As the quiet period between major events, the spring and early summer pay-per-views are rarely remembered as anything more than ‘B’ shows; the kind of event that only serves to tick a box in the WWE’s never-ending slew of ‘sports entertainment’. It’s at this time of the year when surprises can occur; expectations can be exceeded, excitement can be generated causing an unexpected upswing in momentum. Does Payback represent a pleasant upswing, or just another obligatory ‘box-ticker’?
Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler
What Happened? Vowing revenge after suffering an unexpected setback at Extreme Rules, the new-look Sheamus continued his torment of the determined Dolph Ziggler. A match just as punishing as their last, the two superstars used every move at their disposal to secure the victory. Unfortunately for Ziggler, Sheamus wasn’t willing to taste defeat once again as a seemingly self-inflicted head wound busted the ‘Show-off’ open, allowing the Irish warrior the perfect opportunity to end the match with a crippling brogue kick.
Winner: Sheamus
Thoughts: Hard, fast and brutal, Sheamus and Ziggler’s follow-up to last month’s unfortunate ‘Kiss Me Arse’ match was a superior show opener that succeeded perfectly in re-establishing ‘The Celtic Warrior’s’ villainous persona, a character that has been long missed by fans of the superstar. Ziggler was excellent in defeat as always, and the unintentional inclusion of blood at the climax only helped put that match over as a brutal one. Similar, yet so much better than their match last month.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
2-out-of-3 falls match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) © vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro
What Happened? After capturing the gold last month, The New Day entered Payback riding an unprecedented wave of confidence and self-belief. Undeterred by a hostile Baltimore crowd, the trio made their first defence against the unorthodox former champs, equally hungry for victory. A fast-paced match which saw plenty of high-flying, hard-hitting action, the champions took advantage of their numbers with Xavier Woods sneaking himself into the match in place of the downed Kingston, and stealing the victory by two falls to one.
Winner and STILL champions: The New Day
Thoughts: Love them or hate them, The New Day might just be the best thing to happen to the tag team division in a long, long time. Again working with fellow consistent performers Kidd and Cesaro, the trio continued their soft transition to full-blown heels, and gave us the best match of the night in the process. The WWE has an unfortunate track record of dropping the ball on promising teams so here’s to hoping that they continue to push these men to the forefront of a division in dire need of a prolonged run of quality matches.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback
What Happened? A clash of two of the WWE Universe’s toughest beasts, Bray Wyatt and Ryback finally came to blows after weeks of threats and sneak attacks. Gaining the upper hand after withstanding Ryback’s initial smashmouth offense, Wyatt was able to use his array of unusual impact moves to take the advantage, his most devastating attack being a huge senton from the ring apron. Ryback gamely fought back, even managing to land an impressive diving splash of his own, but ‘The Eater of Worlds’ survived, ultimately putting his rival away with a Sister Abigail for the three count.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Thoughts: Hopes are never high when two big men square off, yet somehow Wyatt and Ryback managed to pull of a surprisingly decent match here. Obviously nowhere near a showcase of technical wizardry, the two instead relied on their size and strength, engaging in an enjoyable and utterly disposable slobberknocker. Initially dismissed as nothing more than a super-sized Goldberg knockoff, Ryback has improved considerably in recent months, and he continued to impress here despite the loss.
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
“I Quit” match for the United States Championship
John Cena © vs. Rusev
What Happened? Billed as the ‘Final Chapter’ in their long running feud, John Cena and Rusev battled once again for gold and national pride. Hoping to become the first man to make Cena quit, Rusev was relentless, using every weapon at his disposal in a final, desperate attempt to reclaim his title. For the champion however, quitting just isn’t an option, and he once again demonstrated his iron will, surviving a succession of Accolade submission attempts before ensnaring ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ in his own STF hold. Witnessing the carnage firsthand and fearing for Rusev’s health, Lana swiftly intervened to quit on behalf of her beleaguered comrade.
Winner and STILL champion: John Cena
Thoughts: A by-the-numbers John Cena “I Quit” match, this went exactly as predicted with the exception of the disappointing and confusing ending. Recycling a hefty chunk of material used during his 2009 feud with Randy Orton, Cena and Rusev smashed their way through the crowd and stage area before returning to the ring for the finish. Having Lana quit for Rusev’s may have demonstrated the WWE’s continued commitment to making the Bulgarian appear strong, but that didn’t stop it from appearing anti-climatic and contradictory to previous matches of the same type. A suitably epic and violent feud-ending match, let down simply by the WWE’s longtime adversary: Logic.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
The Bella Twins vs. Naomi & Tamina
What Happened? A new attitude, look and ally have quickly transformed Naomi into a legitimate threat in the women’s division, and she proved that once and for all with this performance against the dominant Bella twins. Partnering with the returning Tamina, the two employed a smothering attack as they separated Brie from her sister. Eventually entering the match, Nikki enjoyed some success, but Tamina’s continued attack of Brie on the outside caused the distraction needed for Naomi to pick up the victory.
Winner: Naomi & Tamina
Thoughts: Disappointing considering quality female matches in recent months, this month’s Divas match once again suffered from a massively reduced time, an issue which almost always forces the match participants to rush, and subsequently botch a lot of their work. The overnight face turn from the Bellas didn’t help either and made for a jarring experience considering they were one of the most hated duo in the company up until last week. All four women have talent, they just need a little more time to demonstrate it.
★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
King Barrett vs. Neville
What Happened? Continuing their rivalry which began last month and intensified further after their King of the Ring rematch, British stars King Barrett and Neville battled to secure ultimate bragging rights in this rubber match. Dazing the newly crowned King with his amazing arsenal of aerial moves, Neville was on course to pick up the victory. Unfortunately Barrett, knowing he was on the losing side of the bout, refused to re-enter the ring, resulting in an intentional countout defeat.
Winner via countout: Neville
Thoughts: What appeared to be heading towards another quality match from England’s two best professional wrestlers quickly turned sour thanks to a horrible, anti-climatic ending. An intentional countout victory might fit Barrett’s heel character, but this kind of finish is something that should be sparing used on tv only, not on pay-per-view, and definitely not in the event’s penultimate match.
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
Fatal-4-Way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins © vs. Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose
What Happened? A reunion of sorts, the dominant faction known as The Shield finally competed together for the first time in over a year. Unfortunately for current WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins however, his former colleagues were not there to help him. Completed by Rollins’ longtime rival Randy Orton, the quartet engaged in a frantic battle to secure the coveted title, and it didn’t take long for things to spiral completely out of control. Aided as usual by his J&J security detail, and also by a conflicted Kane, Rollins once again took full advantage of his many advantages, eventually pinning Ambrose after a connecting with a Pedigree.
Winner and STILL champion: Seth Rollins
Thoughts: Packed with a plethora of exciting spots, and a tease which surely had fangirls across the world screaming at their television sets, this month’s main event got most things right, but still suffered from overbooking and the excessive use of Kane, a performer who should be as far away from the title picture as possible. Initially expected to be nothing more than a third wheel in a Shield reunion match, Randy Orton proved to be the glue that held everything together, functioning as an adversary to keep any Ambrose-Rollins-Reigns action reduced to little more than a tease for a future match. Rollins continues to excel as the smarmy opportunist, but he desperately needs fresh title rivals before his anticipated summer match with Brock Lesnar.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Overall: Good, but very much still far from great, Payback took advantage of following last month’s disappointing Extreme Rules. The company appears to be finally addressing a number of concerns with it’s lower card, proven by their renewed interest in the tag team division and mid-card titles, but yet it continues to frustrate in a number of other areas, namely cluttered and convoluted match endings, and poor handling of talent who the creative department don’t have ideas for. Payback is a show that probably won’t be remembered for much down the years, but that didn’t stop it from exceeding (albeit pretty low) expectations.
Moment of the Event: Rollins, Reigns and Ambrose combine one more time to hit Orton with a triple powerbomb through the announcer's table.
Event MVP: The New Day
Show Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
What Happened? Vowing revenge after suffering an unexpected setback at Extreme Rules, the new-look Sheamus continued his torment of the determined Dolph Ziggler. A match just as punishing as their last, the two superstars used every move at their disposal to secure the victory. Unfortunately for Ziggler, Sheamus wasn’t willing to taste defeat once again as a seemingly self-inflicted head wound busted the ‘Show-off’ open, allowing the Irish warrior the perfect opportunity to end the match with a crippling brogue kick.
Winner: Sheamus
Thoughts: Hard, fast and brutal, Sheamus and Ziggler’s follow-up to last month’s unfortunate ‘Kiss Me Arse’ match was a superior show opener that succeeded perfectly in re-establishing ‘The Celtic Warrior’s’ villainous persona, a character that has been long missed by fans of the superstar. Ziggler was excellent in defeat as always, and the unintentional inclusion of blood at the climax only helped put that match over as a brutal one. Similar, yet so much better than their match last month.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
2-out-of-3 falls match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) © vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro
What Happened? After capturing the gold last month, The New Day entered Payback riding an unprecedented wave of confidence and self-belief. Undeterred by a hostile Baltimore crowd, the trio made their first defence against the unorthodox former champs, equally hungry for victory. A fast-paced match which saw plenty of high-flying, hard-hitting action, the champions took advantage of their numbers with Xavier Woods sneaking himself into the match in place of the downed Kingston, and stealing the victory by two falls to one.
Winner and STILL champions: The New Day
Thoughts: Love them or hate them, The New Day might just be the best thing to happen to the tag team division in a long, long time. Again working with fellow consistent performers Kidd and Cesaro, the trio continued their soft transition to full-blown heels, and gave us the best match of the night in the process. The WWE has an unfortunate track record of dropping the ball on promising teams so here’s to hoping that they continue to push these men to the forefront of a division in dire need of a prolonged run of quality matches.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback
What Happened? A clash of two of the WWE Universe’s toughest beasts, Bray Wyatt and Ryback finally came to blows after weeks of threats and sneak attacks. Gaining the upper hand after withstanding Ryback’s initial smashmouth offense, Wyatt was able to use his array of unusual impact moves to take the advantage, his most devastating attack being a huge senton from the ring apron. Ryback gamely fought back, even managing to land an impressive diving splash of his own, but ‘The Eater of Worlds’ survived, ultimately putting his rival away with a Sister Abigail for the three count.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Thoughts: Hopes are never high when two big men square off, yet somehow Wyatt and Ryback managed to pull of a surprisingly decent match here. Obviously nowhere near a showcase of technical wizardry, the two instead relied on their size and strength, engaging in an enjoyable and utterly disposable slobberknocker. Initially dismissed as nothing more than a super-sized Goldberg knockoff, Ryback has improved considerably in recent months, and he continued to impress here despite the loss.
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
“I Quit” match for the United States Championship
John Cena © vs. Rusev
What Happened? Billed as the ‘Final Chapter’ in their long running feud, John Cena and Rusev battled once again for gold and national pride. Hoping to become the first man to make Cena quit, Rusev was relentless, using every weapon at his disposal in a final, desperate attempt to reclaim his title. For the champion however, quitting just isn’t an option, and he once again demonstrated his iron will, surviving a succession of Accolade submission attempts before ensnaring ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ in his own STF hold. Witnessing the carnage firsthand and fearing for Rusev’s health, Lana swiftly intervened to quit on behalf of her beleaguered comrade.
Winner and STILL champion: John Cena
Thoughts: A by-the-numbers John Cena “I Quit” match, this went exactly as predicted with the exception of the disappointing and confusing ending. Recycling a hefty chunk of material used during his 2009 feud with Randy Orton, Cena and Rusev smashed their way through the crowd and stage area before returning to the ring for the finish. Having Lana quit for Rusev’s may have demonstrated the WWE’s continued commitment to making the Bulgarian appear strong, but that didn’t stop it from appearing anti-climatic and contradictory to previous matches of the same type. A suitably epic and violent feud-ending match, let down simply by the WWE’s longtime adversary: Logic.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
The Bella Twins vs. Naomi & Tamina
What Happened? A new attitude, look and ally have quickly transformed Naomi into a legitimate threat in the women’s division, and she proved that once and for all with this performance against the dominant Bella twins. Partnering with the returning Tamina, the two employed a smothering attack as they separated Brie from her sister. Eventually entering the match, Nikki enjoyed some success, but Tamina’s continued attack of Brie on the outside caused the distraction needed for Naomi to pick up the victory.
Winner: Naomi & Tamina
Thoughts: Disappointing considering quality female matches in recent months, this month’s Divas match once again suffered from a massively reduced time, an issue which almost always forces the match participants to rush, and subsequently botch a lot of their work. The overnight face turn from the Bellas didn’t help either and made for a jarring experience considering they were one of the most hated duo in the company up until last week. All four women have talent, they just need a little more time to demonstrate it.
★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
King Barrett vs. Neville
What Happened? Continuing their rivalry which began last month and intensified further after their King of the Ring rematch, British stars King Barrett and Neville battled to secure ultimate bragging rights in this rubber match. Dazing the newly crowned King with his amazing arsenal of aerial moves, Neville was on course to pick up the victory. Unfortunately Barrett, knowing he was on the losing side of the bout, refused to re-enter the ring, resulting in an intentional countout defeat.
Winner via countout: Neville
Thoughts: What appeared to be heading towards another quality match from England’s two best professional wrestlers quickly turned sour thanks to a horrible, anti-climatic ending. An intentional countout victory might fit Barrett’s heel character, but this kind of finish is something that should be sparing used on tv only, not on pay-per-view, and definitely not in the event’s penultimate match.
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
Fatal-4-Way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins © vs. Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose
What Happened? A reunion of sorts, the dominant faction known as The Shield finally competed together for the first time in over a year. Unfortunately for current WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins however, his former colleagues were not there to help him. Completed by Rollins’ longtime rival Randy Orton, the quartet engaged in a frantic battle to secure the coveted title, and it didn’t take long for things to spiral completely out of control. Aided as usual by his J&J security detail, and also by a conflicted Kane, Rollins once again took full advantage of his many advantages, eventually pinning Ambrose after a connecting with a Pedigree.
Winner and STILL champion: Seth Rollins
Thoughts: Packed with a plethora of exciting spots, and a tease which surely had fangirls across the world screaming at their television sets, this month’s main event got most things right, but still suffered from overbooking and the excessive use of Kane, a performer who should be as far away from the title picture as possible. Initially expected to be nothing more than a third wheel in a Shield reunion match, Randy Orton proved to be the glue that held everything together, functioning as an adversary to keep any Ambrose-Rollins-Reigns action reduced to little more than a tease for a future match. Rollins continues to excel as the smarmy opportunist, but he desperately needs fresh title rivals before his anticipated summer match with Brock Lesnar.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Overall: Good, but very much still far from great, Payback took advantage of following last month’s disappointing Extreme Rules. The company appears to be finally addressing a number of concerns with it’s lower card, proven by their renewed interest in the tag team division and mid-card titles, but yet it continues to frustrate in a number of other areas, namely cluttered and convoluted match endings, and poor handling of talent who the creative department don’t have ideas for. Payback is a show that probably won’t be remembered for much down the years, but that didn’t stop it from exceeding (albeit pretty low) expectations.
Moment of the Event: Rollins, Reigns and Ambrose combine one more time to hit Orton with a triple powerbomb through the announcer's table.
Event MVP: The New Day
Show Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
All images courtesy of WWE.com
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