By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978
Wrestling Lockup with Brandon brought to you by Triple Threat CLE brings you the WWE Payback recap.
WWE Payback took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois and was also live on the WWE Network. The WWE World Heavyweight, Intercontinental, United States and Women's Championships were all on the line. We also seen a couple of heated feuds come to their boiling point. We also found out who the new #1 contenders were to the WWE World Tag Team Championship.
*** Pre-Show ***
- Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler: The match closes out with Ziggler applying a sleeper, but Corbin escapes and blocks a Ziggler super kick. Ziggler is able to hit the Fameasser on Corbin and gets a near fall. Both men go to the floor, where Ziggler leaps off the steel steps, but gets booted in mid-air by Corbin. Ziggler gets tossed into the ring post and then back into the ring. Corbin steps on Ziggler with his boot and wastes time arguing with the referee. Ziggler pops up, rolls up Corbin and steals the pinfall.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler, by pinfall. - "WWE United States Championship Match": Kalisto (c) vs. Ryback: The match closes out with Kalisto ducking a Meat Hook and plants some kicks on Ryback. Kalisto goes for Salida Del Sol, but Ryback counters it into Shell Shock. Kalisto counters Shell Shock and rolls up Ryback for a near fall. Ryback hits a spine buster on Kalisto for a near fall and then goes to the top rope. Kalisto meets Ryback up top and lands a series of kicks. Ryback fights back, lifts Kalisto into the air and tosses him to the mat for a super gorilla press slam. Ryback goes back up to the top rope, but misses a flying splash on Kalisto. Kalisto is up, plants Ryback with Salida Del Sol, covers, scores the pinfall and retains the championship.
Winner: Kalisto, by pinfall, to retain the WWE United States Championship. *** WWE Payback 2016 ***
- The New Day Promo: The New Day is out and announce they will be ringside for the finals of the #1 contenders tournament, which is sponsored by Booty-O's cereal. New Day send a shout out to Beyonce and announce a new era has begun in the WWE cause NEW DAY ROCKS!
- "Finals Of The #1 Contenders Tournament": Enzo and Big Cass vs. The Vaudevillains: Simon sends Enzo into the ropes, where Enzo lands throat first and snaps his head back. Enzo is down and hurt, as WWE medics rush the ring to check on him. The referee throws the match out as Enzo needs to be loaded onto a stretcher and given more medical attention.
Winner: No Contest - Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens: The match closes out with Zayn countering the pop up power bomb and gets a near fall rollup on Owens. Owens counters a Zayn tornado DDT with a back breaker. Zayn and Owens trade shots back and forth after Owens tries to talk trash to Zayn. Owens lands a kick and goes for the apron power bomb on Zayn, but Zayn back body drops Owens on the apron. Zayn flies and hits the suicide DDT on Owens on the floor. Back in the ring, Zayn has Owens rocked in the corner and goes for the Helluva Kick. Owens dodges and drops Zayn with a super kick. Owens next hits Zayn with the pop up power bomb and scores the pinfall. After the match, Owens beats down Zayn some more before tossing Zayn to the floor. Owens tells commentator Byron Sexton that he just proved he's the better man and can now focus on getting back his WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Winner: Kevin Owens, by pinfall. - "WWE Intercontinental Championship Match": The Miz (c) w/Maryse vs. Cesaro: Kevin Owens never leaves ringside and instead sits in on commentary. Miz spends some time in the match working over Cesaro's surgically repaired shoulder. The match closes out with Miz sending Cesaro shoulder first into the ring post and gets a near fall Skull Crushing Finale. Sami Zayn hits ringside and immediately goes after Kevin Owens. Zayn and Owens brawl around ringside and into the time keepers area. Miz gets distracted and ends up in the Cesaro Swing. Cesaro locks Miz in the cross face submission and Miz taps out...BUT...the referee is still distracted by Zayn and Owens and misses the tap out. Cesaro gets Owens and Zayn off the apron, but gets rolled up by Miz. Miz has a handful of Cesaro's tights for leverage and steals the pinfall. After the match, Cesaro nails Miz with a running uppercut and then plants Miz with The Neutralizer. Owens attacks Cesaro from behind, but Zayn makes the save. Owens grabs Zayn and plants him with a pop up power bomb. Owens goes for a pop up power bomb on Miz, but Maryse helps Miz escape.
Winner: The Miz, by pinfall, to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship. - Backstage, Stephanie McMahon is spotted talking to Apollo Crews.
- Michael Cole announces that Enzo is resting and able to communicate at the local hospital, but still under medical care.
- Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho: The match closes out with Jericho blocking a super plex and head butts Ambrose to the mat. Jericho catches a mid-air boot from Ambrose off the top rope. Jericho counters Dirty Deeds and gets a near fall rollup. Jericho applies the Walls Of Jericho, but Ambrose fights it, escapes and near fall rollups Jericho. Jericho takes control and talks trash to Ambrose. Ambrose and Jericho trade punches, slaps and chops. Jericho drops Ambrose with an elbow and goes for the Lionsault. Ambrose blocks the Lionsault and goes for Dirty Deeds, but Jericho blocks it. Ambrose lands a series of knees on Jericho, hooks Jericho and finally hits Dirty Deeds to score the pinfall. After the match, Jericho throws a fit over his loss at ringside.
Winner: Dean Ambrose, by pinfall. - Backstage, AJ Styles says he's having the match of his life and winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tonight.
- "WWE Women's Championship Match": Charlotte (c) w/Ric Flair vs. Nattie Neidhart w/Bret Hart: The match closes out with Nattie going for the Sharpshooter submission, but Charlotte counters and hits Natural Selection for a near fall. Charlotte hits a top rope moonsault on Nattie, gets another near fall and gets frustrated. Charlotte applies the Figure Four submission, but Nattie fights it, stopping Charlotte from bridging into the Figure Eight. Nattie reverses the Figure Four, but Charlotte escapes and slaps Nattie in the face. Charlotte applies Nattie's own Sharpshooter submission and referee Charles Robinson pulls a Chicago Screwjob and calls for the bell. Nattie is furious as she never tapped out and Bret Hart begins arguing with Ric Flair. Nattie attacks Charlotte as Bret punches Flair. Both Nattie and Bret lock in the Sharpshooter submission on Charlotte and Flair until they let them go.
Winner: Charlotte, by stoppage, to retain the WWE Women's Championship. - Vince McMahon's The Decision: The Chicago crowd erupt with "CM Punk" chants as Vince arrives and Vince mocks the fans to chant louder. Vince begins to talk about the past RAW's, his favorite era and now the current RAW needs a new leader. Vince calls out Stephanie McMahon to the ring first. Vince says Stephanie is beautiful and the fans are animals for cheering when she was speared at Wrestlemania by Roman Reigns. Stephanie says it's ok cause she doesn't need the fans sympathy. Stephanie says she's a leader and runs down a list of things The Authority have done on RAW. Stephanie reminds Vince that she's been by his side, never ran away like Shane McMahon did and reminds Vince that Shane did lose to The Undertaker. Stephanie says that Vince needs her because she's the smartest, savviest and most experienced leader he can have. Shane's music hits and out comes Shane McMahon. Shane says he doesn't brag about himself like Stephanie, talks about all the major sports channels he was on promoting the company in the past and says Stephanie had nothing to do with all the WWE Network subscribers that she takes credit for. Shane reminds Vince he came back to guarantee a future for his kids, Stephanie's kids and the fans. Vince makes his official announcement and says both Shane and Stephanie will have equal say on RAW and they need to figure things out. Vince wants to see them both destroy each other cause it would be great for the family and for RAW ratings.
- Michael Cole says that Enzo has a concussion, but all other tests came back negative.
- "WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match": Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles: The match closes out with Styles hitting a running forearm on Reigns for a near fall. Styles gets Reigns on his shoulders and drops Reigns over his knees and gets another near fall. Styles gets Reigns trapped in the Calf Crusher submission, but Reigns escapes to the floor. Styles hits a Phenomenal Forearm on Reigns out to the floor which puts Reigns through the announcers table. Reigns can't make the ten count and is counted out. Shane McMahon's music hits and out comes Shane. Shane says title matches won't end like this in the new WWE era and restarts the match with no count outs. Styles hits a Pele Kick on Reigns, but misses a 450 splash after Reigns gets his knees up.
Styles comes off the second rope, but gets low blowed in mid-air by accident by Reigns and Reigns gets DQ'ed. Stephanie McMahon's music hits and out comes Stephanie. Stephanie says as usual Shane forgot one important thing, this match will now be no count outs and no DQ's and the match is again restarted. Reigns dodges the Phenomenal Forearm and hits two Superman Punches on Styles, but Styles kicks out at two. Reigns goes for the spear, but Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson hit the ring and beat down Reigns. Styles hits the Phenomenal Forearm and covers, but Reigns somehow gets his foot on the rope at two and a half.
The Usos hit the ring and brawl with Anderson and Gallows. Styles gets shoved off the top rope by Reigns and takes out all four guys on the floor. Reigns suicide dives outside and wipes out everyone. Styles hits a shooting star press on Reigns for a near fall. Reigns counters the Styles Clash with a back drop. Styles dodges the Superman Punch and Reigns dodges the Phenomenal Forearm. Reigns finally spears Styles, covers and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Roman Reigns, by pinfall, to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. - Backstage, Vince, Shane and Stephanie McMahon are very pleased with the Reigns vs. Styles match. Vince is proud of both Shane and Stephanie and they all decide that at WWE Extreme Rules it'll be Reigns vs. Styles in an Extreme Rules Match.
- This ends WWE Payback.
