10 Impulse Reactions Following WWE Fastlane 2017
WWE's final pay-per-view stop on The Road To WrestleMania.
Controversial endings, significant title upheaval and solidification of key WrestleMania matches dominated discussion following WWE's final pay-per-view offering before the 'Showcase of the Immortals' next month.
With Fastlane, the company had the challenge of delaying several major programmes for April's supershow whilst still delivering top drawer entertainment from the loaded Raw roster, as well as reversing their way out of some complex booking cul-de-sacs.
Up and down the card, the ramifications of matches were huge, with results signposting the ultimate destination for many, but also muddying the waters for a high profile few.
As viewers were repeatedly informed in the company's latest commercial for the event, WrestleMania is set to be the 'Ultimate Thrill Ride', so it was tough to understand why WWE appeared to slam on the brakes at Fastlane, seemingly bringing several storylines to a screeching halt.
But with just four weeks left before the 'Show of Shows', did WWE leave enough behind to reignite the red brand for the final big push to Orlando?
From Jerry Lawler's misogyny to Roman Reigns' footwear and just about everything in between, here are 10 Impulse Reactions following WWE Fastlane.
10. Hey Joe
An auspicious WWE pay-per-view debut for Samoa Joe saw 'The Destroyer' disappointingly brush past Sami Zayn in under ten minutes, in an elongated squash that did little for either man.
Over the past several months, Zayn has become the latest recipient of WWE's stop-start treatment, with gutsy displays against Braun Strowman and Rusev undermined with one-sided beatings on television and a rather pedestrian kicking from the 'Samoan Submission Machine' here.
Joe is brand new to the main roster, so it's understandable why he must be protected. And only a small portion of the audience saw these two as virtually inseparable in their absorbing NXT feud just one year prior.
That said, rather than implementing a return to their lengthy displays, or having Joe steamroll Zayn in under five minutes, the company dithered in the middle ground.
Zayn looked like a speedbump, whilst Joe's casual victory did far less for him than his debut attack on Seth Rollins or his follow-up victory over Roman Reigns the following week.
The conclusiveness of the beating did seem to signal bigger WrestleMania plans for Joe, but conversely smaller ones for Sami, as he may now have to settle for Battle Royal duties.