WWE Fastlane 2018: Standout Stars
Ruby Riott
The Smackdown LIVE women's championship match between titleholder Charlotte and Ruby Riott was actually fairly impressive. I mentioned in my review that it was slightly slower paced than I expected and the opening five minutes were not great, however, come the end I was entertained and really impressed by the quality of the championship bout. In my prediction post last Friday I touched on the fact that it was important for Ruby to make an impact at Fastlane after struggling to really do so in the ring since debuting on the main roster. While extremely talented and full of potential she was yet to be given the opportunity to compete in a lengthy match that will prove exactly that. On Sunday Riott was finally given her moment and while she didn't walk out as champion she looked stronger and better than she ever has done. Her best WWE match so far (including her NXT days) Ruby showed amazing potential and grabbed the attention of fans. She showed that with the right direction she could well and truly one day walk out as champion and her performance on the night highlighted her as one damn talented in-ring performer.
Rusev
If you read part one of my Fastlane review (which will be linked bellow at the end of the post) you will know that I was not a fan of the opening contest between Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura. Now, this had nothing to do with the actual match, I actually really enjoyed it and felt as though the two worked really well together to put on a great match. However, my problem was the fact it was even booked in the first place. The bout didn't do anything in the build-up to both men's road to Wrestlemania and I did feel as though they both should have been booked differently. With that in mind, however, Rusev was one of the overall standouts of the night. The fans were totally behind him throughout the entirety of this match and it only showed yet again just how over he is right now. The former US champion reminded the world of just how strong of an in-ring performer he is dominating the twenty eighteen Royal Rumble match winner several times throughout this contest. He was fast, showed a great deal of power and his wrestling skills matched his opponent greatly. While he, of course, did not pick up the victory he did work one of the stronger matches of the night and he proved once again why he is incredibly worthy of a big-time push.
The Bludgeon Brothers
For me, the standout stars of the night were without a shade of a doubt Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. While the pair were not scheduled for a match at the Fastlane pay per view the Bludgeon brothers sure did make an impact. Making their presence felt Harper and Rowan forced the Smackdown LIVE tag team championship match between the Usos and the New Day to end in a no contest after the pair took out both teams in one heck of a beat down. This was the moment the two had been waiting for and it was done so well. The attack was convincing and while I wasn't a hundred percent keen on the idea of the titles being defended in a multi-team contest this is something that really works and I'm delighted to see Harper and Rowan not only chase after the tag team titles but edge closer to their first big Wrestlemania moment. They're so deserving of a title run and I really do hope and believe this was the first step in them getting their hands on those titles.
AJ Styles
I've already touched on the fact that the Fastlane main event was in my eyes a fantastic match. I was delighted to see the title remain on Styles as it's evident that AJ vs Nakamura is the match that should main event Wrestlemania (and boy it better). The champ was for me one of the top stars of the night. Styles is always on form whenever he steps in the ring but his game plan in this match was brilliant. I had my eyes on him throughout the entirety of this match and he was on fire. AJ had to keep his eyes on everyone looking to break pinfalls while also out wrestle one of his five opponents in order to make it to Wrestlemania as champion. His timing was on point, his overall in-ring performance was as strong as ever and I bought into his character and storytelling throughout.
John Cena
Okay, I know that the Fastlane pay per view had so many standout stars especially in the main event and so narrowing it down to a small list was really difficult, however, John Cena was a man that had to be mentioned. Throughout the week I've touched on the fact that I love the story the WWE is telling with Cena on the road to Wrestlemania this year. Looking for a way on the card, a big title match, competing in every match and taking every opportunity he can to get his hands on a big-time money match title bout on the grandest stage of them all and yet falling at the hurdle every single time. It makes for a very entertaining storyline and Cena has been killing every single that he has done. At the Fastlane pay per view he was once again a major standout and not only for his in-ring performance but his storytelling and facial expressions. From the moment the bell rang Cena was on fire. Taking out every one in eight (aside from AJ Styles) Cena brought the attention on himself instantly and made it clear he was going to walk out as champion. He remained confident and focused and so when Styles got the victory the sheer look of shock on his face told a thousand stories. He was one of the focus points of the entire show and everything he did did not go unnoticed.
Carmella
And the final superstar we are going to be talking about today is Miss Money in the Bank, Carmella. In Monday's blog post I will be discussing the plans surrounding Carmell and Wrestlemania but what I will say for now is that on Sunday night she made herself a talking point. Okay, she didn't have the performance of the night and she did not wrestle of the standard we see from the likes of Sasha Banks or Charlotte for example but her character work is always on point. Every time we see her she is at one hundred and Fastlane was no different. She was extra aggressive, she was smart and focused and I found myself really paying attention and entertained by her. The closing moments were messy as we touched on in the review earlier on in the week but she did get the win for her and Nattie gaining some seriously much-needed momentum and her overall performance was something she needed massively on her road to Mania especially considering the rumored plans.
And those were my Fastlane twenty eighteen standout stars! As always, any recent blog posts will be linked below including this week's RAW and Smackdown LIVE Highlights! Finally, you can get involved and tell me what you thought of the Fastlane pay per view and who you believe to be the standout stars by leaving a comment below or by dropping me a tweet over at @TezangiVictoria.
Recent Blog Posts:
WWE Fastlane 2018: Full Review and Reactions PART 2
This weeks RAW and Smackdown LIVE Highlights
Last Week in Wrestling
WWE Fastlane 2018: Full Review and Reactions PART 1
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