WWE FASTLANE - March 5th, 2017

Matches

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Universal Champion Kevin Owens vs. Goldberg

Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania may loom in the distance, but as far as Goldberg is concerned, Kevin Owens is next.

Despite falling short in the Royal Rumble Match, the iconic former World Heavyweight Champion will, indeed, make one last run at a World Championship when he challenges Kevin Owens for the Universal Title at WWE Fastlane 2017. Goldberg had previously justified his continued competition as the pursuit of a final title reign, and Owens inadvertently played directly into the stampeding veteran’s hands when he antagonized Goldberg on Raw, leading none other than Chris Jericho to accept Goldberg’s challenge on behalf of his now-former “best friend.”

While The Prizefighter has proven himself to be a cunning Universal Champion, several of his title retentions have come as a result of interference by Jericho (whom Owens has since betrayed) or some other Superstar hell-bent on disrupting the action. With two straight shellackings of Lesnar under his belt, Goldberg seems to have returned to his WCW form, which means while Owens is next for him, this opponent may be KO’s “last” as champion.

Tune into WWE Fastlane, live this Sunday, March, 5, on the award-winning WWE Network, to see if Owens can survive or if Goldberg will Spear his name into the record books one more time.

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Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman’s demands for tougher competition have been answered.

The Monster Among Men will square off against three-time WWE Champion Roman Reigns at WWE Fastlane 2017. Given the two Superstars’ costly interactions of late, you can bet Reigns and Strowman will bring plenty of bad intentions and fire power to their showdown.

First, Strowman interfered during Reigns’ challenge of WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens at Royal Rumble. Eyeing an opportunity to move into title contention, the juggernaut smashed Reigns through a table with a running powerslam, rendering him easy pickings for Owens. The very next night on Raw, as Strowman took his turn challenging the WWE Universal Champion, Reigns retaliated, knocking Strowman to the floor and tackling him with a brutal Spear. The two powerhouses have targeted each other ever since

It’s not often that the 6-foot-3, 265-pound Big Dog finds himself at a severe size disadvantage, but such is the case for any competitor who takes on the barrel-chested Strowman. At 6-foot-8 and nearly 300 pounds, The Monster Among Men more than lives up to his moniker, demolishing most opponents with the ease of someone stepping on a bug.

Yet, Reigns is far from an ordinary opponent; his Superman Punch collapses giants, and he has proven in the past his ability to weather the storm en route to charting big victories.

At WWE Fastlane, will Strowman pulverize Reigns, as he’s done so many Superstars before him, or will The Big Dig serve as a long-overdue gut check? Watch this heavyweight collision when Raw hosts its next brand-exclusive pay-per-view, WWE Fastlane, live on the award-winning WWE Network this Sunday, March 5, at 8 ET/5 PT.

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Raw Women’s Champion Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair

With her Raw Women’s Title loss to Bayley embroiled in controversy, Charlotte Flair has chosen to invoke her rematch clause at WWE Fastlane and will challenge the beloved champion this Sunday, March 5, live on WWE Network.

Bayley defeated the self-proclaimed “genetically superior athlete” to win the title in an instant-classic on the Feb. 13 edition of Raw. But due to the interference of Sasha Banks, who swung the match in Bayley’s favor, the legitimacy of The Huggable One’s victory has been the subject of debate.

Charlotte insists Bayley cannot defeat her one-on-one, without outside assistance. Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon event went so far as to suggest that Sasha might have aided Bayley because The Boss thinks she’d have a better chance of winning the championship from her best friend than of winning it from Charlotte.

Despite the seeds of doubt seemingly sown into her mind, not to mention Charlotte and Stephanie's demands that she relinquish the title, Bayley remained steadfast, vowing to defend the championship anytime and anyplace, on behalf of the WWE Universe.

Now, both she and Charlotte look ahead to their rematch at WWE Fastlane. Can Bayley vindicate her title reign with a decisive performance against Charlotte? Or will The Queen — who is undefeated in singles matches on WWE pay-per-views — keep her streak intact and regain the Raw Women’s Championship?

Watch WWE Fastlane when it takes over WWE Network live this Sunday, March 5, at 8 ET/5 PT.

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Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe

Sneak attacks and shade on the microphone are all well and good, but now Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe will settle their differences the old-fashioned way at WWE Fastlane 2017, live this Sunday, March 5, on the award-winning WWE Network.

Joe’s brutal Raw debut earned him more than a little skepticism from the Raw locker room and his justification — that he didn’t come here to be “a Sami Zayn” who was just happy to be in WWE — didn’t sit all that well with The Underdog from the Underground. In fact, Zayn reacted to Joe’s mindset with such open disdain that “The Destroyer” jumped him from behind, twice, demanding that the beloved Superstar put the proper respect on his name.

Zayn repaid Joe the following week on Raw and even managed to get the upper hand on The Samoan Submission Machine before WWE officials separated them. With the two Superstars clearly set on fighting each other no matter what, Raw’s power trust sanctioned an official bout at WWE Fastlane, but which Superstar will survive the collision? Find out this Sunday, March 5, live on the award-winning WWE Network.

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Cruiserweight Champion Neville vs. Jack Gallagher

Since returning to the Cruiserweight division, Neville has dismantled every challenger in his ascension to winning the WWE Cruiserweight Championship and officially being crowned The King of the Cruiserweights. At WWE Fastlane, Neville faces a new challenge in the unorthodox ability of “Gentleman” Jack Gallagher.

Unique, resilient and rather extraordinary best describe Gallagher. The British gentleman’s personality and in-ring style have endeared him to the WWE Universe. Not only are his in-ring exploits conspicuous, but he’s also an innovator, having hosted the first duel and “I Forfeit” Match in WWE to settle his rivalry with Ariya Daivari. Gallagher certainly proved his mettle by becoming the No. 1 contender to the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, defeating TJ Perkins, Noam Dar, Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali in a Fatal 5-Way on WWE 205 Live.

Competitors struggle to mount a sustained, effective strategy to deal with Gallagher — especially when he can deliver a crushing headbutt at any time. The WWE Cruiserweight Champion is not one to back away from any challenge, however. Neville’s speed, strength and unbridled aggression have made him the most formidable force in the entire division. Will Gallagher’s unorthodox style be enough to dethrone The King of the Cruiserweights?

Watch WWE Fastlane live this Sunday, March 5, at 8 ET/5 PT on the award-winning WWE Network.

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Raw Tag Team Champions Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass

Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson love nothing more than to brag — about the large downside guarantees on their contracts, about beating up “nerds” and, of course, about being the Raw Tag Team Champions.

But if Enzo Amore & Big Cass can back up Enzo’s big-talking ways at WWE Fastlane 2017, where they challenge for Raw’s tandem titles, the cowboys in black will have one fewer thing to gloat about.

The Realest Guys in the Room became the next in line to compete for the Raw Tag Team Titles after defeating former champions Cesaro & Sheamus in a No. 1 Contenders’ Match on the Feb. 20 edition of Raw. Though the victory was a major feather in the cap of Enzo & Cass, Amore couldn’t resist trash-talking the downed competition after the fact — a decision he almost certainly regretted seconds later when The Celtic Warrior responded with a vicious Brogue Kick.

That indiscretion aside, Enzo & Cass still find themselves in the coveted position of challenging for the Raw Tag Team Titles at WWE Fastlane. Can the effective combination of Enzo’s speed and Cass’ brute force result in their first title win in WWE? Or will Gallows & Anderson keep a steady grip on their championships and build upon their already impressive resumes?

Watch this high-stakes Raw Tag Team Championship conflict play out at WWE Fastlane, live on the award-winning WWE Network Sunday, March 5, at 8 ET/5 PT.

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Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax

Sasha Banks may have become entangled in the drama surrounding the Raw Women’s Championship in recent weeks, but now she must shift her focus to an entirely different problem — one named Nia Jax.

The Boss goes one-on-one with Nia in a Royal Rumble rematch this Sunday at WWE Fastlane 2017, live on WWE Network, in a match made by Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon. Sasha told Bayley that she wants to be in the corner of Raw Women's Champion at Fastlane, but she now needs to change her focus to getting past the woman who claims she “broke The Boss.”

Arguably the biggest threat in Raw’s highly competition Women’s division, Jax gave Sasha a drubbing at WWE Royal Rumble, decimating The Boss in less than six minutes. The 6-foot powerhouse followed up with a repeat performance the very next night on Raw, turning Banks into origami and reinjuring Sasha’s left leg in the process.

After weeks of rehab, Sasha says she is back at full health, which wasn’t the case for either of her outings against Jax in January. Yet, with so much of The Boss’ attention being paid to the ongoing rivalry between Raw Women’s Champion Bayley and Charlotte Flair, it is fair to wonder if she is mentally prepared for another slugfest with the rough-and-tumble Jax.

Has Banks become too consumed with the struggles of her best friend, Bayley, to adequately focus on her own battle line? Or can the dynamic and ever-adaptable three-time Raw Women’s Champion prove she’s able to step toe-to-toe with Jax’s freight-train force?

Watch Sasha Banks and Nia Jax throw down this Sunday when WWE Fastlane airs at 8 ET/5 PT, live on WWE Network.

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Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa vs. The Brian Kendrick & Noam Dar (Kickoff Match)

Before WWE Fastlane 2017 gets underway this Sunday, sports-entertainment’s most exhilarating division takes center stage as Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa battle The Brian Kendrick & Noam Dar in a Cruiserweight tag team match on the Fastlane Kickoff.

Since having his offer of mentorship rejected by Tozawa, Kendrick has been dead set on teaching The Stamina Monster “lessons in respect,” which have ranged from waging a pre-match ambush against Tozawa to using underhanded tactics to defeat him by count-out. Can Tozawa — whose lightning-fast German suplex is capable of taking the most experienced competitor off his feet before he knows it — make the veteran Superstar pay for his cruel teachings?

Such personal overtones are not limited to the rivalry between Tozawa and Kendrick, either. On the Valentine’s Day edition of WWE 205 Live, Swann dedicated his match against Dar to Dar’s girlfriend, Alicia Fox, only to clarify seconds later that Fox “can’t handle this.” Swann’s trash talk got under the skin of the Scottish Supernova and his unpredictable sweetheart, but there appeared to be little Dar could do to stop the former Cruiserweight Champion that night, as Swann polished him off with a highlight reel-worthy Phoenix Splash. Will Dar and Alicia, with the assistance of Kendrick, find redemption this Sunday?

The Cruiserweight division’s unmistakable brand of breakneck action takes over the WWE Fastlane Kickoff this Sunday, live on the award-winning WWE Network at 7 ET/4 PT. In addition, the Kickoff streams live on WWE.com, the WWE App YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google+.

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