WWE Fastlane 2019: Star Ratings For All 10 Matches

1. The Shield Vs. Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin & Bobby Lashley

Ali Bryan Owens STARS
WWE.com

A wonderful match and moment, this was an incredible triumph of a main event—one that united a fanbase pulled apart by the strange forces of WWE booking.

That the Cleveland crowd were deafening in their will to see Baron Corbin eat sh*t as part of a dazzling sequence controlled by Roman Reigns underscores how successful this was. That sequence, capped off by a last-ditch End of Days save, was truly remarkable. This isn’t a take shaped by etiquette; this was Roman Reigns using the subjective sentiment of his enforced babyface turn to craft something objectively superb in the context of what used to be his Roman Colosseum. On this evidence—the most heated, dramatic and exciting career work Corbin could have ever dreamed of—it is his yard now.

Hell, the fact that we witnessed a sensational match involving a League of Nations-level nonentity faction underscores how successful this was.

A quintessential all-action Shield match rich in emotion—Seth Rollins reminded us here why he got the Brock match at ‘Mania, with his psychotic, awesome bump from the lower seating tier and his involuntary cry of “MOTHERF*CKER!”—this was poetic in its heft and rollicking in content.

An unforgettable, faithful reminder of why we loved the Shield, in layout and execution and drama, this was among the best work crafted by one of pro wrestling’s best-ever factions.

Star Rating: ****1/2

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!