WWE Payback 2016: Date, Start Time, Matches, Live Stream, PPV Info

Shane McMahon's statement on Monday's Raw that WWE Payback 2016 was "the first pay-per-view of a new era" has the potential to be more than just a tagline. The event is so loaded with fresh faces and new blood that it could well be the truth.

On Sunday, May 1 at 8 p.m ET, AJ Styles will challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Baron Corbin will seek a big win, Sami Zayn will battle Kevin Owens and a team freshly plucked from NXT will surely move into tag title contention. WWE may not take advantage of all those rising stars, but the table is set for a major night for each of them.

The Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, will host the fourth edition of Payback, a PPV that could either be a celebration of the stars of the future or just a tease of a new era. 

Vince McMahon will decide who controls Raw on that night. Shane McMahon has been touted as a man inserting new energy into the product. Selecting him furthers this idea of WWE's move toward a new horizon.

Live Stream, PPV Info

Beginning at 7 p.m. ET, WWE will air a Payback pre-show featuring a panel of experts breaking down the night's biggest matches. In addition to all the predictions and promos that will comprise that hour-long kickoff, Ryback will get one more crack at the United States Championship.

The Big Guy will challenge Kalisto in a title bout.

Fans can catch all that on the WWE Network (subscription required). It will also stream for free on WWE.com, the WWE App, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+.

The PPV itself will stream on Apple TV, Roku, Playstation and a number of other devices via the WWE Network. Visit WWE.com's help section for a full list of compatible gadgets.

WWE's streaming service is available just about everywhere now, but one can check availability around the world on WWE.com.

Traditional pay-per-view is still an option to watch Payback. Suddenlink and Comcast are among those companies still carrying WWE PPVs.

Match Card

• Kalisto vs. Ryback (United States Championship)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin
• Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens
• The Miz vs. Cesaro (Intercontinental Championship)
• Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho
• The Vaudevillains vs. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady (No. 1 contender for Tag Team Championship)
• Charlotte vs. Natalya (Women's Championship)
• Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

U.S. Title on Pre-Show

Kalisto fended off Ryback at WrestleMania while the arena was still mostly empty. In a rematch on SmackDown, the powerhouse pinned the champ. That's about as far as the storyline goes.

WWE has put minimal effort in building toward this bout.

And as a sign of where the U.S. title sits on the company hierarchy, this marks the third PPV in a row that it's being defended on the pre-show. That's surprising considering how much chemistry these two have shown together in the past. The classic David-versus-Goliath dynamic has worked well between them.

Expect a solid encounter despite the lack of hype.

Ziggler vs. Corbin

A night after winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, Corbin made his mark by thrashing Ziggler. He followed up by attacking The Showoff before their rematch was set to begin.

Ziggler has since stormed back, hungry for vengeance.

This looks to be designed to catapult Corbin after his move from NXT. The Showoff is poised to be Corbin's first big-name prey. Ziggler played a similar role with Tyler Breeze last year.

The Lone Wolf is still a raw performer, but being in there with an elite seller like Ziggler will certainly help make him look tremendous.

Zayn vs. Owens

The saga continues.

A feud that began at Ring of Honor and transferred to NXT is now being played out on a WWE stage. The company is infusing their real-life past with kayfabe animosity to portray a bitter feud between former friends.

In the past, these two have put on masterpieces. This doesn't boast the big-fight feel of some of their other showdowns, though. Expect it to be an early chapter in a heated feud that lasts well into the summer.

IC Title

The Miz crushed Zack Ryder's dreams right after WrestleMania by snatching the intercontinental crown from him. Now Cesaro wants a piece of The A-Lister, seeking a win that would likely elevate him and take advantage of his surging popularity.

This is The Miz's fifth reign. Cesaro is looking for his first.

The in-ring action won't be as good as much of the rest of the card, but Cesaro winning the championship would be one of Payback's biggest moments to date. He has to worry, though, about Maryse's presence at ringside and how WWE seems continually unconvinced that he's a star.

Ambrose vs. Jericho 

What began with two men bumping into each other and Ambrose's talk show segment usurping Jericho's has become increasingly personal and increasingly compelling.

A feud many expected to happen at WrestleMania, Jericho vs. Ambrose is the story of a cocky, showy veteran facing an unhinged emerging star.

The bout itself promises to be a blast. Both men have been putting on strong performances. Y2J has made a career out of coming through in major matches.

This isn't likely to be over at Payback, however. With Extreme Rules just a few weeks after that PPV, fans can count on a sequel complete with extreme stipulations following this clash.

Tag Team Tourney Finals

The New Day watches on as two teams freshly arrived from NXT fight over the right to face the champs. 

Amore and Cassady have been an instant hit with the crowd. Their charisma has translated in a big way. The Vaudevillains, on the other hand, have some work to do in that department.

Each duo won two bouts to get to this one. New Day's babyface status suggests that Simon Gotch and Aiden English will win this one. But The Realest Guys in the Room are the more enthralling pair, and WWE would be smart to let them claim the No. 1 contender spot.

Women's Title

Natalya has struggled to beat Charlotte at Roadblock, on Raw and back at NXT. Ric Flair's presence in the champion's corner has been a big part of that. To combat the presence of The Dirtiest Player in the Game, Natalya is bringing along her uncle, Bret Hart.

That sets up a repeat of the scenario at NXT in 2014. 

Last time, Charlotte bested Natalya in one of the finest women's matches WWE has ever produced. That performance helped kick-start the shift toward more spotlight for the company's women.

The two Superstars will try to outdo themselves here as Natalya looks to end Charlotte's lengthy reign.

WWE Title

Subplots reign in the main event. The main narrative is about Styles looking to prove himself and win WWE's biggest prize. Reigns is not about to let go of the title after his arduous journey to claim it.

What lurks around those central elements, though, are what make the bout more intriguing.

Styles' old allies from his days at New Japan Pro Wrestling, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, have recently arrived on the WWE scene. They have made it clear they want to protect The Phenomenal One, but Styles seems hesitant to have them play his guard dogs.

Will they turn on Styles for that hesitation? Will Styles turn heel and welcome the two bruisers' help? Or does WWE have a swerve in its pocket, with Reigns or perhaps Finn Balor taking charge of a faction built around Anderson and Gallows?

Those eye-catching possibilities are overshadowing how good this match can be from a wrestling standpoint. Styles has been on fire of late, proving that he's one of the world's best performers. Reigns is underrated in that department amid the backlash over his push to the top.

Combine the action that's to come with the twists and turns this story will likely make, and Payback's marquee matchup is poised to be one of the most memorable of the year.