Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of WWE Fastlane with the promotion’s first major show on Peacock in the U.S.
We will have our WWE Fastlane POST Show with Wai Ting and I reviewing the card LIVE immediately after the show for Double Double, Iced Capp & Espresso members of the POST Wrestling Café.
RESULTS
WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (w/ Paul Heyman) (c) def. Daniel Bryan in 30:00
Alexa Bliss def. Randy Orton in 4:38
No Holds Barred: Drew McIntyre def. Sheamus in 19:42
Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura in 12:55
Braun Strowman def. Elias in 3:51
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Big E (c) def. Apollo Crews in 5:43
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) def. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair in 9:42
WWE United States Championship: Riddle (c) def. Mustafa Ali in 9:16
The kickoff panel featured Kayla Braxton, Booker T., Jerry Lawler, and Peter Rosenberg at the desk.
During the kickoff, they announced that Shane McMahon injured his knee and was being evaluated. They didn’t state if he would be cleared or not for tonight’s match with Braun Strowman.
Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali for the WWE United States Championship
Ali got his feet up on a Broton attempt to gain the advantage and attacked Riddle’s ribs.
Ali hit a backstabber, Riddle countered into a rear-naked choke with Ali rotating backward for a cover and a two-count. Riddle made his comeback hitting a PK, the Final Flash but the Floating Bro landed on Ali’s knees. Riddle rolled into a fisherman buster and Ali applied a Koji Clutch as Riddle lifted and dropped Ali but hurt his ribs in the process.
Riddle choked Ali from the corner, elevated him, and hit the Bro Derek from the second turnbuckle to win.
WINNER: Riddle in 9:16 to retain the WWE United States Championship
This was a very good match to start the card and above the level of their previous matches with a clever finish showcasing Riddle’s strength.
Ali blamed Retribution for failing him and asked when Reckoning has ever pulled her weight and demanded she step back in line and she walked out on the group. Next, Slapjack walked out followed by T-Bar and Mace hitting a double chokeslam to Ali.
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Reginald came out with Jax & Baszler after being absent this week on Raw and SmackDown.
Both teams argued before the bell rang, which is the epitome of tag teams in this company.
Banks and Belair worked together against Baszler. Baszler nailed Belair with a knee strike and the champions took over. Baszler and Jax cut the ring off and wore down Belair. Jax missed in the corner as Belair rolled to tag Banks.
Banks tried something where she tried to jump off Jax for a tornado DDT to Baszler, but it was messed up.
Belair hit a 450 splash when Reginald got involved and he was knocked down to the floor by the challengers.
A Bank Statement to Baszler was broken when Jax shoved Belair on top of them with Banks upset with Belair over it. While Banks argued, Baszler snuck up from behind and rolled her up to win.
WINNERS: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax in 9:42 to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championship
I didn’t think this was a great match as the first half was slow, they crammed all the interference into the end and did the distraction finish that is beyond tired.
Banks slapped Belair and said, “you’re the rookie” as she walked out holding up the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Belair calmed down and looked up at the WrestleMania sign. This program needs a strong couple of weeks to build it back up.
Shane McMahon was on a crutch backstage while icing his left knee. Elias and Jaxson Ryker appeared with a WrestleMania pitch for the greatest musical performance ever and Shane said it wasn’t a good time but ended by stating, “I have an idea”.
Big E. vs. Apollo Crews for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Immediately, Big E. speared Crews off the apron to the floor and followed with a splash on the edge while continually trash-talking Crews.
It was all Big E. until Crews dropkicked his knee and hit three rolling German suplexes.
Big E. came back with the Big Ending, which was stopped, Crews went for an inside cradle and referee Jessika Carr counted two, E bridged and she counted three and it appeared to be a double pin.
WINNER: Big E. in 5:43 to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Crews stomped Big E. and told him “it’s not over” and hit the Angle Slam. The announcers stated that Big E. retained his championship.
I think the idea was that Big E. would get his shoulders up for the three-count and squeak past Crews, who immediately sold it as a loss. Crews stood tall over a fallen Big E.
There was an Old Spice commercial with a representative appearing with Akira Tozawa. R-Truth showed up and was pinned by the Old Spice guy, then Truth won it back.
Elias appeared in the ring with Shane McMahon and Jaxson Ryker. Elias started to play when McMahon informed Elias he was taking his place against Braun Strowman.
Elias vs. Braun Strowman
Elias was repeatedly rammed into the posts and was dominated by Strowman. Elias was drilled into the barricade as Ryker rolled him into the ring. Strowman focused on Ryker allowing Elias to chop block the knee.
Elias hit a top-rope elbow drop and Strowman kicked out at one. Strowman caught him with a clothesline and hit the powerslam for the win.
WINNER: Braun Strowman in 3:51
This was barely a television match and just a squash win for Strowman to hold off on the Shane McMahon match.
Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura were backstage and asked Nakamura to go into business together selling scooters. Riddle had a cousin named “Skeeter” and he was a skater rambled on about the guy crashing and walking like Nakamura during his entrance. Nakamura hid to avoid the rest of the story. I couldn’t during this segment, unfortunately.
Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Rollins landed a flying knee off the apron and went after Nakamura’s mid-section with knee strikes.
Rollins yelled about the “22 times” that Cesaro swung him. Rollins attempted to swing Nakamura but was stopped with an armbar attempt. Nakamura dropped a knee coming off the apron, but his offense was thwarted, and Rollins hit a suicide dive.
Rollins hit the springboard knee, and a sling blade before getting into a striking exchange. Nakamura hit a sliding German suplex, attempted the Kinshasa, and was caught with a buckle bomb and Falcon Arrow for a two-count.
The Stomp from Rollins was avoided, and Nakamura hit the Landslide. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa, was stopped and hit in the back of the head, rotated after a kick missed, and struck Nakamura before hitting The Stomp for the victory.
WINNER: Seth Rollins in 12:55
This was a good match and the styles complimented one another and was an excuse for Rollins to show off his athleticism and brought out a good match from Nakamura.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus in a No Holds Barred Match
McIntyre came out with war paint on his face in the colors of the Scottish flag.
On the floor, weapons were brought out from underneath the ring. Sheamus attacked with a kendo stick for several minutes before McIntyre had his turn with it. McIntyre drove the stick into Sheamus’ eye conjuring up memories of last year’s target of choice.
They fought on the announcer’s desk with Sheamus thrown off it and battled around the arena floor and onto the platform holding the LED screens in the ThunderDome. McIntyre threw Sheamus through the screens to the floor causing sparks to fly.
Sheamus was wheeled back to the ringside area on a production case and suplexed off it. Sheamus popped off the shoulders and hit a Brogue kick sending McIntyre over the barricade. Sheamus lifted McIntyre and hit White Noise off the barricade through the announcer’s desk.
They exchanged slaps inside the ring, McIntyre caught him with the Future Shock DDT onto a panel from the desk and hit Claymore for the win.
WINNER: Drew McIntyre in 19:42
It was a strong match and right on par with their television matches, which were also very good. It was the type of match designed to heat up McIntyre for WrestleMania and has had great chemistry with Sheamus in all their matches despite the booking of feud leaving you scratching your head at times.
Randy Orton vs. Alexa Bliss
Randy Orton came out for his match and began spitting up the BLACK BILE during his entrance but remained composed by asking for a towel (cleanliness first).
Alexa Bliss came out the distorted version of her theme that an audio engineer spent way too much time on.
Orton approached her when a flame appeared inside the ring. Orton stalked her around the ring. Bliss looked up and signaled for the lighting equipment to drop in front of Orton.
In the ring, Bliss hit Orton with a fireball, which Orton survived without much issue as the announcers explained he blocked it.
Then, The Fiend emerged from HELL a.k.a. underneath the ring. Bliss sent Orton into The Fiend for Sister Abigail and Bliss pinned Orton.
WINNER: Alexa Bliss in 4:38
This was closer to a hallucinogenic experience than a wrestling match.
Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan for the Universal Championship w/ Edge as the Special Enforcer
Bryan threatened with a heel hook and armbar and was teasing Reigns as he went for the rope. Bryan circled Reigns delivering low leg kicks.
Reigns took control and ran him into the post on the floor. Bryan fought back and was stopped on a top rope huracanrana and placed into a Boston Crab, who turned it into a cradle for a two-count.
Bryan went back to leg kicks, went for a pescado and was turned into a powerslam on the floor by Reigns. Bryan recovered and hit a flying knee off the apron to the floor. Bryan came off the top with a knee to the shoulder of Reigns.
Bryan unloaded with a ton of kick and Reigns responded with knees from the Thai clinch. Bryan stomped him and applied the Yes Lock, rotated to the center of the ring with the hold applied and Reigns broke free and landed big strikes on top of Bryan.
Bryan missed Reigns with the running knee and took out the referee. Reigns hit the spear and Edge slid in and counted two.
Reigns landed more shots but was caught by a triangle from Bryan, was lifted up and transitioned to the Yes Lock, used cross-faces, and had the hold locked when Jey Uso appeared and superkicked Edge and Bryan.
Bryan ducked a chair shot and hit Jey with the running knee. Bryan took the chair and attacked Jey with it. Bryan swung the chair at Reign, missed, and hit Edge.
Reigns landed the Superman Punch, the spear was countered into the Yes Lock, Reigns started tapping but the referee was still out and Edge attacked both with a chair and screamed, “this is mine” before leaving.
A new referee entered the match as Reigns climbed on top of Bryan to pin him.
WINNER: Roman Reigns in 30:00
