Welcome to NBC's Peacock! A new streaming service hitting the airwaves, er, streaming waves. With such shows as The Office, The Good Place and Season 28 of the Royal Rumble. Yes, the WWE Network is ending and merging with Peacock, and the merger is not going well for WWE fans, especially historians and hardcore fans. Decades of wrestling history is now lost. It's impossible to search for something on the app. But none of that matters because this Sunday on March 21st, WWE & Peacock are hosting Fastlane. So get in your Civic and get on the highway cause we're going shopping, er, fastlaning!
Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
What can easily be a great start on the show, Nakamura looks for redemption against Seth Rollins. These two can certainly still go and have had a pretty good match at Survivor Series in the past. With a tap on the shoulder this could be great. But for me, this is all leading to some sort of Intercontinetal scrimmish at Wrestlemania. Nakamura, Cesaro, Rollins, Crews, Big E have all ben surrounding the IC Title and I'm sure I'm missing others. In my opinion, except the winner of this to win the IC Title later.
PREDICTION: Seth Rollins wins
Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus - No Holds Barred Match
In a quick trip across the pond, Drew McIntyre takes on his former best friend in a match to determine who has the thickest accent in all of WWE in a No Holds Barred Match . Well, that won't really happen, but hitting each other with steel steps will certainly happen again. These two put on a pretty good match on Raw and with more weapons in play, except more hard hitting action to get into Wrestlemania.
PREDICTION: Drew McIntyre wins
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair for the Women's Tag Team Championships
Like many people, I really don't know why this match is happening again. Even if you followed the story, it makes less sense then before. Cause the only difference in this story from the last PPV is Reginald, Carmella's former sommelier. You see, he has the hots for Sasha Banks, but since she said no, he's rebounding with Nia Jax. Baszler is annoyed by this and and Bianca is there. She's there because her story isn't wrapped up with this other nonsense. Her's is about winning the Smackdown Women's Championship at Wrestlemania. Why is she here? Why does she care?
On top of all that, this match is full of bad booking. If Banks and Belair win, are they going to be tag team champions heading into Wrestlemania? Then that's one less match to have on a two night card. Unless they wrestle twice, in which case it becomes less special seeing them. If Jax and Baszler retain, who are you pinning here? The champion or the Rumble winner/Wrestlemania challenger. It's a momentum staller, at worst, killer. This match shouldn't exist and honestly should just be Nia Jax vs. Sasha Banks for the Women's Title with Reginald on a Forklift.
BTW, congrats on the Hall of Fame induction Eric Bishoff.
PREDICTION: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler retain the Women's Tag Team Championships
Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali for the United States Championship
Look, this match doesn't really make sense right? ALi beats Riddle, gets a title shot, and then Riddle beats him. So why are we doing this again, do we have any reason to think Ali can actually win here? I mean I guess Retribution could help but they are nothing in this Universe. There's nothing to preview cause nothing makes and this is meaningless.
Yes, Ali is doing his best to gave this make sense on Twitter, but Twitter is barely canon in WWE. So as a fan, I don't even know what to think. Why are we here? Certainly, it can't get worse.
PREDICTION: Riddle wins
Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton
Yes there are lots of jokes be thrown here and rightly so. This story has been comically bad. I am a Fiend-denier so I hate this. And yes, this match will probably be a nothing match literally, full of black goop, Nosferatu on the light switch, and swing sets. And yes, the Fiend will most likely return, probably by Alexa Bliss shedding her skin to reveal Him. How horrifying.
BUT, I'm going to look at this in the brightest side I can. For years now, WWE fans have been clamoring for intergender wrestling and they are getting it. Maybe not in the way they want, but they are getting in on every single tv show WWE produces. Although most likely similar to its recent contemporaries, this match COULD be interesting from an intergender match standpoint. The both have the skills and the trade to put on a decent match. And maybe...
No, I can't do it. This match isn't going to be a match. Why does WWE thing this is the thing that is going to get those Friends viewers to become new fans. There are so many clips of non-WWE fans laughing at Fiend shenanigans. This doesn't work and actively drives people away. Look at every metric. I just can't.
PREDICTION: I turn off my TV.
Big E vs. Apollo Crews for the Intercontinental Championship
Now here's a match worth talking about!
Big E and Apollo Crews are set to battle over the Intercontinental Championship. This match has had months of build and these guys can certainly go, so I am expecting a really good match here. If I was WWE, you make this match the opener. This is the kind of match that can entice new viewers. This is the kind of match worth talking about. And yes, there are mixed reactions to Crews's new gimmick and voice WWE's history of representing African-American or even just African culture is quite abysmal, but I'm not the person to say if that is proper and just representation. I'm here to say that these two will have the match of the night and I cannot wait. Two meaty men slapping meat indeed!
PREDICTION: Big E retains the Intercontinental Championship
Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan for the Universal Championship - Special Enforcer Edge
Remember when we all thought this would be the Wrestlemania match? Well I guess it still could be. Reigns and Bryan have all the potential to put on a barnburner of a match and here and with Edge as special enforcer, not only will we get a good match, but hey we could get the Wrestlemania Triple Threat.
At least that's what I want, which as a fan, means nothing in the WWE landscape. But let's look at the story, Roman Reigns is champion and head of the table. He can cement that by defeating Bryan here or even more by defeating both at Wrestlemania. (Which according to rumors, Bryan will be a Hall of Famer as well during Wrestlemania). Edge can will back his relinquished title at Wrestlemania and have a dream match before Daniel Bryan retires. Daniel Bryan can go out on top as the Best Wreslter in the World by defeating both men. It makes to much sense and if Wrestlemania is starting to sell tickets, then you need to push this match. The money would be left on the table otherwise.
That's pretty much the prediction here. It's classic wrestling too. You have potentially an influx of viewers and you need a hook to get them back at Wrestlemania. What better way then having a good match here that leads to an even bigger match. Let's do it!
PREDICTION: Something happens where Wrestlemania will become a Triple Threat Match
You can watch WWE's Fastlane PPV on Mar. 21, 2021 on the WWE Network or NBC's Peacock service at 7pm EST.