For months, it was rumored that WWE United States Champion Rusev would battle John Cena at WrestleMania 31, but for some reason the WWE opted to move the clash between these two up to Fast Lane.
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Rusev interrupted Cena's interview at the Royal Rumble last month, which seemed to plant the seeds for a bout between the two at WrestleMania 31 on March 29 at Levi's Stadium in California.
The Authority then announced that while they initially wanted to do the match at the "Show of Shows," it was being moved up to Fast Lane on Feb. 22 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
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The reason for the WWE moving up the contest is unknown, but it likely has to do with the WWE Network being given out for free for the month of February and including the Fast Lane event.
In order to generate network subscriptions and try to reel in viewers to watch Fast Lane in hopes they'll keep the network at least until WrestleMania, the WWE likely opted to move the Rusev vs. Cena up to February as another enticing matchup.
While this could be the case, the WWE already put Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns on the Fast Lane card to determine the No. 1 contender for WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31.
This match alone should draw enough of an interest to generate subscribers with Fast Lane being free.
Cena hasn't fought on Monday Night RAW lately and the WWE has been working an eye injury angle, which perhaps could and should be utilized by the WWE to postpone the match to the biggest show of the year.
Cena and Rusev brawled on this week's edition of RAW, with WWE announcer Michael Cole later noting that Cena now has more eye damage after the run-in with the Russian brute.
Cole noted that Cena had a scratched cornea and more damage to his eye after Monday night's events. Cena came to RAW with a minor eye injury, and the company is saying that it is even more damaged now.
The WWE even played up the injury angle with Dr. Chris Amann offering a kayfabe response to the ailment.
"John Cena had been [competing during] last weekend's Live Events when he sustained a corneal abrasion during his Live Event matches," Amann told WWE.com. "This evening during the attack by Rusev, John Cena's injuries were exacerbated. As mentioned [on commentary], those injuries were a scratched cornea and a ruptured blood vessel. We're going to do periodic eye exams to make sure the scratch on his cornea is healing and he will be ready for WWE Fast Lane."
In my opinion, the WWE should use this angle as a way to push back the Cena vs. Rusev match to WrestleMania 31 as it was originally intended.
Rusev has been pushed as a mighty, unstoppable force, but having him battle a big name like Cena on a throw away buildup February pay-per-view appears to be a waste.
It would be much bigger if Rusev topped John Cena under the bright lights of WrestleMania 31 or if he lost for the first time at that event.
While it is likely that even if they battle at Fast Lane a clean finish won't happen and a rematch would loom the next month, it takes away from the freshness of the matchup.
Rusev vs. Cena shouldn't be used on a throwaway event as the WWE should really save it for the "Show of Shows" and sell it as an epic clash. The WWE can have Rusev brag about how he hurt Cena's eye so badly, that he couldn't compete at Fast Lane and is afraid of him.
This sets the WWE up to put Rusev in Bray Wyatt's position last year at WrestleMania as Cena could either overcome the odds and make Rusev look good in the process, or put the Superstar on the map by jobbing to him on the grandest stage.
The WWE has a potential big match in Rusev vs. Cena; there is absolutely no need to waste it one month early by having them go head-to-head at Fast Lane.
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