Fastlane 2016: Good Wrestling, Bad Timing, and a Finish the Crowd Never Wanted

Banks and Lynch begin as reluctant partners, which gives the match a simple story beyond merely filling time before WrestleMania. Naomi and Tamina isolate Lynch for the heat segment, using quick tags and ringside interference to prevent the comeback. The pace is uneven in the middle, but the match improves noticeably once Banks receives the hot tag. Her knee attacks and Backstabber create the best burst of energy, while Lynch reenters at exactly the right moment for the finish. Banks traps Tamina in the Banks Statement as Lynch applies the Dis-arm-her to Naomi, producing simultaneous submissions and a decisive babyface win. The result effectively positions both winners for the upcoming Divas Championship picture. It is solid work with a strong ending, even if the early control section never becomes especially compelling.

Owens and Ziggler produce the night's strongest conventional title match by combining physical offense with a crowd that wants the hometown challenger to break through. Owens attacks with power and repeatedly cuts off Ziggler's comebacks, while Ziggler answers with superkicks, the Fameasser, and several credible near falls. Their familiarity from recent television matches helps the counters feel natural rather than repetitive. The late sequence is especially good because both men sell fatigue without slowing the match to a crawl. Ziggler nearly lands another superkick, hesitates when the referee is in his path, and Owens immediately capitalizes with the Pop-up Powerbomb. The clean retention is the correct decision after Owens regained the championship only days earlier. Ziggler loses without looking inferior, and Owens leaves Cleveland stronger than he entered.

The six-man tag is not disastrous in execution, but the booking hangs over every exchange. Strowman, Harper, and Rowan are presented as a dangerous unit, yet the match gives the veteran team most of the meaningful momentum. Kane and Big Show trade familiar power spots with the Wyatt Family while Ryback supplies the faster comeback. Harper creates the best wrestling sequences because his speed gives the match needed contrast, but the structure never develops beyond basic isolation and a closing scramble. The finish is the real problem. Bray Wyatt distracts Ryback, Harper lands a superkick, and Ryback still recovers quickly enough to hit Shell Shocked for the pin. The Wyatt Family loses cleanly to a team assembled for this feud, undercutting the menace WWE had spent weeks trying to restore. The wrestling is ordinary; the result makes it worse.

Charlotte and Brie receive enough time to attempt a serious championship match, and the final third is much better than the slow opening. Charlotte controls with leg work and basic heel offense while Brie incorporates several Daniel Bryan-inspired techniques, including the Yes Lock and repeated kicks. The crowd is quiet early, but the submission exchanges gradually create believable suspense. Ric Flair again influences the match when he helps Charlotte escape Brie's best hold, reinforcing the champion's familiar safety net. Brie later sells a leg injury after a missile dropkick, which leads directly into the finish. Charlotte applies the Figure Eight and forces the submission. The result is logical and keeps the championship on the correct wrestler heading toward WrestleMania. The effort is respectable, but the pacing prevents the match from becoming more than average.

Styles and Jericho deliver the match Fastlane most needs: a competitive singles bout with a clear story and a result that strengthens the newer star. Neither wrestler dominates for long, so the match develops through counters and brief momentum swings. Jericho survives the Styles Clash, Styles survives the Codebreaker because his arm reaches beneath the rope, and the crowd grows increasingly invested as both finishing moves fail. The strongest part is the final submission sequence. Styles traps Jericho in the Calf Crusher, Jericho fights toward escape, and eventually taps after a long struggle. That ending gives Styles a second credible finishing weapon and a meaningful first WWE singles pay-per-view victory. The post-match handshake briefly closes the rivalry on respectful terms. Some exchanges are slightly uneven, but the overall match is very good and the booking is exactly right.

Axel and R-Truth appear without meaningful buildup after the Cutting Edge Peep Show has already slowed the event, so the match feels like an unwanted extension of a television segment. The Social Outcasts create distractions at ringside, Goldust arrives to support Truth, and the actual wrestling lasts only a few minutes. There is no time to establish control, comeback, or escalation beyond basic comedy interference. Goldust accidentally creates another distraction while trying to help, allowing Axel to roll up Truth for the pin. The result continues the Goldust-Truth storyline, but that is not enough to justify placing the bout deep into a pay-per-view. Neither wrestler is asked to do much, and the crowd treats the match accordingly. It is filler in the most literal sense: a short segment that delays the main event without improving the show.

The triple threat is far better than its unpopular result suggests. Lesnar dominates early with suplexes and an F-5, forcing Reigns and Ambrose to cooperate simply to remove him from the equation. Their two powerbombs through separate announce tables create the match's defining visual and give the one-on-one Reigns-Ambrose section room to breathe. Ambrose's Dirty Deeds near fall is excellent, and Lesnar's return with a double German suplex restores chaos at the right moment. The final sequence is fast and decisive. Reigns Spears Lesnar, Lesnar catches him in the Kimura, and Ambrose attacks both men with a chair. After driving Lesnar outside, Ambrose turns back toward Reigns and is immediately Speared for the pin. The crowd dislikes the winner, but the match itself is physical, creative, and consistently exciting.