Csonka’s WWE Fastlane 2019 Review

Csonka’s WWE Fastlane 2019 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Big E & Xavier Woods defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev @ 13:10 via pin [***½]
– WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Usos defeated Shane McMahon & The Miz @ 14:15 via pin [***¼]
– WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Champion Asuka defeated Mandy Rose @ 6:50 via pin [**]
– The Bar defeated Kofi Kingston @ 5:15 via pin [*]
– WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Revival defeated Chad Gable & Bobby Roode and Ricochet & Aleister Black @ 10:50 via pin [****]
– US Title Match: Champion Samoa Joe defeated Rey Mysterio, Andrade, and R-Truth @ 10:55 via submission [****]
– WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Champions Sasha Banks & Bayley defeated Nia Jax & Tamina @ 7:15 via pin [**]
– WWE Championship Match: Champion Daniel Bryan defeated Kevin Owens & Mustafa Ali @ 18:50 via pin [****¼]
– Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte @ 8:55 via DQ [*]
– The Shield defeated Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, and Lashley @ 25:33 via pin [***]

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Big E & Xavier Woods vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev: Nakamura and Woods begin. Nakamura scores with knees and strikes. Woods picks up the pace and hits a head scissors. Nakamura cuts him off and tags in Rusev. They isolate Woods, with Nakamura back in and laying in kicks. Rusev in and works a bear hug. Nakamura back in and connects with kicks, covering for 2. Quick tags follow as Rusev looks for a superplex. Woods fights him off, hits a missile dropkick and Big E gets the hot tag and hits suplexes on Nakamura. The running splash connects. Nakamura counters the big ending into a guillotine. Big E powers out, but Nakamura cuts off the suicide spear. He follows with kicks and knee strikes, covering for 2. Woods tags in and hits a tornado DDT, but Rusev hits the superkick for 2. Rusev again takes Woos up top, Woods counters, but Rusev hits a German for 2. The heels work double teams and pick up a near fall. Kinshasa is countered, Big E tags in and double teams follow and they dump Rusev. The midnight hour is stopped by Lana. Macha kick on Big E and that gets 2 as Wood makes the save. Nakamura is dumped, and then Rusev. The Woods tope is caught and he’s powerbombed on the floor. Back in and Rusev covers for 2. The accolade follows, Woods fights, Big E takes out Nakamura. Woods rolls up Rusev for 2. Big E tags in, and the midnight hour finishes it. Big E & Xavier Woods defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev @ 13:10 via pin [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun way to kickoff the show.

WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Usos vs. Shane McMahon & The Miz: Shane and Jimmy begin. Shane works strikes and kicks, follows with arm drags and tags in Miz. They work over Jimmy, and Jey tags in but Miz maintains control. Miz follows with chops, and the cradle gets 2. Shane back in and they hit a Hart attack for 2. Shane follows with strikes, but Jimmy tags in and cuts him off. He grounds Shane, follows with rights, and Jey tags in. He lays in ground and pound, and then works a chinlock. Shane fights to his feet, eats an enziguri and that gets 2. They take out Miz and double team Shane. Shane fights, looks for a tag, but is stopped. Jey tags back in, double teams follow and the cover gets 2. Shane finally fights back and Miz gets the hot tag. He runs wild, laying in kicks and knee strikes. The sunset flip gets 2. He dumps Jimmy, and follows with a high cross onto the Usos on the floor. Back in and Miz hits the short DDT for 2. Miz gets cut off and the pop up Samoan drop gets 2. The corner ass attack is countered by Miz, but he eats double superkicks; Shane makes the save. He’s cut off, Miz hits skull crushing finale, but the ref was checking on Shane and it only gets 2. Miz gets posted, Jimmy tags in and they look for doomsday but Miz escapes and cuts them off and the roll up gets 2. Jey hits an enziguri, heads up top, and Miz stops him and follows him up and gets stunned off the ropes. Shane looks to go coast to coast, does but collides with Jey in mid-air to save Miz from the splash. Miz makes eye contact with his dad, heads up top and the frog splash eats knees and Jey cradles him for the win. Champions The Usos defeated Shane McMahon & The Miz @ 14:15 via pin [***¼] This was good and really fun with an invested crowd.

– Post match, Miz checks on Shane and hugs Miz’s dad. Shane then turns on Miz and attacks. Shane then locks on a shitty inverted triangle as Miz’s dad watches on. The turn came off really well.

– Corbin, Lashley, & McIntyre rundown the Shield.

– Elias arrives to play a tune.

WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Champion Asuka vs. Mandy Rose: Sonya is out with Mandy. They lock up, Asuka grounds things and follows with kicks. Mandy pulls the hair, but Asuka pulls a knee bar; Mandy makes the ropes. Sonya distracts Asuka, but she fights through and gets a roll up for 2. Another distraction and Mandy hits a knee strike for 2. The suplex follows for 2 again. Mandy works an abdominal stretch. Asuka escapes, counters into a submission but Mandy sloppily powers out and covers for 2. Asuka fires back, hits a missile dropkick, and follows with strikes. The German follows and then the sliding knee gets 2. Asuka follows with kicks, but Mandy cuts her off with a knee strike, covering for 2. Asuka counters out of the implant buster, hits a knee strike, and Sonya gets a kendo stick. Mandy slips on the ring apron, Asuka hits a spin kick and pins her. Champion Asuka defeated Mandy Rose @ 6:50 via pin [**] This was only ok, the interference and odd/messy finish took away from it.

– Kofi & New Day meets with Vince. New Day pleads Kofi’s case, and Vince adds Kofi to the WWE Title match. Big E & Woods are barred from ringside.

The Bar vs. Kofi Kingston: It was announced that the WWE title match is moved to later, and that Kofi has to compete in a handicap match. The Bar attacks and kicks the shit out of Kofi. Kofi fights back, posts Sheamus but gets cut off. They continue to double team Kofi, and then work him over on the floor. Kofi fights back, posts Sheamus again, and then flies into a Cesaro uppercut. The doomsday device then connects. The brogue kick follows to boring chants and they refuse to pin Kofi. Woods & Big E arrive, but Rusev & Nakamura attack them. The double team white noise finishes Kofi. The Bar defeated Kofi Kingston @ 5:15 via pin [*] A total squash angle to try and screw Kofi again that really wasn’t any good wrestling wise.

– Elias is back again.

– Shane refuses to comment on turning on Miz.

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Revival vs. Chad Gable & Bobby Roode vs. Ricochet & Aleister Black: They brawl and the Revival are taken to the floor. Ricochet & Black clear the ring and fake dives. Ricochet and Gable officially start us off. Gable uses his amateur wrestling skills, grounding Ricochet. Ricochet escapes and hits a head scissors and dropkick. Dawson in and hits the suplex for 2.The champions work double teams, picking up a near fall. Gable tags in, and the suplex follows for 2. Dawson tags in and maintains control on Ricochet; the suplex follows for 2. He grounds the action, Ricochet fights back to his feet hits double knees. Black and Roode tag in and Black runs wild takes out Gable as well, and the moonsault press connects. Roode cuts him off with a spinebuster, tags in Gable and Black fights off skull and bones, hits meteora, but Gable hits chaos theory. Splash by Dash, shooting star pres by Ricochet and Roode makes the save. Ricochet dumps Roode, and then Dash. Gable cuts him off, Dawson up top and Ricochet follows. Ricochet hits a RANA and sends Dawson into the apron and then the pile. That could have been really bad. Back in and Dawson looks loopy. Ricochet then hits an over the post dive to wipe out Roode. Gable with a high cross but Dawson cradles him for 2. Shatter machine finishes Gable. Champions The Revival defeated Chad Gable & Bobby Roode and Ricochet & Aleister Black @ 10:50 via pin [****] This was a great, all action, sprint of a tag match. Everyone delivered.

– Post match they brawl, and Ricochet & black stand tall.

US Title Match: Champion Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade vs. R-Truth: Carmella & Vega are at ringside. They brawl at the bell, Joe dump Rey and Andrade catches him with a DDT. Joe wipes out the pile with an elbow suicida. Joe lays in chops on Andrade, follows with a head butt. Rey in and they work over Joe until Andrade hits the back spinning elbow. Truth back in and Rey flies in with RANA. Joe back in and runs over Rey and Truth. He follows with knee strikes, jabs on Truth and then a sleeper. Rey breaks it up, misses 619 but connects with a DDT on Joe. Rey up top, Andrade cuts him off and follows him up. Truth joins in and Rey hits a doomsday RANA. Joe makes the save, dumps Rey and hits an enziguri on Truth. Andrade flies in with a missile dropkick, and hits the amigos on Rey but Rey cradles him for 2. Truth cuts him off, and goes for pins on Rey & Andrade, but they kick out. Joe pulls him to the floor, and Andrade hits a tornillo. Rey flies to the floor with a RANA on Andrade. Vega superkicks Truth and Carmella attacks. Joe hits a uranage on Rey but Truth makes the save. Hammerlock DDT by Andrade but Truth breaks that up. Andrade with double knees on Joe, Truth attacks and runs wild on he and Joe. Axe kick on Andrade and Joe makes the save. Joe posts him. RANA by Rey, 619 connects but misses the splash and Joe locks on the clutch and Rey passes out. Champion Samoa Joe defeated Rey Mysterio, Andrade, and R-Truth @ 10:55 via submission [****] This was a great match, on par with the Smackdown match they had, as they have developed a strong chemistry.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Champions Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Nia Jax & Tamina: Bayley and Tamina start us off. Bayley lays in strikes, Banks tags in and they work double teams. Jax in, Banks follows with kicks and Bayley tags back in but Jax tosses Banks into Bayley. Double teams follow as the challengers take control. They work quick tags, and more double teams follow as Tamina covers for 2. Tamina grounds things, but Bayley battles back and gets the tag. Banks hits the high cross, kicks, and covers for 2. They work into back and forth; Jax tags in and almost drops Banks, but hits a Samoan drop for 2. Tag to Bayley, hits elbows, dumps Tamina, and avoids a charge and Tamina & Jax post themselves. Banks hits meteora and a high cross to the floor, gets caught, and Bayley follows with a suicide dive. Back in and Banks hits meteora, top rope elbow drop by Bayley but Tamina makes the save. Bayley gets stunned off the ropes, but hits a RANA and cradles Jax for the win. Champions Sasha Banks & Bayley defeated Nia Jax & Tamina @ 7:15 via pin [**] The champions were great, the challengers not so much; this was ok at best.

– Jax & Tamina attack post match, they brawl to the floor and Jax tosses Banks over the announce table. They get in Beth’s face, and Beth attacks Tamina. Jax attacks her, rolls her into the ring and Jax hits a leg drop, almost knocking Tamina to the floor. Natalya makes the save but gets laid out. Well, there’s another future match, possibly for Mania.

WWE Championship Match: Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Kevin Owens vs. Mustafa Ali: Rowan is at ringside. The crowd wants Kofi, and they aren’t happy. Bryan talks shit to both men, and they attack. Owens dumps him and hits shoulder tackles on Ali. The back elbow follows, Bryan back in and he trades chops with Owens. Owens dumps him, and lays in chops on Ali. Ali picks up the pace, hits a dropkick but Bryan makes the save. Ali dumps Bryan and Owens rolls him up for 2. Suicide dive by Ali follows, but Owens stuns him off the ropes and follows with an apron cannonball. He hits another cannonball on Bryan, rolls him back in and covers for 2. The crowd keeps chanting for Kofi, Ali up top and Bryan dropkicks him off and into the barricade. Bryan follows with chops and kicks on Owens, and then grounds the action, working the arm. Owens fights out, lays in chops but Bryan levels him with a clothesline. Bryan takes Ali back to the floor, follows with more kicks on Owens, and covers for 2 as Ali makes the save. Bryan cuts him off, lays in kicks, but Ali battles back with the rolling x-factor. He follows with chops, but Bryan kills him with a lariat. Bryan misses a running dropkick, cannonballs from Owens connect and superkicks follow, Ali jumps on Owens’ back, but Owens leaps onto Bryan with a senton. He lays in chops on Bryan, takes him up top and Bryan fights him off. Ali up top, and Owens grabs him and Ali slips out and hits a reverse RANA. Up top with Bryan and the Spanish fly follows. Owens avoids the imploding 450, stunner on Ali, but Bryan makes the save. he hits a head kick on Owens, and the busaiku knee is countered into the pop up powerbomb for 2. They work to the apron, and Bryan backdrops Owens. He charges, Ali moves and Bryan knees the post. Ali up top, and the 450 o the apron connects! Back in and he covers for 2 as Rowan saves Bryan. Ali and Owens superkick Rowan to the floor and Ali RANAs him into the post. Owens follows with a tope. Bryan takes him out with the apron knee strike, back in and Bryan up top. Ali cuts him off, follows him up and gets shove to the floor, lands on his feet and Ali follows with a tornado DDT. Owens apron bombs Ali, but Rowan takes him out, tossing him over the barricade as Bryan covers Ali for 2. Bryan slaps Ali around, tells him he doesn’t deserve to be here, and Bryan cuts off the high cross with the busaiku knee for the win. Champion Daniel Bryan defeated Kevin Owens & Mustafa Ali @ 18:50 via pin [****¼] This was a really well laid out match, that allowed everyone to shine and gave us a really great home stretch. Ali did a great job of turning a hostile crowd into supporting him down the stretch. They worked though the Kofi chants well, delivering, and Bryan being so locked into his role as the dastardly heel that the fans want to see him lose badly.

Becky Lynch Goes Joins WrestleMania Raw Women’s Title Match With a Win: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte: Becky limps out on her crutch. She tosses the crutch away as Charlotte shoves and mocks her. Becky unloads with strikes, but Charlotte takes her to the ropes. Charlotte talks trash, and attacks the bad knee. Charlotte controls, and mocks Becky as she attacks. Becky battles back, but Charlotte immediately goes back after the leg and locks on a half crab. Becky slowly fights out, but Charlotte gets the hold back. Becky kicks her way out, dumps Charlotte but Charlotte slams her leg off the apron. Back in and Charlotte chop blocks the knee. She follows with chops, and follows with a suplex. Charlotte celebrates, takes Becky to the floor and slams her to the barricade. Back in and Charlotte heads up top and Becky manages to shove her off and to the floor. Charlotte beats the count, Becky gets the disarmher, but Charlotte escapees and counters into the figure eight. Rousey arrives and attacks Becky for the DQ. Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte @ 8:55 via DQ [*] I still feel that they are overcomplicating the angle, and while Becky was resilient and played the injury well, it would have been nice for her to get something of substance in, even a desperation flurry.

– Elias is back.

– Lacey bomb; Orton arrives and RKOs Elias. Styles arrives and lays out Orton with the springboard forearm.

The Shield vs. Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, and Lashley: They waste no time and brawl right away, with The Shield clearing the ring. Lashley and Rollins start things off. They trade strikes, Rollins hits sling blade, but gets cut off as Corbin tags in. Rollins battles back, tags in Ambrose and they work double teams. Drew tags in and lays in chops on Ambrose, Ambrose rushes him to the corner and Reigns tags in and hits a clothesline for 2. Drew back in and works over Reigns in the corner. Reigns fires back, tags in Rollins and they make a wish. Rollins lays in chops on Drew, but Drew cuts him off with the running kick. Lashley tags in and works over Rollins, slamming him to the barricade. Back in and he cover for 2. Corbin tags in, lays in rights, and a back elbow. He grounds things, but Rollins fires back and hits an enziguri. Drew tags in, RANA by Rollins and tags in Ambrose. He runs wild on Drew, and dumps him. Ambrose up top and hits a flying elbow to Drew on the floor. Lashley cuts him off with a spear, and we get floor brawling as Rollins is dumped into the crowd. Drew claymores Ambrose to the floor. He rolls back in, Corbin works him over with rights, and Lashley tags in and covers for 2. Lashley grounds things, and the flatliner gets 2. Drew now lays the boots to Ambrose and follows with a suplex for 2. Ambrose battles back and counters into a suplex. Lashley tags in, takes Ambrose up top and Ambrose fights him off. The neck breaker follows and the jawbreaker lariat lays out Drew. Hot tag to Reigns, he runs wild and cleans house. The drive by follows for 2. It breaks down, they dump Lashley and stereo dives follow. Reigns dumps Corbin but Corbin rushes back in with deep six for 2. The others brawl on the floor, Reigns and Corbin trade strikes, and Corbin posts Reigns, and rolls him up for 2. The chokebreaker follows for 2. The rest brawl into the crowd, Corbin takes Reigns up top and Reigns fights him off, slips out and hits the powerbomb for 2. The others brawl on the kick off show set and Rollins dives out of the stands with a high cross. Superman punch by Reigns and that gets 2. Ambrose and Rollins return to the ring, but Drew and Lashley cut them off and Reigns fights them off, but Corbin hits end of days for 2 as Ambrose makes the save. Corbin dumps Reigns, Drew & Lashley join him and they dismantle the announce tables, look for a powerbomb but Rollins and Ambrose make the save. Rollins hits blackout on Lashley. Reigns spears Corbin and they swarm Drew. Shield bomb on Drew through a table. In the ring, they surround Corbin, and he knows he’s fucked. Superkick, superman punch, dirty deeds, and the Shield bomb finishes him. The Shield defeated Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, and Lashley @ 25:33 via pin [***] This was an overall good main event, with the Shield playing the hits and giving the crowd what they wanted. It was a bit slow in the middle, and Drew really carried the heel team.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns after a long hiatus to the 411 Podcasting Network. On today’s show, 411’s Larry Csonka discuses Jushin Liger’s retirement, Tommaso Ciampa’s neck injury, previews the WWE Fastlane PPV, and discusses his recent medical issues, which led to his absence in early 2019. The show is approximately 33 minutes long.

Intro
Liger – 3:30
Ciampa – 6:20
Fastlane – 9:40
Personal Update – 23:45

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

WWE Fastlane 2019 was an overall very good PPV, with a lot of good to great wrestling and some solid overall story development.