WWE Payback 2017 Matches: Best Finishes for Each Match on Raw PPV Card
On Sunday, WWE Raw presents its first brand-exclusive pay-per-view event in Payback, and the finishes of the night's marquee bouts have never been more vital to the continued success of the brand and its top Superstars.
The finish of any match dictates the future direction a character or how a story takes, but with the all-important summer months looming and all eyes already looking toward SummerSlam, how WWE Creative approaches each match will have far-reaching implications.
Is it best for Roman Reigns to go over Braun Strowman in the night's main event? Should Samoa Joe knock off Seth Rollins, or is it best for Rollins to retain his babyface momentum? Should WWE champion Randy Orton win one for SmackDown Live, or should the often mishandled Bray Wyatt defeat his rival in the House of Horrors match to maintain even the slightest bit of credibility as he embarks on another run with WWE's flagship show?
These questions are examined, and more, in this preview of Sunday's WWE Network presentation of Payback 2017.
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
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The main event of Payback is also its most anticipated match as Braun Strowman looks to finish what he started by obliterating Roman Reigns live on WWE Network.
The Big Dog is coming back from injuries suffered at the hands of The Monster Among Men and will be seeking both revenge and a resolution to the months-long program.
A Reigns win makes the most sense given the narrative here but Strowman is red-hot, leaving some to suggest he should win in order to maintain his momentum. That would be the wisest decision WWE Creative can make.
Reigns will remain over with fans. He does not need another win to bolster a resume that is already brimming with accomplishments. Strowman, on the other hand, is primed to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship, as teased the night after WrestleMania 33, and needs a signature victory over a legitimate main event attraction to earn that right.
With Reigns still recovering from the injuries he suffered when Strowman tipped a freaking ambulance with him in it, there is a built-in excuse for Reigns not to pick up the victory.
WWE Creative should use that excuse to its advantage.
Best Finish
A valiant effort from Reigns ends in disappointment as Strowman pins him following a running powerslam.
House of Horrors Match: Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt
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Randy Orton defeated Bray Wyatt in a wildly disappointing match at WrestleMania. Plagued by supernatural nonsense that made for a disjointed contest, it also saw the end of Wyatt's short-lived WWE Championship reign.
Now that both men are on opposite sides of the brand extension, Orton reigning over SmackDown Live and Wyatt terrorizing Raw following the Superstar Shake-up, Sunday's House of Horrors match figures to bring their differences to an end.
Who should go over?
Wyatt—and there is no argument to be made against him.
In order for The Reaper of Souls to regain some of the momentum and credibility he lost at WrestleMania, he must go over Orton in this match he concocted or lose even more legitimacy with WWE fans. There are only so many times a Superstar can make claims without backing them up.
Losing Sunday night would send Wyatt to Raw on a sour note and undo everything WWE Creative accomplished last Monday with The Eater of Worlds demolishing Chris Jericho, Dean Ambrose and The Miz, rendering it meaningless.
That would go against common sense.
Orton is an established star of 15 years and winning here does nothing to elevate him, just as a loss does nothing to diminish his effect as champion.
Best Finish
His attention on Jinder Mahal and an upcoming WWE Championship defense against the young star, Orton takes his eye off the ball just long enough for Wyatt to score the win in impressive and decisive fashion.
United States Championship Match: Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens
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Chris Jericho lost the United States Championship to Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 33, and Raw proceeded to lose its Prizefighter two weeks later as part of the Superstar Shake-up.
Owens became exclusive property of SmackDown Live, and as a result, the build to Sunday's bout suffered significantly. Jericho was essentially expected to carry the bulk of the rivalry as Owens planted the seeds on Tuesday nights for a program with AJ Styles.
It does not help that Sunday's match feels like a foregone conclusion. Jericho has a headlining tour this summer with his band, Fozzy, and will miss significant time as a result. There is no way he wins Sunday night and moves to SmackDown Live when the brand is desperately in need of a star that will be around every week—something Owens brings to the table.
Best Finish
Owens pins Jericho clean in the center of the ring following the Popup Powerbomb, retaining his title.
Raw Women's Championship Match: Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss
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Bayley may be the most beloved babyface in all of women's wrestling, but Alexa Bliss wasted little time capturing the attention of the WWE faithful with a scathing promo in her second night with the Raw brand.
She delegitimized Bayley in a promo that may have been a major booking misstep in hindsight but was also a fine way to generate heat for their match Sunday night.
Bliss earned the opportunity to challenge Bayley by defeating Nia Jax and Sasha Banks in a Triple Threat match. In the week that followed that victory, Jax was conspicuous in her absence, leaving questions about her potential involvement in Sunday's match.
That involvement should figure heavily in the outcome.
Best Finish
Nia Jax, enraged by her absence from title contention, attacks both women and draws a disqualification finish that allows the feud to continue and introduces an outside element in the form of WWE's most dominant female.
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
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Seth Rollins may have exorcised the demon that was The Authority from his life by way of his victory at WrestleMania, but in the immediate aftermath of the event, he finds himself opposed by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's Right Hand of Destruction, Samoa Joe.
Rollins and Joe have sent words of warning to each other and even brawled momentarily in the build to Payback, but WWE Creative has been wise not to give away too much ahead of their showdown Sunday. While both men were veterans of the independents, they were never in the same place at the same time during their primes until now.
The match should be a strong one given the styles and abilities of the Superstars involved. The biggest question is which Superstar can least afford a loss.
Rollins is a babyface still struggling to find himself. Joe is a silent assassin whose character has not been fully fleshed out to this point.
While Rollins could stand to build on the momentum he garnered at WrestleMania, Joe needs a few definitive victories to continue building credibility with a casual WWE fanbase who may not be all that familiar with his work.
Best Finish
Joe traps Rollins in the Coquina Clutch. The Architect fights and fights, coming oh-so-close to grabbing hold of the ropes and breaking the hold. Joe cinches in the hold deeper and Rollins passes out without ever tapping. He garners sympathy, Joe looks like a badass and the feud can continue.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: The Hardy Boyz vs. Sheamus and Cesaro
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The Hardy Boyz stunned the WWE audience by returning to the company at WrestleMania. Their victory in a Fatal 4-Way Ladder match earned them another run with titles they first held in 1999.
One of the teams they defeated, Sheamus and Cesaro, earned a shot to regain the championships by defeating Enzo Amore and Big Cass in a No. 1 Contender's Match.
Since then, The Swiss Superman and Celtic Warrior have demonstrated reluctant sportsmanship but have also teased unloading on the future Hall of Famer Hardys.
Sunday night, a loss to the brother from Cameron, North Carolina, may end Cesaro and Sheamus over the ledge, executing a heel turn that spices up a deep but creatively bankrupt tag team division.
Best Finish
The Hardy Boyz score a fluky victory over Sheamus and Cesaro, preferably off a roll-up by Jeff. A post-match beatdown ensues and the trauma that results from it will spawn a certain "broken" personality.
Cruiserweight Championship Match: Austin Aries vs. Neville
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At WrestleMania, Neville defeated Austin Aries to retain his Cruiserweight Championship in one of the night's best matches. In the wake of the event, Aries earned a rematch against The King of the Cruiserweights and at Payback will look to avenge the loss in Orlando and relieve the NXT export of his title.
To say Neville has been the best thing about the cruiserweight division this year would be an understatement. He has been fantastic since turning heel but so has Aries, whose sarcastic babyface character has injected the division with an attitude it previously lacked.
Another loss for Aries may be difficult to overcome from a credibility standpoint, while Neville could easily rebound with a vicious assault of a cruiserweight division babyface like Rich Swann or Jack Gallagher.
Best Finish
Just days after submission holds played a key role in the final build to the match on 205 Live, Aries wins the title by forcing a tapout from Neville, courtesy of the Last Chancery.
Kickoff Show Match: Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
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Enzo Amore caught a beatdown from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson that left him unable to compete in a Six-Man Tag Team match this past Monday on Raw.
Other than the team's issues ahead of WrestleMania, that serves as the only build to this Kickoff Show match.
Amore and Big Cass are a more marketable and merchandised team, but Anderson and Gallows are likely more valuable, especially as the cloud known as Balor Club hangs overhead.
While Amore and Cass should probably go over here to generate some much-needed momentum, Anderson and Gallows need it more in order to maintain legitimacy.
Best Finish
Anderson and Gallows wipe out Cass at ringside, isolate Amore and finish him off with The Magic Killer.
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