WWE Payback 2016: Smart Builds for PPV's Top Feuds

Whether it's with AJ Styles' pursuit of Roman Reigns or The Miz's attempts to evade Cesaro, creating suspense will be key for the build to WWE Payback 2016.

The upcoming pay-per-view has a number of intriguing bouts in the works. To make the most of them and to get fans psyched to see them all, WWE would be wise to portray The Phenomenal One as a red-hot challenger, The Miz as a lame-duck champion and Baron Corbin as the company's newest destroyer.

In some cases, the rivalries ahead of the PPV need to focus on violence. In others, talking will be more important.

Looking at the burgeoning feuds promising to be a part of Payback, let's break down what strategies WWE should employ to maximize these narratives.

The Miz vs. Cesaro (Intercontinental Championship)

A classic dynamic is at work here: A cowardly heel champion is in retreat mode against a popular babyface. Keeping that up is the smart way to go.

WWE's best bet is to have it feel as if Cesaro is just one real shot away from flattening The Miz. That means having The Miz continually slip out of Cesaro's grasp just when it looks like they are going to crash into each other.

Book a tag team match with The Miz and The King of Swing on opposite squads. Then when those two are in the ring at the same time, The Miz escapes and runs away after taking a few uppercuts.

Have Cesaro sit down with Michael Cole and talk about how important the Intercontinental Championship is to him.

There needs to be a sense that the trophy Cesaro is chasing is significant and not a filler prize to keep him busy. Cesaro need not go on a series of long speeches, but we need to hear about his desire to take that title home.

The Miz, meanwhile, should continue to be the grade-A snob that he has been of late. He and Maryse have been nailing their moments together. Plenty of backstage segments where they look down on everything is in order.

Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler

As Ziggler is the established one here and Corbin is freshly arrived from NXT, the focus should be on building up The Lone Wolf.

Let the audience know just who he is and show us why he should be feared. Having Corbin cut a pre-taped promo explaining his reasons for disliking Ziggler and fan favorites like him is an easy way to achieve the former.

Corbin's not a strong talker live, but some of his NXT vignettes have shown him to be an ideal blend of intimidating and irksome.

Let fans see that on Raw. Flesh out why Corbin is so intent on destroying Ziggler, whether it be that he feels bigger wrestlers should rule the jungle or that he's tired of seeing fans cheer The Showoff on.

In the ring, we need to see Corbin destroy a number of men. Make the audience anticipate what he will do to Ziggler by having him beat up low-rung guys during and after his matches.

Tearing through the bottom portion of the roster is a strategy former WWE writer Andrew Goldstein thought the company should have employed right away:

It's not too late to do that now. Have Corbin batter R-Truth, Fandango and the like, looking every bit like the predator he claims to be.

Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho

Patience will be key to building up anticipation for the eventual collision between Ambrose and Jericho.

Don't let these two battle a bunch before Payback, in tag matches or otherwise. Keep physicality to a minimum.

Instead, this is a story that should feature plenty of character work and verbal sparring. Ambrose and Jericho's back-and-forth squabble on last Monday's Raw was proof of that. The two rivals clicked as they bickered.

This is an excellent chance to further showcase Jericho's newly discovered arrogance and for Ambrose to establish who he is beyond the nutty guy on the roster.

Incorporating Jericho and Ambrose's past would add depth to the feud, too. ProWrestling.net's Jason Powell wrote, "I really hope they find a way to incorporate that shoulder bump that Jericho gave Ambrose way back."

Jericho and Ambrose shared a tense moment after losing to The Wyatt Family at Night of Champions. It looked then like WWE was going to use that as a foundation for a rivalry, but both men went their separate ways. 

Looping back to that animosity is a must. WWE could also play on Ambrose eliminating Jericho from this year's Royal Rumble. 

Jericho bringing up all these past issues and WWE putting together video clips of it all will make for a multi-layered story, helping to boost its significance as a result.

Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

WWE needs to keep talking to a minimum here.

Reigns is at his best when firing off short bursts on the mic. When asked to give lengthy promos, he underwhelms and is out of his element. Styles is likable and authentic on the mic, but he's no verbal powerhouse. 

Instead, WWE should let Styles' ring work do the talking. That's his best bet to get folks pumped about this title match.

The focus in the coming weeks should be on making Styles look like a legit threat to Reigns. Have him go on a winning streak, beating down big names in the process. His victory over Alberto Del Rio on Thursday's SmackDown was a wise start:

Following up with more wins would help Styles gather momentum. Let him knock off Sheamus and dispatch of Kane while the announcers play up those wrestlers' resumes.

As for Reigns, WWE can increase intrigue by showing more of his shifting character. Since winning the title, he has become noticeably smug. He seems less interested in pleasing the crowd.

The more we see of this, the more it will feel like a full-on heel turn is coming at Payback. And that's a reason to tune in.

Show Reigns strutting backstage with sunglasses on. Let him tell Renee Young that he's too busy to give an interview. Just make sure to foreshadow Reigns' descent into a darker version of himself.