SMACKDOWN REPORT: 19/02/15

Daniel Bryan def. The Miz via Submission

Ryback def. Kane via Pinfall

R-Truth def. Bad News Barrett via Pinfall

The Ascension def. New Day via Pinfall

Roman Reigns def. Luke Harper via Pinfall

Big Show def. Erick Rowan via Pinfall

Paige def. Cameron via Submission

Seth Rollins def. Dolph Ziggler via Pinfall

This edition of Smackdown was certainly not short of matches. However, cramming eight of them into a two hour broadcast was never going to end well. This episode was heavily focussed on filling out the rest of the card for Fastlane, and the match quality suffered as a result. Dean Ambrose played mind games with Bad News Barrett, which cost him his match against R-Truth, Bray Wyatt called out The Undertaker in another cryptic promo and Goldust announced a match against Stardust at Fastlane.

In what was by far the most interesting segment of the show, Rusev attacked Tyson Kidd and The Usos, during a match between Jimmy and Kidd. Of course it was much better than watching another pointless match between The Usos and Cesaro and Tyson Kidd, but it was very good to see Rusev causing as much chaos as possible. It was also a great way to send one last message to Cena before they meet at Fastlane.

Fastlane to Wrestlemania

After a standard Miz and Mizdow confrontation, Daniel Bryan made short work of the Miz in his last match before Fastlane. His opponent at Fastlane, Roman Reigns, was also in action as he went toe-to-toe with Luke Harper. This was a powerful, fast paced match between two athletic big men, and was one of the best singles matches I've seen from Reigns. After getting hit with a Super Kick, Reigns was sent into the rope, but came out firing, hitting Harper with a Spear to pick up the win. By doing so,Reigns came out of this match looking like a juggernaut. I'm expecting big things from Reigns and Bryan at Fastlane, with Reigns walking away with the victory.

Ryback, Rowan & Ziggler vs. The Authority… Again

Setting up the six-man tag match at Fastlane, pitting Ryback, Erick Rowan and Dolph Ziggler against Kane, Big Show and Seth Rollins, was a predominant aspect of this week's Smackdown. They did so by having Ryback, Kane, Big Show, Erick Rowan, Ziggler and Rollins all face each other in average singles matches, as well as having The Authority annihilate their Fastlane opponents as the show went off the air.

This six-man tag is the match I am not particularly looking forward to at Fastlane, with the Ziggler and Rollins matchup being the only interesting aspect of this match. But even that isn't going anywhere, as Randy Orton could very well return at Fastlane to cost The Authority this match, which will then pick up his rivalry with Rollins. As for Ryback and Rowan, their rivalries with Rusev and a feuding Wyatt Family, respectively, didn't pan out. As a result, they have been forced to go back to their TLC opponents. It just feels like they haven't made an effort to create any meaningful rivalries for Ziggler, Ryback or Rowan. WWE Creative has done the easiest thing possible by throwing them all in a match against The Authority. Hopefully we see enough of Ziggler and Rollins, and they are all given the time to put a good match together, otherwise I could see this match being very poor.

#Smackdown #WWE #Fastlane #DanielBryan #SethRollins #DolphZiggler #RomanReigns #Ryback #Kane #BigShow #ErickRowan