WWE Payback 2017: Outcomes That Will Have the Biggest Impact at Extreme Rules
For as little buzz as there was going into the event, WWE Payback 2017 ultimately exceeded the expectations of fans in being extremely entertaining overall. Not only did the majority of the in-ring action deliver, multiple feuds were furthered heading into Extreme Rules.
Every installment of Payback has ranged from good to great since its inception in 2013, and this year's event was no exception. In order to be considered a success, the show needed to feature an ample amount of logical booking decisions, and by and large, everything unfolded the way it should have.
Most importantly, WWE did a solid job of leaving fans wanting more going into the next night's Raw. While the flagship show addressed the fallout from Payback, it largely focused on what's next as Extreme Rules quickly approaches.
Although WWE's most hardcore night of the year is still well over a month away, the time is now for Team Red to start building toward the event. However, some seeds have already been planted for several matches after what went down at Payback.
As the road to Raw's next exclusive event gets underway, let's look at the outcomes from Payback that will have the biggest impact at Extreme Rules.
Braun Strowman Decisively Defeats Roman Reigns
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No rivalry was more heated in the weeks preceding Payback than Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman, a feud that was taken to new heights when Strowman viciously attacked Reigns on the April 11 edition of Raw and put him on the shelf for several weeks.
Thus, it was anyone's guess what condition Reigns would show up in, and as it turned out, he was far from being 100 percent when he stepped in the ring with Strowman at Payback. He was still suffering from an injured shoulder and hurt ribs, yet he was willing to risk it all in order to avenge his assault at the hands of his adversary.
Reigns gave it a good effort, but he was ultimately unsuccessful when Strowman pinned him for the clean victory. This was seen as a career-defining win for the Monster Among Men as he prepares to challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship eventually.
But first, he must finish what he started when he and Reigns rekindle their rivalry one last time at Extreme Rules. Currently, they are tied at one win apiece, and thus the rubber match should be a bout of epic proportions.
Considering everything that has occurred in the last month, an Ambulance match would perhaps be the most fitting stipulation for them to compete in. Look for the two rivals to headline the event once again as well.
Austin Aries Earns Tainted Victory Versus Neville
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Since returning to the ring in early March, Austin Aries has had one goal on his mind: to capture the WWE Cruiserweight Championship from Neville. He came close at WrestleMania 33 but was ultimately outsmarted by the King of the Cruiserweights, and so he earned himself another shot at the strap at Payback.
Unsurprisingly, they contested as entertaining of a match as they did at WrestleMania, with the momentum constantly shifting between the two competitors. Aries proved prior to Payback that he had what it took to take that title from Neville, and he was certainly on the verge of victory at several points during their latest encounter.
As he had the Last Chancery locked in on the champion, Neville roughed up the referee and intentionally got himself disqualified, maintaining his possession of the prestigious prize in the process. As lame of a finish as that was, it accomplished a few different things.
First, it put heel heat on Neville and ensured his illustrious reign lasted a little longer. Additionally, Aries wasn't pinned for the second straight time and remains in pursuit of the Cruiserweight Championship.
At Extreme Rules, it's safe to assume they will be battling in some sort of gimmick match, such as an "I Quit" matchup given that would play into their strengths as submission specialists.
The Hardy Boyz Retain Raw Tag Team Championship Against Cesaro and Sheamus
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Sheamus and Cesaro were certainly conspicuous by their odd behavior prior to Payback, shaking hands with The Hardy Boyz on a few different occasions and showing respect to them even in defeat. If they lost yet again to their opponents at the event, the former tag team champions were bound to hit their breaking point.
Sure enough, Sheamus and Cesaro pushed The Hardy Boyz to their absolute limit, but it still wasn't enough to earn them the twin titles back. This time, instead of endorsing the Hardyz afterward, they battered them all around ringside, cementing them as heels in the process.
This was exactly what was needed to freshen up the feud and breathe new life into the duo of Sheamus and Cesaro. With this added aggressive edge, they are much more of a threat to the titles than they ever were before.
They explained their actions on the next night's Raw before being chased off by The Hardy Boyz. A Tag Team Turmoil match will be held next week to crown the next contenders, but Sheamus and Cesaro have the best chance of coming out on top in that.
From there, the two teams can go to war yet again at Extreme Rules, and it will be interesting to see what type of match they take part in. Either way, it promises to be nothing short of hostile.
Alexa Bliss Becomes the New Raw Women's Champion
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It wasn't long at all before Alexa Bliss solidified her spot as the top dog in Raw's women's division upon arriving on the flagship show in the Superstar Shake-up. She immediately set her sights on Bayley's Raw Women's Championship and declared herself the new No. 1 contender to the title.
However, she first had to go through three of Team Raw's top women's talent, beating them in a fun Fatal 4-Way match on the April 18 episode. From there, she embarked on a mission to not only beat Bayley for her belt, but also humiliate her in her hometown of San Jose in doing so.
In their championship clash at Payback, the two had tremendous chemistry together and produced an excellent match. In fact, it might have been Bliss' best bout in her career to date, and her making history by becoming the first woman to hold both the Raw and SmackDown Women's titles was merely the icing on the cake.
Bliss' championship coronation the next night was everything it needed to be and then some, especially as she taunted former champ Bayley and bullied her for being loser. She furthered proved her point by pinning her in an eight-woman tag team match shortly thereafter, but Bayley still has her title rematch.
Unless another individual is shoehorned into the title picture between now and Extreme Rules, Bliss vs. Bayley appears to be a lock for the pending pay-per-view. What we have seen from the feud so far has been fantastic, and the coming weeks should be no different.
Seth Rollins Hands Samoa Joe First Singles Loss
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Seth Rollins may have exorcised a demon in Triple H at WrestleMania 33, but he still had Samoa Joe in his sights considering the damage Joe inflicted on Rollins' injured knee months earlier. That said, the two were scheduled to settle their score at Payback and put their bad blood to rest once and for all.
The bout wasn't exactly as exciting as some fans had hoped, though Rollins and Joe did tell a solid story, with The Destroyer targeting his prey's prone knee throughout. He was actually more concerned with putting Rollins on the shelf again than he was beating him, which ended up costing him the victory.
However, it wasn't a decisive victory for Rollins, who just barely got Joe's shoulders down on the mat for three seconds. Regardless, it marked the first time Joe had been beaten since coming to the main roster in January, an impressive feat by Rollins.
Rollins showed up on Raw the next night seemingly happy he finally overcame the obstacle of Joe, but what he didn't know was that the former NXT champion was hungry for vengeance. At the conclusion of the night's main event, Joe ambushed Rollins at ringside, setting up a rematch for the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
Evidently, Joe will not rest until Rollins has been vanquished from the WWE Universe, and despite eating a rare defeat at Payback, he could well be stronger than ever heading into his anticipated encounter with Rollins next month.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a digital 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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