WWE Fastlane match card preview: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro vs. The Usos

Tag Team Championship Match

The Usos (c) vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro

It's pretty much been the only way WWE knows how to book a secondary title feud...challengers win non-title matches to get a shot at that belts.  Will the internet darlings their fans are calling The Brass Ring Club even if WWE won't be able to overcome that trope and the presumed lack of support from management to dethrone the twins who've been in the division's top program for a year and a half?

The Road to Fastlane

Jimmy & Jey Uso have held to tag titles for more than 250 days since finally defeating New Age Outlaws to claim them after a year in pursuit.  Since that happened last March, they've been without them for fewer than a 100 days...and even while the belts were in the possession of Gold & Stardust and The Miz & Damien Mizdow, Rikishi's sons were in the mix.

Tyson Kidd has been on fire since returning from torn meniscus, working his way through main roster enhancement matches and with the help of a career rejuvenating heel turn that took place largely on NXT.  The last graduate of the Hart Dungeon has also been a workhorse, but with the increased spotlight of Total Divas making him familiar to the entire WWE Universe and even greater hardcore fan support than ever thanks to his time in the championship picture on the company's Developmental flagship program, he's now a hot act, too.

His partner is largely where Kidd was several years ago before his injury.  No one questions his in-ring talent, but many - including WWE Chairman Vince McMahon - have doubts about his charisma and ability to connect with fans.  Throw in rumors of heat due to comments about John Cena and Randy Orton, or even being the victim of a Twitter hack, and many of supporters no longer ask if he'll graduate from the undercard, instead wondering if he's destined to be a jobber there.

The newer pairing  has more than just hardore fan support on their side, however.  Kidd and wife Natalya have been front and center on the E! 'reality' show focused on the WWE women since day one.  The drama about the marriage is a key plot line on that show, and it has carried over to their stories on the companies more wrestling-centric shows.

It's something they have in common with the champs.  Jimmy's wife Naomi just left the cast of Total Divas before the third season, but they were a core component of the show for the first two and remain a presence.  The former Funkadactyl has factored into The Usos' feuds on several occasions, and lead to some mixed tags in this program...and one of the wildest segments on Smackdown in a while:

Who's the jackass now, Uus?  (I love how none of the other "diners" even look up at these people screaming in the "restaurant" until fists and tables start flying)

In just about every iteration, the challengers have been coming out on top of the champs.  Cesaro's beaten Jimmy.  Kidd has come out on top in a one-on-one match with Jey.  Heck, the Masters of the WWE Universe even used twin magic against The Usos in a tag match a couple of weeks back:

In FACT, the only way the Anoa'i family has been able to gain a victory was in mixed tag action this past Monday on Raw when Naomi & Jimmy got revenge for the double-date fiasco by beating T.J. & Natty.

That's been the case in plenty of past tag title feuds though, too, and just lead to more wins for the champs.  We'll find out if WWE is sticking to that blueprint Sunday night in Memphis.

What's at Stake?

Beyond the obvious waist jewelry, the conspiracy theories of a million "smart" marks.  A victory for The Kings of Swing and Cats would give us one less thing to complain about on the internet - at least for a minute before we remembered the value Vince McMahon puts on tag team wrestling.

For the current beltholders, they're not only looking to further demonstrate their stranglehold on the division.  Jimmy & Jey would undoubtedly like to carry the bronze eagles to the Hall of Fame ceremony in San Jose next month, where they'll induct their father into another McMahon club.

It will almost certainly be a well worked match with exciting action.  But will anything noteworthy happen - namely a title change - to distinguish it from a night on Raw?

We'll know more tomorrow after Fastlane.  Watch along with us, and get our take on it right after the show, here on cSs!