The Miz vs. Cesaro: Winner and Reaction from WWE Payback 2016

The Miz denied Cesaro his first Intercontinental Championship reign Sunday night at WWE Payback by defeating the Swiss Superman in a title bout.    

The Miz appeared to be tapping out, but the ref was distracted as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn proceeded to brawl right outside of the ring. After Cesaro knocked down both to get the ref's attention, Miz sneaked up and rolled-up Cesaro to retain the IC Title. 

WWE provided video of Zayn's attack on Owens that occurred outside of the ring while Miz and Cesaro were battling: 

Ultimately, Owens stood tall in the ring, holding the IC belt that belongs to The Miz. 

As for the action between Miz and Cesaro, it was a match dominated by the King of Swing, and WWE and WWE Universe provided some of the highlights: 

With only three weeks to Extreme Rules on May 22, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer laid out the likely scenario that lies ahead for the IC Championship: 

After falling short in his bid to become IC champ for the fifth time in a ladder match at WrestleMania, Miz defeated Zack Ryder for the strap the following night on Raw, but a big-time challenger quickly emerged in the form of Cesaro.

The King of Swing defeated former Intercontinental champion Owens to become No. 1 contender, and he immediately took aim at the self-professed A-list actor.

With Maryse by his side, The Miz constantly patted himself on the back during the buildup toward Payback and dismissed the notion that Cesaro was anywhere near his level, according to WWE Universe on Twitter:

While the sharp-tongued Awesome One used his top-notch mic skills to put down Cesaro at every turn, the challenger was unwilling to be intimidated.

Cesaro's new James Bond-esque gimmick has been on full display since his return from injury on the Raw following WrestleMania, and his confidence has seemingly grown too, as evidenced by his verbal sparring with The Miz:

Aside from a few fleeting moments, WWE's creative team has struggled to make the midcard titles seem important in recent years, and it hasn't done a particularly good job at building compelling feuds around them.

That hasn't been the case for Miz and Cesaro, though, as they have each had ample time both on the mic and in the ring. Also, the movie theme attached to their rivalry has meshed well with their characters and created plenty of funny, entertaining moments for the fans.

In addition to that, Cesaro and Miz put on a strong match at Payback with a big prize hanging in the balance. The Swiss Superman is rightfully regarded as one of the best in-ring workers in the world, and although Miz isn't often given credit for that aspect of his game, he held up his end of the bargain Sunday as well.

Because of the momentum Cesaro had generated upon coming back from injury, the popular assumption was that he would defeat Miz at Payback and be given the opportunity to restore much of the prestige the IC title has lost in recent years.

WWE kept the belt on The Miz instead, though, which suggests those in power are happy with the job Miz has done as an antagonist. Adding Owens and Zayn to the mix would further increase the significance of the IC title with three legit contenders. 

Despite the loss, it is still possible that Cesaro's pursuit of the Intercontinental Championship will continue. While Payback represented a setback, the adversity will make it even more special if and when he does win the strap.

Cesaro seems like the right Superstar to make the IC title matter again, and Payback may simply be a case of The Miz keeping it warm for him, Owens or Zayn.

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