10 Things WWE Regrets About Fastlane

2. The Dogsh*t 2017 Main Event

Goldberg Kevin Owens
www.wwe.com

What runs through the mind of a WWE performer when they pick up that week's TV script?

Abject fear, you'd expect. Does it take several hours to memorise the material - or does it take that long to deliver it without a tangible sense of embarrassment? Imagine leafing through it to learn that, Oh sh*t, ah f*ck, it's my turn to stand there and look like a hypnotised a**hole when my rival's entrance music hits, even though this happens at least once per month.

This actually happened to Kevin Owens on pay-per-view.

But not just that; before the bell, he had to cast himself as something of a tactician. Stalling for time, he sought to dial down Goldberg's trademark pre-match intensity. When he eventually returned to the ring, 'Break The Walls Down' blared over the speakers, and Owens, distracted, succumbed to the Spear and Jackhammer combination.

He spent less time in the ring with Goldberg than Goldberg's kid did. 'Da Man', and this comes from a father, has most certainly faced tougher battles putting him to bed than Owens managed here.

The only positive thing this dire non-match accomplished was springing a pleasant surprise on us all at WrestleMania 33; with expectations lower than WWE's current locker room morale, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar's four-minute firecracker brought the house down. Everybody ended up happy in Orlando.

Apart from Owens, of course, whose only-quite-good Jericho blow-off turned him into Charlie Brown.

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!