Roman Reigns, few weeks after seeing his WWE World Heavyweight Championship snatched by Triple H at Royal Rumble, looks to make one big step towards payback as he dukes it out with former Shield teammate Dean Ambrose and the beast incarnate Brock Lesnar in a triple-threat match at WWE Fastlane 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
What's at Stake?
On the line is the right to be the no.1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H already secured his ticket in the main event of Wrestlemania after becoming the last man standing in the ring at Royal Rumble last January.
Reigns is seeking redemption, but before he'll actually have a shot at Triple H, he needs first to survive a triple-threat encounter with Ambrose and Lesnar at Fastlane.
Who's the favorite, darkhorse, underdog?
Reigns is currently listed as the overwhelming favorite to win the match and earn the no.1 contender at -600. It shouldn't be a surprise. Reigns and Triple H have been going back and forth since the start of Wrestlemania season. This feud needs to culminate at some point, and apparently it will take place soon at Wrestlemania 32 in Dallas.
As for the darkhorse and underdog, Brock Lesnar is listed at +640 while Ambrose at +800. However, keep in mind that Lesnar has something going on with the Wyatt family (particularly its leader Bray Wyatt), so it's unlikely he'll win this one.
Ambrose, on the other hand, is emerging as a darkhorse entering this match simply because he provides something to the table. He already lost his Intercontinental title in Raw's final episode before Fastlane. ForBleacher Report pro wrestling writer Alfred Konuwa, it augurs well for Ambrose.
"After dropping the Intercontinental Championship on Raw, Dean Ambrose's chances of winning at WWE Fastlane have increased. This is a smart move by WWE, as history dictates intercontinental champions do not main event WrestleManias.
By entering the Triple Threat match without the Intercontinental Championship, Ambrose is suddenly more of a sleeper to win the match at Fastlane and head to WrestleMania."
Writer's pick to win:
Dean Ambrose. He's wild, frivolous and unstable - characteristics that turned him into one of the most popular superstars in the WWE. Ambrose will enter Sunday's three-way showdown with nothing to lose, and that makes him even dangerous.
Like Konuwa said, an Ambrose win over Reigns and Lesnar would be huge. And while WWE creative will have to do all over again in building up the Wrestlemania headliner, marketing it would be much easier with all the momentum Ambrose will be generating after this match.
Results and highlights of Reigns vs. Ambrose vs. Lesnar triple-threat match for the right to face Triple H at Wrestlemania 32 will be posted after the match.