Bleacher Report - Ryback

WWE Payback 2013 Results: Wrestlers Who Should Have Won

Maxwell Ogden — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:00:02 -0400

Another WWE pay-per-view is in the books, as Payback has come and passed with countless superstars taking home powerful victories. With that being said, not every result was as convincing or rewarding as fans may have liked.

The question is, which wrestlers should have won?

Certain wrestlers ended up on the losing side, thus seeing their title dreams dashed in a premature manner. Other superstars entered the event with a title but ended up losing their championship belt in a less-than-ideal way.

One way or another, certain wrestlers lost when they shouldn't have.

Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler is one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE, garnering respect from Internet marks and those live in attendance. He's also a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, which suggests that WWE has respected his ability.

Unfortunately, Ziggler's two reigns add up to 69 days of holding the title—a pair of lackluster reigns, to say the least.

Alberto Del Rio is a fine wrestler and deserves to be the World Heavyweight Champion, but not at Ziggler's expense—not yet, at least. After all, Del Rio held the title for three months before Ziggler cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase to take it from him.

So why have another trade of the title?

Rather than run the same old feuds resulting in a system of titles changing between two wrestlers, WWE should have allowed Ziggler to walk away. Even if he were to lose at the next pay-per-view, it could have been to a different opponent.

WWE is often criticized for being top heavy with little room for its mid-card wrestlers—that's mainly because two superstars go at it for the same title for months on end.

Ryback

There's no true issue with John Cena retaining his WWE championship, as he remains the top draw in the professional wrestling world. What there is an issue with, however, is the massive buildup and disappointing ending to Ryback's time as Cena's rival.

From a heel turn with promise to a deflating loss at Payback, we cannot help but wonder—where can Ryback go from here?

Even if he were to fail to serve as the superstar that WWE had hoped for, it was worth the risk of making Ryback champion. For a company that's thin on top-tier talent and often lets the rest go to waste, WWE had a golden opportunity to push Ryback over the edge.

With CM Punk returning and Cena always a viable option, there would have been alternatives if the title push failed to pan out.

If Ryback ended up thriving as WWE champion, the company would have added a much-needed star to spice up the top star division. In turn, it would have finally filled the void left by departed superstar Batista.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to do so has passed—for now.

Read more Ryback news on BleacherReport.com

John Cena vs. Ryback: Latest Buzz on Payback Showdown

Ryan Davenport — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:16:41 -0400

Tonight, two of professional wrestling's most fearsome Superstars will face off, and with the sport's most coveted belt on the line, the stakes couldn't be higher.

At the latest addition of the WWE's pay-per-view series, Payback, reigning WWE Championship title-holder John Cena is set to take on an imposing challenger in Ryback, in what should be a wildly entertaining clash.

Though there are seven other matches scheduled for Payback, including a much-hyped tilt between Chris Jericho and CM Punk and another featuring veteran force Kane and Dean Ambrose, this belt-worthy showdown is most certainly the night's main event.

Heading into the match, here's a late look at the latest buzz surrounding the event, as well as a look at early predictions.

According to Mike Chiari of Ring Rust Radio, the predicted outcome of the Cena-Ryback meeting shouldn't really be in question, given how little Ryback has done to merit confidence in his ability to pull off the upset over the longest-reigning WWE title-holder.

To end his reign after just two months would essentially erase everything that he did to earn it. Perhaps more importantly, though, Ryback just doesn't seem to be ready for such a lofty spot in the company.

His promo skills are not befitting of a WWE Champion at this point. He plays the monster heel role and speaking isn't exactly supposed to be the forte of a monster heel, but times have changed in professional wrestling. It is incredibly difficult to reach the top unless a superstar can cut a convincing promo. Ryback hasn't gotten to that point, so look for Cena to win the match and retain the title.

It's a point that's worth noting, because as we are all aware of, the WWE's champions are, historically, personalities that don't have any trouble capturing the attention of the general public, and at least as of now, Ryback doesn't seem to fit that billing, while John Cena clearly does.

And we can only assume that's precisely why Marc Middleton of WreslingInc.com is reporting that Ryback has been scheduled to fall to Cena at Payback.

As of this week, Ryback is not scheduled to win the WWE Title from John Cena at Sunday's Payback pay-per-view. The whole idea behind the Three Stages of Hell match is that it will be used as a vehicle to get Cena over big for the summer.

Given that Cena is one of the sport's most marketable and visible figures, it wouldn't make sense for Ryback to be the challenger who ends the reigning champ's run. He simply does not fit the profile of a frontman for the WWE, so it would be shocking to see him score an upset victory over the man who has been the face of professional wrestling for years.

That being said, there are some, such as Grantland's Masked Man, that wonder whether there's a surprise in store at Payback, and he offers up a reasonably convincing theory as to why Ryback could be set to steal Cena's title.

But now he's in a feud with Ryback, the only bruiser on the roster who can match Cena in terms of muscle definition and over-the-top angst. This Monday on Raw, Cena cut one of his patented, (unnecessarily) angry, (off-puttingly) loud promos. When he shows that kind of emotion he typically wins extra hard, so is there any chance that he might lose to Ryback on Sunday? Actually, yes. Cena and Ryback seem pretty well locked into their feud for the foreseeable future, and the only thing better (in WWE-think) than saving a shocking Ryback win for SummerSlam in August would be for Cena to triumphantly regain the title at SummerSlam.

Whether this theory will hold up once the match starts remains to be seen, but either way, the WWE belt is on the line, so it's worth talking about.

Cena has to be the overwhelming favorite to retain his belt, but if he somehow loses it to the surging Ryback, look for him to regain it very, very soon.

Read more Ryback news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Payback 2013: CM Punk and Stars Who Must Win

Benjamin Klein — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 07:58:40 -0400

CM Punk enters Payback 2013 in a position where he, among many other stars, has to win his match. Otherwise, things will start to hit the fan.

CM Punk has yet to be seen since losing to the Undertaker at WrestleMania 29 and he is expected to take the ring for the first time in more than two months. Chris Jericho, however, will be standing in his way, trying to avenge a pair of losses from a year ago.

So, who is the best in the world?

We’re going to find out on Sunday night. That is, if Punk even shows up to the Allstate Arena, which doesn’t seem like a guarantee. Jericho will be taking on someone no matter what happens with Punk, that’s for sure. But Jericho doesn’t need this victory as much as Punk does.

After losing against the Undertaker, Punk must prove to the WWE Universe that he’s still a relevant star in the sport who is capable of winning matches. Losing back-to-back matches would do a lot of harm to his resume and may even put his future career in jeopardy. A victory, though, would put Punk back into the spotlight.

Simply put, Payback will be one of the biggest matches of CM Punk’s career, one way or another. But which other stars enter Sunday night in must-win situations? Here’s a glance at a pair of stars that can’t afford to lose at Payback.

Ryback (vs. John Cena—WWE Title)

This could be Ryback’s one and only chance to prove that he’s worthy of being a star in the WWE. He hasn’t done much of anything since coming into WWE and it’s time to finally put his money where his mouth is and win a title match against John Cena.

Ryback has a ton of potential, but the clock on him winning a belt is ticking quickly and time is about to be up. He has yet to have a better opportunity to win the WWE Title than on Sunday at Payback, where he and Cena will face off in a Three Stages of Hell Match.

Ryback is an absolute monster. There’s no other way of putting it. His combination of size and aggression makes him a good candidate to rip the belt from the waist of Cena, but that doesn’t seem like a very likely scenario.

F4WOnline, via Wrestling Inc., is reporting a spoiler that Ryback will be on the losing side of the match once again:

As of this week, Ryback is not scheduled to win the WWE Title from John Cena at this Sunday’s Payback pay-per-view. The whole idea behind the Three Stages of Hell Match is that it will be used as a vehicle to get Cena over big for the summer.

That doesn’t seem to bode well for Ryback one bit.

The Shield (vs. Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton—WWE Tag Team Championship)

Is anyone going to be surprised when Randy Orton plays a role in intentionally losing this match for Daniel Bryan? I didn’t think so. It seems way too predictable, but then again, its high predictability could lead us to expect the opposite of what’s to come.

The Shield can’t afford to lose either of its matches at Payback, but this seems to be the one that has the highest implications. In general, though, a loss by any member or members of The Shield would bring doubt to how dominant they really are. A win, however, would certainly solidify the faction’s dominance.

Bryan has been on fire lately, but his relationship with his partner, Orton, could have large effects on the result of the match. The Shield is out looking for blood, and if Bryan and Orton can’t coexist in the ring there’s no way that they’re going to come out victorious with the belts around their waists.

It would be somewhat strange for Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins to lose the Tag Team titles so soon after winning them, but the storylines around this match are endless. But The Shield cannot—and shouldn’t—lose this match. If Reigns and Rollins do, we may be saying goodbye to those trying to bring justice back to the WWE.

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WWE Payback Preview; Cena over Ryback, Jericho over Punk & More!

John Canton — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:37:56 -0400

This Sunday night on pay-per-view, World Wrestling Entertainment presents the first ever Payback event. I'm not sure why they went with Payback or why they couldn't bring back an old name like Backlash. I guess it doesn't really matter.

Since Payback is not a show with a theme, most of the matches on the show lack any kind of gimmick. The only one with a stipulation on it is the main event Three Stages of Hell match between John Cena and Ryback for the WWE title.

What's interesting about the card is that of the eight matches on the show (including the pre-show "Kickoff Match"), six of them are for championships. I'm actually pleased to see so many titles on a pay-per-view card. Maybe WWE realized that titles are important and they should be defended on pay-per-views. Or maybe it was just a coincidence? I'm not sure.

In looking at the lineup I think it has the potential to be an above-average show if the right matches get the most time. What are the right matches? Jericho/Punk, Ziggler/Del Rio and the tag title match. If those three matches all get over 15 minutes, then they can be excellent and "steal the show," if you want to use that term.

I think Payback's an upgrade over last month's Extreme Rules show because Punk and Ziggler are back for this one. Their presence helps a lot.

Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow (Payback Kickoff Match)

I'm happy that Sandow is in a singles match on a pay-per-view (or close to a pay-per-view at least), but I don't see him winning here. Sheamus is likely in line for another singles push up the roster after winning his feud with Mark Henry and now going over Sandow.

I think a potential rivalry with Dolph Ziggler looms for him. This will be a six- or seven-minute match where nobody in the crowd thinks Sandow will win, so when Sheamus makes his big comeback they'll come alive for the Brogue Kick finish.

Winner: Sheamus

Intercontinental Championship: Wade Barrett vs. Curtis Axel vs. The Miz

I think Fandango was supposed to win the IC Title when this match was originally set up. Now that he's out, I still believe this is a match created to put the IC Title onto somebody other than Barrett or Miz.

Barrett's IC Title reign has been poorly booked, much like Antonio Cesaro's U.S. title reign was. Why? Because he has lost far too many non-title matches while holding the IC title. Like I have said many times, if we see a guy lose a lot in non-title matches, then when he loses the title it's not a big deal because he's already a loser to us.

I think they inserted Axel into the match because they wanted to move the title onto a heel who could benefit from it, and he's the right choice. I'm fairly confident in this prediction.

Winner: Curtis Axel

Divas Championship: Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee

I have changed my mind on this one a few times in the last week. I thought it was going to be AJ Lee, but after thinking about it some more I'm really leaning towards Kaitlyn.

This past week on Raw, AJ humiliated Kaitlyn and proved she could outsmart her former best friend. I think that scenario sets things up for Kaitlyn to come out focused and retain her title.

Will AJ win the title in the future? I think so. I just think the way they built this up sets things up for Kaitlyn to remain the Divas Champion.

Winner: Kaitlyn

United States Championship: Dean Ambrose vs. Kane

Does Kane really want the U.S. title? It would be nice if they could have set this up more than one week in advance so that he could make us think he actually cared about the title he's challenging for.

This is basically just a match to get Ambrose on the card and likely to give him a win against a big name. I think it's unlikely that Ambrose will win clean since Kane is always booked strong, but they could do a finish where Ambrose exposes a turnbuckle leading to some kind of cheap ending.

As long as Ambrose gets the pin, I'm cool with it. A count-out or DQ finish would be disappointing.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Tag Team Championships: The Shield (Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns) vs. Daniel Bryan & Randy Orton

Whoever Photoshopped the tag titles on Reigns & Rollins did an awful job. Haven't they taken photos holding the tag titles yet?

This one could be a lot of fun. Daniel Bryan might be the most popular performer in WWE right now, and in my opinion he's the best all around talent they have. It seems like Randy Orton is very motivated again after coasting a bit towards the end of last year and early this year. I think being a part of this angle with The Shield has helped keep him fresh.

Of course, with both of those guys the question is will one of them turn heel? I think Orton is going to turn heel in the near future.

If Bryan turns heel, it would be one of the biggest mistakes WWE could make. He has way too much momentum as a babyface. Do not ruin this with a heel turn.

As far as the match goes, I don't see the tag titles changing hands. There's no reason to do that. I think the best way to finish the match is to have some kind of miscommunication between Orton and Bryan. Perhaps Ambrose could interfere to help the heels, which would lead to Kane coming out and then somehow Orton ends up getting pinned. It can be something where Bryan bumps into Orton accidentally, Orton turns around and Reigns hits a Spear to win for his team.

It's important that Orton's the one that gets pinned because that could lead to him turning heel on Raw or SmackDown (preferably Raw) within a few weeks. I would be surprised if Reigns & Rollins won clean. Retaining the titles is a virtual lock, but a clean win is not a sure thing.

Winners: Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns

World Heavyweight Championship: Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio

This is Ziggler's first World Title defense on pay-per-view since he won the title the night after WrestleMania, and he was out of Extreme Rules with a concussion. He only returned to television in a physical capacity this week, so there hasn't been much build for this matchup.

There's no reason to take the title off Ziggler so early in his title run, especially since the concussion issue is behind him now.

This will likely be a very good match if they get 10-15 minutes like I expect. I think what may happen is Ziggler might get cheered by the smart Chicago fans, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts to that. Will Ziggler win clean? Maybe not, because he has been getting a lot of cheap wins with Big E Langston at ringside.

I just think this is the end of this feud rather than a continuation of what they've done so far. As mentioned earlier, I think Sheamus is likely as an opponent of Ziggler in the very near future.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho

This is the match I'm most excited about. Why? Three reasons:

1. It's very hard to predict what may happen.

2. The match should be excellent.

3. I have missed CM Punk immensely.

With that first reason in mind, here's my scenario on what I think might happen.

I think Punk will walk into the match as a babyface in his hometown of Chicago and leave as a babyface. I think Jericho's going to win as a face and leave as a heel aligned with Paul Heyman. How do you get there? Heyman could come out, give Punk a big introduction and brag about how he signed the match. Instead of Punk wrestling right away, he could say he's not having this match because Heyman booked it. He's doing it because he didn't want to let Chicago down.

Give them 15-20 minutes with Heyman at ringside. Every time Heyman tries to help, Punk tells him he doesn't need him. Cue the finish. Heyman distracts Punk and that allows Jericho to hit a Codebreaker. After the match, Jericho applies the Walls of Jericho onto Punk to rub salt in the wounds.

The next night on Raw, Jericho can say he was a "Heyman Guy" long before Punk even wrestled, since Heyman gave Jericho his big break in ECW in 1996. They can do the rematch at Money in the Bank, Punk goes over as a babyface and that sets up babyface Punk vs. Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Money match right there.

Do I want Punk to be a babyface upon his return? No, I don't. He's my favorite heel in wrestling. I think it sucks to see him turn face after turning heel last year. However, I think it's inevitable.

The Lesnar match at SummerSlam would be a big deal and makes sense with Punk as the former Heyman guy going up against a heel like Lesnar.

I think Punk as a babyface would hurt the rise of Daniel Bryan, which is also another reason why I want him to stay heel. He should be a guy whom Bryan beats to get to the top.

I'm predicting Jericho to win. I think his speech on Raw about how he "needs" to win is the sign of a heel turn. He likes being a heel.

It's the right setting for him to turn since the crowd will strongly support Punk. I'm not sure of this prediction, so keep that in mind. It's the hardest match to call.

Winner: Chris Jericho

WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Ryback in a Three Stages of Hell Match (Stage 1: Lumberjack match. Stage 2: Tables match. Stage 3: Ambulance match)

If you think I was going to put something other than "Winner: John Cena" here then you're crazy.

I think it's pretty obvious that Cena is going to retain the WWE title. This is his second pay-per-view title defense and he didn't even win his first one at Extreme Rules, so I think it's likely he will end this Ryback feud here.

Since they are working three matches, I expect them to get about 20 minutes. I think the stipulations will help, because if it were a regular match it would be pretty boring.

I think Cena will win the first fall, Ryback will win the second fall and continue to dominate the match as they head to the Ambulance-match portion. Cena will make his usual superman comeback; they'll likely do some kind of big spot and Cena will win.

Who is Cena's next pay-per-view opponent? I'm not sure. It could be the returning Mark Henry. Perhaps it will be a babyface feud against Daniel Bryan or a three way of some kind. I don't really know.

I think this is the end of Ryback as a main event WWE title challenger. The champ retains.

Winner: John Cena

Final Thoughts

I wrote a lot about the matches, so for my final thought I think it's worth mentioning that the Chicago crowd may be the best group of fans that WWE regularly visits.

They make matches more interesting because of how loud they are and what they may chant at any given time. When a crowd is loud the show is usually more fun. I look forward to the reactions of the fans.

I think Payback will be an above-average show carried by excellent in-ring work and hopefully a few surprises or two.

John Canton is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. You can read more of his work at his website TJRWrestling.com. He also writes for LayfieldReport.com. You can follow John on Twitter @johnreport.

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WWE: What Will Happen to Ryback After Payback Main Event?

Joe Johnson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:19:46 -0400

We may not have witnessed a scenario quite like what has happened to the once-dominant Ryback. When was the last time a main-event push actually ruined an up-and-coming superstar's momentum?

After a year of build, including months of jobber squashing and protection, Ryback looked like a main-event star. His sudden ascension to the WWE Title scene as a fill-in against CM Punk at Hell in a Cell was accepted, nay, welcomed by the fans.

He was protected during the TLC match at TLC against The Shield. He was the last man standing against John Cena in the Royal Rumble.

They had done everything right in building Ryback to pose a legitimate threat to Cena and stand equal to any foe on the roster. Then he inexplicably turned heel the night after WrestleMania and the air was released from the balloon.

The only comparison I can make is the sudden Randy Orton babyface turn when he was kicked out of Evolution after winning the WWE Title. Orton had just become the youngest top champion in the company's history, was gathering steam and crowd support for his role in Evolution, and the company was ready to make him the face of the company.

Then they cut off his manly regions, turned him into a smiling, happy-go-lucky and plucky babyface and the crowd turned on him. They took away everything that had made him Randy Orton. Following Ryback's turn, we saw much of the same. Everything that made him Ryback was lost.

Ryback was a wrecking ball that didn't step down from any fight. One jobber? Give him two. Not enough? Feed him three jobbers. CM Punk? The reigning WWE Champion and Best in the World? No fear.

You truly believed that if someone dared him, Ryback could run through a brick wall and he'd enjoy it. Now, he walks away from fights and attacks Cena from behind.

On Sunday, Ryback will receive his second WWE Title match in as many months. After last month's bizarre no-contest in a Last Man Standing match against Cena, he faces the champ in a Three Stages of Hell match that features a Lumberjack Match, a Tables Match and an Ambulance Match.

Based on having watched too much wrestling for my own good, here's what I expect to happen based on the stipulations: Cena wins the Lumberjack match, fighting off a flurry of heels that don't like him because he's a good guy and they're bad guys to overcome the odds.

Ryback wins the tables match because throwing a guy through a table can be a fluke. It's not skill and Cena loses no heat. Cena battles back after being thrown through a table, dragged around for a few minutes on the third fall before rallying against all odds to toss Ryback into the Ambulance for the victory.

So, the question remains, what happens to Ryback next? Daniel Bryan is considered a front-runner for a WWE Title challenge sometime in the next few months. CM Punk is back. The Shield keeps rising. Brock Lesnar is always lurking. Ryback isn't getting another title shot for some time.

But what's left of the babyface roster? Does Ryback vs. Sheamus excite anyone? What about Ryback vs. Alberto Del Rio? Does Kofi Kingston return from injury to battle his assailant, only to be put down again?

There isn't a logical place for Ryback on the show. It's unclear as to how he's handled by creative going forward.

What do you think is the best use for Ryback after Payback?

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Update on Plans for Ryback, Cena and Bryan Following Payback, Potential Spoilers

Sharon Glencross — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:29:19 -0400

So what will WWE do with Ryback, John Cena and Daniel Bryan at, and following, the Payback pay-per-view?

Well, in this week's (subscribers-only) F4W Newsletter, Bryan Alvarez notes that current creative plans do not involve Ryback coming out on top and winning the WWE Title from archenemy Cena.

The WWE, it seems, sees the Ryback feud as more of a way to get Cena over heading into the summer months:

At the moment, Ryback is not scheduled to win the title and the idea for the Three Stages of Hell match is that it is a vehicle to get over Cena big for the summer.

But, rest assured, Ryback fans, as Alvarez notes, plans are constantly changing in the hectic world of the WWE, particularly in the case of rising star Daniel Bryan:

Now, keep in mind, all is subject to change, and in fact this card changed from the weekend to Raw (for example, Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan was scheduled as of Saturday, but by Monday they'd changed it to the tag team match). Bryan, as of last week, was scheduled to be in the title picture in both July and August, perhaps in a three-way at Money in the Bank, but with the Orton storyline having changed a bit, perhaps that's off the table for now.

So, what to make of all this?

Well, assuming the initial predictions are correct, and Ryback does lose on Sunday, it will do the star's credibility no favors whatsoever.

Just how many times has he come up short when going after the WWE Title over the last year? Five? Six? No wonder many fans have stopped believing in him.

There's also the question of whether Cena, the undisputed No. 1 in the company, even needs his star power built up any more.

What good will sacrificing Ryback do in the long run?

The WWE's obsession with Cena may not bode too well for Bryan either when he does enter the title picture.

Bryan is a terrific wrestler, a funny personalty and is liked by the fans.

He could easily be the company's next babyface star if he's allowed the chance to flourish and isn't kept in Cena's shadow.

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John Cena: A Look at His History with Lumberjack, Tables and Ambulance Matches

Ryan Dilbert — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:38:49 -0400

John Cena goes up against Ryback in a Three Stages of Hell match at WWE Payback far more experienced in the world of Lumberjack, Tables and Ambulance matches than his opponent.

His past record at each of these hints at how Sunday could turn out.

Cena has a number of wins with lumberjacks surrounding the ring, can't seem to get a victory when tables are involved and has a 1-0 record in Ambulance matches. If history repeats itself, expect Cena to win the first fall to Ryback, lose the second and come out on top by winning the third.

Ryback has incorporated a passion for breaking tables and shoving folks into ambulances over the last few weeks, sending Kofi Kingston through a trio of tables and giving guys like Zack Ryder a free ride to the hospital.

It's Cena, though, who has the significant edge in experience in these gimmick matches. The first stage's stipulation is one where he has compiled the most victories.

Lumberjack

Cena's previous Lumberjack matches have mostly been more about the lumberjacks than the wrestlers. They have been excuses for factions to attack and for chaos to erupt.

That will be far from the case at Payback, as the focus will be squarely on the WWE champ and challenger.

On WWE Raw in 2005, Cena took on Snitsky in a Lumberjack match where the lumberjacks were involved in a fight of their own. Big Show, Shelton Benjamin, Viscera and others came down to ringside and attacked the lumberjacks.

The events outside the ring trumped the action inside of it.

Viscera humped a stack of men. Chris Jericho hid behind Lilian Garcia before swinging a chair at Cena's head. The fact that Cena won with the FU (now Attitude Adjustment) seemed like a minor event compared to everything else going on.

Cena's 2006 Lumberjack match against Sabu at Vengeance 2006 had a similar vibe. Beyond being about Cena and Sabu's differences, this contest was a clash between WWE and ECW, as wrestlers from both brands served as lumberjacks who not surprisingly didn't get along.

Sabu tapped out to end it.

Cena's battle with Miz in 2009 was the story of Cena surviving despite all of the lumberjacks being his enemies. Legacy, Chris Masters, Carlito and even Jeremy Piven were against him.

The lumberjacks served as an obstacle for Cena to overcome, a way to stack the odds against him. In his upcoming match with Ryback, this won't be the case, as the lumberjacks don't seem to serve an obvious purpose.

When Cena took on Kane in a Lumberjack match in 2010, Nexus played the part of the lumberjacks. It was only a matter of time before Wade Barrett and company swarmed Cena.

Cena has Lumberjacks wins over Sabu, Snitzky and Miz, and the match against Kane didn't have a proper ending, as Cena left the ring after popping some of the Nexus members in the mouth.

His record in Tables matches is far less impressive.

Tables

Cena's kryptonite may indeed be tables.

WWE has no issue with letting Cena lose this type of match. This was the stipulation when Sheamus defeated him for the WWE title at TLC 2009.

In 2010, Cena lost to Randy Orton in a Tables match on WWE Raw thanks to an Attitude Adjustment countered into an RKO.

The tables stipulation allowed Cena to lose without having to get pinned or submit. It’s more of a fluky win and one that can involve multiple interferers, like with the Orton match.

Nexus involved themselves in the Orton and Cena battle, as did Chris Jericho, Edge and Sheamus. With the only way to end a Tables match being to put a man through a table, any man with bad intentions can attack either participant.

Ryback doesn't have any allies who would come down and help him, but he likely won't need the help. Ryback has shown off his ability to put people through tables in recent weeks and should further blemish Cena's record in Tables matches.

In addition to losing to Sheamus and Orton, Cena also has a Tables match loss to R-Truth on his resume. In June 2011, R-Truth won their Raw Roulette battle with help from CM Punk.

Can Cena turn his fortunes around in Tables matches, or is this Ryback's fall to take? Either way, it will be the Ambulance match portion of the match that ultimately decides who walks out of Chicago with the WWE Championship.

Ambulance

Cena has only been in one Ambulance match, winning against Kane at Elimination Chamber 2012.

Cena and Ryback's match should look a lot like this one, with their brawl moving from the ring to backstage to the ambulance itself. Cena fought off the monster that is Kane by using the ambulance as a weapon and by hitting the Attitude Adjustment to his foe from off the top of the vehicle.

Cena's lack of selling the physical toll of this battle took away from the realism and emotional power of the match. His ability and willingness to improve upon that aspect against Ryback will help determine the quality of this match and, to a degree, the success of the pay-per-view.

The smart money is on Cena to go 2-0 in Ambulance matches, retain the title and move on to another challenger for Money in the Bank. Unless WWE has a major surprise stored away, it looks like history will repeat itself, one fall at a time.

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