WWE Fastlane 2017 Predictions

The Raw team heads to Milwaukee where the BMO Harris Bradley Center will play host to this year’s Fastlane.  Raw has been pretty steady for the last few weeks, so let’s see what kind of card they’ve put together for us.  It’s quite a bit.

The Kickoff Show:

The Brian Kendrick and Noam Dar vs Rich Swann and Akira Tozawa

Matt:  Tozawa is awesome, Swann is still a fan favorite.  I don’t see them eating a loss here.  Swann & Tozawa.

Jeremy:  Tozawa and Swann were two of my favorites in the Cruiserweight Classic and I expect them to pick up the W here.  Don’t count out Kendrick and Dar though.  I think what will happen is Tozawa and Swann pick up the win and Kendrick takes out that loss on Dar, further alienating him from making an alliance with anyone in the devision.  Or maybe it’s just a basic kickoff match.  Probably the latter actually.

The Main Card:

Gallows and Anderson vs Enzo and Cass for the Raw Tag Team Championship

Matt:  The belts are going to stay with The Club for now, but that’s because I’m predicting some surprises at Fastlane.  We’re jumping right in here because I am picturing the return of the Hardy Boyz during a post match Gallows and Anderson promo, where a Broken Matt Hardy has answered the call of the Seven Deities and has come home to the land of Meekmahan to Delete the Club and claim the tag team titles.  Gallows and Anderson retain.

Jeremy: So I’m writing my predictions on Sunday morning.  Matt wrote his a couple of days ago.  The Hardys showed up at the Honorable Ring last night and won the tag titles.  I think they’ll eventually find their way back to WWE, but it won’t be without a pit stop in ROH and NJPW first.  So barring Hardy Boyz interference, I’m still thinking The Club retains.  The only reason to switch a belt before Wrestlemania is if you need to elevate a planned WM match with a belt.  Otherwise, save those big moments for the biggest stage of them all, especially for a face team.

Sasha Banks vs Nia Jax

Matt:  You’ve seen this match before.  I think this one is going to end a little differently with Sasha winning through heelish tactics.  Time for that turn.  Sasha Banks

Jeremy:  Either Sasha is winning this match by turning heel or she turns heel after on more loss against Nia.  I’m actually leaning to the latter on this one.  So, I think it’s Nia Jax.

Neville vs Jack Gallagher for the Cruiserweight Championship

Matt:  This one could honestly go either way and I don’t think I’d be upset with it.  That said, I don’t imagine they are going to have anyone dethrone Neville as the King of the Cruiserweights anytime soon.  Neville retains.

Jeremy: Yes, Neville retains here.  It’s great that they have another star in the devision in Jack Gallagher, but I think he’ll come up a little short.  I’ve literally hedged my bets on this in the fantasy league we’re in.  I have both Neville and Jack on my Drop the Belt team.

Bayley vs Charlotte for the Raw Women’s Championship

Matt:  Charlotte’s PPV streak isn’t ending this weekend, it’ll end in Orlando when it does end.  I’m seeing rampant speculation that Sasha Banks will heel turn and probably cost Bayley this match, which I’m more than ok with and have lobbied for Sasha to make that turn back to her heel boss character for a while now, but that begs another question, would that women’s division really be functional with only one face character?  It would be Bayley vs the world at that point, as Charlotte, Nia, Dana, and then Sasha would all be heels.  I think it could, but they’d actually have to build it up as such, have Charlotte take the belt and then Bayley winning it back at Wrestlemania clearly outnumbered by villains would be all the sweeter.  Charlotte takes back the crown

Jeremy:  I’m not going to read Matt’s post here.  I think Charlotte is going to win, but by DQ.  So technically her win streak is maintained but she doesn’t win back the championship.  I think Bayley is going into Wrestlemania the champion and will pin Charlotte clean.

Sami Zayn vs Samoa Joe

Matt:  I anticipate this being a damn fine match.  They’re going to protect Joe for a while, so I don’t see Sami getting his Underdog victory here but he’ll get to put on a show.  Joe

Jeremy: Yes, I expect this to go mostly like the Cesaro Vs. Joe match from Monday.  It’ll be competitive but Joe will get the upper hand and win clean.

Roman Reigns vs Braun Strowman

Matt:  I wasn’t interested in this match at all until I watched that Strowman vs Big Show match.  These two should pair up well, and as I’ve said a number of times, Roman has only been better and better in the ring since he had that set of matches with AJ Styles last year.  Strowman is quite gifted athletically for a man his size.  I don’t necessarily know that they let Roman overcome the Monster here.  I’ve got to take Strowman on this one.

Jeremy:  If Strowman doesn’t win, what was the point of his build.  If someone is going to finally take down Braun, it needs to be at Wrestlemania.  You don’t waste that build on the B Show before the biggest PPV of the year.  I don’t expect VKM to make Roman look week either.  And is this Roman Vs. Undertaker match happening at Wrestlemania?  Does Undertaker interfere causing the RR loss?  And if so, why?  I’m expecting to watch this match and have a lot of questions afterwards.  Strowman

Kevin Owens vs Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship

Matt:  I think there will be more chaos here.  While I think Goldberg is going to be around for quite a while post-Mania, I don’t think they’re going to put this belt on a part timer, especially with Seth Rollins needing something post Triple H and a now healthy Finn Balor coming back to reclaim his crown.  I think the ending of this match is decided by Brock Lesnar.  Lesnar interference keeps the belt on Owens and builds more into the quite drawn out saga of Goldberg-Lesnar on the remaining miles of the Road to Wrestlemania.  I see Finn Balor playing into the end of this show, I’m just not entirely sure how yet, and mostly it’s just wishful thinking so I get to see the Demon in Orlando win back his Universal Title.  Owens retains, but he definitely doesn’t win this match

Jeremy:  I really, really have no idea what’s going to happen here.  There are too many pieces in play.  First, you have Jericho on the loose.  I expect him to be here tonight looking for a way to get some revenge on Owens.  Brock could also want to get at Goldberg as well.  Then Bálor could make an appearance.  I think Kevin’s promo from two weeks ago was correct, Goldberg can’t last in a long match.  But I think it’s not going to get that far.  This is going to be an A-level Dusty finish.  I’m going to guess that Goldberg walks out with that belt.  I don’t actually like this idea, but that’s what I’m going with.