Snuffed Out.
The fifth annual WWE Payback was a RAW exclusive pay-per-view and it came to you, live on the WWE Network, from the SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA. What started as an alliance that threatened to take over WWE has turned into a bitter, personal rivalry mixed with wild and unpredictable elements. Following their bizarre match at WrestleMania where Randy Orton defeated Bray Wyatt to bring his plan to fruition by winning the WWE Championship, Bray Wyatt deemed that he was not yet through with “The Viper” as Bray challenged the WWE Champion to the first ever House of Horrors Match at Payback. Without even knowing what a House of Horrors Match is, Randy Orton would accept the challenge as “The Viper” agreed to step into the unknown against the maniacal Bray Wyatt. While Bray has not divulged exactly what a House of Horrors Match will be, we do know that the match will start in the House of Horrors itself and will conclude in the ring. In what could very well be their final battle against each other thanks to the Superstar Shake-Up bringing Bray Wyatt to RAW, who will escape the House of Horrors as the winner? Can Randy Orton survive a match in Bray Wyatt’s twisted world or will the House of Horrors consume the WWE Champion?
In a longstanding rivalry filled with destruction and devastation, Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman have collided many times in recent months but no one can deny that Braun got the better of Reigns a few weeks ago when “The Monster Among Men” viciously assaulted Roman and even tipped an ambulance over with Reigns inside! As a result of this attack, we have not seen Roman Reigns since but “The Big Dog” would be at Payback as Roman Reigns would no doubt be looking for revenge against Braun Strowman when these two powerhouses go one-on-one. Can Roman Reigns get his revenge against Braun Strowman or will “The Monster Among Men” finish what he started a few weeks ago?
Once best friends, the animosity between Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho has reached a boiling point as of late and even their match at WrestleMania did not settle things between the two. In that match, it was Kevin Owens utilizing a powerbomb on the ring apron to Chris Jericho to beat “Y2J” and win the United States Title. Since that night, much has changed in WWE as the Superstar Shake-Up saw Kevin Owens sent to SmackDown LIVE along with the United States Championship. Despite the United States Title finding a new home, the rematch will still take place at Payback as Kevin Owens defends the United States Title against Chris Jericho with the added stipulation that, if Chris Jericho wins the United States Title, he will become a member of the SmackDown LIVE roster! Can Kevin Owens successfully retain the United States Title against his former best friend and keep Chris Jericho on RAW or will “Y2J” avenge his loss to Kevin Owens on “The Grandest Stage of Them All” and regain the United States Title?
After vanquishing Triple H in their Unsanctioned Match at WrestleMania, Seth Rollins has had to answer to Triple H’s right hand man, Samoa Joe. However, considering that Samoa Joe re-injured the knee of Seth Rollins a couple of months ago, Rollins also has a vendetta against “The Destroyer”. The animosity between these two Superstars would lead into Payback where Seth Rollins would go one-on-one with Samoa Joe. Also at Payback, after the Superstar Shake-Up a few weeks ago would provide new challenges for RAW Women’s Champion Bayley, one competitor who took full advantage of her new home was Alexa Bliss as the former two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion made an immediate impact in the RAW Women’s Division by winning a Fatal 4-Way Match to become the new #1 Contender for the RAW Women’s Title and, at Payback, Alexa Bliss would get her shot at the gold as Alexa Bliss would challenge Bayley for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Following a huge return to WWE at WrestleMania where they bested Enzo & Big Cass, Cesaro & Sheamus, and Gallows & Anderson in a Fatal 4-Way Ladder Match to become the brand new RAW Tag Team Champions, the legendary Hardy Boyz would have to prove that they still have what it takes to be champions at Payback as The Hardy Boyz would defend the RAW Tag Team Titles against Cesaro & Sheamus. The Cruiserweight Championship would also be decided at Payback as, in a rematch from the WrestleMania Kickoff, “A Double” would get another shot at the Cruiserweight Title as Austin Aries would challenge “The King of the Cruiserweights” for the title.
Match Results
- Kickoff Match: Enzo & Big Cass def. Gallows & Anderson by Enzo Amore rolling up Luke Gallows.
- United States Championship: Chris Jericho def. Kevin Owens (c) by submission to the Walls of Jericho to win the United States Title and become a member of the SmackDown LIVE roster.
- Cruiserweight Championship: Austin Aries def. Neville (c) by DQ after Neville (c) puts his hands on the referee. As a result, Neville (c) retains.
- RAW Tag Team Championship: The Hardy Boyz (c) def. Cesaro & Sheamus by Jeff Hardy (c) pinning Sheamus following the Swanton Bomb to retain.
- RAW Women’s Championship: Alexa Bliss def. Bayley (c) by pin following a DDT to win the RAW Women’s Title.
- Seth Rollins def. Samoa Joe by countering the Coquina Clutch into a pinfall.
- House of Horrors Match: Non-Title: Bray Wyatt def. Randy Orton by pin following Sister Abigail after two shots with the WWE Title belt from Jinder Mahal.
- Braun Strowman def. Roman Reigns by pin following two running powerslams.
See page 2 for detailed results.
