WWE Payback 2015: Power Ranking Most Likely Winners in Fatal 4-Way Match

Sunday night, WWE will present its May pay-per-view extravaganza Payback.

The main event pits four of the brightest stars in the WWE Universe against each other as Seth Rollins defends his world heavyweight title against former Shield mates Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, as well as his top nemesis, "The Viper" Randy Orton.

With three challengers vying for the title Rollins holds dearest, it would seem as though the odds are against the man once considered The Architect.

But are they really?

The revelation by COO Triple H that if Rollins fails to leave Baltimore with the title, Director of Operations Kane will lose his job creates a scenario in which it would behoove the Big Red Monster to ensure that the golden boy of The Authority successfully retains.

With Reigns surging, the star of two straight show-stealing performances, and Orton his consistently great self, either man would make a fine champion.

Then there is the wild card, the "Lunatic Fringe" Dean Ambrose, who has been on a tremendous roll since entering the championship hunt.

Who has the greatest shot of leaving Charm City with the gold around their waist, though?

Credit: WWE.com

4. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns is still very much the face of WWE's future, the man who will carry the company on his back for the next decade. Anyone doubting his ability to deliver in big-match situations had their concerns addressed in his consecutive show-stealing performances against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31 and Big Show at Extreme Rules.

With that said, Reigns is least likely to leave Payback with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship because, were that the case, the company would miss out on a tremendous opportunity to make his coronation mean something.

At the end of the day, no hype, pomp or circumstance can erase the fact that Payback is a C-level pay-per-view event, and taking this opportunity to put the title on Reigns would be lackluster given the opportunities that could await him later, including at SummerSlam in August and next year's WrestleMania in Dallas.

Reigns will hold the title, confirming that he is "the guy" going forward, but even WWE Creative is not dense enough to make the mistake of crowning him at such an inconsequential show as Payback.

Credit: WWE.com

3. Dean Ambrose

Like his friend Reigns, Ambrose stands little realistic chance of leaving Payback with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but his placement on this list, a spot above the second-generation performer, suggests that WWE's recent booking of the Lunatic Fringe has been incredibly effective.

Ambrose came from out of nowhere to find himself in the title hunt following a victory over Seth Rollins, and since then, he has gotten the best of his opposition on nearly every occasion.

Perpetually over thanks to the rebellious, antihero persona he possesses, Ambrose does not need the title to stay hot, to stay popular with the WWE Universe. But capturing the title would cement his status as the hottest property in sports entertainment.

With just one month of headlining under his belt here in 2015, it is too early to put the strap on the unstable Superstar. Still, if fans in arenas across the country continue to react as favorably for Ambrose as they have in recent months, WWE may have no choice but to assess the situation and address giving the former United States champion the opportunity to run with the proverbial ball.

Credit: WWE.com

2. Randy Orton

No matter how much WWE prepares itself for the future by focusing on young, up-and-coming talent, Vince McMahon simply cannot resist the urge to put the gold on stalwarts like Randy Orton and John Cena. Thus, history tells us that The Viper has a very solid chance of leaving Baltimore with the title.

WWE Creative appears hellbent on delivering Kane vs. Seth Rollins at some point, and if that is the case, Rollins losing and, as a result, getting Kane fired would be one way to arrive at that contest. With Ambrose and Reigns not the right guys at the right time to take the title, that leaves The Viper.

Orton would be a retread, a guy who has held the title on and off for the last decade. His reign would hardly make for exciting television, and it would stunt the growth of some of the younger stars who have been gaining momentum in recent weeks.

But never put it past old Vinnie Mac to buck common sense and go with the proven commodity.

Credit: WWE.com

1. Seth Rollins

Rollins has been the centerpiece of WWE programming for the last year, the heel the entire main event scene is built around. A talented talker and even better in-ring performer, Rollins has absolutely made the most of the opportunity presented to him. 

While the on-going program with Kane has overshadowed his title reign to an extent, and booking has not always done him favors, Rollins has managed to overcome it all to become the most despised villain this side of fellow Authority member Stephanie McMahon.

Scheming and opportunistic, The Architect always manages to find a way to retain his title, no matter the odds or obstacles placed before him. The Director of Operations figures to factor into the main event of Payback, and his opponents will all get their chance to shine in the spotlight, but by the end of the night, the safest bet is that Rollins retains his title and continues his reign of terror over WWE.