WWE Payback 2017: B/R Expert Match Picks, Predictions and Analysis

Sunday's Payback pay-per-view will be the first special event for Raw following WrestleMania 33 and the recent Superstar Shake-up, so there's a little pressure on everyone to build some momentum heading into the summer.

Here is a look at the lineup for Sunday's show, according to WWE.com:

• Enzo and Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (Kickoff)
• Samoa Joe vs. Seth Rollins
• Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt (House of Horrors)
• The Hardy Boyz vs. Sheamus and Cesaro (Raw Tag Team Championships)
• Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
• Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho (United States Championship)
• Neville vs. Austin Aries (Cruiserweight Championship)
• Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

Bleacher Report's excellent lineup of contributors will answer the tough questions about the WWE landscape and provide predictions for each match on the Payback card. Our group is made up of the following:

• Anthony Mango (@ToeKneeManGo), founder of SmarkOutMoment.com and host of the podcast Smack Talk.
• Kevin Berge (@TheBerge_).
• James Moffat (@Jamesmoffat).
• Ryan Dilbert (@RyanDilbert).
• Graham Matthews (@Wrestlerant).
• Yours truly, Chris Mueller (@BR_Doctor).

Let's go through each match on the card and attempt to make some logical predictions.

Enzo and Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson

Q: Enzo and Cass have been struggling on Raw, and Carmella isn't doing any better on SmackDown. Should WWE put them back together as a trio? Why or why not?

Graham Matthews (GM): I think they'll definitely be put together eventually, and I'm actually somewhat surprised they weren't reunited in the Superstar Shake-up. That said, it's best they're kept alone for now. Carmella is better off as a heel, and she'll find her footing eventually, while all Enzo and Cass need is a bit better booking and they'll be much more tolerable than they are right now.

Match Prediction: Enzo and Cass win.

Anthony Mango (AM): Carmella was never the strongest character of the bunch like Enzo Amore is, so reforming the group in full wouldn't help anybody in the grand scheme of things. Enzo and Cass would have benefitted from being on SmackDown more than The New Day, but Carmella perhaps would have been a bigger fish on NXT more than either of the main brands.

Match Prediction: Gallows and Anderson are victorious.

James Moffat (JM): If WWE's goal is to simply get the trio "over" with the fans, then yes. Enzo, Cass and Carmella were as entertaining as any NXT act, and there's no reason to believe they couldn't replicate that same charisma on the main roster. However, I think the company should keep them separated. Enzo and Cass will find their footing in the tag team division on Raw. As for Carmella, WWE should let her develop naturally, instead of forcing her into terrible storylines that she's been saddled with since her call-up.

Match Prediction: Enzo and Cass win.

Kevin Berge (KB): I never saw Carmella as a support to Enzo and Cass as the fans rarely wanted to cheer her even when she was entering with the popular duo. What Enzo and Cass need are fresh stories and some real momentum, while Carmella just needs more time to develop. Together, they do little for one another even if Cass would like to be working on the same roster as his girlfriend.

Match Prediction: Enzo and Cass take a fairly innocuous win.

Ryan Dilbert (RD): No. The Natalya-led faction on SmackDown has potential, giving Carmella some direction. Ditching James Ellsworth in violent fashion at some point is more important than rejoining her NXT allies.

Match Prediction: Amore and Cass eke out a win.

Chris Mueller (CM): I would have said no a few months ago, but now I feel like they could help each other. Enzo and Cass haven't had any momentum recently, and Carmella is suffering in a storyline with James Ellsworth. Even if the plan is to split them up again, putting them together for a short time would help everyone in the end.

Match Prediction: Enzo and Cass get the win.

Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

Q: Roman Reigns is coming off the biggest win of his career at WrestleMania 33, but Braun Strowman has been booked stronger than anyone else in recent weeks. Whose push will suffer more from a loss at Payback?

GM: Considering he's bound to be challenging Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at June's Extreme Rules event, Strowman should win this match, and I predict he will. However, it is weird that the guy who retired Undertaker is being ambushed with ease and will likely lose at Payback. However, Strowman needs the win far more than Reigns after losing at Fastlane, and Reigns will be fine no matter what.

Match Prediction: Braun Strowman wins.

AM: Definitely Braun Strowman. There's nothing Roman Reigns gains by winning as he's already a multi-time champion and someone the crowd is sick of seeing win. Strowman, on the other hand, isn't at that same level of credibility of possibly winning any title at any moment. A win over Reigns solidifies him as a top guy for real instead of it just being in his potential, and a loss just reassures everyone Strowman is close, but WWE doesn't truly want to give him the ball to run with.

Match Prediction: Roman Reigns sadly wins.

JM: Strowman, for sure. Reigns isn't going anywhere—he'll be in the main event scene for a long time. His recent push has already been disrupted with bad booking decisions. The loss to Kalisto on Monday night was unthinkable. Another loss to Reigns (following the one at Fastlane) would essentially kill Strowman's push before it even begins.

Match Prediction: Reigns once again overcomes adversity to defeat Strowman.

KB: Strowman has already lost a match to Reigns and has only been pushed stronger since. Another loss to Reigns will likely not hurt him too much, but it would be a larger blow to Strowman than Reigns. In a major feud, both wrestlers should get wins, especially given that Reigns should still be selling serious injuries which give him an out if he loses.

Match Prediction: Strowman simply overwhelms Reigns who is too hurt to take on the monster.

RD: Strowman. Reigns is already a former WWE champ, Royal Rumble winner and tag team title holder. He's main-evented WrestleMania three times running. He's set. It's Strowman who is in the early stages of building his name, of setting the foundation for his legacy. He needs the win and a Universal Championship run far more than The Big Dog.

Match Prediction: Reigns wins a tough battle.

CM: Reigns can afford a loss after everything he has accomplished. Strowman is just getting going, so he needs to beat someone on Reigns' level to continue his rise to the top. If Reigns wins, it will be another in a long line of disappointing booking decisions on WWE's part.

Match Prediction: Braun Strowman wins.

Bonus Question No. 1

Q: If Kurt Angle is going to have another match in WWE, it will likely be against a Raw Superstar since he is the GM. If he only has one more match, who would you like to see him face most and why?

GM: I could certainly see him facing Triple H in a return match (maybe at WrestleMania) once Stephanie McMahon returns and they kick off that feud, but I would love for him to go up against AJ Styles. Yes, they've had a million matches before in TNA, er, Impact Wrestling, and Seth Rollins would be a fresher face, but Styles is far and away the best wrestler in the company right now and would get the best bout possible out of Angle.

AM: If we're limited to Raw, I could pick Cesaro and use it as a means to catapult him into the legitimate main event tier. We've seen Angle fight Lesnar, Joe and others before, and I feel like a match against Reigns or Rollins wouldn't be as technically sound.

JM: Personally, I'm not a fan of Angle getting back into the squared circle. But if he does, it needs to be against someone he has history with. To me, that would mean Samoa Joe. It would be easy to develop a storyline where Joe, at Triple H's bidding, takes on Angle to send a message about who really runs Raw. Plus, Joe and Angle have history, which would lend itself to a better match thanks to their familiarity with one another.

KB: Angle has had his best matches with fast physical opponents, in particular Brock Lesnar, so he would match up best with a performer like Roman Reigns which would also be a seriously high-profile clash. Similar pairings include Sheamus and Cesaro, but they are not main eventers like Reigns.

RD: Bray Wyatt. The Eater of Worlds sending Angle off into the sunset is the kind of career-changing moment he needs to move into top-star status. Plus, the matchup would feature an intriguing juxtaposition of styles and characters.

CM: My ideal opponent for Angle would be Cesaro, but WWE probably wouldn't give him that big of a feud while he is still teaming with Sheamus. Just thinking about the matches Cesaro and Angle would have should get any wrestling fan excited.

Neville vs. Austin Aries (Cruiserweight Championship)

Q; The cruiserweight division has been hot and cold since 205 Live debuted. How do you feel WWE has handled the cruiserweight division since its inception and what could be done to improve it?

GM: I can't say I've been impressed with how WWE has handled the cruiserweight division since the dawn of the division late last year. On the bright side, they are headed in the right direction with this Neville vs. Austin Aries feud because I enjoyed their WrestleMania match and am sure they'll contest another great match at Payback. Beyond that, WWE needs to not relegate them to brief bouts on Raw every week and allow them to showcase their skills as they did in the Cruiserweight Classic.

Match Prediction: Neville retains the cruiserweight championship.

AM: I seem to be part of the rare group of people who not only watch 205 Live every week but also enjoy it. Perhaps it's an issue of oversaturation after watching three hours of Raw and two of SmackDown, then forcing people to switch over to another platform to watch what likely will be recapped on Raw anyway. It's still relatively new, too, and unless WWE ever makes it seem like it's important rather than supplemental, it'll be hard to convince fans it's not just an extra bit of wrestling on the side.

Match Prediction: Austin Aries becomes the new cruiserweight champion.

JM: WWE did an immediate disservice to the cruiserweights by not fully developing their characters before sending them out in front of audiences. The company has started to reverse course at the top of the division, but the rest of the roster is full of caricatures, not characters. I'd love to see the cruiserweights more involved in NXT than the main roster, with title matches possibly being placed on pay-per-views. Doing this would also give NXT more bodies for their increasing travel schedule, while adding additional programming on Wednesday nights.

Match Prediction: Neville wins thanks to interference from TJ Perkins.

KB: Since their first night on Raw, the cruiserweights have not felt like unique-enough performers. 205 Live is often defined by silly storylines that the performers are not great at delivering. The only true success has been Neville and anyone involved with him because he has a character strong enough to match up to anything on Raw or SmackDown alongside strong wrestling ability.

Match Prediction: Neville barely defeats Aries again with the help of TJ Perkins.

RD: The division is inching along to where it needs to be. A number of recent changes have bolstered it: Neville taking over, adding Austin Aries, turning TJ Perkins heel and showcasing Jack Gallagher more. To keep progressing, it needs better stories. Stuff like the Alicia Fox love triangle is a hindrance.

Match Prediction: Neville retains with Perkins' help.

CM: The cruiserweight division almost has too much talent right now. Unless WWE starts putting these guys in feuds with non-cruiserweights while they wait for title shots, we will continue to see people who are great wrestlers left behind. Even having them feud with NXT stars would give WWE more options.

Match Prediction: Austin Aries wins the title.

Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe

Q: Seth Rollins' career has been tied to Triple H in one way or another for the past two years. Would he benefit from a move to SmackDown where he can be free from The Authority's storyline? Why or why not?

GM: Seth Rollins moving to SmackDown would have given him a nice change of scenery, but the blue brand has enough top-tier babyfaces right now from AJ Styles to Sami Zayn to Randy Orton. On Raw, Rollins can feud with Bray Wyatt, The Miz, Brock Lesar and potentially bring The Shield back together at some point, so I can live with him being a part of Monday nights for another year.

Match Prediction: Samoa Joe wins.

AM: Very much so. That is a feud that has overstayed its welcome at this point, and I'd be perfectly happy to never see it revisited again. Rollins should focus on having quality matches with new challengers like AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler and Shinsuke Nakamura from now on rather than cutting another promo on Triple H or Stephanie McMahon.

Match Prediction: Samoa Joe better win this, or WWE has the wrong priorities.

JM: Sure, he would benefit, but I don't think it's necessary. Moving Rollins to SmackDown would be the easy out, especially because WWE has a tendency to run storylines far too long. A victory over Joe on Sunday would provide Rollins the revenge he's craved since this latest injury and would allow the angle to close. Unfortunately, I foresee a mini Shield reunion against Triple H's new authority stable, which won't do anyone any good.  

Match Prediction: Seth Rollins exacts revenge and exits with a victory.

KB: Right now, he is just starting what could be an excellent feud with Samoa Joe. He isn't hurt as long as The Authority don't take over Monday Night Raw again, something that would hurt the product regardless of Rollins' inclusion on the brand. He should be just fine on Raw for another year even if SmackDown could use the star power.

Match Prediction: Samoa Joe cheats to steal a victory from Rollins and ruins his redemption for now.

RD: I'm surprised he didn't move during the Superstar Shake-up for that very reason. Staying with Raw allows him to finish his story with Samoa Joe, though. And The Architect's inconsistent babyface character is more than an issue than his brand.  

Match Prediction: Rollins wins.

CM: Absolutely. As long as Rollins is on the same brand with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, he will be linked to them. He needs new opponents, a new setting and a fresh start. He could have had some amazing matches with guys like Styles on SmackDown, but we won't get them anytime soon.

Match Prediction: Seth Rollins wins, but Joe destroys him after the match.

Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss (Women’s Title)

Q: Which brand benefited more in the women's division from the Superstar Shake-up and why?

GM: SmackDown has always had the stronger women's divison on the whole, but Raw benefited way more from the Superstar Shake-up in my opinion when they enlisted Alexa Bliss and Mickie James. The blue brand will make do with who they have similar to how they did last year, but Raw's women's division has me more excited at the moment.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains the Raw Women's Championship.

AM: Since SmackDown just became the Charlotte Flair Show in the same way that Raw was, while Raw now has the top woman in the company (Alexa Bliss) along with Mickie James and doesn't have to make everything about Charlotte, Raw has received the most significant upgrade, for sure.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains the title.

JM: SmackDown benefited the most because it got what it needed—a legitimate headline draw for its women's division. Alexa Bliss was popular, but she is nowhere near the finished product that Charlotte Flair is. Even adding Bliss, Raw faces the same problem as it did before the shake-up: a top-heavy division with no midcard.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains her title.

KB: It is hard to say right now until more is seen from both divisions, but Raw's division feels fresh now with the move, while SmackDown's did not change much even with Charlotte moving brands. Bliss and Mickie add new matchups across the board, while Charlotte moving away forced the brand to stop relying on her.

Match Prediction: Bayley's title reign continues with an impressive clean win over Bliss.

RD: As great as Bliss has been, Charlotte Flair is the clear marquee talent of the women's division. SmackDown nabbing her elevated the show instantly. She's a franchise player who can headline for the blue brand. That alone give SmackDown the edge.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains.

CM: SmackDown may have gotten the biggest star in Charlotte, but Raw is in a better position after gaining Bliss and James. Both women will provide the rest of the Raw women's division with fresh feuds, which is sorely needed after The Queen reigned supreme for so long.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains the title.

Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens (U.S. Title)

Q: Kevin Owens has been a heel since he turned on Sami Zayn in NXT, but many fans still cheer for him. Explain whether or not you feel like he would benefit from a babyface turn in the near future and why.

GM: Kevin Owens will inevitably be a babyface at some point, just because he is quite likeable more often than not. As noted earlier, though, SmackDown has more than enough babyfaces right now and needs all the heel star power it can get. He is a perfect lead heel for them and is more natural in that role, anyway (see: The Miz).

Match Prediction: Kevin Owens retains the United States Championship.

AM: I always feel like heel and face turns should happen at a time either when someone's act has gotten stale or when the fans are least expecting it and it would create lots of great storylines to come, if not both qualifiers. Right now, Kevin Owens is still doing great just the way he is, so if it's not broken, there's nothing to fix.

Match Prediction: Kevin Owens retains the championship.

JM: Owens is a quintessential heel. His mannerisms, his commentary, his ring work all scream heel. What good does it do to change him, make him a face? Short answer: It does him no good. Let the fans cheer him as a heel.

Match Prediction: Owens retains the United States Championship.

KB: Fans will always cheer talented performers these days. In fact, crowds just seem more inclined toward heels than faces. This does not mean that KO should turn heel because he's far too good in a heel role to change sides. Charismatic performers can pull anything off, but it would not be a move that benefited Owens.

Match Prediction: KO overpowers Jericho and sends him off to tour with Fozzy.

RD: At some point, sure, but he is so great as a heel. He's deftly disdainful and cocky. This Face of America gimmick is an especially good fit. Owens is at his best when he's allowed to be bloodthirsty as well.

Match Prediction: Owens wins the match of the night.

CM: He needs to stay heel for now, but eventually WWE will have to test the waters with a babyface run. The fans love him, so his chances of failure are slim. He just needs the right storyline so it doesn't feel like a face turn out of nowhere.

Match Prediction: Owens retains the title and continues being the face of America.

Bonus Question No. 2

Q: We have seen The Drifter pop up on Raw several times in recent weeks. Who would you like to see him face in his first main roster feud and why?

GM: I have no preference in regards to who Elias Samson feuds with first, but I will say WWE has piqued my interest with what they've done with him so far. I could envision him in a storyline with someone like Apollo Crews and Kalisto in the near future.

AM: Realistically, he needs to fight someone in the midcard so fans have time to get used to him before he can ascend to a higher level. I'd like to see him beat some lower-level talent like Curtis Axel and R-Truth for a few weeks before starting a feud with either Apollo Crews or Kalisto.

JM: I'd love to see Samson work with Dean Ambrose, if only to give The Drifter a high-profile first feud and to take Ambrose down a different path than The Miz or Bray Wyatt feuds that seem too stale. Even if he doesn't win the feud, it would provide Samson some momentum if the feud were long enough and profiled properly. 

KB: I'm not sure any feud for The Drifter will be high profile enough to make much impact on Monday Night Raw. That said, he and Heath Slater would make for an entertaining conflict with Samson then being forced to find someone who might team up with him against Slater and Rhyno. This could make for some odd duck pairings that get guys like Bo Dallas or Curtis Axel on TV again.

RD: I'd like to see WWE drag out his introduction for one, letting him wander in the background for a long time. When he finally emerges, Enzo Amore would be a fun foil for him. Amore tearing The Drifter apart on the mic would be entertaining. And nobody plays a ragdoll better than him right now.

CM: Elias Samson didn't have much success in NXT, but he has potential. He needs to start off small with a feud against someone like Curt Hawkins or Titus O'Neil so fans can get to know him before he moves on to bigger names in the midcard scene.

The Hardy Boyz vs. Cesaro and Sheamus (Tag Team Championships)

Q: Is WWE better off keeping the classic Hardy Boyz gimmick, using their broken characters or coming up with something original for Matt and Jeff?

GM: The classic Hardy Boyz gimmick has a very short shelf life. They'll wear out their welcome the same way The Dudley Boyz did two years ago, not to mention there is a ton of money to be made with the "broken" characters. Matt, and maybe Jeff, can come up with something entirely new for the broken back story considering WWE wouldn't acknowledge its TNA roots.

Match Prediction: The Hardy Boyz retain the Raw Tag Team Championship.

AM: If you go with something original and it isn't great, everybody will compare it to the broken gimmick and say it was a mistake. The easiest, smartest move was to have them return with their old versions to pop the audience and reintroduce us to their classic style Then they can turn into the broken versions down the line to freshen things up when WWE has the legal ability to play around with those characters.

Match Prediction: The Hardy Boyz retain unless Cesaro and Sheamus turn heel during the match.

JM: I think WWE needs to strike while the iron is hot and use the Broken gimmick. Fans are already clamoring for it, with the constant "Delete" chants and signs popping up in arenas. It would also break the monotony of the tag team division, with a brand new storyline and something most WWE fans haven't seen before.

Match Prediction: The Hardy Boyz retain the tag team titles.

KB: It is clear that fans are clamoring for Matt to be broken, and WWE would be remiss not to play on that popularity once potential lawsuits have been settled. Jeff can be separate from that gimmick due to his own popularity, but Matt needs to get a chance to play his broken character to make a final impact in WWE. The Hardy Boyz can be over with fans regardless, but playing a nostalgia act was the death of The Dudleys’ final run in WWE.

Match Prediction: The Hardy Boyz defeat Sheamus and Cesaro and cause the duo to turn heel.

RD: The broken stuff is the best option, but only if WWE goes all in on it. The company has to give Matt and Jeff some creative control, too. Those strange incarnations of the Hardys would make just a compelling juxtaposition with a number of Raw stars.

Match Prediction: Cesaro and Sheamus take the titles, turning heel in the process.

CM: I would like to see them use the "broken" gimmick but alter it just enough to be fresh. If they simply repeat what they did in TNA, everyone will say WWE just copied someone else. Matt has proved himself to be creative enough to lead the charge, so he should be allowed to dictate where the story goes from here.

Match Prediction: The Hardys retain while Sheamus and Cesaro either turn heel or get into a fight and break up.

Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt (House of Horrors)

Q: Bray Wyatt has never been booked to his fullest potential, even as WWE champion. Do you think he will find more success on Raw than he did on SmackDown? Why or why not?

GM: In all honesty, Bray Wyatt might be worse off on Raw than he was on SmackDown Live. A potential program with Seth Rollins is compelling, as would a feud with Finn Balor, but Wyatt versus Roman Reigns again would be a waste. There is no chance he even sniffs the main event scene on Raw, and he just isn't the same without followers. And no, WWE should not reunite him with Braun Strowman.

Match Prediction: Randy Orton wins.

AM: Unfortunately for him, no, he won't. Bray Wyatt is an interesting character, but we've gone through several years of him being treated as a main event talent. For all that time to have passed with him feuding with huge stars—John Cena, The Undertaker, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan—yet he still snaps back like a rubber band to just not being good enough to stay on that level, why assume it won't just happen again? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me over and over again since he was Husky Harris, shame on me.

Match Prediction: Randy Orton retains the title if it's on the line, but there's a slight chance Bray Wyatt wins if it isn't.

JM: No, because I don't think WWE still knows what it wants to do with Wyatt, quite frankly. Wyatt should be a monster heel with his personality and aptitude in the ring. Unfortunately, he's stuck in neutral far too often and is used to get babyfaces over. Even his recent title run on SmackDown was all a means to an end, which was to put Orton over. It seems Wyatt is destined to deliver vague promos and lose long-term feuds.

Match Prediction: Orton prevails.

KB: Until WWE changes Wyatt's direction significantly, it is hard to ever believe he will be allowed to take the next step. The Eater of Worlds has been respected with regular significant storylines, but his credibility as a performer has taken too significant a hit. A face turn on Raw is the only answer that would clearly change Wyatt's image.

Match Prediction: Orton proves to have Wyatt's number by defeating him once more.

RD: No. On Raw, he will have to compete with Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and Finn Balor to find a spot within the Universal Championship picture. It's not likely the red brand values him enough to push him past those guys. On SmackDown, meanwhile, he was allowed to be the show's king, even if only for a moment.

Match Prediction: Match ends in a no-contest and is too weird for most fans' tastes.

CM: It's unlikely, but there is a way he could reinvent himself. Turning Wyatt babyface could be the key to saving his character. He wouldn't have to go full hero to get fans to cheer for him because many already do. He just needs to switch his focus to fighting the establishment instead of random wrestlers.

Match Prediction: Orton retains the title.