WWE Payback 2016 Spoilers and Predictions

[The Invisible Boy]

To echo the majority of fans, I thought Payback was a great, fun show bar one or two slight happenings.

 

Firstly, I was really looking forward to the tag match, seeing two young, hungry teams battling for a title shot. I kept hearing people predicting a Vaudevillans win but being a big Enzo fan I wanted Enzo and Cass to win, but wouldn't have been too annoyed if they lost to set up a feud with the Dudleys. Enzo is a absolute maestro on the mic and New Day have amazing charisma so that would be an incredible buildup when they do decide to have them face off. Unfortunately, we didn't see what was planned due to that scary injury but I'm just very relieved and happy to see pics of Enzo up and about and to hear it wasn't anything more serious than what they say it was. Had terrible flashbacks to the Aguayo tragedy when I first saw it. Hopefully they'll resume the storyline at some point.

 

To the thing that annoyed me, and sounded like it annoyed a few people, the finish of the Natalya and Charlotte match. It's 2016, how many times will they keep bringing up the screw job? They moan about people bringing it up, I heard Bret apparently said at a Q&A that he didn't want to go over old ground talking about the screw job, yet he turns up not too long after that at Payback to take part in a match where they are bringing it up yet again. I feel all the momentum they had with the fresh women's division has taken a hit and a few steps back now, I did initially think what's the point in Bret and Flair being there, but gave it a pass due to Flair managing Charlotte and his interfering being the reason Bret was in Natalya's corner, I thought once they don't go making it all about the guys and let the women showcase their talent and so on then that's fine. However, they had the finish mirror the screw job and then it seemed like it was all set up just for Bret to put Flair in a sharpshooter, so instead of focusing on the women, the first proper fresh women's division title defence on a PPV was set up for two former male wrestlers to have a moment. Bit annoying and very disappointing.

 

I actually didn't mind anything else on the card and I quite enjoyed the main event for what it was, I would have liked an AJ win and a bit more clarity on what's going on with Bullet Club but I guess that might be a slow burner and ore will be revealed at Extreme Rules. However, one of my mates pointed out something which isn't all that unusual but does make me wonder why they do it. The Wyatts were the poster boys for the event yet never turned up at it. I never quite understand the point of that.

 

Anyway, looking forward to Raw and going to go catch Camp WWE now as people on Twitter seem to be raving about it and it seems right up my street anyway.

[d-d-d-dAz]

The promo material for the event was done before Bray cabbaged his leg in Milan.

 

Not a lot they could do about that.

 

Bloody good show, enjoyed that.

[UK Kat Von D]

Good show and enjoyed it for the most part. Enzo's injury left a bit of a black cloud over the event but eased up as the promising updates were coming in. Was a bit worried when Gotch grabbed at Enzo's head to try and pick him up. Fuck knows what that was about

 

Had a run of good luck lately on accumulaters and last night won another £130, so can't complain at all really

[Glenryck Pilchards]

Looks like Enzo has had a lucky escape fortunately. To me it looked like Gargano was trying to throw Enzo through the ropes whilst Amore was trying to slide under the bottom rope and was caught in no-mans land. 

[tiger_rick]

Was a bit worried when Gotch grabbed at Enzo's head to try and pick him up. Fuck knows what that was about

 

Lying face down on the floor "dead" is used to sell been thrown out of the ring 80% of the time. Can't blame the guy for behaving normally if he hadn't seen the extent of the head snap. Great work by the ref to get in there quickly.

[PunkStep]

Looks like Enzo has had a lucky escape fortunately. To me it looked like Gargano was trying to throw Enzo through the ropes whilst Amore was trying to slide under the bottom rope and was caught in no-mans land.

Gargano? Gotch, you mean?

[UK Kat Von D]

 

Was a bit worried when Gotch grabbed at Enzo's head to try and pick him up. Fuck knows what that was about

 

Lying face down on the floor "dead" is used to sell been thrown out of the ring 80% of the time. Can't blame the guy for behaving normally if he hadn't seen the extent of the head snap. Great work by the ref to get in there quickly.

Cas was already there looking worried and the Ref seemed to have seen that something was wrong. In the slow mo it looked like Gotch had seen the way Enzo's head had snapped back when hitting the rope.

 

It was obviously an honest mistake, but from my point of view I think he should have worked it out by that point

[Love-Wilcox]

With the exception of the finish to the women's match and poor Enzos injury every single thing delivered for me last night.

 

The Owens/Zayn & Cesaro/Miz matches bleeding into each other was great stuff. Great storytelling there and Owens was brilliant on commentary.

 

That main event was fantastic. Both men put on top quality performances. Reigns proved to me that without a shadow of a doubt he's a great wrestler that belongs at the top of the card.

AJ was AJ and anybody who's been following him over the past few years knew what to expect here and he delivered 100%. That phenomenal forearm to the outside took my breath away. The stop/start nature sort of killed some of the momentum but then the shenanigans towards the end had me hooked.

 

I get why AJ is getting a rematch as technically he beat Reigns twice in that match but I do wish they'd have saved that announcement for RAW but really that's just a minor gripe.

 

Overall a top quality wrestling show.

[Glenryck Pilchards]

 

Looks like Enzo has had a lucky escape fortunately. To me it looked like Gargano was trying to throw Enzo through the ropes whilst Amore was trying to slide under the bottom rope and was caught in no-mans land.

Gargano? Gotch, you mean?

 

I have had 3 hours sleep, leave me alone!

[moofasa]

The Ryback became my favourite wrestler last night. I love a good "fuck you" in wrestling (especially to a prima-Donna like Punk) and the CM punk entrance was great. Maybe the biggest "fuck you" to Punk was the quality of the match. The "pre-show stopper" belt doesn't really help his cause but was good for a giggle. Ryback looked great taking Kalistos offence, a ddt comes to mind. At Mania they wrestled In front of an empty arena and last night we got a Camp WWE advert in the middle of their match so unnecessary. Never seen an avalanche military press before, just a shame it wasn't sold at all. Would have preferred to have seen Ryback finish with the GTS after that.

[Winston]

The Enzo incident was absolutely horrible, I really feared the worse. Hope there's no repercussions for all involved. I wasn't sure how The Vaudevillians would do on the main roster but I think there's potential there. Not 100% if there's a breakout star amongst them though.

[Guest]

had to watch this again having slept and hearing Enzo's okay, real heart in mouth moment. really put me off Owens/Zayn on first viewing but it was a tremendous match, then it running into the IC stuff was really fun. KO was on fire all night.

 

Ambrose/Jericho was a bit sloppy, but god hard-hitting stuff. Ambrose's rebound lariat really is shocking though and the finish seemed a little odd and anti-climactic. I did however really appreciate Ambrose's fire getting out of the Walls

 

Thought the women's match was going well, then the stupid finish. Like really? Bobbins.

 

The McMahon stuff I don't really have a problem with

 

Ziggler rolling up Corbin in the pre-show? Fuck right off.

 

Main event, excellent. Didn't mind the McMahon bits as it gave me a sense that anything could happen. The false-finishes really worked given how many different ways we've seen AJ win and lose matches in his time here, there were several moments that really felt like the end. Some great spots, a dazzling finish and though Reigns absolutely needs to be solidified heel in not too long - matches like this on his resume are vital if he has any future as a top face

[FLips]

Ryback and Kalisto have fantastic chemistry. That Avalanche Press was impressive as fuck.

Was surprised by the Kalisto win as Ryback doesn't have many places to go now.

[Supremo]

Enzo's injury scared the shit out of me. How often have we seen a guy out cold like that on WWE television? It seems super rare considering the form of entertainment.

 

That photo of him leaving the hospital is awesome though. Thank fuck he's okay. If he recovers with no complications then I hope they incorporate it into the storyline because it suits his tiny scrapper character perfectly. He's already on his way to becoming a star, this could be the perfect thing to take him to the next level.

 

The rest of the show was great. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in particular did an incredible job of getting the fans back into the show after Enzo left looking dead. I really enjoyed all the shenanigans that connected Sami and Kevin's match to Miz and Cesaro's too. Kevin Owens was a riot on commentary.

[PunkStep]

Ryback and Kalisto have fantastic chemistry.

They really do, I kept thinking that through the match last night. Their WrestleMania match was decent but this was brilliant. Ryback takes Kalisto's shit well and the big man/little man dynamic works a treat between them.

 

I stopped watching after the Enzo injury and I've only watched bits and bobs since, so I'll give the rest of the show a proper watch tonight.