Asuka (C) vs. Mandy Rose – Smackdown Women’s Championship
Matches that have the challenger beating the champion up until the PPV are probably the easiest matches to predict for obvious reasons. There really is not much of a story behind this match other than the fact that Mandy got a fluke win, and that’s really it. In lieu of Kofi Kingston’s Cinderella story, the women’s tag titles and other overarching storylines, Asuka, the brand’s women’s champion, is rarely featured these days. There really won’t be anything interesting surrounding Asuka until WrestleMania season comes along and it looks like Fastlane is just a formality at this point.
Winner: Asuka
Sasha Banks (C) and Bayley (C) vs. Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka – Women’s Tag Team Titles
Sasha and Bayley just won the tag titles, and now is not really the time to take it off of them. Nia and Tamina look like a formidable tag team, but Sasha and Bayley have been riding this train for a while now, and there is no way that WWE takes the titles off of them heading into WrestleMania. In fact, I am boldly predicting that after Sasha and Bayley retain, Lita and Trish return to make a WrestleMania challenge.
Winners: Sasha Banks and Bayley
The Usos (C) vs. Shane McMahon and The Miz – Smackdown Tag Team Titles
Shane McMahon and The Miz was never meant to be taken seriously as a tag team, and their brief reign was just for the sake of putting the titles on them and nothing more. The Usos find themselves in the same exact position as last year, and I think it is reasonable to suggest that they will once again represent the Smackdown Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania. This will also probably set the stage for a Miz or Shane heel turn. Probably The Miz.
Winners: The Usos
The Revival (C) vs. Chad Gable and Bobby Roode vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet – RAW Tag Team Titles
The Revival winning the tag titles seem to be when they reached their peak, considering the only match they have won since winning was last night when former champions Bobby Roode and Chad Gable attacked them in a match they would have certainly lost if there was no interference. I’m not hopeful that WWE will do something productive with The Revival since the booking with them has been consistent through and through. But I am predicting they will retain here. Surely, Roode and Gable will not retain the titles after losing it not too long ago, and Black/Ricochet have already defeated the champs. Surely they can’t have The Revival lose here. Right? RIGHT?!
Winners: The Revival
The Shield vs. Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley and Baron Corbin
If you have been reading the rumor mill lately, Dean Ambrose’s post-WrestleMania status is not clear to anyone. Some say that he’s not actually leaving and just taking some time off, while others say that he is still leaving. Whatever the case, this is probably a one-time only thing for the moment. Seth is going to go back to his Brock Lesnar feud, Roman will probably find something else to do, and knowing Dean Ambrose, he’s probably going to be embroiled in a meaningless feud with Otis. I’m always game for The Shield, but the excitement for this match is lost on me not only because of how frequently The Shield have reunited since their first split, but because we know this isn’t going to be something that lasts any more than a few weeks. The Shield will take the win here.
Winner: The Shield
Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch – If Becky Wins, She’s Added To RAW Women’s Championship Match
So, if Becky wins, she’s added to the triple threat. I guess there’s an easy winner right there. In lieu of Ronda’s heel turn last night, I think there’s a good chance Ronda interferes in this match. I don’t know how I would feel about Becky selling a leg that she can barely put weight on defeating Charlotte straight up. The Rumble match at the very least incorporated other competitors and wasn’t an extended one on one bout.
If Becky wasn’t selling an injury, I’d have her winning. But with Charlotte added to the match by Vince, I think a loss would hurt her, especially if it’s one on one. I don’t necessarily have her winning, but she will still get in the match somehow. I think Ronda comes down towards the finish, attacks both women again. It’s going to be the whole, “attack your potential contenders so that you have no opponents but end up facing both of them” trope WWE likes to do to build up triple threat matches.
Winner: No Contest or Becky by DQ
Daniel Bryan (C) vs. Kevin Owens – WWE Championship
Much like the Smackdown Women’s Championship match, this match is built off of the challenger already defeating the champion, which means the champion is probably retaining. The bottom line is that this match is going to have a lot of “Kofi” chants in the background, but I do have high expectations for this match. When Daniel Bryan first retired, I was saddened that he may never be able to face Kevin Owens. I also never expected that it would be a heel Daniel Bryan against a face (?) Kevin Owens.
I am expecting great things out of this match, but equally, as so, I expect Daniel Bryan to retain and continue his crusade to make us all care for the environment and drink vegan detox shakes. This will all set up, hopefully, Bryan vs. Kofi for the title at WrestleMania. Owens is just someone thrown in there to make Kofi’s opportunity at WrestleMania feel more special instead of wasting it at Fastlane.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
