Despite a sharp start to the WWE Fastlane, the show stumbled upon more than one sprint, finding two high-quality matches at the back end of the show, including many men, that would anchor the April WrestleMania 37 event. The main event was between ubiquitous champion Roman Rains and challenger Daniel Bryan with Edge as a special promoter at Ringside.
Edge had already secured his place at WrestleMania challenging for the universal title after winning the Royal Rumble. While his issues with Ryan were already established, recent editions of Edge SmackDown saw an increase in tensions with Brian. This led to a shocking ending to the main event that would change the whole color of a special bout for the biggest weekend of the year for professional wrestlers.
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2021 WWE Fastlane Results, Grade
United States Championship – Riddle (C) vs. Mustafa Ali: Ali’s support for the match was, of course, a retribution. After Riddle’s quick start, Ali responded to a sender with a kick on the secondary, putting the champ on the defensive. Ali continued to work in Riddle’s neck and shoulder area, but Ali angrily twitched his own knee. Riddle exploded from a large chain of moves, including a powerbomb and a final flash knee strike, but Ali resisted Riddle’s attempt to fly again, reaching his knees to block the floating bro. After a series of counters between the two men, Koji Clutch almost won Ali’s match. Riddle managed to escape from the second rope to retain his title before finally hitting Bro Derek.
One of the better kick-off matches in recent memory with a really well-thought-out match, which showed the best of both men. After the match, Ali again ran under the retribution, but the reckoning went from there, then remained a slapjack. T-Bar and Mess then tied Ali with a double-team chokebomb. Riddle Def. Mustafa Ali by Pinfall to retain the title. Grade: b
Women’s Tag Team Championship – Nia Jacques and Shayna Bazzler (C) Vs. Bianca Baller and Sasha Banks: The Champions had trouble getting to the same page, arguing early with the Jax even when Bezler had an early advantage. Once Jacques and Basler made it clear that Banks and Blair were ready to work as a team, it became clear that rolling had begun. Bellal hit a 450 splash on the bassler but Reginald jumped to give the ring apron a mess. Banks lashed out at Bezler shortly after Banks’ statement and Baylor jumped into the ring to stop Jax from catching him, but Jax threw Baller back at the banks. Banks and Baller argued, allowing Bazzar to roll up the banks for the pin to retain the title. Banks and Blair continued to argue about who was missing in the match before the banks slapped and stormed. WWE for the money match between Bellaire and Banks at WrestleMania, is not doing anything good about the build. No woman has been given the slightest shine for weeks, and neither seems particularly smart or strong through the entire program so far. Nia Jax and Shayna Basler D.F. Pinf fall to retain the title by Bianca Beller and Sasha Banks. Grade: c
Intercontinental Championship – Big E (C) vs Apollo Cruise: The match began with an immediate brawl before Big E hit the spear from the rope to the floor. Continuing to dominate the E crew, the cruiser splashed several times with the Dropic below the champion’s knee before throwing the Challenger around the ring with a supplex on the ramp apron. Due to Ine’s aggression, there was more start for the crew before they ended up confused with some pinf fall reversals before hitting the pin under the crew’s shoulder and retaining the title. The crew broke up after the match, defeating the Big E with multiple deliveries of Olympic Slam variety before the champion stayed on. This match needs more potential and a better finish – or at least a better camera angle – to live up to its potential. Big E Def. Apollo Cruise by Pinfall to retain the title. Grade: c
Braun Strowman vs. Elias: This Strawman was supposed to be Shane McMahon, but McMahon “injured his knee” before the show, which led to Elias making a replacement. Storm will not repeatedly be able to prevent Jackson Ryker’s involvement outside the ring. Eventually, Ryker was able to provide enough distraction to pull Elias off the chop block and one elbow off the top rope. Strowman was able to pull out a PowerSlam running behind for moments of victory. This was a throwback match that only served to pull the issues between Strowman and McMahon, and there was nothing good about it. Braun Strowman Def. Elias by Pinfall. Grade: C-
Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuk Nakamura: Rollins jumped around Nakamura, fighting both inside and outside the ring. Rollins started locking up Nakamura and was swayed by Cesaro 22 times on SmackDown the week before. Rollins tried to take his swing but Nakamura faced the start. At that moment Nakamura regained control of the match, and he and Rollins began a trade of abusive excitement. Nakamura seemed ready to finish things off with Kinshasa but Rollins resisted with an elbow in the back of the neck, then kicked in the same spot. This made Nakamura say, and he ate the stomp for the finish. The match wasn’t as good as it used to be, but it was pretty cool, especially given the weak string of matches. Seth Rollins Def. Shinsuke Nakamura by Pinfall. Grade: B-
Drew Mu Kintere vs Sheamus (no holds barred match): It took a while after the brawl started for the action to come out of the ring and for different types of weapons to come out from under the ring. One of the candle sticks was in the middle of a glee robbery and Shamus was quick to use it to mark the front and back of McIntyre’s torso. Driving the end of the stick into Shammus’s eye, taking things one step further, Mintier returned the favor. As the brutality continued, the fight began to move beyond the Thunderdom, leaving the ringside area, before heading to the stands with LCD screens, MacNantier threw Sheams off a set of screens. The counter tried to get Shemus back to the ring where he could pin, but Shemus knocked him over the ringside barricade with a brog kick and hit the white voice through the announcement table. McIntyre Future Shock was able to come back to win with DDT and Claymore. This was the first Really The main show matches well. Contier and Shemus trust each other to put in brutal matches that never seem dangerous except the story they tell, and he has rightly clicked everything he has done in recent months. Dru m I kintere def. Shames by Pinfall. Grade: A-
Randy Orton v. Alexa Bliss: Before the match, Ort was once again beaten by a black gun. Orto tried to attack as soon as the match started but Bliss broke the shoulder post in the ring post and went ahead. The lights then fell hard, almost hitting Orton while Bliss laughed. Anand tortured Orton to get back in the ring, after which he fired a shot at him. A burned hand slipped out of one of the holes in the ring, taking Orton’s ankle before The Fend passed through the canvas. Bliss pushes Orton towards the find, allowing her to hit Sister Abigail for Bliss to cover for three counts. The match, like the whole Orton vs. Fend Angle, will largely come down to personal taste. But The Find’s return was solid enough to overcome Bliss and Thornton by actually making physical contact and violating WWE’s stance on intergender wrestling. Alexa Bliss Def. Randy Orton by Pinfall. Grade: b
Universal Championship – Roman rule (c) v. Daniel Bryan: Brian was almost playful at the start, trying to show Ryan that he can’t stay with the Challenger on a hold-for-hold basis. He proved that point at an early stage, when he got into Raines’ head with Towntown and caught him before he got out of the body and threw jabs at the foot kicks. The rulers tried for a headlock takedown but it was captured by the submissions, eventually resorting to throwing headbuts to handle the crime. With the edge moving around the ringside the power of the Rhinos will eventually be able to take possession of the match. After a long shot, Brian was finally able to re-offend after a series of kicks, but a Rana attempt from the top rope was made into the Boston Crab by the Rains.
Brian was able to fire again, he dropped a little offense outside the ring and then knelt down at Reagans’ arm, trying to soften it for the locks. Rains lost control and started attacking Brian on the corner while ignoring the referee, but Brian kept firing back, hitting Rana and then a pair on the head for a near fall. A series of stomps landed on Brian’s face again before he turned into a halo and Rains almost escaped. The rulers managed to break Brian’s grip and punch him, allowing Brian to inadvertently take the referee’s knee. A spear and an edge slid into the ring to count the reigns, but Brian was out by two men. As Riggs argued with Edge and tried to attack Brian, the triangle closed in the square before Brian transitioned into the locks and landed on a crossface strike. G. Uso ran and delivered a superkick to Edge and the others before grabbing the steel chair from the ringside, only to collide with Brian’s running knee. Brian went to hit Raines with the chair but Raines moved, causing Brian to hit Edge before hitting with Superman Punch. Brian then responded with a spear in the locks. Riggs started tapping, but Edge hit Brian from the chair, then Rains did the same before the storm. A new referee came into the ring as Rains crawled to cover Brian for the win.
This was excellent material for both men. Daniel Bryan has a legitimate claim to be the greatest professional wrestler in history as a result of these types of matches – both small and large making changes that change the match while staying true to his established character. It looks clear he will enter a WrestleMania match with Edge and Rains, and there is nothing wrong with that. Roman rule def. To retain the title by Daniel Bryan Pinfall. Grade: a
