WWE Payback 2016: Feuds That Will Continue Through Extreme Rules
WWE Payback 2016 featured a wide variety of fresh feuds and new blood in what WWE is touting as the dawn of an unprecedented era. The sense of change in the company is apparent now more than ever, but it's time for fans to set their sights on Extreme Rules in three weeks' time.
Payback was a rare post-WrestleMania pay-per-view that did not rely on rematches from The Show of Shows, but it appears several storylines are primed to continue through the next month or so. That isn't to say that's a bad thing, however, as many of these rivalries have proved to be compelling thus far and have yet to reach their peak.
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Of course, as WWE's most hardcore night of the year, Extreme Rules is where a majority of the matches on the card are given a stipulation of some sort. Let's look at the feuds that could culminate at the event.
Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens
Having had history dating back over a decade, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are the perfect opponents. As WWE has noted several times before, they are destined to fight forever, with their premier outing on the main roster occurring at Payback on Sunday night.
Their battles in NXT were above-average, yet nothing compared to the classic they contested at Payback. It was a fast-paced, exciting affair with both ruthless rivals emerging as bigger stars than from when they entered the arena.
Owens scored the surprise victory in clean fashion, but not before adding insult to injury by berating his former friend following the bout. His trash-talking ultimately caught up to him when Zayn resurfaced later on in the evening and brawled with Owens at ringside.
From their fantastic chemistry in and out of the ring to their storied history, there is little doubt Zayn vs. Owens is the best rivalry going in WWE today. As such, it would be criminal for their feud to get cut short right now, but on the bright side, it appears they are on a collision course for a Fatal 4-Way Intercontinental Championship match at Extreme Rules.
The two ex-NXT champions fell short of capturing the prestigious prize at WrestleMania 32, but after getting involved in The Miz's title defense with Cesaro at Payback, their title aspirations are stronger than ever.
Charlotte vs. Natalya
Similar to Owens and Zayn, Payback didn't mark the first time Charlotte and Natalya have collided on the big stage. In fact, it was two years ago this very month they faced off for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver, producing one of the best bouts in recent women's wrestling history.
Natalya stepped up as a threat to the WWE Women's Championship one night removed from WrestleMania 32, but she had trouble overcoming the obstacle of Ric Flair at ringside for weeks. She enlisted the help of her uncle Bret Hart at Payback to even the odds, though Charlotte still managed to retain her title through nefarious means.
Needless to say, the Montreal Screwjob finish has been done to death over the past two decades and should have been retired years ago. It ended their encounter on a sour note, but if nothing else, it kept the feud between Charlotte and Natalya alive.
Prior to the highly questionable finish, they were having an excellent match as only they could, and a rematch at Extreme Rules would be equally enjoyable. Ric Flair remains a thorn in Natalya's side, so perhaps the pending Submission match where there will be no disqualifications will work in her favor.
Either way, Natalya is owed another shot at the strap after not tapping out on Sunday night, and it makes the most sense to hold the anticipated rematch at Extreme Rules.
Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles
In a matter of months, AJ Styles has quickly established himself as a top-tier talent in WWE by stacking up various victories over elite competition including Chris Jericho, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
At Payback, he faced his toughest opposition to date in the form of Roman Reigns, with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship up for grabs. Although he came close to clinching the gold on multiple occasions, he was unsuccessful in taking the title thanks to bedlam at ringside involving Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson and The Usos.
But because of the outside interference, the McMahons have already granted Styles a championship rematch at Extreme Rules against Reigns. They will once again clash in a match without disqualifications or count-outs, meaning Gallows and Anderson making their presence felt will be virtually guaranteed.
The next several weeks of WWE TV should be interesting as more is revealed regarding The Phenomenal One's relationship—or lack thereof—with his former Bullet Club running mates. Is it their goal to help him become champion, or are they answering to another unnamed source?
Where Styles' allegiance lies will be the most prominent question on fans' minds in the coming weeks, but if anything is for certain, it is that they should have another entertaining main event match much like they did at Payback.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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