The Kick-Off Show begins with Kayla Braxton hosting Booker T, Peter Rosenberg, and Jerry Lawler. The panel run down the entire card for the show.
We get a cool video package for the Sheamus/Drew McIntyre feud. Kayla Braxton says it makes her sad to see their friendship end but Booker T laughs and says Championships are the only thing that matters. Lawler says Drew needs to be careful tonight because he could be going into WrestleMania at a disadvantage. They make their predictions all three think Drew McIntyre will win.
They talk about the Women’s Tag Team Championship match and they say Sasha is keeping her enemy close to her. They don’t think Banks and Belair will be able to coincide and win the titles. Booker T then says the lights of WrestleMania might be too much for Bianca Belair. Lawler agrees but says the stars are aligning for her.
A video package airs for the Apollo Crews/Big E match tonight. Sonya Deville has joined the panel and she acknowledges that Big E is a friend and she thinks he has everything it takes. However Apollo is scary. Booker says this is the real Apollo, the Nigerian Nightmare, and he has a people to represent and that can motivate him. Booker says Apollo is moving up and Big E is just in his way. Rosenberg says let’s not overlook the fact that Big E is different now too. Deville says Big E has always shown the potential and now he’s showing it. Rosenberg says E isn’t playing games anymore and he’s fighting for his livelihood. The panel is split on their predictions.
The panel discuss Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon. They say they don’t understand why Shane is doing what he’s doing but that he can’t be taken lightly. We see an image from earlier today of Shane down holding his knee while training. Sarah Schreiber is backstage outside the doctor’s office and says Shane is being assessed and it cannot be confirmed if he can compete tonight.
Seth Rollins is interviewed backstage and he asks people to stop and admire his “drip”. As for Shinsuke Nakamura, he says he thought Nakamura was smarter than this but apparently not. He had to teach Cesaro a lesson in respect two weeks ago and tonight he’s going to do the same to Nakamura.
UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
(C) RIDDLE VS. MUSTAFA ALI W/RETRIBUTION
The match begins and Ali rolls outside to play some mind games. Ali takes his sweet time getting back inside, then they lock-up and Riddle puts him in the corner. Ali turns the tables by pulling the hair but Riddle scoops him up and slams him to the ground. Riddle controls Ali on the mat before hitting a gutwrench suplex and a Broton for a two-count. Ali lands some right hands but Riddle sweeps him off his feet, then looks for another Broton but Mustafa kicks him away in mid-air.
Ali drags Riddle under the ring post, then spins him around so his head hits the post. Ali tells Retribution to watch and learn, then he slams Riddle into the barricade. Back inside, Riddle tries to rally but Ali catches him with a kitchen sink knee. Ali applies a body scissors. Riddle fights up and lifts Ali onto his shoulders but Mustafa slides down, shoves him chest-first into the buckles, then dropkicks his back. Ali continues the assault and gets Riddle in a body scissors again. Riddle elbows himself free and lifts Mustafa but they do the same sequence again where Riddle goes into the buckles but this time Ali looks for a neckbreaker and Riddle catches him with a rear naked choke!
Riddle let’s go and hits him with an exploder, then a powerbomb into the Final Flash knee. Ali gets his knees-up as Riddle attempts a whisper in the wind. Ali jumps off the middle rope but Riddle catches him and hits a modified brainbuster for a near-fall. Ali kicks-out of the pin and locks in a Koji Clutch. Riddle can’t reach the rope so he stands up and slams Ali. Riddle goes to the top rope and Ali goes after him but Riddle gets him up and hits Bro-Derek from the middle rope for the win!
WINNER: RIDDLE
After the match Ali looks his rag and screams at Retribution for failing him. He yells at Slapjack and Reckoning but they both walk away. He turns his attention to Mace and T-Bar and shoves them, so they both grab him by the throat and Chokeslam him!
The final match discussed by the panel is the main event, Roman Reigns Vs. Daniel Bryan. We see a clip of Paul Heyman on Talking Smack where he said Roman Reigns is the head of the table and the star that all the plants revolve around. Peter Rosenberg talks about how you can’t bet against Daniel Bryan because he always defies the odds. Booker says this it the shuckey duckey quack quack moment of the night. They all think Bryan has a great chance to overcome Roman, but Lawler doesn’t think he has what it takes.
WWE FASTLANE
WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
(C) SHAYNA BASZLER & NIA JAX W/REGINALD VS. BIANCA BELAIR & SASHA BANKS
We start with Shayna and Sasha and Banks quickly forces her to the corner and tags Belair so they can double-team Baszler. Belair lifts Baszler up but she slides off the back and they go back and forth with reversals and pin attempts. Baszler applies a triangle choke but Belair lifts her up off the ground, only for Shayna to crack her with a knee to the jaw. Baszler puts a foot on Belair’s face and pulls her hair but Jax tags herself in.
Banks tags back in but runs right into Jax and collapses. Jax beats on Banks until she tags Bianca who comes in hot and forces Jax to the corner. Nia throws her to the apron and forearms her off to the floor. Baszler gets a tag and goes out to slam Bianca into the apron. Baszler gets Belair in the ring and applies a submission for a minute before tagging Jax who chokes her on the middle rope. Jax throws Bianca across the ring with a biel, then hits a running splash in the corner. The Champions make quick tags and isolate Belair in their corner.
Banks eventually gets the tag and comes in like a rocket against Nia and Shayna and jumps off Nia onto Shayna for a swinging DDT. Nia is sent from the ring and Belair hits Shayna with a 450 splash but Reginald causes a distraction and Banks jumps at him on the floor but misses. Reginald gets on the apron and Belair knocks him off, then Baszler grabs her with a Kirifuda Clutch. Banks gets the tag and Belair throws Shayna into a knee from Sasha, who then applies the Bank Statement. Nia runs in and shoves Belair into Banks and Baszler to break the hold. Belair and Banks argue with each other and Baszler rolls Sasha up for the win!
WINNERS: NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER
After the match Banks and Belair argue like crazy in the ring and Sasha calls her a rookie, telling her to stay out of her way. Banks slaps Belair, dropping her, and leaves. Belair looks stunned and she stares at the WrestleMania sign, saying “this ain’t just a match no more.”
We see a picture of Shane McMahon sitting in the ring earlier today and holding his “injured” leg. Shane comes out of the doctor’s office and meets Elias and Jaxson Ryker. Elias tries to pitch a WrestleMania musical performance and how badly he wants to show what he can do. Shane tries to blow him off but stops and says he has an idea.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
(C) BIG E VS. APOLLO CREWS
The bell rings and they run right at each other and start brawling. Big E throws Apollo over the ropes and Spears him through them to the floor! Big E yells in Apollo’s face “is this what you wants?!” Apollo punches Big E but the Champion places him on the apron and stomps him, then hits a big splash. Big E continues talking trash to Apollo and hits another big splash. Big E gets in the ring and punches Crews against the ropes, then pulls him by the beard and hits a belly-to-belly.
Big E runs at Apollo in the corner but Crews dropkicks the knee and E hits the buckles. Apollo grabs Big E from behind and hits three German suplexes in a row. Apollo shoves Big E’s head, then lifts him for a spinebuster. Apollo goes up top and hits a five-star frog splash for a near-fall. Apollo punches and kicks Big E, then they go back and forth with reversals and pinfall attempts. They’re in a small package with both shoulders down but Big E postures up and scores a confusing pin at the last second.
WINNER: BIG E
As soon as the bell rings Apollo attacks him from behind. Apollo hits Big E with an Angle Slam. Crews talks trash to Big E and slaps his face over and over, then hits another Angle Slam. Crews stands over Big E with a boot on his face.
We see a clip from earlier today of Shane apparently injuring himself. Shane is in the ring with Elias and Jaxson Ryker. Shane says he wants Elias to give a teaser for WrestleMania. Elias starts to play but Shane interrupts him and says he forgot to tell him he’s taking his place tonight.
BRAUN STROWMAN VS. ELIAS W/JAXSON RYKER
The bell rings and Braun rushes Strowman, battering him with forearms. Braun tosses Elias across the ring and he rolls out to regroup with Ryker but Braun lifts him back onto the apron by the head. Braun shoves Elias into the ring post, then gets him back inside and bends him over the ropes. Braun drops Elias with a forearm to the chest and looks to follow-up with a running splash but Ryker pulls Elias out of the ring.
Braun goes out and runs around the ring to bulldoze Elias. Braun gets back inside and Ryker throws Elias back in. Strowman gets hit with a cheap shot and Elias takes advantage and drops him, then lands a big elbow drop from the top rope for a near-fall. Braun connects with a clothesline, then splashes Elias in the corner. Elias lifts and Chokeslams Elias, then lifts him by the beard and hits the running powerslam for the win.
WINNER: BRAUN STROWMAN
Riddle is rolling around backstage on his scooter and stops by Shinsuke Nakamura, who congratulates him on his win. Riddle asks him if he’d like to go into business together so they can trick out scooters together. Nakamura says it’s a good idea but Nakamura goes off on a tangent about his cousin Skeeter who was a skater. When Riddle finishes Nakamura is gone and Riddle thinks he’s gone to get his scooter.
SETH ROLLINS VS. SHINSUKE NAKMURA
They lock-up to start proceedings but Nakamura shoots Rollins off and hits a knee to the gut. Nakamura catches him with a kick. Seth throws Nakamura out of the ring and goes after to beat him on the floor. Seth gets Nakamura back in the ring and continues beating him down. Seth whips Nakamura into the buckles and hits a sidewalk slam for a two-count. Seth applies a bearhug to Nakamura on the mat and keeps him grounded. Seth talks trash to Nakamura and slams his head into the buckles. Seth starts ranting about Cesaro and how he swung him 22 times.
Seth says he’s strong too and looks to do The Swing to Shinsuke but Nakamura gets him in a triangle. Rollins reaches the bottom rope to force the break and slides out. Nakamura hits a baseball slide, then hangs him over the apron and hits a running knee. Nakamura gets Seth back inside and hits Good Vibrations in the corner. Nakamura drapes Seth over the top rope and hits a running knee for a two-count. Shinsuke goes to the top rope but Seth pulls his leg off and he falls hard to the floor. Rollins follows-up with a suicide dive, then puts Nakamura back in the ring. Rollings hits a springboard knee, then a slingblade for a near-fall.
Nakamura and Rollins trade shots and Seth backs him into the corner. Rollins runs into a boot and Nakamura hangs him on the middle rope to hit a sliding German suplex. Nakamura gets back inside and runs at Seth but gets hoisted up and hit with a Buckle Bomb. Rollins lands a falcon arrow for a near-fall. Rollins goes to the corner and wants The Stomp but Nakamura avoids it and hits a reverse exploder. Nakamura looks for Kinshasa but Seth counters and hits a forearm to the back of the head. Rollins looks for a shining wizard but Nakamura ducks it, only for Seth to swing his leg back and kick the back of his head. Seth hits The Stomp for the win.
WINNER: SETH ROLLINS
Tomorrow night on RAW, former NXT Women’s Champion, The Nightmare Rhea Ripley, will make her debut!
NO HOLDS BARRED
SHEAMUS VS. DREW MCINTYRE
The bell rings and Sheamus points in McIntyre’s face and yells “20 years of friendship and did you ever think of me?” Drew punches him and they trade shots until McIntyre catches him with a belly-to-belly, then another and clotheslines him over the top rope. Drew goes to the apron but Sheamus swipes his feet from under him. They brawl on the outside and Drew goes under the apron for some weapons but Sheamus attacks him. Sheamus tries to throws Drew into the steps but the Scotsman reverses it. McIntyre places Sheamus’ head on the steps and stomps it.
McIntyre puts Sheamus inside along with a lot of Kendo sticks but Sheamus knees him in the face. Sheamus batters McIntyre in the back with a Kendo, then the chest and talks trash. Sheamus puts the Kendo stick in Drews mouth and pulls it back. McIntyre slowly gets up and clubs Sheamus, then drops him with a knee. McIntyre lifts the Kendo and hits Sheamus across the back, then the chest and beats him out of the ring. Both men already have big red welts across their backs.
Drew goes out and runs at Sheamus with the Kendo but gets caught with a drop toe hold and lands face-first on the steel steps. Sheamus lifts the steps and takes McIntyre’s head off, then clears the announce desk. Sheamus gets Drew on the table and looks to hit a backbreaker but McIntyre wriggles free and throws him off into the barricade. Sheamus crawls into the crowd area and Drew goes after and rips his cheeks the way Sheamus did on RAW. McIntyre and Sheamus club each other all the way around the ThunderDome and Sheamus suplexes Drew onto the exposed floor.
Sheamus and Drew fight up onto the raised platform between the fan screens and Sheamus lands a rolling senton. McIntyre gets to his feet and they trade shots back and forth until Drew slams him into the fan screens, then throws him through the screens to the platform below and the screens explode. McIntyre roars before going down and beating Sheamus all the way back down to the ThunderDome floor. Drew places Sheamus on a production box and drags him back towards the ring area but suplexes him off the box onto the floor. McIntyre lifts Sheamus, whose back is cut and bleeding, and carries him to ringside. Sheamus slides down the back and Brogue kicks Drew over the barricade!
Sheamus slowly climbs over the barricade and stomps on the back of McIntyre, then puts him on a production box behind the barricade near the announce desk. Sheamus shouts in McIntyre’s face, then gets him on top of the barricade and hits White Noise through the announce table! Sheamus and Drew are both showing the battle wounds and Sheamus slowly lifts Mcintyre and gets him back into the ring. Sheamus lifts the side of the announce desk and takes it into the ring. Sheamus talks some trash but McIntyre slaps him. Sheamus slaps him back and then looks to hit White Noise onto the table piece but Drew counters and hits the Future Shock DDT. McIntyre quickly moves to the corner and runs for a Claymore kick and wins!
WINNER: DREW MCINTYRE
It’s time for the much anticipated mixed-gender match and out comes Randy Orton. As Orton is posing on the top rope, the black goo starts pouring from his mouth. Orton stumbles off the ropes and out of the ring to get a towel to wipe it away. Orton coughs and leans on the announce desk, then gets back into the ring and tells Bliss to come on.
ALEXA BLISS VS. RANDY ORTON
Bliss holds her hands up and the lights go purple. The bell rings and Orton runs but Bliss shoots a fireball at him. Orton falls into the corner and looks shocked but it quickly turns to anger and he runs at her again but she moves and he hits the ring post. Bliss goes out to check on Randy, then she slowly walks backwards around the ring and he walks after her. Orton looks reluctant to engage, then Alex looks up to the ceiling and a light fixture falls from the ceiling ring in front of Orton. Alexa laughs and tells him to follow her.
Orton reluctantly gets in the ring and Alexa blows him a kiss, then shoots another fireball at him. Orton looks angry and he gets up as Bliss sits on the top rope. Behind Orton the ring cracks open and a hand comes up out. It grabs Orton’s foot and he pulls away, then fire shoots up out of the ring. The Fiend then pulls himself up out of the ring and his mask is melted and burnt black. The Fiend hits Sister Abigail, then Bliss sits on top of Orton to score the pinfall.
WINNER: ALEXA BLISS
The Fiend stands behind Bliss as she continues to sit on top of Orton. Creepy versions of Bray’s music plays as they pose.
#TheFiend @WWEBrayWyatt has helped @AlexaBliss_WWE defeat @RandyOrton. #WWEFastlane pic.twitter.com/u9GTamTFZu
— WWE (@WWE) March 22, 2021
UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
SPECIAL ENFORCER: EDGE
(C) ROMAN REIGNS W/PAUL HEYMAN VS. DANIEL BRYAN
The match gets underway and Bryan bops around the ring testing Roman, then shoots for a single leg but gets shrugged off. Bryan smiles and continues bopping around the ring but Roman forces him to the corner and holds him there until Bryan slips away and delivers a swift kick to the leg. They lock-up and Reigns forces Bryan to the corner, then drops him with a cheap shot and Bryan smiles. Bryan looks for an O’Conner roll into a heel hook but Roman stumbles to the ropes. Bryan again goes for the legs but Roman stays up and grabs the ropes again.
They go for a test of strength and Roman forces Bryan down to the mat and shoves a knee in his face. Bryan manages to counter Roman and almost locks in an armbar but Roman gets the rope. Bryan toys with Roman and jabs his gut a few times, then lands a few kicks to the thigh but Reigns eventually corners him and hits a headlock takeover and holds him down. Bryan slips free and bends Roman’s arm behind his back and slams it with knees. Bryan bends Roman’s hand back and tries to break the shoulder. Bryan stands on Roman’s arm to pin it to the mat behind his back for a two-count. Roman then headbutts Bryan.
Reigns is not happy and he lifts Bryan and drops him with an uppercut. Reigns stalks Daniel and hits another right and lifts him up to slam him into the buckles. Bryan bounces right back with a dropkick to stun Roman, then bends the arm over his shoulder and snaps it. Roman backs Bryan into the corner and pummels him with clotheslines, then Bryan lands a few kicks. Bryan is shot to the corner but he flips over Roman and hits the ropes only for Roman to catch him with a tilt-a-whirl slam for a two-count.
Roman squishes Bryan’s head into the mat and talks some trash before lifting and hitting a suplex. Bryan goes for the leg again and this time Reigns elbows him in the head. Roman kicks Bryan around the ring and Bryan’s throwing desperate shots. Reigns applies a sleeper hold and keeps Bryan down but eventually Daniel rallies and gets free, only for Roman to throw him over the ropes. Roman stares at Edge and does some talking before coming out to launch Daniel into the barricade.
Roman breaks the referee’s count and comes back out but Bryan hits him with some uppercuts and some kicks. Reigns throws Bryan into the ring post, then gets him back inside for a two-count. Roman throws Bryan across the ring for another two-count and he challenges the referee’s count. Bryan pulls himself up in the corner and Roman clobbers him with a lariat. Paul Heyman shouts for Bryan to stay down and Edge walks over to him to shut him up. Roman tells Bryan to look into the camera and tell everyone who the main event is.
Roman whips Bryan hard into the buckles and runs but Bryan catches him with a drop toe hold. Bryan unloads some big kicks and a running dropkick in the corner. Bryan puts Roman on the top rope and looks for a hurricanrana but Reigns holds him up, then walks off the ropes into a Boston crab. Bryan eventually rolls through for a failed pin attempt. Bryan ducks Reigns and hits the ropes to land a flying elbow and both men are down.
They trade shots and Bryan kicks Reigns as he looks for a back drop, then tosses him over the ropes. Bryan looks to hit a suicide dive but Roman catches him. Bryan knocks Reigns back, then hits a flying knee off the apron. Daniel puts Roman in the ring and goes to the top rope for another flying knee. Bryan scales the ropes again and hits a missile dropkick. Bryan fires-up and lands the Yes kicks to all parts of the body but Roman catches the final kick and backs Bryan into the corner. Roman lands a massive uppercut, then pushes Bryan down and grinds his face. Roman clubs Bryan with forearms, then knees and the referee almost disqualifies him.
.@HeymanHustle's face says it all.#WWEFastlane #UniversalTitle @WWEDanielBryan pic.twitter.com/765NsjmGSj
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) March 22, 2021
Bryan shoots for a double leg takedown but Roman sprawls and grabs him by the head. Roman lifts Bryan for a powerbomb but gets caught with a hurricanrana. Bryan hits a big kick to the head for a near-fall. Bryan grabs Roman’s arm and stomps his face, then applies the Yes Lock! Roman yells in pain and tries to break the hold. Roman reaches out for the ropes but he’s not there, so Bryan rolls backwards and re-applies it in the middle of the ring. Roman shakes his head that he won’t tap and slowly pries Bryan’s fingers apart, then turns him over and clobbers him with forearms. Reigns lifts Bryan for a powerbomb and a near-fall.
Both men are down and it’s Bryan who starts to get up first. Roman mutters to himself as he craawls to the corner. Roman runs for a Spear but Bryan kicks him, then looks for the running knee but Reigns moves and Bryan hits the referee! Roman hits Bryan with a Spear and covers but the referee is down, so Edge slides in and counts but Bryan kicks out! Edge is the referee now and Roman questions him but Edge tells him to do his job. Roman gets mad at Bryan and asks him what he’s trying to prove. Roman lands some big forearms but Bryan catches the arm and locks him in a triangle choke.
Roman slowly lifts Bryan up and looks to powerbomb him but Bryan punches him over and over and transitions into the Yes Lock! Reigns struggles, so Bryan pummels Roman with forearms and re-applies the move. Roman looks like he might tap but Jey Uso appears and superkicks Edge, then Bryan! Jey goes out and grabs a chair, then throws Edge into the ring post. Uso swings for Bryan but nobody’s home and Bryan hits a running knee. Bryan then lifts the steel chair and hits Jey Uso over and over until he rolls from the ring. Bryan looks around for the official, then swings for Reigns with the chair but he moves and Bryan hits Edge!
Roman hits the Superman punch and looks for a Spear but Bryan counters with the Yes Lock! Roman is in agony and looks barely conscious, then taps out….but Edge hits Bryan with the chair! Edge then hits Roman with the chair, then Bryan again. Edge screams at them that this is his and pulls his hair. Edge leaves and another official comes down. Roman covers Bryan to score the three count.
WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS
It's still his yard.@WWERomanReigns will see you at #WrestleMania! #WWEFastlane @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/8qAUUwkMxd
— WWE (@WWE) March 22, 2021
Credit: Curtis Dillon / Ringside News
