Just one week after Summerslam 2020, we already have another WWE PPV in Payback. Despite having only two shows to build this card, WWE managed to pull a great one out of nowhere. There are only a handful of championships on the line, but some rivalries will come to an end all the same. It will have the in-ring return of Roman Reigns, the PPV debuts of Matt Riddle & Keith Lee, and what could be the end of The Golden Role Models. Who would be the victors, and how will they rank up?
The Iconics (Billie Kay & Peyton Royce) vs. The Riot Squad (Liv Morgan & Ruby Riot)
The only pre-show match on Payback 2020, the reunited Riot Squad finally looks to shut The Iconics up. Whoever wins will shoot their way towards a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match.
Morgan & Riot are just rekindling their team, while Iconics are a well oiled machine. Iconics took control of Riot with ease, and picked her apart in classic fashion. Add in some mind games that prey on the weak union off Riot Squad, and a great story was told here.
After finally trusting Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan exploded into the ring and this one became a fair fight. They’d outlast the assault of The Iconics together, and pick up a huge win that shows maybe they’re ready to be a strong team again and they Liv to Riot. Okay action, but a great story told makes for a very solid match.
Rating: 2.5/5 (** ½)
WWE United States Title Match: Apollo Crews (c) vs. Bobby Lashley (w/MVP & Shelton Benjamin)
Apollo Crews is having a hard time getting past MVP & The Hurt Business. On the pre-show of Summerslam, Crews beat MVP but now he has Bobby Lashley looking for his United States Championship. Crews would have to be on his A-Game to walk away with the championship.
It was speed versus power, and Lashley would be in control for this match. However, the fire and passion of Crews would keep him in the fight, and he’d absorb the assault of Lashley only to come back with one of his own. A slow start would be matched by a fast paced second half, with dramatic near falls and big moves aplenty. In the end, Lashley just had to lock in the Full Nelson, and Crews’ reign was over.
Rating: 2.5/5 (**½)
Sheamus vs. Big E
Bie E is on his long-awaited big singles run, and we’re getting his favorite type of match tonight. He meets Sheamus in a battle of heavyweights, and has a chance to knock off a multiple time world champion. Big E needs to prove he can get serious in the ring, and this a great way to start.
This was a hard hitting but slow affair, with Sheamus using his veteran instincts to dominate Big E. He’d try to pick the knee of Big E apart with submissions. However, Big E fought through to hit the Big Ending to put Sheamus away. This was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Big E is capable of, and the future looks good for him.
Rating: 2.75/5 (** ¾)
King Corbin vs. Matt Riddle
When it comes to King Corbin, he can’t figure out what to make of the chilled out and often cocky Matt Riddle. Riddle exploded onto Smackdown Live beating AJ Styles, and that just made Corbin mad. He tried putting a bounty on the head of Riddle, but everyone has been dropped. Now it’s his turn to meet Riddle in the ring, thinking it’s time to do it himself.
Riddle came into this one with a much more serious expression than usual, and was ready to kick the ass of Corbin. It would get physical early, with Corbin throwing his weight around and forcing Riddle to fight from underneath in a slow match, with this being a typical Corbin match for the first half. Once Riddle got moving and took control things got a bit more interesting, with Riddle hitting the Bro To Sleep & Flying Bro for the win after a physical affair.
Corbin usually works well with smaller opponents, but there is a better match here. He would beat Riddle down backstage after this match, showing that this feud is far from done. Hopefully their next encounter meets the potential of this feud.
Rating: 3/5 (***)
WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match: Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
Bayley & Sasha Banks might be best friends, but they’re one bad day from breaking up and becoming rivals once again. With them having to face the odd but hard hitting duo of Jax & Baszler? Bayley Dos Straps might not have that nickname much longer, and could lose a friend in the process.
Jax & Baszler would throw their smaller opponents around, so despite not getting along as a team, it didn’t matter in the early going. Bayley & Banks would rally back in the middle of the match, doing everything they could to chip away at Nia Jax.
It would be Shayna Baszler who would somehow get both Banks & Bayley in submission holds for a victory as Bayley tapped out. Now the Golden Role models aren’t as golden as they were just a week ago. This is an odd couple pairing that could breathe some weirdness into the tag team division, but after this match, it seems to work.
Rating: ⅗(***)
Randy Orton vs. Keith Lee
Not even one week after his debut on the main roster of WWE, Keith Lee is already facing the thirteen time world champion, Randy Orton. Motivated by the attack of his good friend Drew McIntyre, Lee is going right into the thick of things with a huge threat. Orton might be the Legend Killer, but how will he do against a type of wrestler he’s never had to face before?
Lee didn’t show fear in the face of Orton, and was willing to take the methodical and stiff beating that came his way. He’d be able to stand his own against Orton when he mounted the comeback, and even pounce him out of the ring, manhandling Orton like few have. The RKO would be countered into a Spirit Bomb, and Keith Lee pinned Randy Orton clean.
This match wasn’t exactly the big affair it should have been as it ran short, feeling like it should have had another ten minutes in it atleast. It was absolutely the biggest win in Keith Lee’s career, and bodes very well for him going forward. We are seeing a future world heavyweight champion in Keith Lee, and soon we will bask in his glory.
Rating: 2.5/5 (** 1/2)
Murphy & Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio & Rey Mysterio
The very personal rivalry between the Mysterio Family & Seth Rollins have come to this. In his second match ever, Dominik Mysterio will team with his father to take out Rollins and his disciple, Murphy. This match was set for Monday Night RAW, but was stopped by Retribution attacking.
A fast start from the Mysterio Family would catch Rollins & Murphy off guard, but this wouldn’t hold the advantage for long. Rollins & Murphy are more in sync than Father & Son, and some perfect double team work would shut Rey down, and force Dominik to take the leader. Another gutsy performance would follow when he’d be isolated and survive to make the tag.
It would go back and forth, both in control of the match, and between great in ring action and dangerous outside brawling. A miscommunication between Murphy & Rollins, would leave Murphy alone to be hit with a 619 & Frog Splash from Dominik, getting his first WWE win.
Rey & Rollins have excellent chemistry, and this match would play with that perfectly. It was fast paced action from both teams, and Dominik Mysterio is a star in the making for sure. Easily the best match of the night.
Rating: ⅘ (****)
WWE Universal Title No Holds Barred Triple Threat Match: The Fiend (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Last Sunday at Summerslam, The Fiend defeated Braun Strowman to win his second Universal Championship. However, he wouldn’t get to enjoy this as Roman Reigns would return to WWE and drop both men with crushing spears. Now we have a triple threat match, and with Reigns aligned with Paul Heyman? Anything can happen.
Roman Reigns almost wouldn’t even get in this match, as Strowman ambushed The Fiend during his entrance and they’d nail their finishers in a chaotic brawl for near falls. They picked up right where they left off at Summerslam, with tables being smashed, weapons being used, and all hell having broken loose.
Both men crashed off the stage through a table, Strowman pulled The Fiend to the ring, which would collapse after a superplex! Only then, Reigns would make his way to the ring, finally sign the contract and walk to the ring too two broken men. Strowman would be beat with a steel chair, The Fiend would be low blowed, and it would just take one spear to name a new Universal Champion.
This was a very fun car crash brawl of a main event, and Roman Reigns is the Universal Champion once again. He wrecked everyone and left with the gold, just what he said he was gonna do.
Rating: 3.5/5 (*** ½)
What was your favorite match or moment from WWE Payback? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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