It's the final stop for SmackDown on the Road to WrestleMania, as the blue brand hosts Fastlane!
Fastlane 2020 Card
Andrade and Zelina vs Ravishing Rusev Day
We kick things off with the first intergender match in Universe Mode history, and this is a feud that has certainly gotten heated. It began when Andrade "Cien" Almas got help from Zelina Vega to defeat Rusev in a Royal Rumble Qualification match, and that led to the return of Lana. 'The Ravishing Russian" went right after Vega to get revenge for her husband, and the two women would brawl multiple times across weeks of SmackDown. Edge made this tag match to try and calm things down, and also declared that the whichever man was on the victorious side would become the number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship, a belt which they both held recently.
Bayley vs Shayna Baszler
It was Bayley's interference that led to Shayna losing her Money in the Bank cash-in, and it's Bayley that is now in the cross hairs of Baszler's wrath. Bayley has spent the last couple weeks just running away from "The Queen of Spades", a wise choice, but she couldn't run forever. On the go-home show, Baszler finally cornered Bayley, and though Sasha Banks tried to get involved to save her friend, it wasn't much help. Baszler fought off Sasha and powerbombed Bayley into her own locker, and one day later, this match was announced.
SAnitY(c) vs The Bludgeon Brothers- SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match
It's been a good run as champions thus far for Eric Young and Killian Dain, who've defeated the Hardy Boyz and The Dream Team to defend their titles, and competed in the Royal Rumble. But their reign may be in serious jeopardy at Fastlane, as one of the most dominant teams in Universe Mode history are back for the belts. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are 3-time champions of these belts, and let their intentions be known in a vicious beatdown on the champions. On the go-home show, Young was defeated by Rowan in mere minutes, and while Dain tried to get involved afterward, even "The Beast of Belfast" couldn't stand up against these two monsters, and he went down to a discus clothesline from Harper. The champions enter at a significant disadvantage for the first time, as Harper and Rowan may be on the verge of a fourth reign.
Big E(c) vs Samoa Joe- Intercontinental Championship Match
Following a very emphatic loss to Big E at the Royal Rumble, The Velveteen Dream wasted no time trying to get another title match. But his fortunes would take a further tumble, after Samoa Joe decimated the Dream in a squash match, and afterward, Dream threw a fit, destroying a backstage locker room and being suspended from SmackDown.
But Joe wasn't finished yet, as he took aim at Big E later in the night, passing the champion out with a Coquina Clutch and hitting him with a Muscle Buster. Big E wasn't backing down from a fight, but a brawl the following week would see him get taken down by Joe once more. Big E knew he was in trouble, and needed something extra if he was going to keep his title reign alive. On the go-home show, Joe was officially declared the number one contender and promised to add another trophy to his collection, before he was interrupted by the entirety of The New Day, as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were over the moon to announce their return to Big E's corner for this title match.
Robert Roode(c) vs Mustafa Ali- WWE Championship Match
Mustafa Ali was the talk of the town following the Royal Rumble, after he eliminated Aleister Black, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jinder Mahal and helped Finn Balor oust The Rock. He interrupted a promo by WWE Champion Robert Roode two nights later to a thunderous pop, declaring his intention to challenge for the top prize on SmackDown. Balor, who also did very well in that match, interrupted as well to declare that he wanted a title match. Edge was more than happy to give the two a number one contender's match, where Ali, just that little bit hungrier, managed to eke out a narrow win. On the go-home show, Ali delivered an incredible promo, sharing his life story and talking about what becoming one of the most prestigious champions in wrestling would mean to him and his community. Enter Robert Roode, who addressed his challenger for the first time, praising Ali for his talent but telling him he just couldn't stake up to the champ, with his thousand dollar suits and the greatest entrance in wrestling today. Ali wanted a handshake, and Roode responded with a low blow! Roode finished by telling Ali that he lacks the true killer instinct, and that's why he'll never be WWE Champion.
Sasha Banks(c) vs Trish Stratus- SmackDown Women's Championship Match
After coming so close to winning the first Women's Royal Rumble, Asuka was determined to get another title shot and finally complete her journey back to the top of SmackDown's women's division. But Edge was having none of it, informing "The Empress" that she had her chance at the Rumble as the final entrant into the match, and she wasn't getting another one. Incensed, Asuka stormed out of the building, and hasn't been seen since.
Who would be next to challenge Sasha Banks? Edge was very excited to announce that he had negotiated one SmackDown appearance from the legendary Trish Stratus, and at Fastlane, she would face "The Legit Boss" in a dream match! This announcement actually received a fair amount of boos, as perhaps the crowd were hoping that a full-time talent got the title shot instead. Sasha Banks echoed those sentiments the following week, stating that although she would be interested to test her talents against Trish, she believed other women deserved the opportunity more. On the go-home show, Stratus appeared on the TitanTron on a pre-recorded message, as she wasn't contractually obligated to actually show up to SmackDown. Trish laughed all the hate she had received, telling her doubters that they were just jealous. It's understandable; Trish Stratus is a beautiful, talented and successful woman, and a true pioneer of women's wrestling. All those other women in the locker room simply live in her enormous shadow, and that's where they'll always remain. At Fastlane, Stratus will end Sasha's long title reign and once again be a role model to women all across the world, proving that age is just a number, because that's just the type of person she is.
Drew McIntyre vs Johnny Gargano
The main event of Fastlane promises to be one of the most significant all year, as Drew McIntyre defends his WrestleMania title shot against Johnny Gargano. Following the Rumble, Edge was sympathetic to Gargano's poor luck in the match, and wished to reward Gargano for always staying loyal to him, including captaining his team at last year's Survivor Series. He gave Gargano a match against Mark Henry, the man who eliminated him, and in a fantastic effort, "Johnny Wrestling" got the win, forcing Mark to tap out. Edge decided that Gargano was ready to face Rumble Winner Drew McIntyre now, and booked both men to face off for McIntyre's title shot at Fastlane. But Dolph Ziggler cautioned McIntyre to not agree to the match, telling him it was too big of a risk. McIntyre and Gargano faced off in the ring, and Drew seemed to be leaning towards saying "no" to the match, before Gargano upped the stakes. If Drew agreed to face him, Gargano would put his career on the line! "Johnny Wrestling" was determined to finally be a world champion, and if he failed, at least he could go out knowing he did everything he could. Drew immediately agreed, and when Dolph tried to step in again, "The Showoff" received a Claymore Kick! Ziggler had always been the weak link in The Dream Team, and now McIntyre was going his own way. So now, it comes down to this. Either Drew McIntyre or Johnny Gargano will go to the main event of WrestleMania IV, to face either Robert Roode or Mustafa Ali. With his career at stake, will this be remembered as the bitter end to Johnny Gargano's career, or will it be revered as his greatest triumph?
Fastlane 2020 Card
Andrade and Zelina vs Ravishing Rusev Day
We kick things off with the first intergender match in Universe Mode history, and this is a feud that has certainly gotten heated. It began when Andrade "Cien" Almas got help from Zelina Vega to defeat Rusev in a Royal Rumble Qualification match, and that led to the return of Lana. 'The Ravishing Russian" went right after Vega to get revenge for her husband, and the two women would brawl multiple times across weeks of SmackDown. Edge made this tag match to try and calm things down, and also declared that the whichever man was on the victorious side would become the number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship, a belt which they both held recently.
Bayley vs Shayna Baszler
It was Bayley's interference that led to Shayna losing her Money in the Bank cash-in, and it's Bayley that is now in the cross hairs of Baszler's wrath. Bayley has spent the last couple weeks just running away from "The Queen of Spades", a wise choice, but she couldn't run forever. On the go-home show, Baszler finally cornered Bayley, and though Sasha Banks tried to get involved to save her friend, it wasn't much help. Baszler fought off Sasha and powerbombed Bayley into her own locker, and one day later, this match was announced.
SAnitY(c) vs The Bludgeon Brothers- SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match
It's been a good run as champions thus far for Eric Young and Killian Dain, who've defeated the Hardy Boyz and The Dream Team to defend their titles, and competed in the Royal Rumble. But their reign may be in serious jeopardy at Fastlane, as one of the most dominant teams in Universe Mode history are back for the belts. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are 3-time champions of these belts, and let their intentions be known in a vicious beatdown on the champions. On the go-home show, Young was defeated by Rowan in mere minutes, and while Dain tried to get involved afterward, even "The Beast of Belfast" couldn't stand up against these two monsters, and he went down to a discus clothesline from Harper. The champions enter at a significant disadvantage for the first time, as Harper and Rowan may be on the verge of a fourth reign.
Big E(c) vs Samoa Joe- Intercontinental Championship Match
Following a very emphatic loss to Big E at the Royal Rumble, The Velveteen Dream wasted no time trying to get another title match. But his fortunes would take a further tumble, after Samoa Joe decimated the Dream in a squash match, and afterward, Dream threw a fit, destroying a backstage locker room and being suspended from SmackDown.
But Joe wasn't finished yet, as he took aim at Big E later in the night, passing the champion out with a Coquina Clutch and hitting him with a Muscle Buster. Big E wasn't backing down from a fight, but a brawl the following week would see him get taken down by Joe once more. Big E knew he was in trouble, and needed something extra if he was going to keep his title reign alive. On the go-home show, Joe was officially declared the number one contender and promised to add another trophy to his collection, before he was interrupted by the entirety of The New Day, as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were over the moon to announce their return to Big E's corner for this title match.
Robert Roode(c) vs Mustafa Ali- WWE Championship Match
Mustafa Ali was the talk of the town following the Royal Rumble, after he eliminated Aleister Black, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jinder Mahal and helped Finn Balor oust The Rock. He interrupted a promo by WWE Champion Robert Roode two nights later to a thunderous pop, declaring his intention to challenge for the top prize on SmackDown. Balor, who also did very well in that match, interrupted as well to declare that he wanted a title match. Edge was more than happy to give the two a number one contender's match, where Ali, just that little bit hungrier, managed to eke out a narrow win. On the go-home show, Ali delivered an incredible promo, sharing his life story and talking about what becoming one of the most prestigious champions in wrestling would mean to him and his community. Enter Robert Roode, who addressed his challenger for the first time, praising Ali for his talent but telling him he just couldn't stake up to the champ, with his thousand dollar suits and the greatest entrance in wrestling today. Ali wanted a handshake, and Roode responded with a low blow! Roode finished by telling Ali that he lacks the true killer instinct, and that's why he'll never be WWE Champion.
Sasha Banks(c) vs Trish Stratus- SmackDown Women's Championship Match
After coming so close to winning the first Women's Royal Rumble, Asuka was determined to get another title shot and finally complete her journey back to the top of SmackDown's women's division. But Edge was having none of it, informing "The Empress" that she had her chance at the Rumble as the final entrant into the match, and she wasn't getting another one. Incensed, Asuka stormed out of the building, and hasn't been seen since.
Who would be next to challenge Sasha Banks? Edge was very excited to announce that he had negotiated one SmackDown appearance from the legendary Trish Stratus, and at Fastlane, she would face "The Legit Boss" in a dream match! This announcement actually received a fair amount of boos, as perhaps the crowd were hoping that a full-time talent got the title shot instead. Sasha Banks echoed those sentiments the following week, stating that although she would be interested to test her talents against Trish, she believed other women deserved the opportunity more. On the go-home show, Stratus appeared on the TitanTron on a pre-recorded message, as she wasn't contractually obligated to actually show up to SmackDown. Trish laughed all the hate she had received, telling her doubters that they were just jealous. It's understandable; Trish Stratus is a beautiful, talented and successful woman, and a true pioneer of women's wrestling. All those other women in the locker room simply live in her enormous shadow, and that's where they'll always remain. At Fastlane, Stratus will end Sasha's long title reign and once again be a role model to women all across the world, proving that age is just a number, because that's just the type of person she is.
Drew McIntyre vs Johnny Gargano
The main event of Fastlane promises to be one of the most significant all year, as Drew McIntyre defends his WrestleMania title shot against Johnny Gargano. Following the Rumble, Edge was sympathetic to Gargano's poor luck in the match, and wished to reward Gargano for always staying loyal to him, including captaining his team at last year's Survivor Series. He gave Gargano a match against Mark Henry, the man who eliminated him, and in a fantastic effort, "Johnny Wrestling" got the win, forcing Mark to tap out. Edge decided that Gargano was ready to face Rumble Winner Drew McIntyre now, and booked both men to face off for McIntyre's title shot at Fastlane. But Dolph Ziggler cautioned McIntyre to not agree to the match, telling him it was too big of a risk. McIntyre and Gargano faced off in the ring, and Drew seemed to be leaning towards saying "no" to the match, before Gargano upped the stakes. If Drew agreed to face him, Gargano would put his career on the line! "Johnny Wrestling" was determined to finally be a world champion, and if he failed, at least he could go out knowing he did everything he could. Drew immediately agreed, and when Dolph tried to step in again, "The Showoff" received a Claymore Kick! Ziggler had always been the weak link in The Dream Team, and now McIntyre was going his own way. So now, it comes down to this. Either Drew McIntyre or Johnny Gargano will go to the main event of WrestleMania IV, to face either Robert Roode or Mustafa Ali. With his career at stake, will this be remembered as the bitter end to Johnny Gargano's career, or will it be revered as his greatest triumph?
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