WWE Payback 2016 Results: Full Grades for Each Superstar at PPV
After a lackluster edition of WrestleMania and struggling Raw ratings, WWE bounced back with a solid pay-per-view at the 2016 edition of Payback.
With top stars like AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens all shining at the WWE Payback event, the hope is that this event gives the company momentum heading into the remainder of 2016, including the Extreme Rules PPV later in May.
Here are the full grades for each Superstar at Payback and a breakdown of those who shined brightest.
| Kalisto | B |
| Ryback | C |
| The Miz | C- |
| Cesaro | B- |
| Dolph Ziggler | C |
| Baron Corbin | C |
| Sami Zayn | B- |
| Kevin Owens | B |
| Dean Ambrose | B |
| Chris Jericho | B- |
| Charlotte | C+ |
| Natalya | C+ |
| Roman Reigns | B- |
| AJ Styles | A |
AJ Styles
In the main event of WWE Payback, Styles took on Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a stellar match. While Reigns earned respect from many fans who questioned his in-ring ability, it was Styles who truly stole the show.
Styles is one of the best in-ring workers in the wrestling business today, and it was his work in the main event that helped Reigns look like a top star. The natural storytelling ability of Styles and his experience allowed him to put the bulk of the workload on his shoulders and make it a memorable battle.
From the fluidity he brings to each matchup to the timing of when and how to tell a proper story in the ring, there are few on Earth with the mixture of skill and technique that Styles possesses. With a champion who struggles in longer singles matches, it was a smart move putting him against one of the best wrestlers in the world.
While Reigns simply winning clean was not the ideal ending to the battle, the war rages on, as the McMahon family announced the two will have a rematch at Extreme Rules. The WWE Universe should expect Styles to carry the bulk of the workload in that match as well and once again walk out without the world title.
Dean Ambrose
After taking a clean loss to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32, it was imperative that Ambrose walked out of Payback with a victory over Chris Jericho, and the booking didn't disappoint.
Jericho is widely considered one of the best technical wrestlers of the last 20 years, and he proved to be the perfect opponent for Ambrose. With The Lunatic Fringe showing what he is capable of in the ring, the two men jelled immediately and gave the fans one of the best matches of the night.
Ambrose getting the win was huge for his career even if the outcome of the bout was obvious. After taking losses in several key feuds, Ambrose was looking for a definitive victory, and walking out victorious over Y2J is a great start to what should be a rise back toward the world title scene.
As one of the best all-around talents in WWE today, Ambrose deserves so much more than he is currently given, and the hope is Sunday's PPV booking was the start of a meteoric climb up the card.
Kevin Owens
While Sami Zayn came out of WWE Payback looking worse than before, Kevin Owens proved once again how great he is in the ring and on the mic. People can say what they want about his look, but the talent where it actually matters—in the ring and cutting promos—is second to none right now.
Owens and Zayn put on an absolute clinic in the ring and proved they have some of the best chemistry in wrestling history. The two friends put on an instant classic, and it's just the first chapter of a main roster rivalry that should continue for years.
Once the match was completed, though, Owens dominated Byron Saxton on the mic and then joined the commentary team. Despite just wrestling a match, Owens was hilarious as a heel commentator, verbally dominating everyone.
Given the right storyline and support, Owens proved once again he is one of the best all-around performers on the WWE roster.
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