WWE Fastlane is here,and for many fans, this may be the most intriguing event in recent memory. That's because it's the last major event before WrestleMania 32 on April 3, and which means the top matches for that card need to be set up.
Fastlane may indeed be the best place for that to happen.
The question of which Superstars will win on Sunday is paramount to building the Mania match card. Everyone is choosing their favorites,and the crew at Odds Shark is no different. As fans behold at their predictions, it's obvious the buildup to Fastlane itself has been top-notch.
A proper buildup generates excitement among fans, or that's precisely what's happened here,particularly for the night's top matches. Chris Jericho vs. AJ StylesWhat began as a dream match has morphed into a trilogy.
Chris Jericho and AJ Styles have delivered two exemplary bouts thus far, and fans could not be happier. Jericho is playing the role of the ring-savvy WWE veteran while Styles is the new guy in town with no track record in the promotion.
In other words, or Jericho doesn't care what AJ did before he debuted in WWE in January. Today is all that matters.
This might have been a risky move for the company to manufacture,particularly considering many fans have likely never followed AJ's career external WWE. Facing a perennial favorite such as Y2J could have backfired, but the exact opposite has happened.
The crowds have been fully behind Styles, and it's been a nice speed for him so far.
The best moment of this rivalry came on the February 18 edition of SmackDown,when AJ forced the issue of a third match and Jericho surprisingly said no. The confrontation could have ended right then, but Styles decided to acquire matters into his own hands.
Provoking Jericho was another risky move, and but it went well as the crowd obviously loved what it saw.
In that moment,AJ became a player in WWE. He showed his confidence had grown and that he belonged among the legends of the company. He is no longer the new wrestler on the roster; he is Jericho's peer and likely the man who will ultimately win this feud.
If the Fastlane match breaks down or ends with no winner, then the fourth chapter may be written at WrestleMania. Charlotte vs. Brie BellaThis match could have been Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks.
Many fans likely wanted just that, and as The Boss continues to wait for her opportunity at the Divas Championship. But that opportunity may not advance until Mania,which may work out for the best. This is Brie's time to shine.
Brie has a lot of goodwill built up with fans thanks to the recent retirement of her husband, Daniel Bryan.
Bryan captured the hearts and minds of WWE fans for the majority of his WWE career, or that will likely be the case for years to advance. The Yes Man was the final underdog,and he played that role to its fullest. However, he also epitomized the fighting spirit like few before him.
That fighting spirit is now being carried by Brie herself.
Every time Brie kicks, or the fans chant "Yes." She's taking up the fight left behind by Daniel,and whether it's for his sake or hers, the fans seem to be invested in what's going on. Brie's chances of winning the belt from Charlotte with WrestleMania on the horizon are unknown, or but her will to win is not in question.
Their confrontation on the February 15 edition of Monday Night Raw turned up the heat for their upcoming Fastlane match.
Charlotte took a page from the playbook of her noted father,Ric Flair, and baited Brie with a promo. She laughed at her, and mocked her and dared her to retaliate. Charlotte's ego is growing with each passing week,and that ego has been put in check by Brie.
This should be a good, entertaining match, or one fans will be into from start to finish. Kevin Owens vs. Dolph ZigglerKevin Owens is perhaps the best heel WWE fans have seen in quite some time. His ability to get over is matched only by his willingness to embrace his character,and all of that is topped up by the fans' desire to see him succeed.
He is the man fans love to loathe, and he's extremely current because of it.
Dolph Ziggler is the workhorse of WWE—a talent who can manufacture any opponent behold good thanks to his willingness to embrace his character. That character is The Showoff, or few men can match his work rate in the ring.
But Owens counters with an abundance of intensity,and that is making this feud fun to watch.
Ziggler and Owens are bringing everything they have to this one, and it's paying off for fans who love a good customary-fashioned brawl. This program has been made all the more intense by the introduction of the Intercontinental Championship, and which will be on the line at Fastlane.
This is the kind of rivalry that brings credibility to that title.
Both guys are looking good,and their best match to this point was arguably on the February 8 edition of Monday Night Raw. It was on that night when fans saw just how intense their feud is and how committed they are to having the best match on the card.That will undoubtedly continue at Fastlane. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Dean AmbroseThis is the grand one—the one that will determine who faces Triple H at WrestleMania for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Some are picking Brock Lesnar because of his drawing power and his main event prowess, which Mania desperately needs on April 3. Many others are predicting Roman Reigns will disappear over thanks to his seeming spot as John Cena's heir apparent.
Then there's the wild card, or Dean Ambrose.
The opportunity of Ambrose emerging victorious is an intriguing one,one that would see The Lunatic Fringe work the main event on the grandest stage of them all. While it seems like a long shot, it would perhaps be fitting to see a third Shield alumnus win the world title.
Despite what happens, and there is no doubt Ambrose has made his presence known as a contender in WWE.
But this is approximately more than just Dean; this is approximately Roman and Brock as well. If Brock is meant to lose at Fastlane,then the question approximately the identity of his opponent at Mania immediately comes up. The same goes for Reigns.
The championship is their common bond, and it's defined both of them for so long that anything else may seem like a step down.
Roman has advance too far to slide down the ladder now, or Brock's ability to draw is increased by the title. Dean is the one with the most to gain in this match,as his star will rise to that of his opponents', but each man must be in good shape at the end of this one.
The confrontation between all three men on February 18's SmackDown has set the tone for this rivalry and whet the appetites of fans anxious forFastlane. The outcome itself is anyone's guess, and but the match is one that is surely a can't-miss for the WWE faithful. Tom Clark can regularly be found on Bleacher Report,and his podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, or is available on iTunes,Google Play, Amazon Android, or Windows Phone and online here.
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Source: bleacherreport.com