10 Things WWE Regrets About Fastlane

4. A Gigantic Anticlimax

Goldberg Kevin Owens
WWE.com

We have been conditioned for years to perceive WrestleMania as the site of triumph. Matches are automatically made better by the spectacle of its endless vista of flashbulbs; the extravagant entrances depict the performers as gigantic deals; the title switch means so much more because the journey is so fraught with drama, and the previous holder is so invincible.

At Fastlane, WWE mystifyingly brought forward Bayley's big moment to a B-level pay-per-view - the very likes of which her opponent, Charlotte, had totally dominated as part of her big match player arc. This arc would have informed a match of pure drama and a result of pure elation, had it happened at WrestleMania 33. The scene was set. WWE actually f*cking set it; Charlotte won on pay-per-view, every bloody time, in a way that wasn't boring or even predictable. A well-plotted series with Sasha Banks created both short-term excitement and a long-term legacy. It was really, really well done. And then WWE undid it.

WWE deprived Bayley of a genuine career moment, and Charlotte of the iconic feature singles match her work so richly deserved, to instead present a Fatal 4-Way match that doesn't linger in the memory.

A way of including Nia Jax on the card, the perplexing booking did not end there...

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!