WWE Fastlane
WWE Fastlane | ||
---|---|---|
Promotions WWE | | |
Brands | Raw (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023–present) SmackDown (2018–2019, 2021, 2023–present) | |
First event | 2015 |
WWE Fastlane is a
With the reintroduction of the brand extension in mid-2016, Fastlane was Raw-exclusive in 2017 and SmackDown-exclusive in 2018 before brand-exclusive PPVs were discontinued following WrestleMania 34 that year. The event was produced annually until 2020 when Fastlane was removed from the schedule to allow WWE to hold that year's Super ShowDown PPV; however, Fastlane was reinstated in 2021, but it was again discontinued. The 2021 event was also WWE's first PPV available to livestream on Peacock in the United States before the American version of the WWE Network merged under Peacock and shut down on April 4, which also made it the final PPV available to stream on the American WWE Network before its closure. After a two-year hiatus, Fastlane was again reinstated for 2023.
The name of the event was originally a reference to its position on the "Road to WrestleMania", as the event was held in the two-month period between the Royal Rumble and WWE's flagship event. With the event's revival in 2023, however, this theme was dropped due to Fastlane taking place six months after WrestleMania 39.
History
The American
The event returned in 2016, also in February, thus establishing Fastlane as an annual PPV for the promotion.[2] In 2017, Fastlane was pushed back to March, with Elimination Chamber returning to its original February slot, which made Fastlane the first non-WrestleMania PPV to be held in March. The 2017 event was also held as a Raw-exclusive show, following the reintroduction of the WWE brand extension in mid-2016 where the promotion again split its roster into brands where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform.[3] The 2018 event was then made a SmackDown-exclusive PPV,[4] but this would be the final SmackDown-exclusive PPV, as well as WWE's final brand-exclusive PPV, as following WrestleMania 34 that year, brand-exclusive PPVs were discontinued.[5] In 2020, Fastlane was removed from the schedule to allow WWE to hold that year's Super ShowDown PPV;[6] however, Fastlane was reinstated in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 event was held in WWE's bio-secure bubble called the WWE ThunderDome, hosted at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.[7]
The 2021 event was WWE's first PPV event to livestream on Peacock's WWE Network channel in the United States, following the merger of the American WWE Network under Peacock on March 18 that year. Fastlane was held during the transitional period (March 18 – April 4) and was simulcast on Peacock and the American WWE Network, which in turn made it the final PPV to air on the American WWE Network as following this transitional period, the American WWE Network shut down on April 4; this did not affect other countries, which maintained the separate WWE Network service (although a few other countries have since branched off onto other livestreaming platforms).[8]
In October 2021, WWE revealed their PPV calendar for 2022 and Fastlane was not included.
Events
Raw-branded event | SmackDown-branded event |
See also
References
- ^ a b Caldwell, James (December 8, 2014). "WWE News: February PPV gets a new title (w/Poll)". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ a b Paglino, Nick (September 27, 2015). "WWE Announces Date and Location for 2016 Fastlane PPV". WrestleZone. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Taylor, Scott (December 12, 2016). "Get WWE Fastlane 2017 tickets this Friday". WWE. Archived from the original on December 15, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ a b Ravens, Andrew (December 4, 2017). "Date And Location Officially Announced For 2018 WWE FastLane PPV". PWMania. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ WWE.com Staff (February 17, 2018). "WWE pay-per-views just got bigger for 2018!". WWE. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
- ^ Toro, Carlos (January 26, 2020). "WWE Announces Super ShowDown Pay-Per-View For February 27 In Saudi Arabia". Fightful. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Johnson, Mike (January 17, 2021). "WWE FAST LANE PPV UPDATE". PWInsider. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- ^ Defelice, Robert (March 8, 2021). "Standalone WWE Network App Shutting Down In The US On 4/4, New Details On The Transition To Peacock". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ Labert, Jeremy (October 25, 2021). "WWE Announces Pay-Per-View Schedule For 2022, WrestleMania 38 Set To Be Two Nights". Fightful. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (January 17, 2022). "WWE Confirms Elimination Chamber Event In Saudi Arabia". Fightful. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Keller, Wade (June 20, 2023). "WWE bringing back Fastlane event, date and location announced". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ "NOVEMBER 26, 2018 OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: SURVIVOR SERIES REVIEW, TONS MORE". F4W Online. Retrieved November 23, 2018.