After trading jabs, both verbal and physical, over the past few weeks on SmackDown, it was finally time for Roman Reigns to face off against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane for the right to compete against Edge at WrestleMania 37, and early on it was Bryan getting into the head of Reigns. Bryan kept reversing Reigns’ moves and countering his attacks, and Bryan was all smiles, jabbing at Reigns and almost toying with him, keeping him at a distance.
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Bryan was clearly getting Reigns angry, and Reigns finally got a hold of Bryan and hit him with a side slam. Bryan countered again though and drove several knees into Reigns’ back and then went to work on his hand and wrist, dishing out some joint manipulation.
It was wearing on Reigns, but he managed to get up and hit Bryan with some blows to the head. Reigns was beyond peeved, as he kept circling Bryan before punching him down again. Reigns went to bounce off the ropes but Bryan surprised with a big dropkick and then went to work on Reigns’ arm and leg. It was working, but Reigns managed to get Bryan in the corner and clobber him with forearms and punches.
Bryan reversed though and got Reigns in the corner, hitting him with punches and kicks and then avoiding Reigns with a flip. He went to charge at Reigns but Reigns grabbed him and slammed him to the ground. Reigns then drove Bryan’s face into the mat, and then went back to work with a suplex followed by a pin but Bryan kicked out.
Reigns kept up the attack on Bryan, but Bryan kept punching. That was followed by several kicks from Reigns, and then he settled into a rear chin lock. Bryan got some space and ended up outside of the ring on the floor.
Reigns then rammed Bryan into the wall, but Bryan mounted a small comeback with a flurry. of punches. Reigns halted it though with a run into the post and a pin attempt, but Bryan kicked out. Reigns then threw him in the corner and taunted him, followed by another throw, but Bryan undercut his legs and bought himself some time.
Bryan then charged with a big knee after several big kicks, and then Bryan lifted him to the top turnbuckle and went for a hurricanrana, but Reigns stopped it and locked in a Boston Crab. Bryan got free and then both stars ran into each other at full speed. Then Bryan hit Reigns with several punches and kicks, but Reigns stopped the push and hit him with a kick, but Bryan countered with a big kick. Bryan then evaded a charge and sent Reigns out of the ring, but Reigns caught him and went to lift him up. Bryan then got away and sent Reigns into the post, and now both were in the ring.
Bryan went to the top turnbuckle and hit Reigns with a knee in the back of the neck, and the Champion was hurting. Bryan’s spin attempt didn’t go through as Reigns kicked out. Bryan kept hitting Reigns with big kicks and it was wearing on Reigns, but Reigns caught Bryan’s last kick and pushed him to the corner. He then hit Bryan with a big right hand and ran his glove across Bryan’s face. Knees followed and Bryan slumped in the corner.
Reigns went for another attack but Bryan evaded and hit with more kicks, including one big one to the head, but after a pin attempt Reigns kicked out. Bryan kicked Reigns in the face and locked his arms in place, then hit the Yes lock, and Reigns wasn’t close to the ropes. He kept crawling though, but Bryan locked in his arms and rolled him around, locking in the hold again.
He just kept pulling, and Reigns managed to break the grip. Once he did he rolled Bryan over and just hit him with forearms. Then it was elbows, followed by a big powerbomb. He stacked him up for a pin but Byran kicked out.
Bryan then ended up accidentally kicking the referee out of the ring, and Reigns got Bryan in a pin. With the referee out, Edge ran into dish out the count, but Bryan kicked out. Reigns was pissed about it, and the two mouthed off a bit. Reigns then turned his attention to Bryan, who locked in a hold but Reigns picked him up. Bryan kept hanging on and got him down until he locked in the Yes Lock again. Bryan then hit him with several crossfaces, and he looked down and out, but then Jey Uso came in and superkicked both Bryan and Edge.
He then grabbed a chair and hit Edge but Bryan hit Uso with a running knee. Bryan then picked up the chair and hit Uso repeatedly with it, clearing him out of the ring. Bryan saw the referee was out cold, and he then went for Reigns with it, but Reins evaded and Bryan hit Edge.
Reigns then went for a spear but Bryan evaded and locked in the Yes Lock again. Reigns went to break the grip, and then. he tapped, but Edge was too furious to see it, as he hit Bryan with a chair and then hit Roman with a chair, yelling “this is minE” before storming out of the ring.
Then the official woke up and saw Reigns over Bryan, so he declared Roman the winner.
Here’s the full card for Fastlane:
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan (Universal Championship Match)
Drew McIntyre defeated Sheamus (No Holds Barred Match)
Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax defeated Bianca Belair and SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks (Tag Team Championship Match)
Intercontinental Champion Big E defeated Apollo Crews (Intercontinental Championship Match)
Alexa Bliss defeated Randy Orton
United States Champion Riddle defeated Mustafa Ali (United States Championship)
Braun Strowman defeated Elias
Seth Rollins defeated Shinsuke Nakamura
What have you thought of Fastlane so far? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things WWE with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
