By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Fastlane
Streamed live October 7, 2023 on Peacock
Indianapolis, Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
There were no Kickoff Show matches. It was announced that the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title match will open the main card… A video package aired with footage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway with narration provided by Pat McAfee…
Powell’s POV: For those unaware, McAfee played eight seasons as a punter for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL.
Pryo shot off on the stage and then Michael Cole checked in on commentary and noted that there was a sold out crowd with 14,529 in attendance. Corey Graves joined Cole on commentary at ringside. Cole set up a video package for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title match…
Entrances for the match took place with the challengers coming out first and making separate entrances while being introduced by ring announcer Mike Rome. There are two Indy cars on the stage with the Fastlane logo on the doors…
1. Damian Priest and Finn Balor vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles. The Judgment Day duo came out alone. Cole played up Priest having the Money in the Bank briefcase with him and the threat of him cashing in later given the nature of the Last Man Standing match.
Jey was isolated by the champions early on. Jey eventually knocked Priest off the apron and avoided a charging Balor before diving across the ring to tag out. Cody checked in and executed a powerslam and a Disaster Kick on Balor, which led to a two count.
Jey and Priest checked in a short time later. Jey caught Priest with an enzuigiri that left Priest down in the corner. Jey looked to the crowd and then played to them. Jey ran across the ring and was sent to the apron, but he hit Priest and then went up top and executed a crossbody block that led to a two count.
Priest came back and set up Jey for a Razor’s Edge, but Jey slipped away and punched Balor off the apron, then pulled down the rope when Priest charged, causing him to fall to the floor. Jey performed a suicide dive. Jey rolled Priest back inside the ring and performed a top rope splash. Jey had the pin, but Balor returned to break it up.
Cody took out Balor with a Cody Cutter. Cody held the back of his head after performing the move. Jey charged Priest who caught him with a kick. Jey came right back with a spear, which Cole acknowledged is the move used by Roman Reigns. Jey was about to go up top, but he stopped.
Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio came out and got Jey’s attention. Jey went to ringside and superkicked Dom. Jey went face to face with Ripley, who smiled and waved at him. Jey went up top and was grabbed by Balor long enough for Priest to recover. Priest executed a huracanrana after Balor tagged in. Balor followed up with a Coup De Grace and had the pin, but Cody broke it up. Priest sold knee pain.
All four men stood up and traded punches. Priest went for a springboard move and ate a kick from Cody. Balor perfomred a slingblade clothesline on Cody. Jey superkicked both opponents. Jey covered Balor, who kicked out, and Jey’s momentum took him toward the ropes where Ripley hit him with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Balor covered Jey, but he only got a two count.
JD McDonagh showed up while Priest and Cody were fighting. Priest went to the top of the broadcast table. McDonagh accidentally hit Priest’s bad knee with the briefcase. Cody hit Priest with CrossRhodes on the table. Jey took out two foes with a suicide dive. In the ring, Jey held Balor in place while Cody executed a Cody Cutter. Cody followed up with CrossRhodes and pinned Balor.
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso defeated Damian Priest and Finn Balor in 20:40 to win the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: A good match with surprising outcome with Cody and Jey winning the tag titles in their first match as a team. The move allows them to float from brand to brand. Granted, they just popped up on Smackdown last night with no regard for the brand split rules, but I guess now they can officially do it. It will be interesting to see how the Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn characters react to the title change. And, of course, this does free up Priest if they want to move the World Heavyweight Championship to him via the MITB briefcase.
Wade Barrett and Booker T spoke backstage about the title change and how great the rest of the show would be. Xavier Woods showed up and played up being with two legends. It turned into an ad, as he said he was going to order from a pizza chain’s app. Barrett did the “I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news” routine and then said he was only kidding and loves the pizza chain…
Homer’s POV: Mmm, pizza. Wait, from that pizza chain? Doh!
A video package spotlighted the Bobby Lashley and Street Profits vs. LWO feud…
Lashley and the Profits came out wearing black and gold/yellow gear. Santos Escobar and Zelina Vega entered together followed by Rey Mysterio. Once everyone was in the ring, Graves claimed Rey didn’t have a friend in the world and called him a fraud. Cole said it looked like they would have to go it alone…
2. Bobby Lashley and “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins vs. Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar (w/Zelina Vega). The bell rang to start the match as a handicap match. The pizza chain’s advertising was on the ring apron’s LED board that faces the hard camera, the ringside barricade LED boards, and the ring posts.
Escobar performed an early huracanrana on Ford from the top rope. Lashley broke up the pin. Ford chop blocked Escobar’s knee. Dawkins tagged in briefly and then Lashley followed. Lashley held up Escobar for a vertical suplex with arm before executing the move. Dawkins tagged in and covered Escobar for a two count.
Rey tagged in and went for a 619 on Dawkins, but Lashley had tagged in and caught Rey’s legs. Dawkins punched Rey while he was being held by Lashley. Ford tagged in and performed a running splash on Rey for a two count. Rey was isolated by the heels for a stretch.
Carlito made his entrance around the 9:00 mark and immediately took a tag from Rey. Carlito cleaned house on the heel trio and performed a nice dropkick on Ford. Carlito cleared Dawkins from the ring and then Rey hit him with a seated senton. Escobar executed a suicide dive on Lashley. Carlito put Ford down with a Backstabber and pinned him…
Carlito, Rey Mysterio, and Santos Escobar defeated Bobby Lashley and “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins in 10:00.
Afterward, the broadcast team was talking at ringside when a delivery man brought them pizza, wings, and breadsticks. Cole wondered who ordered it and assumed it wasn’t Wade Barrett because he’s so cheap. Xavier Woods showed up. They opened the box and had a bite…
Powell’s POV: The match was just sort of there, but it had another outcome that took me by surprise. Even with Carlito showing up, I still thought the heel trio would go over. But now I assume this will lead to another Lashley meltdown on Ford and Dawkins.
Footage aired from the Kickoff Show of Jade Cargill arriving in a white SUV. She was listed by her name and was dressed in her ring gear and shades. Triple H greeted Cargill, who removed her shades and shook his hand…
Powell’s POV: Sorry I missed that one, folks. I was watching the Minnesota Twins playoff game on my television and trying to keep an eye on the Kickoff Show on my laptop, but I completely missed the Cargill clip. It’s good to see she is keeping her name. I assume we’ll be seeing more of her tonight and that may happen soon given that the women’s match is up next.
A video package set up the WWE Women’s Championship match and then the entrances took place. One notable from the Kickoff Show is that Sky told Bayley and Dakota Kai that she had her own strategy and would go it alone…
3. Iyo Sky vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat for the WWE Women’s Championship. Mike Rome delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Flair immediately sent Sky to ringside with a big boot. Asuka sprayed mist in Flair’s eyes and ended up covering her, but Sky returned to the ring and broke up the pin. Flair went to ringside where a referee tried to help clean her eyes out.
Flair returned to the ring and caught Asuka with a big boot. Sky dove at Flair, who caught her and executed a fallaway slam. Flair worked over Asuka with chops and forearms in the corner. Sky hopped on Flair’s back, but Flair threw her off and then clotheslined her. Flair caught Asuka going for a hip attack and then suplexed her. Sky rolled Flair onto her back and then performed a standing double stomp.
Sky took Flair down and had her in a crossface briefly. Flair broke free and then ran into a kick from Asuka. Sky clotheslined Asuka over the top rope and then played to the quiet crowd and got a mild reaction before hitting a missile dropkick. Sky went up top and was cut off by Asuka, who German suplexed her to the mat. Asuka threw a running kick at Sky and covered her for a two count.
Flair went up top and hit both opponents with a crossbody block. Flair threw chops at both opponents and then suplexed them both simultaneously. Flair clotheslined both opponents at once and then covered Asuka for a two count. Sky avoided a big boot from Flair and wrenched her leg over the top rope. Asuka went for a German suplex on Flair, but Sky performed a sunset flip on Asuka and tried to pin her, but Flair broke it up.
Flair ended up on the floor and tried to return to the ring, but Asuka knocked her back to the floor with a hip attack. Sky dove from the ring onto Flair on the floor. Asuka hit Flair with a sliding kick from the ring. Sky put Asuka down and then executed an Asai moonsault that barely connected and was called out by the broadcast team. Flair went up top and performed her top rope moonsault onto both opponents on the floor.
Back in the ring, Asuka was on bottom of a tower of doom spot, but she was unable to get a three count on either opponent. Asuka tried to roll Flair into an armbar, but Flair blocked it and applied a Boston Crab. Asuka counteredinto ap in for a two count. Flair came right back with a figure four. Sky hit Flair with a meteora and covered her for a two count.
A short time later, Flair speared Asuka and covered her for a near fall while Sky was down at ringside. Bayley ran out and woke up Sky and asked if she was okay before telling her to return to the ring. Sky tried to tell her to stay out of the match. Flair knocked Sky back to the floor. Asuka jumped off the top rope and performed a Codebreaker on Flair on the way down. A brief “this is awesome” chant broke out.
Flair put Asuka in the Figure Eight. Bayley tried to run in, but the referee stopped her. Sky performed a top rope moonsault onto Flair and then pinned her once the referee turned around…
Iyo Sky defeated Charlotte Flair and Asuka in 17:20 in a Triple Threat to retain the WWE Women’s Championship.
Powell’s POV: A decent match that felt flat because the live crowd didn’t seem to pick sides. The fans were pretty quiet until that late “this is awesome” chant and when they counted along with the final pinfall. I don’t blame the fans. The creative work for the women’s division just hasn’t been very good and they didn’t give fans any incentive to cheer or boo any of the three wrestlers.
The broadcast team recapped Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso winning the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles. Cole said they would speak on the Fastlane press conference after the show….
Footage aired from earlier in the day of LA Knight speeding into the parking area and then slamming on the brakes in a Slim Jim race car was shown… There were some video packages while Peacock ran ads for ad-based users…
Pat McAfee made his entrance wearing one of WWE’s Indianapolis Colts title belts. McAfee said there was no way he would miss this show in this city. He said some crowds have no juice, but that’s not the way it is in Indianapolis. McAfee said he thinks Indianapolis has deserved a WrestleMania. The fans cheered loudly. McAfee said he thinks they heard the fans in the back.
McAfee had the fans who think Indianapolis deserves a WrestleMania a “hell yeah.” McAfee gave a shout out to Steve Austin. He said before he sits down with “the greatest of all-time Michael Cole and that hating ass Corey Graves” he wanted to introduce a former 16-time world champion.
McAfee introduced John Cena, who made his entrance. LA Knight’s entrance followed, and then their opponents came out together. Cole said Paul Heyman looked like he’s aged 20 years since Roman Reigns hasn’t been around. Cole said Heyman would get some relief when Reigns returns on Friday’s Smackdown…
4. John Cena and LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso (w/Paul Heyman). McAfee sat in on commentary for the match. There were loud “LA Knight” chants before the opening bell. Cena got the better of Jimmy early. Sikoa slowed Cena down and then he and Jimmy isolated him. Cena made several attempts to tag out, but he was cut off each time.
Jimmy tagged in and taunted Knight. Jimmy grabbed Cena, who hoisted him up and put him down with an Attitude Adjustment. Cena crawled to his corner, but Sikoa tagged in and then ran over and knocked Knight off the apron.
At 13:00, Cena finally made the hot tag to Knight, who worked over Jimmy and knocked Sikoa off the apron. Knight put the boots to Jimmy in the corner. Sikoa ran in and ate a DDT, but Jimmy cut off Knight with a superkick and covered him for a near fall. Jimmy went up top for a splash, but he landed on his feet when Knight rolled out of the way.
Knight slammed Jimmy and then dropped an elbow on him. Sikoa performed a Samoan Drop on Knight. Cena hit Sikoa with a crossbody block from the top rope. Jimmy followed that with a top rope splash on Cena. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
A short time later, Knight was sent to ringside by Sikoa. Cena hoisted up Sikoa for his finisher, but Jimmy superkicked Cena to stop it. Sikoa charged at Cena, who pulled the top rope down, which resulted in Sikoa crashing to the floor. Knight ran across the ring and jumped onto the top rope before superplexing Jimmy. Cena hit Jimmy with a Five Knuckle Shuffle. Knight followed up with Blunt Force Trauma on Jimmy and then pinned him. Cole said Heyman would get more gray hair due to the loss with Reigns returning on Friday…
John Cena and LA Knight beat Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso in 17:20.
Powell’s POV: The match was nothing special, but Cena and Knight teaming was enough to satisfy the live crowd. Cena spent a lot of time selling before he hit the greatest hits, and it was good to see Knight get the win for his team. Jimmy taking the loss was logical and puts him on the hot seat heading into Friday when Roman Reigns returns. On a side note, for anyone who feels like multitasking, Will Pruett’s same night audio review of AEW Collision is now available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
Backstage, Priest was selling his knee injury. Balor told him that tonight isn’t the night due to the injury. Priest said he wouldn’t go home empty handed and was set on cashing in his MITB contract. Rhea Ripley stopped him from leaving the room and reminded him that he was the one who didn’t want to rush it. Priest sat back down…
Declan McMahon, the son of Shane, was shown in the front row and had a spinner version of an Indiana Hoosiers title belt. Declan, who is a running back for the Hoosiers, had what appeared to be a group of teammates and/or friends with him…
Cole hyped Raquel Rodriguez vs. Nia Jax for Monday’s Raw…
A teaser video aired for WWE Crown Jewel, which will be held on Saturday, November 4 in Saudi Arabia. The show was listed as starting at noon CT/1ET…
Cole plugged the Fastlane press conference again and then set up a video package on the main event… Entrances for the match took place…
5. Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Mike Rome delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Cole said the last time Rollins was pinned in a singles match was on January 2. Cole also pointed out the athletic tape on Rollins’ lower back.
Nakamura avoided Rollins to start. Rollins pulled a kendo stick out from underneath the ring. Nakamura drove Rollins’ back into the side of the ring. The crowd chanted for tables. Nakamura tried to suplex Rollins onto the entrance ramp lane, but Rollins reversed it. Rollins pulled the mat back on the floor to expose the concrete. Rollins went for a powerbomb, but Nakamura slipped away.
Rollins slammed the head of Nakamura on the ring steps twice. Rollins picked up the top half of the ring steps and rammed Nakamura with it. Rollins threw the steps at Nakamura, who avoided it. Rollins went for a Stomp on the bottom half of the steps, but Nakamura avoided that as well. Rollins rolled Nakamura back inside the ring.
Rollins pulled chairs, a trashcan, and two tables out from underneath the ring and put all but one table inside the ring. Nakamura came back and caught Rollins with a running knee. With Rollins draped over the apron, Nakamura dropped a knee on him.
Nakamura pulled a pair of nunchucks out from under the ring and ended up hitting one of Rollins’ legs with them. Nakamura performed a sliding German suplex and followed up with a flying knee from the ropes. The referee counted while Rollins was down, but he got back to his feet at the five count. Nakamura placed the trashcan over Rollins and then battered it with a kendo stick.
A short time later, Nakamura charged Rollins, who moved, causing Nakamura to crack a table that was leaning in the corner. Rollins followed up with a Stomp. Nakamura got up at the referee’s eight count. Rollins clotheslined Nakamura over the top rope to the floor.
Rollins went to ringside and pulled out a ladder from underneath the ring. Rollins set up the ladder next to the broadcast table. Rollins hit Nakamura with a forearm and then placed the top of of his body over the table. Rollins climbed halfway up the ladder. Nakamura moved away from the table. Rollins dropped down and ran Nakamura into the barricade multiple times.
Rollins roughed up Nakamura as they entered the crowd area near the back of the main floor. Rollins scooped up Nakamura, who slipped off and shoved Rollins’ head into a barricade. Nakamura brought Rollins into small closed off stretch of stairs next to fans who were seated just off the main floor. Nakamura caught Rollins with a low blow and then sent him crashing onto some production equipment below. Rollins beat the referee’s count.
Nakamura worked over Rollins with a chair and threw a kick at him. Nakamura slammed the chair over Rollins’ back as they returned to the ringside area. Rollins avoided a swinging chair that hit the ring post. Rollins went for a Pedigree, but Nakamura backdropped him on concrete that was exposed earlier. Rollins beat the count and was tossed back inside the ring.
Rollins battled back and this time it was Nakamura who barely beat the referee’s count. Both men ended up back at ringside. Rollins sold lower back pain as he tried to pick up a table, which he eventually set up on the floor. Rollins grabbed Nakamura, who shoved his lower back into the side of the apron.
Nakamura placed Rollins on a table at ringside. Nakamura jumped from the middle rope and drove both of his knee onto Rollins, which put him through the table. Nakamura sold knee pain as he got back to his feet, and then Rollins used what was left of the table to pull himself up at nine. Nakamura battered Rollins’ back with three chair shots.
Rollins used the barricade to pull himself up. Nakamura smiled as he approached Rollins, who spun him around and sent him face first into the ring post. Rollins looked at the ladder next to the broadcast table while Cole begged him not to do it and questioned his sanity.
Rollins limped over and picked up Nakamura and draped him over the broadcast table. Cole said Graves has known Rollins for over ten years and begged him to talk Rollins out of whatever he had in mind. Rollins climbed the ladder and then Nakamura climbed up the other side and sprayed mist in his face. Nakamura shoved Rollins off the ladder and through the broadcast table.
Cole begged Rollins to stay down, but he got back to his feet and beat the count. Nakamura rolled Rollins back inside the ring where a chair was seat up in the middle of the ring. Nakamura picked up Rollins and dropped his lower back on the chair. Nakamura followed up with a Kinshasa that put Rollins through the cracked table that was leaning in the corner. Rollins rolled out of the ring and landed on his feet to avoid being counted down.
Nakamura roughed up Rollins as they fought into an area on the main floor. Nakamura put Rollins on a platform in front fans seated at the bottom of the lower level of the venue. Rollins fought back and executed a Pedigree on the platform. Rollins followed that with a Stomp. Both men beat the count and then Rollins performed a Falcon Arrow that sent both men crashing through what Cole described as tech tables. A “holy shit” chant broke out. Both men tried to stand up. Rollins got to his feet, while Nakamura fell back down just before the referee counted to ten.
Seth Rollins defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing match in 28:25 to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
Rollins was given his championship and he celebrated in front of the fans who were in the lower level. A video package recapped the event to close it out…
Powell’s POV: Good effort from both men. Rollins really rose to the occasion with a strong performance. Cole was very good on commentary when it came to playing up the damage that Nakamura was doing and his concern for Rollins.
Overall, this was one of the shows that was fine if you saw it and fine if you missed it. The tag title change and the main event felt newsworthy, but a lot of the show felt like a loaded live event more than a major event. I didn’t dislike the show, but I am happy that we’re through the secondary PLEs and moving into bigger shows to close out the WWE year. Jake Barnett and I will team up shortly for a same night audio review of Fastlane for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
We all know who pat mcafee is bro
Sorry? We have international readers who may not care enough about the NFL to know which team he played for, so I thought I’d point out the Indianapolis connection just in case.
He’s been on tv for 4 years.
Hey, there are domestic readers who don’t care enough about the NFL to know what team he played for.
Ha! Very true.
Some people just never run out of things to complain about.
Podcast playing automatically again on every page.
It should be on the article pages only and no longer on the main page. I addressed this during Dynamite. Long story short (because I’m covering the show), this is the compromise, as this is needed for revenue. The mute option should work unlike before.
to quote the late Gorilla Monsoon: It looked like Cody Rhodes had some alligator arms.
I really enjoyed that tag match and was actually surprised by the outcome. I am actually intrigued to see what happens with J. D. McDonough. I’m wondering if he helps Priest cash in to make up for his huge mistake, or will they use the briefcase shot as an explanation for Priest not cashing in.
For me, the six man did not really do anything for me. It wasn’t bad, but it’s something I’m not going to be talking about tomorrow. Carlito just doesn’t pack the star power to get me excited.
Who is going to be the next person not to beat Seth. The show felt like a glorified House show with about every one of the faces winning
When Rhea took the MitB case from Priest, I truly expected her and Dominick to run out and cash it in at the end.
Gave WWE a chance again and I watched this show. Predictable outcomes at best, even the Cody/Jey match..(you REALLY thought they wouldn’t win?), and boring at worst.