10 Must-See Moments From WWE Fastlane 2018

WWE pulled the proverbial rabbit out of their hat with Fastlane 2018. It's a show that I'm sure even the most diehard fan was expecting to plod through the motions on the Road To WrestleMania, but it didn't. While some of the results were more than a tad predictable as the Grandest Stage Of Them All's card starts to take shape, the action served up certainly made for a great evening of wrestling.

I know what you're immediately saying: "But Ross, how can you say such a thing when the Bludgeon Brothers robbed us of what was turning into yet another classic between The Usos and The New Day?" Simple. They gained heat - an all too rare occurrence these days - and gave the main event scene within the SmackDown Live a true sense of purpose and direction for the first time in a long time.

As for the rest of the card, it was just a bloody good show all around. Nakamura vs. Rusev had its moments, likewise with the women's tag team match. Ruby Riott proved that she can go with the best of them in her match with Charlotte, while Bobby Roode and Randy Orton served up a solid affair with the United States Championship on the line.

As for the main event, well that was filled to the brim with what Broken Matt Hardy would call 'Spot Monkeys,' and I loved it. The climax of that match had me reaching for a packet of cigarettes and I don't even smoke!

Here are 10 must-see moments from Fastlane 2018 - and I apologise to any good bits from the pre-show that should be on this list but aren't. I simply didn't see you so couldn't possibly include you among the elite.

10. MACHKA KICK!

As WWE continue to book Rusev in a weird phase of 'kind of heel but a little bit babyface too' he came within inches of defeating WrestleMania 34 main eventer Shinsuke Nakamura in a moment that was as beautiful as it was brutal.

Just look at the way the force of that Machka Kick forces the King of Strong Style's body to contort in mid-air, causing him to land on the side of his face. Could you imagine if Shinsuke overrotated the landing a degree or two more and was forced out of 'Mania by the Lion of Bulgaria? WRESTLEMANIA WOULD HAVE BEEN RUSEV DAY! It still will be Rusev Day but a little bit less than it would have been if Nakamura hurt himself...

I'm sad now... but this moment was still fantastic all the same.

9. Baron Cor, Blimey!

Baron Corbin is an utter bastard, but when that big bastard is in full flight there are few more beautiful sights in a WWE ring.

In terms of a moveset, The Lone Wolf has one of the most aesthetically pleasing on the main roster of those on the heavier side of 205 pounds - and this was displayed in exhausting detail during this flurry of offence.

Baron Corbin keeps on getting better by the match, it seems, with his knowledge of when to shift through the gears becoming all the more apparent in recent times. It's a real shame he talks like a robot who is desperate for the toilet or that man would be enjoying the riches of true WWE Superstardom now...

8. Byron Directing Traffic He Wasn't Supposed To Be Directing

This is one of those moments you have to see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears to truly appreciate, so go and do that after you've finished looking at these pretty gifs.

Who on earth does Byron Saxton think he is?!

In a fit of excitement, SmackDown Live's self-proclaimed Insider asks "Kevin" - whoever that is - to show a replay of a particular part of a beautiful Randy Orton Superplex off the top rope.

The worst part about all of this is Byron doesn't say please or thank you. There's is no wonder we hear about Kevin Dunn being a notorious pain in the behind to work with - for some, it must be said - when he can't even command respect from Byron bloody Saxton! Imagine working in a position like that for so many years and Byron Saxton of all people not respecting you enough to say 'please' or 'thank you'... unbelievable.

Byron, fix up look sharp!

7. Calm Down, John

When you build an entire pay per view around one match it has to start off with a bang. I don't think anybody watching Fastlane 2018 predicted this type of banging bang taking place, however.

John Cena wasted no less than FOUR finishers right at the start of the match which proves that last night's main event was being played outside of Universe Mode - the more we know the more power we have.

This start was as impactful as it was strange. It was different - which is good - but it also had the crowd booing what they were seeing inside the ring like they hadn't been for the rest of the night. It was one of those moments that felt like WWE were flicking the Vs towards the fans and smiling while doing so.

This fast start didn't work for Cena, though, who looks like having to actually spend some time with his wife-to-be Nikki Bella with all roads to WrestleMania 34 seemingly closed.

This is where you appear on Raw and call that lonely bugger out, Undertaker...

6. The Point We All Wanted To See

It happened, and I can't wait. Look at how mental Asuka looks. That look alone saw me go 'all in' on this matchup as if the prospect of these two GOATs going at it wasn't enough.

And Ronda Rousey, this is how you point at a sign without looking like you've got a coathanger lodged inside your leather jacket. Look and learn, friend.

There's not too much to say here other than we wanted it, and WWE gave us it.

5. Outta Nowhere

The foreshadowing was real, with this one. Earlier in the match, Bobby Roode went to that very turnbuckle to perform a Blockbuster and after some more ariel acrobatics was caught up in the sky one too many times.

As always with these kinds of RKOs, you have to wonder what move The Glorious One was going for in order to set up the spot but who cares about that really? The crowd loved it and Randy Orton now owns ONE OF the titles that has alluded him throughout his 16-year WWE run.

'Tis always a nice way to finish a match, is a Flying RKO...

4. How Do You Solve A Problem Like Repetition?

As we were all looking ahead to the latest in a long lineage of matches between The Usos and New Day we were all thinking to ourselves: 'just how are these lads going to keep the action fresh?'

Well, they did so by stealing each others' movesets, with each steal getting pettier by the move. It was brilliant one-upmanship from both sides that really added fuel to their collective fire.

It's a shame this match had its legs cut off by The Bludgeon Brothers when it was really hitting its stride, but as I mentioned in the intro, it's not all bad. The SmackDown Live tag team ranks has purpose and direction for the first time in a long old while, the BBs have heat, and we're gagging to see more. Let's see what new action the lads came come up with in New Orleans next month.

3. GO AWAY SHANE!

TWICE HE DID THIS! TWICE! TO TWO DIFFERENT MEN AS WELL! HE'S A MONSTER!

Kevin Owens accidentally kicked Shane McMahon in he mouth. It was as clear as day. The moral of this story is that Shane McMahon shouldn't stick his nose in other people's business otherwise he comes out looking like a bigger pillock than he did going in - hard to believe, I know. How did he not see that it was a mistake?!

SmackDown Live is a weird documentary about the life and times of Shane O'Mac when Shane O'Mac himself claimed the new era of the blue brand would be all about the Superstars rather than the same old tired managerial storylines. This match is quintessential SmackDown in 2018, with the Superstars doing a lovely job before Shane had to make it all about him.

Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens should be WWE Champion now and they aren't because of Shane McMahon. I'm not bitter about this, I just can't accept Shane being the centre of everyone's attention after all he's said and the plentiful plotholes I point out on WTF Moments each week.

Time to move on, Shane. You've become your sister and nobody wants to see that, unfortunately.

2. RIP, Xavier

Ouch... worked injury or a shoot, brother, this one looked like it killed poor Xavier.

Just watch and grimace, I guess...

1. How The Dream Match Was Confirmed

Thank the lord they didn't deviate from the script. Thank goodness. While I didn't like the way the SmackDown six got there because there was way too much Shane McMahon involved, I'm happy WWE are giving fans the main event they want to see. Having AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura taking place at 'Mania 34 kind of balances out the Brock Lesnar/Roman Reigns match nobody outside of Vince McMahon himself is invested in. We've got to give and take in these situations, people.

Following the Shane O'Mac nonsense, the journey to the final fall was excellent - as was much of that main event, it must be said. It seemed like the only thing standing between our proverbial dream main event for the WWE Championship was John Cena, a road, and a 20-year-old record that would have been broken if the leader of the Cenation won. And just look at the way he rolled through for a second AA - a finish we've seen more than once in recent times. It looked like the writing was on the wall, but firstly Kevin Owens and then AJ Styles arriving outta nowhere provided wholesome edge of the seat stuff.

Well done, Fastlane. You exceeded expectations!