WWE Fastlane 2017 Results Predictions

Time for The Undertaker to do some overtaking.

WWE Fastlane
WWE.com

WrestleMania is just under a month away, and as part of WWE's strained 'Road to WrestleMania' metaphor, it's time for Raw's stars to shift down a gear and get into the (sigh) Fastlane. It's not clear what the great rush is - presumably, SmackDown Live! competitors will arrive in Orlando equally in time - but let's not get bogged down by the dreadful banality of the company's show names. If they really wanted to go all in, the first post-WrestleMania event would be christened Off Ramp, followed by Heavy Traffic and finally Nearly Home Now!, but alas.

It seems somewhat unfair that the Raw brand has its go-home PPV two weeks after SmackDown!'s, allowing its major angles and storylines additional spotlight to mature. However, this does mean the show has added pressure to make an impression, being the last port of call for the red roster before WrestleMania hype kicks up a notch. There's no room for error here.

Fortunately, though Fastlane's card isn't universally inspiring, parts of it carry pretty big implications in advance of Orlando's jamboree. From Roman Reigns' titanic tussle with the blossoming Braun Strowman to Goldberg's goldlust, there should be just enough significant ramifications from Sunday's spectacle to build fans' anticipation.

Ultimately the steering wheel of fate what will determine what transpires, but nevertheless, let's peer over the dashboard to see where WWE will hit top gear, and break down where they might breakdown.

9. Pre-Show Promotions Undermine Cruiserweights

WWE Fastlane
WWE.com

While it seems likely Tozawa and Rich Swann will best Noam Dar and Brian Kendrick in the usual cruiserweight kickoff spot, what's certain is that the match will be treated as an afterthought to commercial placement.

WWE's penchant to air adverts during their pre-show product is not only disrespectful to their talent, it's an affront to their audience. What chance do these chaps have of getting over when their efforts are interrupted by promotional consideration? And why should anyone invest time in a match that will be interrupted midway through?

It's perfectly possible the interpolating advert will run longer than the aired portion of this bout. An absolute waste of everybody's time.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.