Key Matches Expected For WWE Payback
An update on what WWE has planned for Payback even though a single match hasn’t been announced yet.
Tonight’s edition of WWE Smackdown from Toronto will take place just 15 days before the next WWE Premium Live Event called Payback on Saturday, September 2nd. Payback takes place in Pittsburgh.
An interesting fact about the show at this point is that not a single match has been officially announced yet, which is strange for a show that is just two weeks.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer wrote about the likely matches at Payback. Regular viewers of Raw and Smackdown could likely figure out a lot of what’s coming as well.
“There has been very little promotion as far as the card goes for the 9/2 Payback PPV in Pittsburgh. Nothing has been officially announced for the show and we are 15 days away.”
“It would appear Rollins vs. Nakamura for the world title and Lynch vs. Stratus in a cage match would be there, and likely something with Rhodes & Zayn with Judgment Day in some form and maybe Miz vs. Knight and Sky vs. Flair vs. Asuka (or maybe Belair thrown in). Nakamura as a challenger is a guy who until a few weeks ago hadn’t gotten any kind of a push and it’s been years since he’s been in any kind of hot big show caliber main event level matches.”
That would mean the Payback lineup could be something like this:
* Seth “Freakin Rollins defending the World Heavyweight Championship vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.
* Cody Rhodes & Sami Zayn vs. The Judgment Day (any combination of Finn Balor, Damian Priest or Dominik Mysterio). Perhaps if Kevin Owens is ready to return from his rib injury then he could make it a six-man tag team match.
* Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage Match. The Steel Cage Match was announced on Raw this past Monday. It’s expected to happen at Payback.
* LA Knight vs. The Miz.
* IYO SKY defending the WWE Women’s Title against one or more opponents out of Asuka, Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair.
There has also been a strong tease of Rhea Ripley defending the Women’s World Title against Raquel Rodriguez, but Raquel has a storyline knee injury and is “not cleared” yet.
Roman Reigns And The Usos Not Likely To Be In Matches At WWE Payback
The Bloodline storyline featuring the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and the feuding twin brothers Jimmy & Jey Uso is not expected to be part of Payback in any way. Roman Reigns is on a limited schedule, so he was never booked for Payback.
Jey Uso quit WWE in storyline last week on Smackdown and is likely getting a break while the Observer noted that “Jimmy vs. Jey Uso is being held off for more build time and likely a bigger show.”
There’s no word on if Solo Sikoa could be a part f the show or if he will remain off television along with his brothers The Usos and his cousin Roman Reigns.
Tonight’s edition of WWE Smackdown takes place in Toronto and could lead to the company announcing some official matches for Payback.