Apollo Crews (c) vs. Bobby Lashley – United States Championship match

Background: At SummerSlam, Apollo Crews defeated MVP to retain the United States Championship. The following night on Raw, Crews was scheduled to defend the title against MVP’s stablemate of The Hurt Business, Bobby Lashley, at Payback.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Payback Record: Both men wrestle at Payback for the first time tonight.

Match: Bobby Lashley is joined by MVP and Shelton Benjamin who watch from ringside. It’s a back and forth start to the match with both men showcasing their athleticism. Crews knocks Lashley out of the ring and hits him wuth a moonsault. Bobby uses his power to take control and smashes the US Champion into the ringpost. Lashley hits a dominator for a near fall. Apollo fires up with a comeback, hitting a spinebuster and standing moonsault for a two count. Crews hits German suplexes and a frog splash for a near fall. Lashley hits a huge urunage and then locks on a full nelson and Crews taps out!

Result: Bobby Lashley wins the United States Championship by submission.

Review: This was a decent enough match. Lashley looks unstoppable at the moment and I love him in this role. It’s a good rub for Apollo Crews though who went toe to toe with Lashley for parts of this match. I’d like to see Lashley as more of a permanent fixtures in the main event picture but it’ll be a big push to whoever beats him for the United States Championship. Decent match to kick things off tonight.

Rating: 6/10

Big E vs. Sheamus

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time singles PPV match between these two men.

Payback Record: Sheamus is 2-1, Big E is 1-1.

Match: Both men demonstratwe their power in the early going. Sheamus works the left leg of Big E and then hits the Irish curse backbreaker for a two count. Sheamus locks on a half crab which Big E powers out of. Big E starts a comeback with belly to belly suplexes and a urunage. Sheamus counters a spear off the apron and hits an Alabama slam for a near fall. Sheamus locks on a modified sharpshooter but Big E forces the break. Big E hits the spear off the apron but can’t take the advantage as Sheamus locks on a heel hook before hitting a running knee. Big E then counters a brogue kick and hits the big ending for the three!

Result: Big E wins by pinfall.

Review: This match was ok. Back and forth with Sheamus dominating for longer periods. It’s a good win for Big E who is now on his own as the other New Day members are out. This could be the beginning of a decent singles run for him.

Rating: 5.5/10

Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Payback Record: Both men wrestle at Payback for the first time tonight.

Match: Corbin attacks Riddle as he makes his way into the ring. It’s all Corbin from here as he lays into Riddle outside the ring. Riddle tries to lock on a kimura but Corbin powers out. Corbin hits his trademark clothesline for a two count. Corbin slowly dominates for a while before attempting his clothesline again and this time getting kicked in the face. Riddle then picks up the pace with a bro-ton and running kick for a two count. Corbin hits deep six for a two count. Riddle hits the bro to sleep and then the floating bro for the three.

Result: Matt Riddle wins by pinfall.

Review: This match was ok. It was standard stuff. Back and forth but the crowd was quiet. Saying that the crowd noise seems piped in. It’s a good win for Riddle though in his singles PPV debut. He’s a popular superstar and should go from strength to strength.

Rating: 4/10

Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler – Women’s Tag Team Championship match

Background: On the August 14 episode of SmackDown, it was revealed that Bayley and Sasha Banks would defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at Payback. Their opponents were revealed on the August 24 episode of Raw; the team of Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Payback Record: Bayley is 0-1, the other three girls wrestle at Payback for the first time tonight.

Match: Nia walks out wearing a “nobody meaner than Tamina” shirt. Nia looks to start the match against Sasha Banks but Shayna tags herself in. Shayna tosses Banks around in the early going and then does the same to Bayley. Bayley sends Baszler into Nia, knocking her off the apron. Bayley pins Shayna at one point and Nia throws Sasha into the cover to break it up. Jax then swings Sasha into the barricade repeatdly. The champions double team Nia to take the advantage but eventually Nia fights back. Bayley hits a flying elbow on Jax and Sasha follows it up with a frog splash but Nia kicks out. Shayna tags in and applies an STF to Banks and the kirafuta clutch to Bayley. Shayna then uses Sasha’s arm to choke out Bayley for the win!

Result: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships by submission.

Review: I loved the finish to this match. Shayna used Sasha to tap out Bayley. Very creative. Baszler and Jax win the women’s tag team championships tonight which is fine, it’s a new direction. I liked Sasha and Bayley as champions but this works.

Rating: 6/10

Keith Lee vs. Randy Orton

Background: On the August 24 episode of Raw, after attacking WWE Champion Drew McIntyre with two Punts, Randy Orton, who lost to McIntyre at SummerSlam, wanted another rematch for the title, but he was interrupted by former NXT wrestler Keith Lee, making his Raw debut. On behalf of McIntyre, Lee challenged Orton to a match only for Orton to decline. However, the two fought each other later on, with Orton winning via disqualification after McIntyre attacked him. Orton later attacked McIntyre backstage with a third Punt, taking McIntyre out. A rematch between Lee and Orton was subsequently confirmed for Payback.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Payback Record: Randy Orton is 0-4 at this event, Keith Lee wrestles for the first time.

Match: It feels like they’re experimenting with camera sngles on this show. Keith Lee surprises Randy with his strength in the early going. Orton hits some brutal sounding chops. Randy avoids a shoulder charge in the corner and then hits a side suplex into the announce desk. Orton slows down the pace but Lee picks it back up with a pounce. Keith then hits a side suplex onto the announce desk. Orton hits a hangmans DDT and then looks for an RKO but Lee counters and hits a spirit bomb for the win.

Result: Keith Lee wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a bit of a surprising victory tonight for Keith Lee. I expected Orton to win this. It was a fairly slow match, nothing spectacular. Back and forth, fairly short. Keith Lee gets the win though and I can see him getting involved with the United States Championship before long.

Rating: 4.25/10

Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins & Murphy

Background: At SummerSlam, Seth Rollins (who was accompanied by his disciple Murphy) defeated Dominik Mysterio (who was accompanied by his father Rey Mysterio) in a Street Fight. The following night on Raw, Rey Mysterio and Dominik defeated Rollins and Murphy by disqualification when Retribution attacked the Mysterios. A rematch between the two teams was scheduled for Payback.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two teams.

Payback Record: Seth Rollins is 4-0 at Payback, everyone else wrestles at this event for the first time.

Match: It’s a clever start to the match with Rey looking as if he’s going to start but Diminik attacking both opponents. Dominik starts the match well as it officially begins, laying into Rollins and then Murphy. Rollins and Rey Mysterio tag in and pick up the pace. There’s a nice double team move with Rollins throwing Rey out of the ring into the knees of Murphy. Dominik tags in but Rollins and Murphy keep him isolated, stopping him from tagging in his father. Dominik makes the hot tag and Rey picks up the pace. Seth avoids a 619 and all hell breaks loose as all four men get into it. Seth counters a cross body from Rey and then hits a superkick for a two count. All four men go at it until Rollins and Murphy dispose of Dominik. There’s a miscommunication and Murphy accidentally kicks his partner in the face. Rey then hits somewhat of a sunsey powerbomb on Rollins into the barricade whilst Dominik hits a 619 on Murphy and then a frog splash for the three!

Result: Rey and Dominik Mysterio win by pinfall.

Review: This match was entertaining enough. Not a classic but decent. Rey and Dominik winthe match and they’ll probably be in line for a tag team title shot before long. I can’t see how this feud continues now. I think we’ll get Rollins vs. Murphy after that kick to the head.

Rating: 6/10

“The Fiend” Bray Wyatt vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns – Triple threat match for the Universal Championship

Background: At SummerSlam, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt defeated Braun Strowman to win the Universal Championship for the second time. Following the match, Roman Reigns made his return after a five-month hiatus and viciously attacked The Fiend and Strowman. The following day, it was announced that The Fiend would defend the title against Strowman and Reigns in a no holds barred triple threat match at Payback. On that Friday’s SmackDown, WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon assigned producer Adam Pearce to obtain signatures from the three competitors for their match by the end of the night. After obtaining Wyatt and Strowman’s signatures, Pearce located Reigns, where it was revealed that he had aligned himself with Paul Heyman. Reigns affirmed he would be at Payback and win the match, however, he did not sign the contract.

Previous PPV matches: This is a firs time triple threat match between these three men.

Payback Record: Bray Wyatt is 2-1, Braun Strowman is 1-0 and Roman Reigns is 3-2 at Payback.

Match: Braun Strowman attack The Fiend as he makes his entrance ands hits him with a powerslam for a two count. This match is underway with no sign of Roman Reigns yet. Wyatt fights back and hits Sister Abigail for a near fall. Wyatt hits a urunage on Strowman through the announce desk and Alexa Bliss is shown watching on backstage. Wyatt pulls a mallet out from under the ring but Braun throws a chair at him. Wyatt actually hits Strowman with the mallet on the outside. Wyatt rakes the neck a couple of times and takes the fight up the entrance ramp where Strowman puts The Fiend through a table. Back in the ring and Strowman heads to the top but The Fiend meets him up there and hits a superplex which causes the ring to implode! Roman Reigns’ music then hits and out walks Reigns with a chair. Roman, accompanied by Paul Heyman, signs the contract on the way to the ring. He gets in the ring, calls for a referee and covers both opponents for near falls. Reigns lays into Strowman with a chair but still can’t keep him down for a three. Wyatt locks on the mandible claw to Roman but Reigns breaks it up with a low blow. Reigns then spears Strowman and pins him for the three!

Result: Roman Reigns wins the Universal Championship by pinfall.

Review: That was a unique match. It ws Strowman and Wyatt who wrestled ost of the match before Reigns came out and cleared up for the victory. It was great psychology and it actually made for a good match. I enjoyed it, it was chaotic, unpredictable and almost attitude era-like. This new heel Roman Reigns wins the Universal Championship. I look forward to seeing this new side of Reigns. He definitely didn’t mean to fall out of the ring after hitting the low blow on Wyatt.

Rating: 6.5/10