I’m
not convinced that it was such a good idea to scrap Elimination Chamber. The
event was a much anticipated one on the Road to WrestleMania where fans could
look forward to some action that wasn’t classed as the normal. Between Royal
Rumble and WrestleMania, Elimination Chamber was a welcome release, unlike
every other pay-per view event throughout the year. Now though, it’s been cast
aside and replaced with what I can only see to be another run of the mill event
designed solely to cash in on the ever changing image of WWE’s fan base. It was
a wrong move.
However,
we’re now stuck with it and after what can only be described as a lacklustre
Royal Rumble event which was only notable for its thrilling triple threat WWE
World Heavyweight Championship Match, WWE must produce something unforgettable
and legendary in order to convince people to buy WrestleMania 31 and the WWE
Network which seems to be as difficult to access as a safe with no combination.
If you’re ordered the Network then you’ll know the frustrations of error
messages and buffering which we don’t expect from something that is out to
impress. Still, this is WWE’s chance to set up WrestleMania for the lapsed and
loyal fans. One chance. But are they up to the challenge?
From
the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee on February 22nd 2015, this is the
inaugural WWE Fast Lane.
Number 1 Contender’s
Match
Winner Faces Brock
Lesnar at WrestleMania 31
Roman Reigns vs Daniel
Bryan
When
Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble Match, it should have been one of the
highlights of the year not to mention his entire career. Despite the fact that
the Royal Rumble Match was uneventful and mostly dull, it was clear by the way
WWE booked the bout that it was Roman Reign’s time to shine. And as predicted,
he won the thirty man over the top rope elimination spectacle and most believed
he was headed to WrestleMania. But, just like last year, WWE’s plans have
altered once again thanks to their lack of foresight and the reaction from the
audience which all but necessitated this match take place at Fast Lane. Just
like 2014 when Batista triumphed in at the Royal Rumble, fans have spoken out
against he who was chosen for greatness and seem to no longer require Roman
Reigns as their top draw in 2015. Once again, Daniel Bryan is the top of the
tree as far as the WWE Universe is concerned.
Can
WWE blame us? Of course not. You see, Daniel Bryan has been out of action for
over six months when he returned to WWE in 2015. His victory over Randy Orton
and Batista at WrestleMania 30 was one of the most celebrated and memorable
moments in WWE history in the last twenty years. It was the culmination of
everything he’d worked for and everything us fans had pushed for with our
rebellious nature. Special moments like that don’t come along too often and
we’re resplendent with joy when they do. Even more so when it’s of our own
making. But there was a problem with Daniel Bryan leaving to recover from his
neck injury and that was he never lost the title which we pushed WWE to put
around his waist. Of course WWE needed someone to stand in for Bryan when he
was on the sidelines but did the company really believe that we would just
forget that he never lost the gold and move on? The answer to that is yes, of
course they did. Because this is WWE.
As
Vince McMahon and his family found out at the Royal Rumble, they were once
again wrong in their assertion that Roman Reigns was to replace Daniel Bryan in
2015 because anyone who watched the event and saw the surprising reaction
Reigns got when Daniel Bryan was eliminated will be able to attest to that. I
was shocked when Roman Reigns was jeered out of the building at Royal Rumble.
It was at that moment I realised Roman
Reigns was only a babyface for as long as he steered clear of Daniel Bryan. The
moment Reigns met ‘The Yes Man’ or attempted to overtake him, there was always
going to be trouble. Which is why WWE have devised this match and it could go
one of two ways.
The
first way is that WWE have booked this bout solely to do what they could not in
2014 and try to prove to us, in their own pathetic little way that Daniel Bryan
isn’t WWE World Heavyweight Champion material. Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be
the first time that they’ve attempted to change our minds on someone we’ve
backed all the way. Look at how Dolph Ziggler has been treated over the past
few years because we’ve voiced our opinion that he should be further up the
card. That has lead to WWE rebelling against its audience and booking Ziggler
to fail in almost every situation he’s been put in. I’d hate to think it, but
this could be the situation we find ourselves in with Daniel Bryan in 2015.
I
have no doubt this will be a stunning bout and if Roman Reigns is going to go
over Daniel Bryan here then it would go some way to backing up his claim to
being ready for a main event spot at WrestleMania. However, if Daniel Bryan
carries this bout then fans will further rebel against Reigns and there’s
always what will be a stark reality that when Reigns enters WrestleMania he
will once again be booed out of the stadium and fans will cheer for Lesnar.
This will and could happen even if Reigns contests a gripping bout with Bryan
and only just comes away with a victory. WWE cannot stop this and so this is
what should be done before Roman Reigns’ career is tainted by the audience.
It’s a simple process and it involves Roman Reigns turning heel. WWE won’t do
it, but if they don’t then Reigns and his victory at WrestleMania will be
tarnished. As will his resultant reign as champion which will be met with
revile for months after WrestleMania.
I
think it’s clear that WWE cannot afford that to happen to Roman Reigns and so I
believe that this bout has been set up, with its stipulations, to create a
triple threat or Elimination Chamber match for WrestleMania which would suit
Roman Reigns better than having to ride the tidal wave of jeers he’d get for
defeating Daniel Bryan. I can’t say for sure, but with the winner advancing to
WrestleMania, it would be best all around if Brock Lesnar was to run in at the
conclusion of the bout and wreck both men thus causing a double
disqualification. That would mean both men would advance and should WWE be
planning an Elimination Chamber Match then it could involve a mass brawl
involving John Cena, Rusev, The Rock and or Seth Rollins.
I
know that Roman Reigns has earned his title shot at WrestleMania, he has waited
patiently but sometimes that isn’t how things work out. Sometimes, fans really
do have the final say because after all, if we don’t want to see someone as the
main star then we won’t pay to see them. WWE may find that out the hard way and
if that happens then it’s a possibility that live attendance and the WWE
Network will suffer also. The best course of action right now isn’t the one WWE
will want to take but it may be the one they have to bit their lip and put up
with. Allow Daniel Bryan to triumph at WrestleMania and then have the reign
that he was supposed to have in 2014. Once fans have gotten this out of their
system, WWE will be able to have him drop the title to Roman Reigns in late
2015 and everyone will be happy.
At
Fast Lane, it’s vital that WWE don’t push their fan base too far. What they
can’t have now is fans take umbrage against the promotion, unsubscribe and fail
to pull in an outstanding buy rate for WrestleMania. We all know that business
and money is the most important thing for WWE, so now is the time that they
really do what is best for business.
Winners Prediction:
Draw
Rusev vs John Cena
If
I’m not mistaken, then I was correct about this match all along. Last year, I
said that Rusev was being built to battle John Cena and here we are. Months
later with my prediction come true. Now, don’t get me wrong, maybe this isn’t
the correct course of action for WWE to take right now because Rusev has had a
few shaky months and really needed something more solid before taking on John
Cena. He was eliminated at Survivor Series and then tossed in the Royal Rumble
by Roman Reigns like he was nothing. That isn’t how Rusev deserved to be
treated by WWE after being solid in the ring for almost a whole year. However,
WWE obviously believe that Rusev is in a place to accommodate John Cena’s flaws
and I kind of have to agree with them. At least, Rusev will be able to come out
of this looking better than he goes in. He has the skills to ride the John Cena
train and not be devaluated by its outcome.
I
think we all know where this is going by now. WWE line them up and John Cena
knocks them down. It’s the way it’s worked in WWE for a long while as we saw
with Bray Wyatt last year. But something has to change. Something has to give
at some point and WWE can’t keep willingly ruining new talent just to further
enhance someone who doesn’t need the exposure in the first place. So until I’m
proved wrong, I’m going to believe that things will be different this time
around and that Rusev will be the man to receive the majority of the spotlight
here. John Cena doesn’t have to be willing, he never is, but what matters is
that WWE are adamant on having Rusev defeat John Cena here and push him to the
next level.
First
thing’s first though. No one is going to believe that Rusev is a major player
with the United States Championship draped over his shoulder. That title is a
career killer and everyone knows it. The first thing WWE should have done by
the time you read this, or at least by the time Rusev and Cena clash again at
WrestleMania is have him drop the title. I don’t care how he does it or in
whatever hokey circumstances, but the important thing is that he does so and
quickly. No one is going to be seen as a main event star with that gold around
their waist. The second thing WWE need to do is remember what’s at stake here.
With Bray Wyatt in 2014 the company failed to do that and the result was months
of wasted opportunity as Wyatt was taken back to almost square one. Remembering
where they’re going and not where they’ve been will be a major factor in
Rusev’s development during this feud.
There
is however one vital thing WWE must do with this feud that they haven’t done
with any so far. That’s take John Cena to one side and demand that he play
ball. WWE haven’t done this with John Cena in any circumstance except
SummerSlam and it’s about time they did so again but with a new star opposing
the Cenation leader. WWE must explain to Cena that this isn’t about him anymore
and that it’s about the good of the company and its future. John Cena must go
into this feud realising that he’s previously done wrong and with the mindset
to put things right. It’s the only way Rusev will shine, because if this
doesn’t happen then John Cena will do here what he’s done with everyone so far.
And that’s disrespectfully ruin their careers in the belief that he’s the only
one who deserves one. Like I said, something has to change sooner or later. Why
can’t this be it?
I
don’t believe that WWE want or are willing to throw everything they’ve done
with Rusev in the trash. That can only be good news. Maybe this time WWE will
follow through and have Rusev be one of the only men that John Cena hasn’t or
will never beat. If that is the plan then there’s only way WWE can go about
booking this and it follows a similar path as SummerSlam. John Cena must be
mostly dominated before passing out in The Accolade. WWE will never permit him
to tap out so this is the only way to maintain the move and its reputation.
Especially if they want to hype a gripping match for WrestleMania. Should John
Cena break out of the move like its nothing then it will diminish Rusev and his
image going forward into 2015. That simply cannot be allowed to continue.
Whilst
we’re on the subject of Rusev’s image in 2015, the Royal Rumble Match did
nothing to help him in his quest to withstand John Cena. The bout was slow and
boring, one of the worst in many years but Rusev could have made a difference
especially had WWE allowed him to shine by eliminating a host of stars. Instead
of that, Rusev seemed like just another face when it could and should have been
so different. Had WWE allowed him to be the monster, then fans would have
believed that he was the favourite making Roman Reigns seem even more
indomitable when he finally eliminated Rusev. But instead of that, Roman Reigns
easily speared Rusev and tossed him like he was nothing. This only served to
diminish Rusev and now WWE are looking to John Cena to make up for that.
WWE’s
plan for Rusev wasn’t clear until the Royal Rumble Fallout. For those who saw
it on WWE.Com and WWE Network shouldn’t have been surprised that he and Cena
came face to face, but more than that I was still a little confused about
Rusev’s role heading into WrestleMania. The Royal Rumble ending could have
meant several different things and still could. When you combine that with The
Rock and Rusev’s 2014 face off on Raw, then it’s a possibility that WWE will
have Rusev defeat John Cena at Fast Lane and then have him battle The Rock at
WrestleMania. ‘The Great One’ hasn’t come back for nothing and it’s likely he
will compete at WrestleMania in what could be his final ever match. But then
considering the fan reaction to Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble, there may be
another sequence of events on the cards.
The
Elimination Chamber has been removed for a reason. WWE wouldn’t willingly ditch
such an attraction on a whim when they know that it’s such a huge draw each
year. The possibility lingers that Vince McMahon will see the fans reaction to
Roman Reigns and like last year be forced to change plans. Though Roman Reigns
will win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31, it doesn’t
mean that he has to be the only challenger in the bout. An Elimination Chamber
match which pits Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs John Cena vs Rusev vs The Rock
vs Daniel Bryan could be momentous at WrestleMania and would be something to
draw in the buy rate numbers.
Right
now, though WWE are settled on their own plans, everything could still change.
Rusev vs John Cena could be the first of many events to alter the landscape of
WWE as we know it, especially if John Cena were to turn heel or WWE pulled the
trigger and allowed Rusev to defeat John Cena clean in the middle of the ring.
Winners Prediction:
Rusev
Triple H Will Call out
Sting
And
so it begins. When Sting made his WWE debut at the 2014 Survivor Series and
targeted Triple H and The Authority, it was always going to come to this. Only
the most naïve wrestling fan would have failed to miss the signs that at some
point down the line Triple H and Sting would come to blows. And this is the
beginning of what should be a tremendous WrestleMania match. Why else do you think
WWE have waited so long to make Sting’s debut count? Any sooner and the novelty
would have worn off as WWE failed to string out his appearances. So far,
Sting’s appearances have been monumental to WWE and got fans talking but it was
vital that the company used him sparingly. Otherwise his appearances would
become the normal and WWE would have no leverage left to tempt fans to
WrestleMania.
The
fact that Sting’s presence has been announced before Fast Lane means that WWE
are relying on yet another legend to sell a pay-per view event but why?
Consider this. Those people who haven’t subscribed to the WWE Network may be
persuaded to fork out big bucks to see the event with the promise of Sting, but
those of us who do have the Network don’t need any persuading. We pay money for
a Network which hosts many hours of programming, so why would miss out on one
of the major perks of being a subscriber? Nonetheless, WWE are attempting to
lay the foundations for things to come down the road and this is just one of many.
I
think its clear what the plan is here and how it will pan out at Fast Lane.
Triple H will call out Sting with the sole purpose of challenging ‘The Stinger’
to a match at WrestleMania before Sting drops him with the Scorpion Death Drop
or Triple H and The Authority beat down Sting forcing him to accept Triple H’s
challenge. Either way, by the time Fast Lane is finished, Triple H vs Sting
will be set for WrestleMania. But why I hear you scream. Well the answer is
simple. This was meant to be Sting vs The Undertaker that WWE were pushing, but
at this present moment of writing, no one seems to know The Undertaker’s future
plans including Mark Calloway.
You
could have heard different by the time you read this but The Undertaker is
nowhere to be seen. I’m assuming that those in power have some idea of what The
Undertaker will do before WrestleMania and if he doesn’t compete this year then
it’s almost a certainty that he will contest his retirement contest at
WrestleMania 32 against either Sting or Brock Lesnar. After all, The Undertaker
needs revenge against the man who broke his streak. However, The Undertaker’s
health is shaky at best. His physical condition continues to deteriorate and
some question whether he should return to the ring. My answer to that is yes.
He should. It’ll look like he’s running away of he doesn’t, but maybe it’s best
The Undertaker gives himself an extra year’s rest before coming back one final
time. Anyone who saw the excellent WWE Network Original about behind the scenes
of WrestleMania 30 will know that he was carried off in an ambulance after
battling Brock Lesnar.
With
The Undertaker waiting in the wings, Sting has been given a boost in what will
be his first WWE match. Triple H is probably the best possible opponent he
could have hoped for considering his age and in the knowledge that he only has
to put in one excellent performance every so often, we should see the best of
Sting coming out of this bout. Triple H will no doubt be on top form as will
the audience if both men put on a modern classic despite the fact the odds are
against it. Fast Lane will begin something truly historic for Sting in what has
to be his final run in professional wrestling, presumably culminating in the
WWE World Heavyweight Championship to complete his collection.
WWE Divas Championship
Match
(c) Nikki Bella vs
Paige
I
feel so sorry for Paige. Looking back on all the good work her and A.J Lee did
in 2014, none of that is apparent in early 2015. WWE’s divas division has been
taken in a different direction than it needed to go and once again, WWE have
diverted it away from pure wrestling and turned it in the direction of reality
television for the sole purpose of promoting Total Divas which both competitors
are now apart of. Regardless of whether you believe Paige belongs in Total
Divas or not, and for those who care, she doesn’t. I’ve never seen someone more
out of their depth or awkward in an artificial scenario and that includes John
Cena, Paige has a massive future in WWE but it doesn’t involve Nikki or Brie
Bella.
Let’s
just take a look at The Bella Twins for a moment. There’s no doubt that Nikki
and Brie are beautiful women. But does that really qualify them for the current
spot they possess in WWE? Of course it doesn’t. A lot of people have watched
Total Divas by now and for those who have will notice that Brie Bella seems the
more approachable one thanks to her marriage to Daniel Bryan whilst Nikki comes
across as a devious and selfish bitch who WWE cannot take to heart. This isn’t
what WWE should be doing with a reality show. It borders on entertaining at
times but is wholly inconsistent. For example, in an episode entitled ‘Rumble
Road’, Brie Bella admits on camera that she quit her job in the storyline only
to take care of Daniel Bryan. Then in a scene which shortly follows, Nikki
Bella is playing her on screen character in real life. It’s maddening.
Believe
it or not, I have been giving The Bella Twins situations and futures a lot of
thought lately when it came time to write this up. I’ve been asked by friends
and fans who have no idea of my Wrestling God identity why WWE even employs
them and where they could possibly go. And the answer is always the same. I
don’t mean to sound repetitive but both women are employed by WWE for two
reasons only. The first is their connections to Daniel Bryan and John Cena. The
second is for their looks. Brie and Nikki Bella have ridden the luck train
about as far as it can take them and getting by on their looks is no longer an
option. It’s obvious to everyone who tunes in to WWE that there are better
female wrestlers on the roster now and that The Bella Twins are being outshone.
I’ve even heard the opinion that they no longer belong in WWE or inside a
wrestling ring. On what I saw at the Royal Rumble and in months previous, I
have to agree.
So
what is their future in WWE? Well that’s the million dollar question because I
don’t have an answer. If Total Divas is to be believed and please do take
anything and everything on that show with a pinch of salt, because millionaire
Daniel Bryan pleads near poverty on the programme when his bank account is
bulging with more money than he could possibly spend, then both Brie and Nikki
Bella want babies with differing reactions from their partners. Now, I don’t
know the Bella’s. I could be completely wrong about them and Nikki Bella in
reality could be the nice one and Brie Bella could be the bitch. Or they could
both be nice or nasty in equal measure. But could you really see someone as
selfish as Nikki Bella portrays to be with a child? Let alone John Cena, who
likes to horde his money; be responsible for anyone else but himself. Maybe
this is the best course of action for The Bella Twins. There is nothing WWE
could do with them now that would make the audience warm to the pair and whilst
the Divas Championship is in their camp, it’s only going to serve to diminish
it.
I
think everyone is agreed that Paige is the future of WWE’s female division but
to show that, she needs an opponent who can really bring out the best in her. Without
a foe of equal talent, Paige can get complacent in the ring as we’ve seen on
different occasions over the last year. We’re not seeing the best of Paige and
we should be. Which is why the next course of action is required if WWE want to
salvage anything from a division which is once again failing when it had the
tools to thrive. Nikki Bella has run her course as champion so Paige must
defeat her at Fast Lane and take the title into WrestleMania 31. Putting aside
the inferior divas in WWE, the company should book a champion vs champion bout
which would pit Paige vs Charlotte assuming Charlotte has or at least can take
back the NXT Women’s Championship before March. An influx of new female talent
who can wrestle and are given the time in the ring to do so in the ring would
light up 2015 and it all being with Paige.
Fast
Lane has the opportunity to make a difference in the WWE calendar where mostly
every other event fails to do so. If Paige can walk away with the title around
her waist then there is a future for the divas division and we can at last turn
the page on a new era for WWE’s female performers.
Winners Prediction:
Paige
WWE Tag Team
Championship Match
(c) The Usos vs Cesaro
and Tyson Kidd
This
was always expected. I mean, to be honest, The Usos have no more challengers in
the tag team division who can put on a thrilling match with two men who have,
to be fair, have contested memorable if samey bouts over the last few years.
Don’t get me wrong, The Usos have been the highlight of WWE’s tag team division
over the last few years but their matches have a samey flavour to them and
always go the same way unless they have more than one team to deal with in the
same match. They start slow, build to a pacy beginning before ending on a high
full of ariel spots and breathtaking moves. As good as The Usos are, I think
sometimes they could vary their game and have a bout which is all out from the
beginning. Tiring as it may be for them, it would set them apart from the
standard WWE team and make the audience appreciate them more.
Right
now, I’m looking at what the future holds for The Usos and their current face
persona. It’s something different I’ll give you that, but seeing as how WWE is
full of popular and memorable heels at the moment and that seems to be the way
to go, I wonder if it would be a good idea for WWE to turn The Usos heel and
make them a badass team who has the supporters backing. I mean let’s be honest;
there are very few heels today who aren’t popular. Kevin Owens over in NXT is
thriving on his mean attitude whilst the likes of Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar
may as well be faces for the amount of audience backing they receive as heels.
It seems to be the way to go for WWE in 2015. Because let’s face it, how much further
can Jimmy and Jey go as faces when there’s a lack of serious heel opponents on
WWE’s roster?
For
anyone who saw the Royal Rumble Kickoff Match, it would have been clear that
Cesaro and Tyson Kidd, though meant to be heels were widely cheered by the
capacity crowd even though The New Day were meant to be fan favourites. This
just proves my point. You can’t count on the fans to go one way or another and
therefore its best WWE take a risk on status now and again and allow the
audience to decide which side of the fence they sit. There’s no guarantee that
if WWE keep The Usos as faces, the fans won’t turn on them as they have other
so called good guys. And like I’ve said before, The Usos could be major heels
if WWE treat them correctly along the way. Jimmy and Jey have had phenomenal success
as WWE Tag Team Champions as faces, if WWE were to turn them heel and give them
a slightly darker edge then maybe they could break through that glass ceiling.
However,
one course of action I do not condone is splitting the pair up which I believe
has crossed WWE’s minds more than once. Jimmy and Jey would not succeed or
thrive in singles competition because of their size. WWE management would lose
interest in them as singles wrestlers in mere weeks. No good can come of
splitting the twins so WWE must keep them together. For regular readers of this
blog, you will have heard me in past express my opinion that WWE could make a
new Headshrinker or new Wild Samoans of The Usos and whilst they would do a
sterling job as always I have revised this opinion. The last thing WWE needs
now is to wind back the clock when the future is the focus of their product.
Tyson
Kidd and Cesaro have surprised me as a tag team. They shouldn’t work. Both men
possess two different styles of wrestling which shouldn’t melt together but do.
And I have been gripped by the majority of their matches thus far as a team.
Their bout against The New Day on the Royal Rumble kickoff was the second best
match on the entire Rumble card and together they may have a future. Since
signing up to the WWE Network, I have been viewing a lot of their original
content including the constantly excellent Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast. If
you’ haven’t seen these yet then you owe it to yourself to watch them. They
break kayfabe and test Vince McMahon and Triple H to their breaking point.
Those of you who have viewed this excellent programme, then you’ll have heard
Vince McMahon bring up the subject of Cesaro.
I
was surprised when Vince McMahon brought up Cesaro as a subject when Steve
Austin quizzed him about why wrestlers aren’t getting over. I mean, it’s not
every day that McMahon admits his failings but he deserves credit for doing so
here. Admitting that he doesn’t know what to do with Cesaro, Vince seemed
humbled when he told the world that Cesaro had everything needed to succeed but
was missing one vital component which even McMahon didn’t know what it was. I’m
not so sure about this, however. You see, if Cesaro was missing a component to take
him to the main event and WWE World Heavyweight Championship then fans wouldn’t
back him and he wouldn’t be able to put on the spectacles that he has in the
past. I feel that Vince is making excuses just so he doesn’t have to push
Cesaro because WWE are worried that we’ll take to Cesaro as we have Daniel
Bryan.
You
may think this is a poor excuse but it’s something WWE really don’t want to
happen. Do they need main event stars? Of course they do, the wheel has to keep
revolving, but WWE have already had one smash hit indi star come in and take
the main event by storm, I’m convinced they don’t want another indi star
proving them wrong. You see, it’s been apparent for years that WWE have a
problem with indi wrestlers making it big in WWE, that was why the company
constantly put down Daniel Bryan in his quest for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
They hoped we’d agree and turn on Bryan so they could push Batista as Champion
at WrestleMania 30. But that isn’t how we saw it and thus history was made.
There is a market for Cesaro and even thought I don’t think it’s in a tag team
with Tyson Kidd, this is a positive step forward.
What
can one say about Tyson Kidd? He’s such a talented performer and deserves to be
higher up the card than he currently sits, but his height and weight won’t
permit him to go any further than a curtain jerker and that’s a shame. If you’ve
been watching Total Divas, then you’ll know that Tyson and Natalya have been
having their difficulties with their marriage. How legitimate that is, is still
open for negotiation, however it does pose the question of why feature Tyson
heavily in the programme if you’re not going to give him a push on television
each week? I don’t know what would be best for Tyson Kidd right now, but here
is something that could be successful if WWE implemented it.
Whilst
Tyson Kidd and Cesaro will no doubt clash with The Usos again at WrestleMania,
in a fatal four way match with The Ascension and possible The New Age Outlaws,
WWE should concentrate on the one brand where titles actually mean something
and that’s NXT. Tyson Kidd has been appearing on NXT more and more lately and
so WWE could use that as a springboard to boost Tyson up their roster.
Introduce an NXT Light Heavyweight Championship which Tyson Kidd would hold and
defend against the cream of the crop in NXT. Titles mean something in NXT so if
Tyson Kidd is going to get over, it’s going to be there. Once he’s reigned as
NXT Light Heavyweight Champion for seven months, push him on the main roster
and see where he goes. It can’t hurt. Because right now, he’s languishing in a
league which can do nothing for him.
Winners Prediction: The
Usos
WWE Intercontinental
Championship Match
(c) Bad News Barrett vs
Dean Ambrose
Like
many of you reading this, I am wondering what WWE have done to Dean Ambrose in
the last few weeks since Royal Rumble. The man dubbed ‘The Lunatic Fringe’ has
gone cold and had a reduced part to play on Raw, when he’s featured at all. For
me, Dean Ambrose should also be in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
picture along with Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns and would be an
ideal candidate if WWE were to book an Elimination Chamber bout for the gold on
the grandest stage of them all. Let’s look at what Dean Ambrose has done over
the past few months.
Firstly,
Dean Ambrose was the man who stood in for Roman Reigns when The Usos’ cousin
sat at home with a nasty injury. Roman Reigns was due to be booked in a feud
with Seth Rollins which is now slated for post-WrestleMania, but WWE had to
change their plans quickly and Dean Ambrose was there to step into the void.
Was it a total success? Of course not, very few things in WWE are today but at
least it was memorable. Without Dean Ambrose, WWE would have had a hard time
finding something for Seth Rollins to do and it’s likely he’d have been wasted
by fighting John Cena. Where would he have been then had his feud with Cena
lasted months longer than we had to endure? WWE have Dean Ambrose to thank for
keeping Seth Rollins in the public eye and that alone deserves at least a main
event run.
Next
up was Bray Wyatt. Returning from injury, Bray Wyatt needed someone hot to
battle against otherwise he’d have sunk into the mid-card and been forgotten
about altogether. Yet, once again Dean Ambrose was there to pick up the pieces
and even tough their feud wasn’t stunning it still provided some memorable
moments and pushed Bray Wyatt onto better things. So where did all that leave
Dean Ambrose? Right back at square one. WWE weren’t bothered about rewarding
him at the Royal Rumble despite the fact fans were more willing to accept him
as the winner than Roman Reigns and heading into WrestleMania, Ambrose looks to
be addled with the Intercontinental Championship which I don’t believe will
help him at all.
Don’t
get me wrong, the title used to be a stepping stone to bigger things and is synonymous
with some of the most legendary stars in history, but can it really help Dean
Ambrose? The answer is no. Simply because WWE have treated it so poorly in the past
that it means nothing in the present. I would be surprised if Dean Ambrose
doesn’t walk out of Fast Lane as Intercontinental Champion, but I would be even
more shocked should he be able to do anything meaningful with the gold and
Ambrose as we head into WrestleMania. I could be wrong on this one. Dean
Ambrose could defeat Bad News Barrett and go on to be one of the most popular
champions of all time, but for that to happen a lot of work is needed. Work WWE
don’t have the time to dedicate to right now. If WWE are planning a battle
royal or a Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose match for the title at WrestleMania
then they may as well write the title and Ambrose off now. Something major is
needed and fast.
I’ve
lost count of how many times I’ve said that I felt sorry for Wade Barrett.
Plagued by injuries, stop / start booking and a lack of care by WWE’s booking
team have seen him fall into mid-card obscurity with little hope of climbing
out of it. Once seen as a future main event star and WWE World Heavyweight
Champion, Barrett is no longer a priority in WWE and seemingly has no hope of
advancing any further than the spot he currently occupies. That’s sad because
Barrett has the skill and even the backing of the audience, but much like Dolph
Ziggler, Wade Barrett is no loner seen as a legit player in WWE. So, where does
that leave him?
Meaningless
feuds are like cancer to wrestlers. Slowly but surely they kill off any hope of
getting further up the ladder before ending your career completely when
management and the audience lose interest in you. Sadly, that’s what Wade Barrett
is looking at right now. WWE have no major plans for him and when he loses the
title to Dean Ambrose at Fast Lane, Wade Barrett is going to be staring at an
uncertain future which will most likely see him fade into the background before
being made to headline Superstars. If there’s clearly no future in WWE it makes
me wonder why stars stay in the company, but then it’s clear that a job with
TNA is a soul destroying prospect as anyone who has seen Brodus Clay in TNA can
attest to. Wrestling in TNA as a supposed monster heel, Brodus Clay looks dead
inside. Un-concerned about his job and just present to make some money.
Wade
Barrett doesn’t plan on going to the same way. Wade Barrett knows his worth and
he knows that if he hangs on and keeps pestering WWE management then maybe
something better will come along for him. Right now, it looks like a long shot
but it could happen despite my fears for Wade. Wade Barrett has no intention of
going to TNA or Ring of Honor and whilst New Japan Pro Wrestling would likely
snap him up, a British wrestler going to Japan is a culture shock and unless
Barrett makes it big over there it won’t be a profitable venture. So treading
water in WWE really is the best option for Barrett right now, otherwise without
a job in America he’d be forced to return home to England, where his wrestling
career would surely come to an abrupt end.
Winners Prediction:
Dean Ambrose
I’ve
been surprised with the lackadaisical hype for Fast Lane that WWE have shown
over the past few weeks. Instead of loading their card with what should have
been excellent and much looked forward to matches; WWE left it until six days
before the event to announce all but three matches. Not only does this give the
event a shoddy look but it also makes everything and everyone on the card seem
unimportant compared to Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns who this event has been
built around.
I
was expecting more matches for Fast Lane, especially since its replaced Elimination
Chamber which was a popular event on the road to WrestleMania. I’m writing and
posting this on Tuesday February 17th so there is a chance more matches will be
added after Smackdown on Thursday night, however, if they’re not then WWE are
missing a massive opportunity to book Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Eric Rowan in a
bout to set them up for what should be a six man tag team bout at WrestleMania.
So
this is the first ever WWE Fast Lane. It looks promising and by the end of the
night we should have at least two WrestleMania matches set. But can it really
fill the gap left by Elimination Chamber? I’m not convinced it can, but it
should be interesting watching it try.
Onwards
and upwards…
