Last night WWE hosted Fastlane, the final stop on the road to Wrestlemania 31. With the show of shows on the horizon, WWE set up some major feuds and matches at Fastlane, and we are now officially on our way to ‘Mania. Let’s take a look at what went down.
Reigns Punches His Ticket to the ‘Mania Main Event
After the horrendous reception that Roman Reigns received upon winning last month’s Royal Rumble, WWE has spent the better part of the past month trying to figure out if there was a way to make things work with the next big thing headlining Wrestlemania. After his main event match with Daniel Bryan, the answer sure looks like a yes.
Bryan and Reigns put on a great match in the Fastlane main event. We start off with Bryan in control as Reigns tries to fight out a headlock with some punches. Reigns quickly takes control and begins to exert his strength on the smaller Bryan. Reigns clotheslines Bryan out of the ring and then looks to hit a Superman Punch once back inside, but Bryan counters with a vicious kick to the midsection.
Reigns is nearly unable to stand, let alone retaliate. Bryan backs him into a corner and unloads with kicks to the ribs and midsection as Reigns tries to withstand the assault on his injury. Bryan runs and hits Reigns with two dropkicks in the corner before taking the big man up top and setting up for a hurricarana. Bryan goes for the move but Reigns holds onto him and hits a vicious powerbomb off the top rope for a near-fall.
Reigns tries to take control but Bryan catches him with a YES! lock out of nowhere but Reigns is able to hit the ropes and break the hold. Reigns rolls out of the ring and Bryan hits two straight suicide dives on the big man. He goes for a third, but Reigns catches him and hits a massive belly-to-belly suplex outside of the ring. Reigns sets up to Spear Bryan through the steps, but DB gets out of the way and Reigns nails the steps as the ref begins his count.
Both men are barely able to make it into the ring before being counted out, and now Bryan is trying to take control. The Beard heads up top looking to hit Reigns with a high-risk maneuver, but the big man is waiting for him and hits a huge Superman Punch to an air-born Bryan.
Reigns covers Bryan for a near-fall so the powerhouse sets up in the corner looking to hit a Spear. Reigns makes his move, but Bryan catches him and hits a roll-up for the near-fall. Bryan hits Reigns with a big kick to the head, and then hits his running knee for the 1-2-… REIGNS KICKS OUT!
Cole and company put over the fact that nobody has ever kicked out of Bryan’s running knee while DB begins to unload kicks to Reigns. The powerhouse is able to block the final kick but Bryan rolls through and puts him in a YES! Lock attempting to get Reigns to tap out. Reigns reverses and begins to absolutely unload on Bryan with forearm strikes to the head. DB is able to counter that into a Hell’s Gate chokehold, but Reigns picks Bryan up off the ground and slams him into the mat.
Bryan makes a comeback and begins to unload kicks on Reigns, hitting him in the head and setting up for another running knee. Bryan makes his move and REIGNS HITS HIM OUT OF NOWHERE WITH A SPEAR! 1-2-3! REIGNS IS GOING TO MANIA!
Whoa.
As Reigns celebrates, Bryan makes it to his feet and gets in the big man’s face, telling him he better beat Brock Lesnar now before the two shake each other’s hands in a sign of respect.
So WWE decided to give Reigns the win and put him in the main event despite fan reaction. Good for them that it was done with a clean win over a huge star in the company. Reigns was never the issue here, it was the way WWE has been trying to force him down our throats. You can see Reigns moving in the ring and tell the kid is putting in a ton of work trying to get better, so this definitely makes his match against Brock Lesnar at ‘Mania a bit more palatable. Good work WWE, and extra praise should go to Daniel Bryan for putting Reigns over and carrying a great match.
As for Reigns? He goes on to face Brock Lesnar and his coronation at Wrestlemania 31. What do you think about that Roman?
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