WWE Payback Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's WWE PPV.

Kickoff:
A G.I. Bro comic could be pretty entertaining.

Having the IC Title headline Elimination Chamber is a pretty big deal. It makes sense, considering that's a big gimmick match. I doubt that will stop people from saying the IC Title isn't relevant, but what can you do?

I hope we're about done with the Bellas in the title picture. It's run its course. The only reason I'd want to continue it is to give Charlotte a rub from ending a long reign.

Stardust vs. R-Truth was a pretty good match. I think they work together well.

These "tweet your questions to a wrestler" segments are usually pretty lame. They're just adding social media to your standard pre-match promo. I hope fans appreciate the integration. It just doesn't mean much.

Sandow and Axel have made this goofy gimmick work. I'm glad for them.

I don't think this match did anything for either side. It hurt the momentum of two fan favorite undercard guys in favor of a tag team doing absolutely nothing. The Ascension in this gimmick is not worth pushing. We've pretty much seen everything they can do as these characters. The gimmick is very "one-note" once you take away their dominance.

Payback:
Ziggler is really showing fire here. He really is trying to making a statement. His contract might be coming up in a few months, and he wants to show WWE he's worth pushing.

Damn, both guys are going pretty hard here. They work together pretty well.

Nice nod to the Kiss Me Arse match.

And a nice teased ending with the Famouser. This is one to go out of your way to see.

Good ending. They told quite the story and pulled out a lot of nice moves. Sheamus can be quite the worker when he has the right opponent and situation.

I really couldn't care much less about Kane's character at this point. Other than a feud with Rollins, I can't really think of anything I really want to see him do. A big feud with Big Show or HHH would make sense, but they've both been done years ago. I do think Kane being the end of The Authority in power by beating HHH at Summerslam would be a worthwhile ending to all this. Then I'd be more than OK with getting a break from HHH, Kane, and Show. I can see plenty of all three on the WWE Network.

Based New Day. I'd be fine with Bo joining up as the Owen Hart to their Nation. He's too entertaining to not be around.

Nice first fall. These two teams work well together.

I think using the Freebird Rule in this match is pretty clever for the heels to do.

Really good second fall. I like Kidd as the face in peril. Why did it take this long to feature him?

Cesaro's also got some really good fire. He's another solid face.

Pretty good ending. I love the heat New Day is able to get. I hope they keep this going for a while. It's too early to talk about beating them.

I hope Wyatt sends Ryback away for a while. He needs to come back with something more to his gimmick. I think this has gotten him as far as it's going to.

Nice back senton spot by Bray.

Why the heck does Wyatt need help to Ryback? He should be making a statement here. I guess he can't be pushed too hard with Rollins, Show, etc. ahead of him on the heel ladder. Ugh.

Really? No Family reunion? Maybe they're saving that for Elimination Chamber. It's pretty much a layup.

Nice promo from Rusev. It's a shame his push is pretty much doomed. Maybe he can feud with Ambrose, Reigns, or Orton after tonight's main event?

Good stuff early. I like Rusev a pretty good deal. Definitely better that Kozlov was at this role.

Rusev and Cena are both really bringing it here. I love the hard work they're doing.

I love a good battle around the arena here and there.

That pyro spot was INSANE. Nice spectacle.

This one's been really good. Rusev's going to look strong in defeat, which is the goal they should have had here. Hell, he's looked mostly strong in the feud by making Cena pass out in the Accolade at Fastlane and tonight.

Good ending. Rusev and Cena went through a war here, and Rusev can blame the loss on Lana (just like at WM31). For those keeping score, here's how their four PPVs went:
- Rusev makes Cena pass out to the Accolade.
- A distracted Rusev loses when Lana gets bumped off the apron.
- Rusev loses when Cena tags four turnbuckles before Rusev does.
- Lana quits on Rusev's behalf.

So, Cena never got a "clean" (untainted) pinfall or submission win over Rusev. If going four PPVs against the 15-time World Champion without that happening is a burial, I don't know what isn't.

I loved the New Day segment backstage. They're great at this.

So-so Divas' match. I think they're just killing time to get to whomever's going to actually take the title from Nikki.

No Paige!? I'm guessing we get a rematch of this tag match on Raw and Paige returns then.

Lana face turn on Raw, right?

Awesome stuff early from Neville and BNB. I like the strategy of trying to ground the high-flyer.

Not impressed with that ending. I guess both men will meet again at Elimination Chamber.

Good post-match to keep the feud going.

They're starting this WWE Title match off pretty intensely.

I'm glad Rollins, Reigns, and Ambrose are headlining a PPV. It's amazing considering how they're all relatively new to the scene.

This is going to be a TNA-level clustermess with all the interferences.

It would be interesting if someone came down to help counteract Kane, Noble, and Mercury. There's no way they'd bring Brock back out of nowhere, but I'd love to see him come out and hit F5s everywhere.

Awesome spot with the Shield reuniting.

Another awesome spot with Reigns and Ambrose turning on Rollins. This has been quite the show.

Ambrose vs. Reigns is going pretty well. I hope one of them isn't turning heel to join Rollins in The Authority.

The action between the former Shield members is great. I'm glad we're seeing newer names in the main event picture. I hope we're in for Rollins vs. Ambrose at Elimination Chamber. If we do get Kane vs. Rollins, it should be at MITB with the big ladder match still headlining so we still end the show with the current generation.

This match is all-out calamity. Bodies everywhere. It's a blast to see.

Really good ending. Rollins getting the pedigree on Orton was a clever way of capping off an amazing match. Maybe we get Orton vs. HHH at Summerslam instead of Kane vs. HHH? I think I'd enjoy that one more.

More wrestling coming up.