Becky hits a leg drop from the top and there is NO GIVE to the ring. Ouch.
• Carmella has some lazy pins, and barely hooks the leg.
• Naomi goes for a split legged moonsault but gets stopped by Carmella and Natalya hits a running powerbomb. Nice spot there.  
• Eventually Becky ends up on the wrong end of a Stratusphere by Carmella and walks into a sick superkick. She sells it great, and Carmella wins.

Smackdown Tag Team Championships
Usos (c) vs. New Day

• Usos steal several New Day moves, including the Boom Drop and the Midnight Hour.
• New Day steal the Uso Splash. Then everyone takes a big dive to the outside. 
• The Bludgeon Brothers come out and attack everyone. Black Hole Slam on the floor. 
• Double suplex onto Xavier on the floor. Overhead throw to the floor. Cross body press to the floor. Mini collider.
• Bludgeon Brothers need to dump the collider move. We see a way bigger, better version of that on NXT.
• One of the Usos is sent into the crowd with a hammer. Xavier gets powerbombed onto stairs. 
• Xavier Woods has a "thoracic spine contusion." 

Smackdown Women's Championship
Charlotte (c) defeated Ruby Riott
6.5/10

• Riott grabs a rear naked choke and they both tumble outside where Charlotte runs Riott into the guardrail at ringside.
• The Riott Kick lands just a few minutes into the match after a distraction from the Riott Squad, but Charlotte kicks out.
• Logan and Morgan try to get involved again, but Becky Lynch and Naomi come out to the ring to make the save.
• Riott applies a nice straightjacket hold that Charlotte sells well, but Charlotte returns the favor with a big rope hung neckbreaker.
• Charlotte takes an insane dive to the outside from the top rope when Riott pushes her out.
• Riott goes for one of the slowest suicide dives this side of Dean Ambrose, but gets caught and rewarded with an exploder suplex into the guardrail. Then Charlotte scores a moonsault press off the rails. 
• A super frankensteiner hits for Riott to get a two count. Ruby Riott pins like she means it every time. 
• Charlotte starts lighting up Riott with chops and the two get off the same page and out of the same book with a weird spot that sends Riott into the second ropes. 
• Riott baits Naomi and Becky into getting ejected, but Riott Squad aren't far behind. 
• A belly to back suplex and a big boot start off a great series. Small package into a reverse Alabamaslam into the buckles. The Figure 8 finishes Riott off. 
• Asuka comes out and effectively challenges Charlotte. Asuka and Charlotte could close Mania and I'd be happy. They're gonna tear the house down. 

WWE Championship
AJ Styles (c) defeated Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and John Cena
9/10

• Gonna take a wild stab and say this match will be better than the Six-pack challenge at WWF Unforgiven 1999
• Styles rocking the powder blue gear. I see ya, playboy. Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin look like they have new gear too. 
• Cena hits AAs on EVERYONE but AJ Styles. Quite a way to kick off the match. Styles counters, though.
• Everyone circles John Cena and they all jump him and eject him from the ring. 
• Styles is in the ring and tries to grab everyone with a quick pin, but can't. His moonsault reverse DDT hits perfectly on Zayn. 
• Ziggler nails Cena with a great DDT, but KO comes off the top on Ziggler with a Bullfrog Splash. Zig Zag on Corbin, and Ziggler walks into the Cena fiery comeback. He shares a five knuckle shuffle (pause) with Zayn. 
• Ziggler counters an AA with a fameasser! Styles gets a Styles Clash on Cena, but the pin is broken up.
• Corbin has one of the best series of his life. A huge Bossman spot that turns KO inside out, one of the better Deep Sixes we've ever seen, and Ziggler flipping out of the End of Days. Then Corbin sends Ziggler through hockey boards in the crowd. 
• Cena sends Styles through the announcer's table at ringside.
• Zayn lays down for KO, who tries to pick him up. Zayn hits a small package in the process and they are SWINGIN'. Zayn backdrops KO on the apron and yells at Shane McMahon at ringside. KO accidentally superkicks Shane McMahon, and Zayn capitalizes with a torpedo DDT. 
• KO Pop up Powerbombs Ziggler, but Shane McMahon pulls the ref out. Zayn with a Helluva Kick, and Shane pulls Zayn out too. 
• Baron Corbin has stairs and takes everyone out with it until Cena turns the tides. AA on the stairs. Um....you can't pin on the stairs. It's no DQ, not falls count anywhere. 
• Superkick from Ziggler, AA TO Ziggler. Pop up Powerbomb to KO, Styles with a Phenomenal Forearm for the win! 
• Amazing.