This comes with a flashing “CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE” disclaimer, of course, but it’s a slow Christmas news day, and this does provide us with a juicy bone to chew on, speculatively speaking.
Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio is the host of March’s Fastlane pay-per-view (PPV). It’s set to be the last (and only, after Royal Rumble) stop for SmackDown on the Road to WrestleMania, so the WWE title match main event on that show will undoubtedly give us a few clues about how that scene will play out from here until April 8 in New Orleans.
And according to the venue’s website, that main event will be...
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AJ Styles (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn in a Fatal 5Way for the WWE Championship
Now, if you had to guess what Fastlane’s main event would be, this would probably be on the list. Orton and Nakamura vs. Zayn and Owens was just one of the big matches at the blue brand’s last event, Clash of Champions. With all signs being that Styles’ last challenger, Jinder Mahal, would be leaving the main event picture, he’s going to need a new challenger, and any four of those men would fit into that role... so why not all of them!
This wouldn’t necessarily mesh well with another popular fantasy booking scenario - that of Shinsuke winning the Royal Rumble match. But The Artist is a babyface and wouldn’t back down from a challenge, or an early title opportunity, so while it’s not the most natural fit, it might not rule Nak vs. AJ out all together as a potential ‘Mania championship match.
Or, this is placeholder advertising blurb from a Nationwide Arena employee in charge of updating the website and it has no bearing on WWE’s booking plans.
You decide.