In a stunning turn of events, this Saturday’s episode of WWE SmackDown announced a scintillating new match for WWE Fastlane 2023. Scheduled for October 7th at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits are set to clash with The LWO (Santos Escobar, Rey Mysterio & a mystery partner) in a Six-Man Tag Team match.
During Friday’s SmackDown show, a backstage brawl between Lashley and the Street Profits, and Mysterio and Escobar set the stage for this intense confrontation. Subsequently, Mysterio issued a challenge for the Fastlane face-off.
On the Fastlane 2023 card, fans can also look forward to: WWE World Heavyweight Championship’s Last Man Standing match featuring Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Seth Rollins. John Cena & LA Knight will also be facing Jimmy Uso & Solo Sikoa, while Charlotte Flair, Asuka, and IYO SKY will battle it out for the WWE Women’s Championship.
In addition to the heated Fastlane face-off news, an update about Liv Morgan’s long-awaited return to action emerges. The charismatic wrestler, who has been out of action since July due to a right shoulder injury, revealed in a recent interview with Muscle and Health magazine that her focus has been on her nutrition during her time away. She’s currently working through her rehabilitation and aims to return in the best shape of her life.
Meanwhile, there’s growing concern over WWE NXT’s dwindling viewership. The September 26th episode experienced a sharp decline across overall and key demographic viewership. Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer attributed the falling numbers to a lack of star power, notably from Becky Lynch, declines in younger and older female viewership segments, and significant competition from other popular shows and sporting events.
In terms of key demographics, the divide between male and female viewership stood starkly at 70.2% in favor of males. Compared to last year’s figures, NXT viewership declined overall by 3.6% but saw a 16.3% uptick in key demographic viewership.
As WWE reels from these developments, all eyes are converging on the upcoming Fastlane event. Will it reignite interest in the franchise, or signal further challenges ahead? Stay tuned to find out!
