Slimmer’s WWE Fastlane 2021 Review

Welcome to 411’s WWE Fastlane 2021 Report. We are LIVE in beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida. Tonight’s Kickoff Show panelists are Kayla Braxton, Booker T, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Peter Rosenberg. They start by breaking down the entire card, including Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon, which evidently is on the card tonight. Next up is a video package for Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus followed by a discussion of Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax vs. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair. We head to a video package for Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton followed by a video package for Big E vs. Apollo Crews. The panelists discuss Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon, and they let us know that McMahon may have injured his knee while training earlier today. It’s unclear if McMahon will be able to compete tonight. Kevin Patrick is backstage with Seth Rollins, and Rollins promises to teach Shinsuke Nakamura a lesson in respect tonight.

United States Championship Match
Riddle (Champion) vs. Mustafa Ali w/ RETRIBUTION

Ali heads to the outside as soon as the bell rings before methodically making his way back between the ropes. Riddle and Ali lock up in the middle of the ring, and Riddle takes down Ali. Riddle goes to work with knees to the ribs and follows up with a gutwrench suplex. Riddle goes for a running senton, but Ali gets his boots up to block. Ali positions Riddle under the bottom turnbuckle and kicks him in the ribs. Ali grapevines the body and wrenches on the neck, but Riddle breaks free with a volley of back elbow shots. Ali goes for a running neckbreaker, but Riddle counters into a sleeper. Riddle hits a running forearm shot in the corner and follows up with a penalty kick, a powerbomb, and the Final Flash knee for a looong two count. Riddle heads up top and goes for the Floating Bro, but Ali gets his knees up. Riddle hits a fisherman buster suplex, but Ali kicks out and transitions into the Koji Clutch. Riddle rolls and tries to counter into a powerbomb, but Riddle can’t lift Ali and instead simply drops him to the mat. Ali charges at Riddle, but Riddle gets his feet up. Riddle heads up top, but Ali sweeps his legs. Riddle pulls Ali up top with him and hits Bro Derek from the second rope for the three count. After the match, Ali berates RETRIBUTION. He gets in RECKONING’s face, but she turns and walks out of the ring. SLAPJACK follows RECKONING up the ramp. T-BAR and MACE deliver a double team choke slam to Ali before leaving him alone in the ring.

Match Result: Riddle defeats Mustafa Ali with Bro Derek from the second rope.
Match Length: 9:26
Slimmer’s Rating: **½

The Kickoff Show finishes up with a video package for Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan.

Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax (Champions) w/ Reginald vs. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair

Banks and Baszler start the match. Banks muscles Baszler into the corner and makes the tag to Belair. Banks and Belair double team Baszler in the corner before Belair makes the quick tag back to Banks. Banks continues the assault and makes the quick tag back to Belair. Baszler goes for a triangle, but Belair gets her legs under her and lifts Baszler to block. Baszler works over the arm, and Jax tags herself into the match. Belair manages to tag Banks, but Jax levels Banks for a two count. Jax goes for a powerbomb, but she gets close enough to the corner that Banks can make the tag to Belair. Jax charges at Belair in the corner, but Belair slides out of the way. Jax dumps Belair to the outside and makes the tag to Baszler. Baszler retrieves Belair and wrenches on her neck. Baszler drags Belair to the corner, and Jax gets the tag. Jax chokes Belair across the second rope and then tosses her across the ring. Jax splashes Belair in the corner and gets a two count. Jax drags Belair to the corner and makes the tag to Baszler. Baszler chokes Belair across the second rope and then goes to work with leg kicks. Baszler locks in an arm bar and makes the tag to Jax. Jax slams Belair but only gets a one count. Jax locks in a Cobra Clutch and then tosses Belair to the corner. Jax charges at Belair, but Belair evades, and Jax posts herself in the corner. Belair FINALLY makes the hot tag to Banks as Jax tags Baszler. Banks works over Baszler and makes the tag back to Belair. Belair hits a 450 splash from the top, but Reginald causes a distraction. Banks gets the tag and locks in the Bank Statement. Belair tries to keep Jax from interfering, but Jax tosses Belair onto Banks to break the Bank Statement. Banks gets in Belair’s face, and Baszler uses the distraction to roll up Banks for the three count. After the match, Banks and Belair continue to argue, and Banks slaps Belair across the face.

Match Result: Shayna Baszler defeats Sasha Banks with a roll up pin.
Match Length: 9:51
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¼

Shane McMahon comes out of the trainer’s room using a crutch, with ice on his knee. Elias begs McMahon to let him perform at WrestleMania, and McMahon says that he has an idea.

Intercontinental Championship Match
Big E (Champion) vs. Apollo Crews

Big E starts the match by whipping Crews to the apron and then spearing him to the floor. Big E positions Crews back on the apron and stomps his chest. Big E hits a running splash on the apron and then beats on Crews’ chest. Big E hits another splash on the apron, and it’s literally been all Big E so far. Big E drags Crews back into the ring and hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Big E hits a second belly-to-belly suplex and then charges at Crews in the corner, but Crews counters with a low drop kick to the knee. Crews delivers three German suplexes and follows up with a double leg takedown. Crews heads up top and hits a frog splash for a two count. Crews goes for standing moonsault, but Big E gets his knees up. Crews goes for the spin-out powerbomb, but Big E blocks. Big E goes for the Big Ending, but Crews blocks. Crews goes for a small package, but Big E shifts his weight and bridges to pin Crews for the three count. That looked really awkward and may not have been exactly what was planned. After the match, Crews continues his assault on Big E and hits him with three Olympic Slams.

Match Result: Big E defeats Apollo Crews by countering a small package.
Match Length: 5:54
Slimmer’s Rating: **¾

Braun Strowman vs. Elias w/ Jaxson Ryker

Shane McMahon brings Elias to the ring as a prelude to Elias possibly performing at WrestleMania, but then McMahon announces that Elias will be taking his place in the match against Braun Strowman tonight. The bell rings, and Strowman tosses Elias across the ring. Strowman slams Elias face-first into the ring post and then kicks him in the ribs. Strowman wrenches Elias’ back around the middle rope and then hits a clubbing shot to the chest. Strowman charges at Elias in the corner, but Ryker pulls Elias out of the ring. Strowman heads out of the ring and tackles Elias into the barricade. Ryker rolls Elias back into the ring to avoid the count out and then hops up on to the apron to distract Strowman. Elias uses the distraction to level Strowman with a chop block and then hits a diving elbow drop from the top. Strowman fights back with a choke slam and follows up with the running power slam for the three count.

Match Result: Braun Strowman defeats Elias with the running power slam.
Match Length: 3:53
Slimmer’s Rating: **

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Seth Rollins

Rollins catches Nakamura in a standing side head lock to start, but Nakamura fights back with a kick to the chest for a two count. Rollins tosses Nakamura out of the ring and hits a diving knee shot from the apron. Rollins slams Nakamura’s head into the announce table and then rolls him back into the ring. Rollins connects with three consecutive knee shots to the gut and then hits a gut buster for a one count. Rollins whips Nakamura to the corner and follows up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. Rollins levels Nakamura with a back elbow shot and then chokes him across the middle rope. Rollins goes for the Swing, but Nakamura counters into an arm bar. Rollins gets his foot on the ropes to break the hold, but Nakamura connects with a baseball slide that knocks Rollins to the outside. Nakamura retrieves Rollins and delivers Good Vibrations in the corner. Nakamura positions Rollins in the corner and connect with a running knee to the gut for a two count. Nakamura heads up top, but Rollins knocks him to the outside. Rollins hits a suicide dive and sends Nakamura into the barricade. Rollins rolls Nakamura back into the ring and hits Sling Blade for a two count. Rollins sets up for the Falcon Arrow, but Nakamura blocks. Nakamura and Rollins brawl in the middle of the ring, but Rollins levels Nakamura with an enzuigiri. Nakamura ties up Rollins in the ropes and delivers a sliding German suplex. That was awesome. Rollins fights back with a Buckle Bomb and a Falcon Arrow for another two count. Rollins goes for the Stomp, but Nakamura counters into the Landslide for a two count of his own. Nakamura hits the reverse exploder and goes for Kinshasa, but Rollins blocks. Nakamura ducks a running knee shot, but Rollins puts on the brakes and hits what I suppose could be called a reverse enzuigiri. Rollins follows up the Stomp and gets the three count.

Match Result: Seth Rollins defeats Shinsuke Nakamura with the Stomp.
Match Length: 13:18
Slimmer’s Rating: ***½

No Holds Barred Match
Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus

McIntyre and Sheamus brawl to start, and McIntyre catches Sheamus with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. McIntyre dumps Sheamus to the outside, but Sheamus whips McIntyre into the barricade. McIntyre fights back with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex on the outside and then sets up the announce table for some carnage. McIntyre grabs several kendo sticks from under the ring and tosses them into the ring. Sheamus slams McIntyre face-first into the ring post and goes for a kendo stick shot, but McIntyre evades. McIntyre hits yet another overhead belly-to-belly suplex and then whips Sheamus into the ring steps. McIntyre rolls Sheamus back into the ring and follows with a kendo stick in hand. Sheamus kicks the kendo stick out of McIntyre’s hands and then goes to work with kendo stick shots of his own. Sheamus grinds the kendo stick into McIntyre’s jaw, but McIntyre fights back with the Glasgow Kiss. McIntyre grabs a kendo stick and connects with several kendo stick shots to the back. McIntyre hits a kendo stick assisted side Russian leg sweep and then grinds the end of the kendo stick into Sheamus’ eye. The action spills back to the outside, and Sheamus drop toe holds McIntyre into the ring steps. Sheamus picks up the stairs and drives them into McIntyre’s face. Sheamus drags McIntyre onto the announce table, but McIntyre whips Sheamus off the table and into the barricade. McIntyre rips at Sheamus’ cheeks and then beats Sheamus out into the ThunderDome. McIntyre goes for a suplex on the exposed floor, but Sheamus counters into a suplex of his own. They brawl up into the elevated levels of the video screens, and Sheamus hits a rolling senton. Sheamus tries to dump McIntyre from one level onto the lower level, but McIntyre blocks and throws Sheamus through a wall of video screens. Sparks fly from the video screens as Sheamus flies through them. McIntyre beats Sheamus back to the arena floor and puts him on an equipment case. McIntyre rolls the equipment case back to ringside and then suplexes Sheamus off the equipment case. McIntyre carries Sheamus back to the announce table, but Sheamus slides off McIntyre’s shoulders and levels McIntyre with a Brogue Kick. Sheamus drags McIntyre onto an equipment case and hits White Noise off the barricade and through the announce table. Sheamus rolls McIntyre back into the ring and brings a piece of the announce table into the ring with him. Sheamus and McIntyre brawl, and McIntyre hits the Future Shock DDT on the piece of announce table. McIntyre hits the Claymore and finally gets the three count.

Match Result: Drew McIntyre defeats Sheamus with the Claymore.
Match Length: 19:43
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¾

Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton

Orton starts coughing up black goo before Bliss even makes her entrance. Orton grabs a towel and wipes his mouth while continuing to wait for Bliss. Bliss finally makes her way down to the ring as Orton continues to pace. A purple light engulfs the ring as the match begins. Orton heads for Bliss, but a wall of flames cut him off. The flames subside, and Orton charges at Bliss, but Bliss slides out of the ring, and Orton posts himself in the corner. Orton tumbles out of the ring, gets back to his feet, and stalks Bliss around the ring. Bliss looks up, and a lighting rig falls right in front of Orton. Bliss heads back into the ring and playfully asks Orton to join her. Orton heads for Bliss, but she throws a fireball in his face. Bliss sits on the top turnbuckle, but suddenly a burnt hand bursts through the ring and grabs Orton’s ankle. Fire erupts from under the ring, and the charred, disfigured Fiend emerges. His mask, clothes, and skin all show the horrendous effects of being burned by Randy Orton. Bliss shoves Orton toward the Fiend, and the Fiend hits Sister Abigail. Bliss mounts Orton and gets the three count.

Match Result: Alexa Bliss defeats Randy Orton after Sister Abigail from the Fiend.
Match Length: 4:40
Slimmer’s Rating: **½

Universal Championship Match
Roman Reigns (Champion) w/ Paul Heyman vs. Daniel Bryan

Edge is ringside as the special guest enforcer for this match. Bryan circles Reign to start and goes for a single leg takedown, but Reigns blocks. Reigns muscles Reigns to the corner, but Bryan switches positions and lands a leg kick. Bryan goes for a heel hook, but Reigns makes it to the ropes the break the hold. Bryan again tries to pick the leg, but Reigns again makes it to the ropes. Bryan goes for an arm bar, but Reigns once again makes it to the ropes. Bryan lands a few jabs to the gut and a leg kick, but Reigns catches Bryan with a side headlock takedown. Bryan slides out the back and counters with a hammer lock. Bryan wrenches on Reigns’ free arm and damn near pulls his shoulder out of the socket. Reigns fights back and drives Bryan into the corner. Reigns hits the ropes but eats a drop kick from Bryan. Bryan goes back to the shoulder while simultaneously landing leg kicks. Bryan flips over Reigns in the corner, but Reigns catches him with a tilt-a-whirl slam for a two count. Reigns grinds Bryan’s face into the mat and follows up with a suplex for a two count. Reigns repeatedly stomps on Bryan and then locks in a rear chin lock on the mat. Bryan fights back to his feet and breaks the hold, but Reigns back body drops Bryan onto the apron and then knocks him to the floor. Reigns heads to the outside and whips Bryan into the barricade. Bryan to fight back, but Reigns whips him into the ring post and then rolls him back into the ring. Edge paces at ringside as Reigns works over Bryan in the corner. Reigns charges at Bryan, but Bryan drop toe holds him into the middle turnbuckle. Bryan hits his patented corner drop kick and takes Reigns to the top turnbuckle. Bryan goes for a hurricanrana, but Reigns blocks and drags Bryan back to the mat before transitioning into a Boston crab. Bryan flips Reigns into a pinning predicament and gets a two count. Reigns whips Bryan to the ropes, but Bryan connects with a kick to the chest on the rebound. Bryan dumps Reigns to the outside and dives onto him, but Reigns uses Bryan’s momentum to counter into a power slam. Bryan gets back to his feet, whips Reigns into the ring post, and connects with a diving knee shot from the apron. Bryan rolls Reigns back into the ring and hit a missile drop kick from the top. Bryan covers Reigns but only gets a two count. Bryan goes to work with the Yes Kicks, but Reigns catches the leg and muscles Bryan to the corner. Reigns works over Bryan in the corner and stomps him down to the mat. Bryan goes for a double leg, but Reigns tries to counter into a powerbomb, but Bryan counts into a hurricanrana. Bryan damn near kicks Reigns’ head off his shoulders and gets another two count. Bryan grabs the wrists and stomps on Reigns’ face. Bryan locks in the Yes Lock, but Reigns breaks Bryan’s grip and rolls into Bryan’s guard. Reigns drops a volley of punches and then delivers a powerbomb for a two count. Bryan gets back to his feet and goes for a running knee, but Reigns steps out of the way, and Bryan inadvertently connects with the referee. Reigns catches Bryan with a spear, and Edge slides into the ring to make the two count. Edge is now serving as the referee. Reigns goes back to the mounted punches, but Bryan catches Reigns in a triangle. Reigns lifts Bryan for a powerbomb, but Bryan slides down the back and transitions into another Yes Lock. Jey Uso shows up out of nowhere and levels Edge with a super kick before delivering a second super kick to Bryan to break the Yes Lock. Uso grabs a steel chair and posts Edge in the corner. Bryan levels Uso with a running knee. Bryan grabs Uso’s steel chair and goes to work with chair shots to Uso’s back. Bryan goes for a chair shot to Reigns, but Reigns slides out of the way, and Bryan hits Edge with the chair. Reigns goes for the spear, but Bryan counters in the Yes Lock. Reigns taps, but there’s no official to call for the bell. Edge grabs the steel chair and attacks Bryan. Edge delivers several chair shots to Bryan before heading to the back. A new referee makes his way down to the ring, and Reigns slowly crawls into the cover to get the three count.

Match Result: Roman Reigns defeats Daniel Bryan after chair shots from Edge.
Match Length: 30:03
Slimmer’s Rating: ****¾

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Fastlane was a solid show that did its job of building to WrestleMania. McIntyre vs. Sheamus was as brutal as we expected, and the much-anticipated return of the Fiend (complete with new, even more hideous appearance) did not disappoint, but it was Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan who absolutely stole the show. They put on a masterful performance that perfectly built on the storyline of their feud while simultaneously playing to both of their strengths. This will definitely be in the conversation for WWE main roster MOTY. Given that Edge cost Bryan the match and positioned himself as a tweener, my guess is that we’re looking at Reigns vs. Edge vs. Bryan in a triple threat match at WrestleMania.