This week, we find out who joins the triple threat match for AJ Styles' WWE Championship at Fastlane, as well as a US Open Challenge and a pancake party.
source: WWE
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin
#1 Contendership Match—Winner gets added to the triple threat at Fastlane
Winner: N/A
Ziggler comes out with his record scratch theme song, which seems pointless now because fans have no clue what’s going on with him. Is he face or heel? Did he just completely abandon the character that left the United States title in the ring after winning it? At this point, we don’t know how to think of Ziggler and that needs to be cleared up.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens attack Baron Corbin backstage before he can come out to the ring, then making a point that Ziggler is next. He briefly puts up a good fight, but loses to Zayn and Owens’ numbers game. As they’re leaving, Corbin comes back and tries to attack the team, but gets beat up again. After referees break it up, Sami and Kevin retreat to the back.
At first, I was confused as to why Corbin and Ziggler (a boring in-ring pairing anyway) deserved a title opportunity. Neither of them made it on the Top 10 list last week, and both of them don’t have storylines right now anyway. Having Sami and Kevin attack them was a good move for the main event scene, because no one really wanted Ziggler or Corbin in the triple threat match anyway. Shane McMahon later announces that both Corbin and Ziggler will get separate opportunities to enter the match at Fastlane later in the night.
source: WWE
Charlotte vs. Sarah Logan
Winner: Charlotte
Before the match, Becky Lynch and Naomi come out as Charlotte’s backup, offsetting the numbers of the Riots Squad. Charlotte controls most of the match, and Logan is seemingly scared after chopping Charlotte, but as Logan gains the advantage with holds and kicks, she’s hyped up by the announcers. They boast about her brutal, unpredictable style, but I’m not seeing it as much as they’re saying.
Charlotte plants Sarah Logan on her head with a Natural Selection, getting the Queen the victory. Becky and Naomi enter the ring and celebrate her victory, and Charlotte tells the commentators that there’s only one member of the Riott Squad she has to beat.
source: WWE
Baron Corbin vs. Kevin Owens
Winner: Baron Corbin
Throughout the match, Corbin is weaker and obviously at a disadvantage after being pummeled less than an hour before. Owens is in a favorable position in the first several minutes of the match, but Corbin gets in some defense here and there. KO sends Corbin into the steel steps and goes for the knee to the face, but is countered with a chokeslam backbreaker.
Owens runs toward Corbin full-force, only to be trapped into a Deep Six. KO gets a super kick in, but Baron Corbin gives him an End of Days for the win. It looks like WWE is trying to put off the triple threat between Owens, Zayn, and AJ Styles by watering it down with Corbin. Daniel Bryan rooting for Sami and Kevin is starting to get a bit stale, in my opinion, so it’s hard to tell the point of adding Baron Corbin into this match.
source: WWE
Bobby Roode vs. Randy Orton
Winner: N/A
Bobby Roode states before the match that he’s inspired to surpass John Cena’s “US Open Challenge” legacy. He calls out Randy Orton, saying he wants to meet him face to face, and Orton comes out. Before the bout begins, Jinder Mahal walks out onto the stage. He verbally attacks Randy Orton, saying everyone thinks his career has already peaked (he’s probably not wrong).
The three men talk a lot about their places on the list (and Jinder’s name not being on it), and Roode suggests that Orton is number nine because everyone is sick of him attacking people out of nowhere. In response, Orton gives an RKO out of nowhere to the Singh brother. A brief battle ensues between Orton, Mahal, and Roode, and Jinder Mahal is the last one standing in the ring.
This promo segment gives rise to a possible topic of discussion—has Randy Orton hit his peak in WWE? It seems like he has been a part of very few notable rivalries in the past couple years, and since he has turned face, he hasn’t been very impactful. Sure, he isn’t losing a bunch, but we don’t often watch a Randy Orton match and think “wow, that stole the show”. He isn’t known for putting on spectacular matches, so having him as a boring face doesn’t really do much for his character.
Even though we didn’t see a Top 10 list this week, it seemed that the Top 10 list will just be a talking point for superstars who are already on it (for the most part). While it makes for good promos, it doesn’t serve the purpose it was supposed to—to propel underrated superstars to the TV scene.
source: WWE
New Day (Kofi Kingston and Big E) vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable
With several trays stacked with several pancakes, announcing that Big E was going to eat as many of the pancakes as possible. E grabs a bunch of pancakes and shoves him in his mouth at once, only to be interrupted by Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, who suggests that they open a place like IHOP and leave the SD Live tag division to serious competitors.
Insulted, the New Day remind Benjamin and Gable that they were great tag champions, and no one wants to see them as champions. Benjamin and Gable start dropping pancakes to the ground, angering New Day as they get defensive over their cakes.
The match starts, and Gable controls the bout at first. He and Benjamin keep Kofi Kingston in their corner, but he eventually fights back, and as soon as he’s about to tag in Big E, Gable pulls him off the apron. When E gets back and finally gets the tag, he delivers a suplex to Gable, who gives him one right back. After a distraction from the referee, Big E tags in Kofi, and they utilize the Midnight Hour on Gable to get the win.
source: WWE
Sami Zayn vs. Dolph Ziggler
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
A backstage promo with Renee Young gives us more insight on Dolph Ziggler’s character—he talks about how he loves wrestling and how he is the best, and he won’t be outshined. He says that Sami and Kevin are cowards, and it takes more than that to stop him. He’s back for one thing; he wants to main event Wrestlemania.
Right before Sami goes out to the ring, Kevin Owens apologizes for letting Baron Corbin into their match at Fastlane, decreasing their chances of winning. He urges Sami not to let him down by losing to Dolph Ziggler, and Zayn tells Owens that it’s every man for himself for the WWE Championship.
Early on in the bout, Ziggler gets Zayn into the corner, hitting him with a Stinger Splash. Sami runs toward Dolph and catches his legs, launching him into the turnbuckle. He misses as Helluva kick, and Ziggler counters with a Zig Zag, but Zayn kicks out.
Sami gives Ziggler a one-armed suplex into the corner, setting him up for another Helluva Kick. This time, Ziggler super kicks Zayn before Zayn gets to him, getting the three count and entering Dolph Ziggler into the now Fatal 5-Way match for AJ Styles’ WWE Championship.
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