411 Roundtable Preview: WWE Fast Lane

Introduction

This year, WWE has chosen to replace their Elimination Chamber PPV with a new one called WWE Fast Lane. The PPV still serves the purpose of being the last stop on the “Road to Wrestlemania” without forcing WWE to shoehorn a bunch of superstars into the Elimination Chamber match, which is probably better for them from a health and booking perspective. The show is headlined by a WWE World Championship # 1 Contender’s match between Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns, with the winner receiving a WWE Championship match with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 31. It’s been a long time, but John Cena is once again going for that United States Championship in a match against Rusev. Then we have the rest of the undercard that includes: The Usos defending their Tag Titles against Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, Nikki Bella defending her Divas Championship against Paige, and Dean Ambrose challenging Wade Barrett for the Intercontinental Championship as well. At least WWE found a way to get all the midcard titles onto this show. Will the card for Wrestlemania 31 be any clearer by the time this special event is over? Well we have to find that out on Sunday night by watching the show on the WWE Network for only $9.99, but until then the 411 staff will do their best to bring their thoughts and predictions about Fast Lane to you RIGHT NOW!!!

The Staff

Ryan Byers, Total Divas Reporter, Wrestling Article Writer

Paul Leazar, Wrestling 2 the MAX Podcast

Michael Weyer, Shining a Spotlight

Gary Vaughan, Wrestling 2 the MAX Podcast

Mike Hammerlock, The Wrestling Zone 8-Ball

Kevin Pantoja, WWE NXT Reporter, Video Reviewer

Sean Garmer, Wrestling 2 the MAX Podcast, WWE Roundtable Organizer, Games Top 5 Organizer, Co-operative Multiplayer Podcast, Quizmaster for Four Player Co-op

Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan & RyBack vs. Kane, Big Show, & Seth Rollins w/ J & J Security
Six-Man Tag Team Match

Ryan Byers: Well, let’s see here. We’re headed into Wrestlemania. We’ve got one team consisting of a guy who WWE is promoting as its next big top heel and two fifteen-plus year veterans who are perpetually featured on major cards. We’ve got another team consisting of three guys who will be lucky to find a non-battle royale place on the ‘Mania card once all of the slots are allocated to regular main eventers and special attractions. I think that makes the winning team on this show building up the biggest card of the year a bit of a foregone conclusion.

Winner: Team Authority

Paul Leazar: We just can’t let the Survivor Series match die can we? I don’t think it matters much who wins here, but when in doubt, go with the team that has Seth Rollins.

Winners: Big Show, Kane, & Seth Rollins

Michael Weyer: I’d prefer Rollins something bigger but this still works. It should be a great battle, an epic brawl over the place and a bit rough to pick the winner. The faces can use it to build themselves back up while the Authority guys can get the win too to sell themselves more as the big bosses to beat. I’ll go with the Authority guys in that case but still should be a nice battle to get the crowd worked up well.

Winners: Big Show, Kane and Rollins

Gary Vaughan: We have seen this match a hundred times before and here we go again. I really don’t see anything special coming out of this match. If there is any kind of surprise, I think it could be Randy Orton coming down to the ring to assist Ziggler’s team by beating down Seth Rollins.

Winners: Ziggler, Rowan, & RyBack

Mike Hammerlock There’s so much not to like about this match. Rollins has been in main event mix for months and he’s just marking time here. Kane and Show are having tensions outta nowhere. Ziggler was on fire after his performances at Survivor Series and TLC, and now he’s drifting aimlessly. Looked like Ryback was going to clash with Rusev, but John Cena (worst friend in the world) hijacked that feud. The Big Guy is in danger of becoming the new Kofi Kingston, a career full of half-starts that go nowhere. Rowan’s just sort of there. On the bright side for him, he’s at least working this PPV while Luke Harper can’t get attention. This match exists to chew up time on the clock, and probably to serve as the platform for Randy Orton’s grand re-entrance. The heels here are the guys who took him out. Randy will wreak his vengeance upon them. Seriously, if this match were a stage play it would be called Waiting for Randy.

Winner: Ziggler, Ryback, Rowan

Kevin Pantoja: How crazy is it that the hottest heel in the company for 2014 wasn’t officially booked until the last minute? Seth Rollins has been the best thing about the WWE since the Shield split. However, he hasn’t won on PPV since Hell in a Cell. I don’t see that changing here. Erick Rowan, Ryback and Dolph Ziggler have all faced a ton of hardships from the Authority and haven’t really been able to get them back since Survivor Series. I fully expect the faces to get some revenge but they won’t pin Rollins. Or, at least they shouldn’t. Knowing the booking as of late, Seth will eat a pin while Show and Kane get protected.

Winners: Erick Rowan, Dolph Ziggler and Ryback

Sean Garmer: I guess this must be WWE’s form of punishment for Seth Rollins and his scandal, without WWE really saying it. I mean the guy has been one of the biggest focal points of WWE for a while now and he is booked in this throwaway thing. Like Mike Hammerlock noted, this has to be where Orton makes his return, because if not, what a waste of Ziggler and Rollins for a total nothing match. I think Team Authority wins here with a Rollins curb stomp to Rowan and then Randy Orton comes in after the match to take out everyone and delivers a big RKO to Rollins to make his return statement.

Winners: Team Authority (via a Rollins curb stomp to Rowan)

Goldust vs. Stardust
Singles Match

Ryan Byers: Following up on the Titus O’ Neil vs. Darren Young match at last year’s Elimination Chamber pay per view, we have another February tag team breakup upon us. This match feels like it’s laying the groundwork for a series as opposed to standing on its own, and, in order to have that story continue you usually have to start with a heel victory. That’s why I’m picking Cody to win here, perhaps leading into a match in which the losing brother hast to abandon the face paint and his “Dust” persona.

Winner: Stardust

Paul Leazar: I’m really into this feud. The WWE is going about this a completely different way than I would have, but I’m still trying to figure out if that’s a good thing or not. Either way, this match can go any number of ways. Goldust going over makes the most sense booking wise. Goldust needs to prove that Stardust ain’t Stardust without Goldust. A no-finish also makes sense if we have Dusty Rhodes get involved and stop them from destroying each other. I like Stardust a lot, but after picking him on the Wrestling 2 The Max podcast (shameless plug I know), I’ve rethought it and I think the WWE are thinking No Finish here as well.

Winner: No Finish due to Dusty Rhodes stopping the match somehow.

Michael Weyer: The Rhodes Brothers explode! Okay, it’s not that dramatic but still rather interesting to see them battle it out. I’ve never been a fan of the Stardust gimmick and sounds more than time to let it go. I can see it, Cody going whacky at first but as the match goes on, he drops it more and more before finally wiping off the makeup to go full heel to beat Dustin down. He can then get back to basics which suits him better to push the classic “brother vs brother” feud in a new way.

Winner: Stardust

Gary Vaughan: I have been waiting along time to see this matchup. In a way it’s a dream match, but then again it maybe a nightmare instead. I worry it will not live up to the hype I think alot of us fans have created.Saying that, I think we will see a quick five minute match ending in a No Finish; probably as a result of Dusty Rhodes in some way.

Match Result: NO Contest (Dusty gets involved)

Mike Hammerlock This match serves as a perfect example of why the three-hour Raw needs to go. The Dust Brothers’ story has felt like filler. First the duo spun their wheels after losing the tag belts at Survivor Series. They fell almost immediately into the jobber abyss. They’d be on Raw, either as a team or as singles wrestlers, but they routinely were in one of the most forgettable segments of the show. Then a couple of months later were supposed to believe that was leading to something. Their work over the past two weeks has been good, but it’s too little too late. You can’t go from the ass-end of a three-hour Raw to meaningful status with a snap of your fingers. It’s a shame, because I think these are two of the most talented guys on the roster. Yet this feud lacks a spark. I’m assuming it continues to WrestleMania, where the loser has to give up his “dust” persona.

Winner: Stardust

Kevin Pantoja: I wish that the Rhodes Brothers split was handled better. It was far too obvious but Cody Rhodes killed it in his post match promo with Dusty and again on Smackdown. Whatever you give Cody, he will turn it into gold. I know that they badly want a WrestleMania match, but I’m not sure if I see them fitting into the card, especially with Miz and Mizdow get a match. I’ll accept this match for now, and I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. They may go all out in case they don’t get the Mania match.

Winner: Stardust

Sean Garmer: WWE hasn’t totally made up for wasting The Brothers Dust the last several months, with the last two weeks of some nice build, but it is a nice start. The way the build has been going it seems like this is at least destined for the Wrestlemania pre-show, if not the full card itself. I know conventional wisdom says “Stardust has to win to make us hate him more and root for Goldust.” However, I think what Paul says can also be true. Stardust has been the one totally dressing down Goldust lately. He told his father that he was dead to him on RAW. I mean do we need extra heat on the guy? I’d love to see Goldust win and watch Stardust go totally insane and get darker and darker each week, with Dusty and Goldust poking and prodding him to go back into the light until he snaps and hits Dusty. Leading Goldust to challenge him to a match and if Stardust loses he has to drop the persona, Goldust perhaps puts his career or his persona on the line as well. Either way, I’m actually excited to see what the next five weeks might bring us. I think Goldust could wind up winning by DQ here to set things off.

Winner: Goldust (via DQ, Cody goes crazy on Goldust leading to referee calling for the bell)

(Champion) Nikki w/ Brie vs. Paige
Divas Championship Match

Ryan Byers: Honestly, you may as well flip a coin on these WWE women’s matches. The championship and the division are treated with almost literally no thought by the powers that be in the company, which makes it almost impossible to predict what they’re going to do next. The best guess that I can make here is that Nikki Bella will retain the championship, because WWE likes to have its biggest stars in prominent positions headed into Wrestlemania and they clearly view the Bella Twins as the biggest stars of the women’s division. They’re not necessarily incorrect, either, since they are booked as the main stars of the inexplicably popular Total Divas.

Winner: Nikki Bella

Paul Leazar: An okay feud that will hopefully lead to a better match. The Bella’s portion of the feud is so high school, but Paige pretty much saying that all the high school crap doesn’t matter because she’s going to beat Nikki Bella into the ground. That’s something I can get behind, and as much as I really want to pick Paige to get the win here, I think Nikki somehow, someway walks out of Fast Lane with the championship.

Winner and STILL Diva’s Champion: Nikki Bella

Michael Weyer: Most of us are paying more attention to the women in NXT than the Divas nowadays. Sure, Nikki isn’t as bad in the ring and Paige is great but still not a lot to care about this battle and I’ll give it to Nikki managing to retain via cheating.

Winner and STILL Divas Champion: Nikki Bella

Gary Vaughan: I really don’t have much to say about this match. Is that my fault or WWE’s? None-the-less, we have a Divas match that has very little storyline value, but has at least one really good wrestler up against the average wrestler who just happens to have her sister ringside. It’s not my job to crap on this match before it starts, but I do have my reservations. I think in the end, we will get an okay match with Nikki winning in seven minutes by a rollup pin.

Winner: Nikki Bella

Mike Hammerlock After Monday’s booking from hell, Paige should change her entrance music to P.J. Harvey’s “Dress”. I think her #NakedPaige bit followed by her pixie dress match match was supposed to show us what a fierce competitor Paige is. Instead it made her look ridiculous. Screaming about how this is her ring while she’s dressed like a reject from a cosplay convention, that was sad to watch. You could almost see the final shreds of dignity drifting away from her body. The WWE has two different methods for handling disaster segments like that. It either punishes the talent who was victimized by the horrible booking or it acts like the travesty actually worked. After all, Paige did trend on Twitter (because a barely covered woman is a guaranteed cheap pop on the Internet). Anyway, there’s a match here for the Divas Title. Hard to think anything good comes of it since Vince McMahon refuses to book women as anything but bitches and bimbos.

Winner: Nikki Bella

Kevin Pantoja: I wasn’t very into this program early on but Naked Paige and her post match promo on Raw helped me out. Nikki Bella has improved and is a fun heel champion but she needs to drop Brie from her side because she’s awful as a promo. Anyway, my heart really wants me to choose Paige because she’s my favorite but I see Nikki carrying the belt into WrestleMania. If they are given time and can have a match similar to the one they had on Main Event a month or so ago, this can be a sleeper.

Winner and still champion: Nikki Bella

Sean Garmer: The feud has been typical heel diva shenanigans, but Paige has managed to rise above it all and show she can still kick ass. These two have shown in the past that they can have a good match with each other, but will WWE give them the time here to do that? I mean it’s not like they really have anything completely spectacular to showcase here. However, Vince will probably justify things by saying that HHH vs. Sting confrontation needs all the time in the world. So, this will probably be cut short, be decent enough, and Nikki will win with the Rack Attack after some Brie interference because it sort of makes more sense to have Nikki being champ heading into WM 31. So that Paige, Naomi, and maybe a returning AJ Lee face off against her, because you know they can’t just let the Divas have a singles match at WM, it just doesn’t happen.

Winner AND STILL WWE DIVAS CHAMPION: Nikki Bella (via Rack Attack)

(Champion) Wade Barrett vs. Dean Ambrose
Intercontinental Championship Match

Ryan Byers: I wouldn’t have predicted this going in, but Dean Ambrose feels like he’s settled into the role of “Shield member who got lost in the shuffle post-breakup.” He never really got closure on his feud with Seth Rollins, he transitioned into what had to have been one of the worst-booked feuds of the year with Bray Wyatt, and then he literally roamed the streets aimlessly until he landed in this Intercontinental Title program with Wade Barrett. The IC strap has been booked almost as poorly as Ambrose lately, as Barrett himself seems to have lost twice as many matches as he’s won while holding the belt. All of this makes the match result here pretty hard to call. On one hand, they have made some moves with Ambrose that lead me to believe they want to do something with him, which in some circumstances would mean a championship win. On the other hand, the Intercontinental Title has been such an afterthought lately that winning it feels like a giant demotion for a guy who was feuding with Evolution less than a year ago. Where’s that coin I was going to flip for the women’s match again? I suppose that I’ll go Ambrose, just because it would be something different.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Paul Leazar: I think it makes all the sense in the world to move the title over to Dean. Not only does Dean want the title in story, but I feel like giving Dean a guaranteed spot with a championship that could certainly use an overhaul. I feel like both the championship and Dean could gain a lot from a run together, and let’s face it, BNB has done nothing since beating Dolphie Z for the championship. Move it on to somebody who the WWE actually has bigger plans for.

Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Dean Ambrose

Michael Weyer: I love Barrett as champ, I really do but think time to move the belt to Ambrose. He’s been pushing himself more and clearly more over with fans than Reigns and showed his stuff as US champ for such a long time. Giving him the belt is a great move, give the IC a little more credibility and Ambrose can go against a wide range of fun challengers that can help him elevate more. Expect a good match, Barrett trying his best but BAD NEWS! The Lunatic Fringe takes over here for a fun win.

Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Dean Ambrose

Gary Vaughan: Welcome to the biggest brawl of the night. Both of these guys are physical and heavy handed wrestlers. Don’t be shocked if half this match is not in the ring. Ambrose should be victorious; if for no other reason but to have him looking cool holding the IC title on all the Wrestlemania 31 posters.

Winner: Dean Ambrose:

Mike Hammerlock Allow me to object to Barrett’s positioning so far in this feud. I generally don’t like the worn out trope of the heel champ attempting not to defend his title. First off, it makes the champ look stupid. You know you have to defend the belt on a regular basis. That’s part of the gig. Second, it turns badass heels into pussies. The Intercontinental belt shouldn’t turn every heel champ into the Honky Tonk Man. That second part especially makes no sense for Barrett’s brawler personality. He should be finding creative ways to introduce challengers to the taste of his forearm. On the other hand, it’s nice to see Ambrose with some direction. His feuds against Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt were fueled by his burning desire for revenge. He needed to shift gears and chase some waist candy. I suspect he’ll get it since Ambrose really needs a PPV win and because Barrett smells like a transitional champ.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Kevin Pantoja: I won’t lie, the Fast Lane card surprisingly shaped up to be one of the stronger ones in recent months. This is one of the reasons why. Dean Ambrose has suffered with his booking as of late but hopefully a spirited Intercontinental Title program can help. I feel that he and Bad News Barrett can have a fun, hard hitting series of matches. Part of me sees BNB retaining via disqualification or something, but part of me sees this is as a bit of a reward for Ambrose for staying super over despite his losses. I feel that he wins the belt here.

Winner and new champion: Dean Ambrose

Sean Garmer: Why is that pretty much every time Barrett gets the IC title he does nothing with it? I appreciate that WWE is trying to get over yet another three letter hashtag for his name, but can Barrett just not defend his title? Barrett is supposed to be a fighter, why he is made to look like a wuss? Why does he have to be strapped down by Ambrose in order to be forced to defend the belt? Sure it puts over Ambrose’s desire to win the belt, but if Ambrose was able to easily do that to Barrett on RAW that means Ambrose should be able to win the belt just as easily too. The story is all about Ambrose here and unless WWE just swerves everyone for no reason, Ambrose should be winning here with some Dirty Deeds.

Winner AND NEW WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION: Dean Ambrose

(Champions) The Usos w/ Naomi vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro w/ Natalya
Tag Team Championship Match

Ryan Byers: The focus of this feud has been on the female accompaniment for the two teams, which might be telling as far as the result is concerned. The biggest storyline here is the dissension in the marriage of Tyson Kidd and Natalya, and that’s a storyline you can tell without Kidd and Cesaro having the Tag Team Titles. Of course, there is always the possibility that Kidd and Cesaro will pull it out because, unfortunately, the tag belts are one of those championships where it seems like eventually everybody gets a ride, but it isn’t the time or the place as long as they’re pushing forward with the Nattie plot.

Winner: The Usos

Paul Leazar: The feud has been fun IMO, but the wrestling in this match should be top notch. Give these guys fifteen minutes, and you’ll see something worth remembering. The Usos retain without question, but we all knew that didn’t we?

Winner and STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: The Usos

Michael Weyer: The feud has been fun and tempting to say new champs crowned but does seem to be leading more to Kidd vs Cesaro down the line and easier to do if some miscommunication costs them the titles. Expect the ladies to get involved which can be good or bad but these four guys should put together a fantastic match that, given enough time, might even steal the show. So I’ll give it to the Usos to retain and continue the nice comeback for the tag division as of late in WWE which is great news for all.

Winners and STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: The Usos

Gary Vaughan: Despite having many matches against each other, I think these two teams will put on a great performance equal to or better than their past matches. Kidd and Cesaro will get close to winning the tag belts on many occasions, but I feel like they will come up short in the end. Watch out for distractions or interference from Natalya or Naomi. The Usos will retain their tag belts and go into the big dance as champs.

Winners: The Usos

Mike Hammerlock Unlike the Dust Up, this feud has gotten a good build. Cesaro and Kidd have established themselves as legit contenders and they’ve been really good jackass heels. Tyson Kidd’s resurrection during the past year has been one of the better things the WWE has done. He turned a demotion to NXT into a positive. He’s actually showing personality. This team with Cesaro has been a surprise hit in the flagging WWE tag division. I suppose it’s not that much of a surprise since Cesaro’s in it. His in-ring class stands out. The Usii deserve credit too. They really have carried the tag division on their backs. It’s nice to see them getting actual storylines. This match is my pick to steal the show, don’t really care who wins. They can build toward WrestleMania with either outcome, but it probably works best with the Usos striving to regain the titles.

Winner: Cesaro/Kidd

Kevin Pantoja: There may not be another match on the card that I’m more pumped for. I have been a huge fan of the Tyson Kidd and Cesaro pairing, and love that they are getting TV time. Their promos, especially Kidd’s, have become damn good. FACT. This will be a fun and fast paced match. FACT. I hope to see this get a fair amount of time and give all four guys the chance to shine. I see Naomi and Natalya getting involved in some shape or form, but I hope it doesn’t play into the finish. The Usos will retain because they are the franchise of the tag team division and need to carry the straps into Mania. FACT.

Winners and still champions: The Usos

Sean Garmer: This has been built up well with Cesaro and Kidd winning singles matches and then a tag match to actually “earn” a shot at The Usos here for the belts. Then WWE felt it wasn’t enough and they decided to make it about Nattie and Kidd’s marriage too. Very much like The Divas, WWE tries to use the Tag Belts as another way to get more guys on the card, so I only see one result here with The Usos winning to setup some multi-man tag team title match at WM 31. I don’t think they reunited the Primetime Players for nothing, plus you have The Ascension sitting around as well. This could easily be the “show stealer” if they give the two teams time to shine. I’m expecting there to be something happening with Nattie and Naomi on the outside that will distract Tyson Kidd, which leads to a roll-up victory for The Usos.

Winners AND STILL WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Usos (via roll-up on Tyson Kidd by Jimmy Uso)

(Champion) Rusev w/ Lana vs. John Cena
United States Championship Match

Ryan Byers: On paper, they have an almost comically outdated gimmick, but in practice I have really quite enjoyed Rusev and Lana over the course of the past year and feel that WWE has done a better job of grooming the Bulgarian Brute to be a legitimate main event wrestler than they have any singles star in quite some time. (Of course, I say “singles star” to disqualify the Shield from contention.) They’ve put so much time and so much effort into him that I don’t see all this buildup being done just for the sake of sacrificing Rusev at the altar of John Cena. I do think that the feud will continue past Fast Lane, and I do think that Cena will ultimately win in the end, but you have to give Rusev at least one victory over the WWE’s franchise player in order to legitimize him, and it makes the most sense for that victory to come at the beginning of the feud, since there is generally no reason to continue these things when the heel loses in match one.

Winner: Rusev

Paul Leazar: Another feud I’ve been enjoying. While Cena has been same ol’, same ol’, Rusev’s character has been growing. It’s not so much about squashing America at every turn, it’s more about proving himself. While I feel like this match will give us a good look at how well the two work together in the ring, it’s not going to be clean finish, if it even gets a finish. Either way, I think Rusev retains here.

Winner: No Finish. Rusev retains the US Title.

Michael Weyer: The set-up hasn’t been good as hoped thanks to fans slamming Cena but still not too bad. It’s easy to go “Cena wins” but even WWE can’t be dumb enough to ruin Rusev’s push like this. I see it being a nice brawl all around, Cena does well in those and can help sell Rusev’s power moves as he goes bad-ass foreign heel on things. Cena will make his comeback but I see some interference to cost him, letting Rusev get a DQ or countout win to retain. Maybe a bit cheap but still better than letting Rusev lose now as still a lot of push left in him before his first big loss and Cena should be able to give him more of a rub.

Winner and STILL US Champion: Rusev

Gary Vaughan: This match has the potential to be very good. We should get some decent wrestling and both men will exchange submissions several times. Cena will do everything to win but Rusev will make sure to keep him from getting too many chances to pin him. Look for Rusev will find a way to get a count out against Cena. This could be something like Rusev throwing Cena off the stage on to a table or some other item.

Winner: Rusev

Mike Hammerlock Chances of a clean finish here are low. Surely they’re not going to break Rusev’s unpinned, unsubmitted streak one PPV before WrestleMania. Yet no way is Rusev getting a clean win over Cena. This seems like the opportune moment for Rusev to get a DQ and then give Cena a horrific beating. Oh my, what a dastardly heel he is. Failing that, Rusev and Lana could cheat to win. You know, Boris and Natasha style. Like pretty much this entire card, this match is pure set up. Nothing definitive is likely to happen here. The big moment between these two happens on March 29 at Levi’s Stadium. This is a skirmish, a plot device.

Winner: John Cena via DQ

Kevin Pantoja: Color me surprised, but I’ve enjoyed the build for John Cena vs. Rusev. I feel like the gimmick is horribly outdated, but I think highly of Rusev’s work and I definitely like Lana. That being said, with all of the work they’ve done on Rusev, I don’t see him getting fed to Cena instantly. I suspect he’ll win and retain here for the huge win before Cena gets his even bigger win back at WrestleMania. I get that the face has to win out and that’s fine, but they shouldn’t pull another Bray Wyatt this time around.

Winner and still champion: Rusev

Sean Garmer: Rusev has grown as a character in the last few months and he shows it here in the feud with Cena as well. WWE has done a great job of building Rusev into this undefeated monster heel that isn’t just about being an evil foreigner. John Cena has been mostly serious, which is another indicator that WWE has big plans for Rusev. That being said, like everyone else here, there’s no way Cena gets a decisive win here. I see Lana doing something to help Rusev get a really cheap win and retain the belt. No way Cena taps out either.

Winner AND STILL UNITED STATES CHAMPION: Rusev (Lana distracts and tosses Rusev a weapon or the belt, Rusev uses it to beat Cena for the pin)

Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns
# 1 Contender’s Match for the WWE World Championship Shot at Wrestlemania 31

Ryan Byers: When I was watching Raw this past Monday, something dawned on me . . . the dynamic between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan reminds me quite a bit of the dynamic between the Rock and Mick Foley during late 1998 and early 1999. In one corner, you’ve got the good looking Samoan who has been pegged as the company’s next mega-star even though he has limitations in the ring. In the other corner, you’ve got the super-talented yet weird looking underdog who wasn’t supposed to go this far but he did anyway because he was anointed by the fans. (And, before anybody gets on me, no my point is not that the Rock and Reigns are comparable in terms of talent.) When the WWF had that situation in 1999, the company took Mick Foley and effectively used him in a feud with the Rock for the sole purpose of bumping Rocky up a few levels and getting him where he needed to be for the main event of Wrestlemania. That’s what I see going on with Bryan and Reigns here. No matter how hard the fans may try to will it to be, this is not D-Bry’s story. This is Roman’s story and Bryan is just a tool to advance that agenda.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Paul Leazar: The WWE has done a pretty good job of getting me into this feud the past three weeks. Reigns looks like the badass he should be, Daniel Bryan has a well reasoned argument and won’t back away from what he believes should still be his. The shades of gray between the two also keep the feud interesting. They aren’t worried about good guy/bad guy. They want to main event Wrestlemania. This good storytelling should turn into a good match that hopefully surprises all the Reigns haters into becoming a group of people who want to give Reigns a real chance at the top. While the rumors swirl about how many people will actually be facing Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Title at Mania, I’m still firmly in the Reigns goes over and Rollins successfully cashes in. For that happen, Reigns has to get there first, so I’m giving him the nod here. But it won’t be without an obscene amount of interference from The Authority.

Winner and STILL #1 Contender: Roman Reigns

Michael Weyer: So here we are, a month after the fan explosion to the Rumble and what some see as the last attempt to “get it right.” But it’s not happening. Just drop it, WWE is not putting Bryan over and changing plans two years in a row. I know it makes sense, I know it’s better for Bryan vs Lesnar, I know Reigns in the main event is going to kill Mania buzz. But just accept it’s going to happen. What we can hope for is a great match between these two as the build has been good and hopefully pays off. The biggest mistake with the Rumble was dumping Bryan before Reigns came in. Taking down Bryan after a hard battle may not settle all the fan hate but can win more over and make Reigns better accepted as the guy to take on Lesnar. We can hope for the best as WWE is and they need it to avoid another fan revolt.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Gary Vaughan: Who will win to move on to main event Wrestlemania 31? I think our answer will come in the form of a match catered to making Roman Reigns looking good. Look for Reigns to get sympathy frpm the crowd as Daniel Bryan does some questionable things to gain some heat with the audience. Now, I don’t believe this match will end clean. Therefore, I think Sheamus will come in and cause Bryan to be distracted and Reigns will take advantage. Reigns will walk away victorious and Bryan will find his way to his next Wrestlemania opponent.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Mike Hammerlock No reason to bury the lead here: both Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns are headed to the main event of WrestleMania. At least that’s my theory. What’s either guy going to do if he’s not in that match? Seth Rollins most likely is going to have his car dance card filled by Randy Orton. Bray Wyatt is moving inexorably toward a clash with the Undertaker. CM Punk ain’t walking through that door. Maybe Sheamus could emerge as an opponent for one of these two guys, but it seems unlikely the fans could go from zero to giving a damn about Sheamus vs. Bryan/Reigns between here and WrestleMania. What this match is designed to do is make both guys look like awesome and then BOTH of them move on to challenge Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. They’re not going to screw Reigns out of the slot he won at the Royal Rumble. Likewise they’re not going to put the most over guy in the company, Bryan, in a meaningless match at the company’s biggest showcase. The beauty of pro wrestling is, when faced with an impossible choice, they don’t have to choose. Some sort of no-one-wins scenario here after which both guys have to “earn” their WrestleMania slots is the direction I’m guessing.

Winner: Dusty Finish

Kevin Pantoja: I said it my Fact or Fiction post the other day, but I see this being a situation where Daniel Bryan is going to be used to get Roman Reigns over. If fans are looking at this as if Roman is getting this spot over guys that have paid way more dues than him, the WWE could see it being a situation where Roman beats him to earn some of that respect. Bryan shakes his hand post match after what is hopefully a very good match. I still don’t really care for Reigns/Lesnar and much prefer Bryan/Lesnar; I just don’t see it happening.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Sean Garmer: WWE has a lot of options they can go with, but I’ve said this on the W2M podcast many times and Mike brings it up as well. Bryan vs. Sheamus is not going to fly with the ultimate hardcore fans that come to Wrestlemania 31. They are going to boo the crap out of the entire show if Bryan isn’t involved in the main event somehow. The way WWE has been developing Reigns and Bryan where it is all about the WWE Title and the opportunity at Wrestlemania makes me believe they are destined for a Triple Threat match once again. I’m expecting the best match of Reigns career here along with a crap ton of interference, perhaps even an appearance by Sting to get rid of The Authority and let them finish the match, or perhaps cause a No finish so that nothing gets resolved and WWE can keep the mystery going for a few more weeks. Just think of it like this as well. If we have a triple threat at WM 31, Reigns would not only beat Brock Lesnar (guy that beat The Streak) he would defeat the man the people want as champion (also the guy that never lost the belt.) Reigns would look fantastic and they could also hide some of his issues as well. Plus I don’t know that WWE has faith that Brock can put on a great match without someone to lead him to it.

Match Result: No Contest (There’s so much interference that it causes nothing to be resolved)

Overall Thoughts & PPV Interest Level (from 1 being the worst to 5 being the best)

Ryan Byers: My interest level for this PPV is a 4: The February pay per view often feels like filler, and this is no exception, as none of the matches seem like they’re going to have a ton of significance in the way of repercussions. Sting vs. HHH might fill that void, but that’s still only one segment on an eight segment show. Despite the fact that the card feels like it lacks significance, I’ve still scored my interest as a “4,” slightly above average, mainly because I’m excited to see fresh matchups. We haven’t seen Rusev vs. Cena before, we haven’t seen much of Bryan vs. Reigns before, and I have a feeling that we’re going to see a much longer and more intense Kidd/Cesaro vs. Usos mach than we’ve received in the past. All of that makes me somewhat interested in seeing the card, even if it is planted firmly in the shadow of Wrestlemania.

Paul Leazar: My interest level for this PPV is a 4: I’m really intrigued by D-Bry & Reigns match/feud/situation, and the same goes for the Double Dust feud. Rusev & Cena has potential and the Tag Team Title match should be dynamite. While the February PPV generally doesn’t mean a whole bunch in the past, I’m interested in what the WWE has put together. Add Sting finally telling us why the heck he hates Triple H so much (hopefully) and you’ve got me very, very interested.

Michael Weyer: My interest level for this PPV is 4: It’s the last PPV before Mania which will set a lot of stuff into motion. The main event is what interests, whether we get more of the Reigns push a lot don’t want or WWE actually changing it over to Bryan and how that will affect both men. The rest of the show doesn’t look too bad, the tag title match should be amazing and the IC bout good too. Overall, a good show and for the set-up for Mania alone it should be a must-see if only to complain more about WWE nowadays.

Gary Vaughan: My interest in this PPV is a 6 I’m trying my best to see Fastlane’s potential with a glass half full mind set. Honestly, it’s tough because I feel like there are several matches on this card are RAW level matches. Now, the stronger matches look really good and keep me interested in watching the show. My best hope is that this show ends up being so much better than I feel is possible.

Mike Hammerlock: My interest level for this PPV is a 2: The Road to WrestleMania used to be an exciting time where the WWE did its best work. It’s turning into a dreary, over-managed slog where a talented roster is forced to go through the motions. I’m already missing the Elimination Chamber. At least that match delivered action and a somewhat definitive conclusion. Without it, this PPV listlessly occupies the death slot before WrestleMania. Nothing truly surprising or conclusive is going to happen here. It’s a rest stop on the Road to WrestleMania, not an actual destination in an of itself. Really it’s just another episode of Raw.

Kevin Pantoja: My interest level for this PPV is a 4: So far the Road to WrestleMania hasn’t been Earth shattering but dammit this card looks fun. Ambrose/Barrett, Paige/Nikki and Usos/Kidd & Cesaro are three matches that I’m greatly looking forward to. Reigns/Bryan has been better built than I anticipated and the same goes for the US Title match. Throw in a Sting appearance and this is an appetizing card for sure.

Sean Garmer: My interest level for this PPV is a 4: WWE has to know that the Road to Wrestlemania has been in slow motion so far. I think this PPV will really help kickstart it. We have the potential for a few great matches, there’s some interesting stories that could be told, and we don’t even know what WWE has planned for Sting vs. HHH either. I’m sure there will be plenty of intrigue here as the show goes on. Perhaps we will have a much clearer picture of what Wrestlemania 31 will look like after this is over, or will we?

Well, that’s all the time we have today. Let us know what you thought of our predictions in the comment section and don’t forget to share your picks for the PPV as well. See you all again in March for Wrestlemania 31.

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