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How to Watch and What to Expect From WWE Fastlane 2023

Fastlane 2023 is quickly approaching; here's everything you need to know ahead of WWE's October 7 Premium Live Event!

By Chris Phelan
Close up of John Cena smiling in the ring

The 2023 edition of WWE Fastlane is just around the corner – here's everything you need to know to prepare for the explosive event!

How to Watch WWE Fastlane 2023

Roman Reigns lifts his belt above his head in a moment of passion

How to Watch

Watch Monday Night RAW every Monday evening at 8/7c on USA Network. Stream more exciting WWE series on Peacock.

Fastlane 2023 will be broadcast live on Saturday, October 7, 2023, exclusively on Peacock in the United States! (International fans can tune into WWE Network or check your local listings for availability.) The event begins at 8 p.m. ET sharp, but savvy members of the WWE Universe can tune in to the Kickoff Show beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

RELATED: Roman Reigns' Best Career History SummerSlam Matches

The WWE Universe is already counting down the days until October 7, but it also offers an excellent chance for new fans to get in on the festivities! If you've been waiting to jump back into WWE action or have friends or family who you'd love to join you in your WWE fandom, Fastlane will be one of the best opportunities to become immersed in everything sports entertainment offers!

What is WWE Fastlane?

Close up image of Roman Reigns

Originally part of the annual buildup to WrestleMania, Fastlane is returning to the WWE after a two-year hiatus as a stand-alone Premium Live Event with one goal in mind: Supercharge the rivalries and storylines the WWE Universe have followed throughout 2023! The first Fastlane event took place in 2015 and featured the main event of Roman Reigns retaining his #1 Contendership to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Daniel Bryan in a thrilling match. 

Following the events of WWE Payback in September, Fastlane will feature matches involving your favorite WWE Superstars as they each vie to take all-important steps to the upper echelon of the locker room. Although no matches have been officially announced, the WWE Universe can expect most of the top titles to be defended – and classic matches are all but guaranteed! 

Where Will WWE Fastlane 2023 Take Place?

Kevin Owens with a serious look on his face

Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, will host this year's WWE Fastlane event. Longtime fans should be innately familiar with Indianapolis – it's been where countless memorable WWE moments have happened!

The last time WWE presented a Premium Live Event in Indianapolis was in 2016 for Clash of Champions, a must-see event headlined by Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins clashing for the WWE Universal Championship. 

What Can the WWE Universe Expect at Fastlane?

Seth Rollins posing outside the ring

Fastlane will feature a handful of must-see matches, and some marquee bouts have been announced already.

On the September 25 edition of Monday Night Raw, it was made official: Seth Rollins will defend his World Heavyweight Title against Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing match! With rumors flying that the champion's back is more injured than he's letting on, Rollins has to be considered the underdog heading into Fastlane. After all, a Last Man Standing match requires WWE Superstars to be able to get to their feet – and the WWE Universe knows that Rollins' back will be targeted frequently by Nakamura. Can Rollins overcome the odds on October 7, or will Shinsuke Nakamura put the champion on the shelf for good?

Meanwhile, the rumors are true: John Cena will compete at Fastlane, and he'll be teaming up with none other than the red-hot LA Knight against Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa in tag team action! Cena has wasted no time interjecting himself into The Bloodline's business, and it looked like no other WWE Superstar wanted to align themselves with the 16-time Champion until LA Knight answered the call. The clash is guaranteed to be explosive, and we can't help but wonder where the next chapter of The Bloodline saga will lead the WWE Universe!

The WWE Women's Championship will be defended on October 7 as well: reigning champ IYO SKY will be fighting an uphill battle as she competes in a Triple Threat match with Charlotte Flair and Asuka. IYO has put exclamation points on her title reign thus far, but being in the ring with two more-than-capable challengers could be too much to handle. Charlotte and Asuka, two Superstars who crave championships like sharks crave blood, represent chaos in IYO SKY's eyes. Triple Threat matches are historically unpredictable; who leaves Indianapolis the champion is anyone's guess!

But that's not all: The Undisputed Tag Team Champions, Finn Balor and Damian Priest, will defend their titles against the unlikely team of Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. The blockbuster trade to bring Jey Uso to Monday Night Raw that Cody orchestrated is paying off in a big way for The American Nightmare as he looks to capture WWE gold for the first time since his unforgettable return. However, The Judgment Day doesn't seem like they'll give up the titles without a fight!

Will The Rock Make an Appearance at Fastlane?

Close up of The Rock as he stands in the ring

The sports and entertainment world has been buzzing ever since The Rock made a shocking appearance during the September 15 SmackDown, and even the most pessimistic members of the WWE Universe have to wonder if The Great One will make his presence known on October 7. After all, there are still countless questions floating around regarding The Rock – namely, why has he returned? Will he interject himself into Roman Reigns' business? Or does The Rock have something else in mind entirely?

It's entirely possible that the Road to WrestleMania will begin months earlier than usual, as the WWE Universe has their fingers crossed for a monumental WrestleMania 40 main event featuring The Rock and Roman Reigns battling for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. When you think about it, Fastlane would be the perfect on-ramp to the Road to WrestleMania!

John Cena Will Wrestle at Fastlane For the First Time Since 2018

John Cena throwing up the peace sign while in the ring

John Cena last competed at Fastlane in 2018 when he participated in a Six-Pack Challenge match for the WWE Championship in a losing effort. Five years seems like an eternity, but the WWE Universe will see Cena in the ring again on October 7.

In fact, Cena himself teased a tag-team appearance at Fastlane while responding to a fan's expertly made costume of him on X (formerly Twitter). Now fans just have to wait and see how all the mayhem will play out in the ring.

You can tune in to Peacock to watch WWE's Fastlane on October 7. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.

Originally published Sep 26, 2023.