10 Ways WWE Screwed Up At Fastlane 2017
9. Cutting Sami Vs. Joe Short
Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe was a comfortable match of the night. Joe largely dominated from bell-to-bell, with Zayn mostly restricted to hope spots, but the match suited their respective roles. Sami is the plucky underdog who always comes-off sympathetic after taking a heavy beating, while Joe has quickly become one of Raw’s most threatening wrestlers as Triple H’s “Destroyer.”
As strong as the match was, however, it could definitely have benefited from another 2-5 minutes. Joe and Zayn were only granted 10 minutes at Fastlane, and while they did a good job within the allotted time, they could have made a very good match great if given a little longer. As it was, Joe vs. Zayn was just a little too compact to hit the pairings’ full potential, and they almost certainly have a better match in them.
Considering Fastlane’s multitude of useless segments, dearth of mid-show quality, and the slow, plodding Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman match, it’s maddening that WWE weren’t able to cut a few minutes and give them to Joe vs. Zayn instead. Unfortunately, this left Fastlane’s strongest match with a considerable caveat, and Joe vs. Zayn’s shortness makes it one of the night’s biggest missed opportunities.