WWE Fastlane: Did AJ Styles retain to set up Shinsuke Nakamura dream match?
Written by News on 12/03/2018
The hotly-anticipated dream match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura will go ahead at WrestleMania after Styles retained his WWE title at Fastlane.
But there was a new competitor for SmackDown’s women’s title, with Asuka appearing after the conclusion of Charlotte Flair‘s win over Ruby Riott to challenge the champion.
Fastlane also saw a title change, with Randy Orton winning the United States championship from Bobby Roode.
In the main event, Styles collected a hard-earned victory after hitting Kevin Owens with a Phenomenal Forearm.
Sami Zayn had earlier, as promised, “laid down” for Owens only to flip his so-called best friend into a small package at the last moment, and Shane McMahon broke up pin attempts by both to ensure they did not win the title.
The result also means John Cena does not have a WrestleMania match, with matches for both brand’s major title-holders now finalised.
Flair picked up a strong win over Riott in a good match which saw both competitors’ back-up groups ejected from ringside.
Riott Squad members Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, and Flair’s support network Becky Lynch and Naomi were all sent to the back by the referee and without that distraction Flair retained with a spear and figure-four leglock.
Asuka then silently challenged Flair by pointing to the WrestleMania sign, meaning Raw champion Alexa Bliss now does not have an opponent for the big event in New Orleans next month.
Orton became a Grand Slam champion by defeating Roode for the United States title, collecting the win with his trademark RKO after a ring-shuddering superplex.
Jinder Mahal came out to attack both men after the bell in a signal of what may be next on the agenda for the title at WrestleMania.
The Usos and The New Day renewed their rivalry for the SmackDown tag titles but the match ended in a non-finish due to interference from the Bludgeon Brothers.
The teams had put on another excellent match, with the theft of each other’s moves being a running theme, before the Brothers arrived and laid them all out, ending with a double powerbomb on Xavier Woods onto the steel steps which left him needing medical assistance.
Royal Rumble winner Nakamura beat Rusev earlier in the night with a pair of Kinshasa knee strikes and the duo of Carmella and Natalya put away Lynch and Naomi when Carmella hit the Lass Kicker with a superkick for the three-count.
Replays of Fastlane are available on Sky Sports Box Office (channel 491) BUT NOT Sky Sports HD Box Office (492) between 10am on Monday, March 12, and 2am on Thursday, March 15 and can be booked by clicking HERE, by using your Sky remote or by calling 03442 410 888 (Republic of Ireland – 0818 220 225).
(c) Sky News 2018: WWE Fastlane: Did AJ Styles retain to set up Shinsuke Nakamura dream match?
