John Cena is riding solo on the road to WWE Fastlane. Cena finds himself in a precarious position battling The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso in a handicap match at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Oct. 7.
Despite Fastlane rapidly approaching, only two matches have been officially announced for the event at this time. Cena and AJ Styles vs. Sikoa and Uso was teased as one of Fastlane’s main events, but The Bloodline removed Styles from the equation. Cena, a 16-time world champion, must now go it alone against arguably the most dominant family in WWE history.
Payback is in the past but things are far from settled between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. The bitter rivals meet in a world heavyweight championship rematch under Last Man Standing stipulations. The winner is declared only once their opponent fails to answer the referee’s 10-count.
Take a look below at the confirmed matches for Fastlane and take a glance at the crystal ball of what may come. The event streams live on Peacock on Oct. 7 with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET.
2023 WWE Fastlane matches
John Cena vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso) (Handicap match): Cena is stranded on the island of relevancy. The framework was set for a massive tag team match pitting Cena and Styles against Sikoa and Uso. The Bloodline forced the disadvantage by attacking and hospitalizing Styles backstage. Cena already signed the contract for Fastlane, meaning he will go at it alone against Sikoa and Uso in a handicap match. There is always the possibility that Cena finds a new tag team partner with LA Knight being an obvious choice.
World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Last Man Standing match): It’s been a long, long time since Nakamura has looked this dangerous. “The King of Strong Style” has rekindled a killer instinct that led to a competitive match against Rollins at Payback. Nakamura fell short in his pursuit of the title, but his mind games spurred Rollins into wagering the world heavyweight title a second time. Rollins and Nakamura look to settle the score for good in a grueling Last Man Standing match at Fastlane.
2023 WWE Fastlane predictions
Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre: McIntyre has been one of the most vocal members of the locker room when it comes to Jey Uso’s return. Despite Uso refusing to join Judgment Day during the course of his Raw match with McIntyre, McIntyre had no interest in helping Uso, leaving him to take a post-match beating from Damian Priest, Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio. It was Rhodes — the man who pulled a power play to bring Uso to Raw — who wound up saving Uso that night. McIntyre then took issue with New Day and also left Kofi Kingston to a beating at the hands of Ivar of The Viking Raiders. With neither Rhodes or McIntyre deep into any other story, McIntyre’s slow turn toward the dark side and Rhodes’ involvement with the Uso situation, it makes sense to let the two work a program.
Women’s World Championship — Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax: Jax made an emphatic return to Raw, laying out Ripley and top contender Raquel Rodriguez. Ripley has been recovering at home while Jax has turned the red brand into a demolition zone. A world title tilt between the two powerhouses is inevitable, but it remains to be seen if they’ll fast-track it to Fastlane or opt for a slow burn.
Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa: Gunther’s record-breaking reign has not only elevated the intercontinental title but also a roster of contenders churning out career-best performances. Chad Gable’s career was reinvigorated during his feud with Gunther and Ciampa is next in line for a boost. The former NXT champion Ciampa has been largely forgotten on the main roster, but he has looked like an assassin hunting down the longest-reigning intercontinental champion in history. Ciampa is closing in on a title shot after beating Gunther’s Imperium subordinates Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser. A contract signing between the two parties is scheduled for the Oct. 2 episode of Raw.
