WWE

WWE Payback PLE was live in a capacity PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh PA. Over 14,000 in attendance. 

 

After the typical Hype building opening package the action was started with the much anticipated Trish Stratus vs. Becky lynch match. Due to multiple cases of interference leading to this match Adam Pierce made this a steel cage match! Overall very solid match to open the show. Both ladies took turns having their time with the momentum. Lots of Trish mainly dragging Becky's face into the cage and choking her with the rope. This match drew numerous, "This is Awesome" chants and both ladies paid homage to a few former WWE ladies, as Trish pulled off Victoria's Windows Peak and Becky executed Litas twist of fate. Trish hit her Stratusfaction springboard bulldog but Becky kicked out. As Trish crawled for the open door Becky soon gave Chase and Zoey Starks appeared. It was a short tug of war with Zoey pulling Trish towards the win while Becky attempted to pull her back in the ring. As Becky walked toward the door, Zoey slammed it closed on her head allowing Trish to hit the roll up for the near fall. As Becky hit the Man handle slam on Trish the pin attempt was broken up by Starks. Starks and Becky began to battle as Trish headed for the win via climb out. Becky hit Starks with the Man Handle Slam, then scrambled up the cage to pull Trish down to the top turnbuckle and deliver a top rope Man Handle Slam for the pin and the win. After the match Trish kept pushing Starks away, leading to Starks closing the cage door with both inside. Trish attempted her high roundhouse kick but Starks ducked and hit the Z 360 finisher to leave Trish laid out in the middle of the ring!

WINNER: BECKY LYNCH

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Next we saw Cena come out to a thunderous ovation. He announced that he was making himself the special guest referee in the Miz vs. LA Knight match! (YEAH!) This caused Miz to come out and engage in a very entertaining back and forth with Cena. Ultimately Knight's music hit, and after Miz teasing getting in the ring or not, the match was underway. This was a solid match from these two. While Cena as referee added a few spots of drama as both men stopped just short of accidentally colliding with him, he also stopped both men from potentially winning the match ,using less than honorable means. Both Knight and Miz had face to face altercations with Cena but ultimately after a great chain of back and forth near finisher hits, Miz was able to connect with the Skull Crushing Finale but only got a 2 count. Ultimately LA Knight was able to deliver the Blunt Force Trauma in the middle of the ring for the win. At the top of the ramp Cena took the referee shirt off and he and Knight were nose to nose. Knight invited Cena back in the ring but John extended his hand and said, "We don't have to like each other, but I respect you." Knight shook his hand.

WINNER: LA KNIGHT (Yeah)

 

The next match was Austin Theory challenging for the US Title against Rey Mysterio. Mysterio came out flanked by the entire LWO. They returned to the back and Rey walked down to the ring. Apparently all Rey Mysterio PLE matches are sponsored by "Cinnamon toast crunch?" The match starts fast as both men exchange offense and quick reversals. Nobody really gained any advantage until Theory hangs Rey's throat over the top rope then hits a clothesline. Then he starts working a slow and deliberate pace with a few suplexes and rest holds. Really taking cheap shots and taunting to the crowd getting a loud negative reaction from the WWE Universe. Theory tried to rip off the mask of Rey and that's where the momentum began to turn. Rey his did baseball slide tornado DDT on the outside which Theory made look amazing! Rey did the drop toe hold into the 619 attempt which Theory ducked and began to switch the momentum in his favor. Austin went for the A-Town Down in which Rey reversed and a few quick exchanges led to a double down. Rey connected with the 619, but Theory got the knees up on the top rope splash. Austin again went for the A-Town Down but Rey reversed into a victory roll for the win. This match was good, but it was a typical Rey Mysterio match and a typical Heel/Face singles match! Austin worked heat 80% of the match. Rey got a few moments of shine, a few false finishes, and the roll up win.

WINNER: REY MYSTERIO

 

 Quick backstage segment with Becky Lynch and NXT Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton.

 

 Next we have the "Steel City Street Fight" for the Tag Team Titles between Judgment Days Finn Balor and Damian Priest and the Champions Sami Zayne and Kevin Owens. Surprisingly, at least at the beginning Priest and Balor come put alone. (Fun observation: Tonight next to Green shirt guy in the front row is a guy that was displaying the Trinidad flag all night. 2 rows back was a sign that said "The Trini flag guy is greater than Green shirt guy!" ) This thing breaks down quick, with no rules we immediately see chairs and kendo sticks as both teams brawl. Finn grabs a terrible Towel spins it over his head, then drops it and stomps it! (I may have just become a Judgement Day fan!? #GoRavens) The match continues back and forth with weapons and aggression as both teams exchange momentum swings. KO tears off his shirt to reveal a Terry Funk shirt! They place a trashcan over Balor's head and take turns hitting it with kendo sticks. KO & Sami now how the momentum as they set up a table. Priest quickly turns the tide back to Judgment Day. The fight quickly spills into the WWE Universe where Dominic Mysterio interferes and makes it a 3 on 2 contest. KO and Zayne emerge from Behind the wall in Penguins Jerseys and hockey sticks. KO is bleeding profusely from his head. Zayne makes a pile of chairs and goes for the Blue Thunder Bomb but Balor reverses for the moment. Eventually Sami hits the Bomb on Balor into the chairs but only gets a 2 count. The brawling continues in the ring then Priest hits a front Suplex on Sami on top of 6 set up chairs. KO breaks up the cover. The match then returns back out into the Pittsburgh crowd over by the Kickoff show set. KO hits a Swanton on Dominic through a table from the seating area. Back in the ring Zayne and Balor fight. Priest hits Sami with a trashcan as he goes for the Haluva Kick. Zayne fights out of a double team and puts Balor through a ringside table. KO hits stunner on Priest, Zayne hits Haluva kick but pin is broken up by JD McDonagh. Now it's essentially a 4 on 2 match. Check that Rhea spears KO through barricade... so... 5 on 2! I presume Owen's is down and out. Pittsburgh crowd erupts in "Holy Sh*t" chant! Balor hits a Sling Blade, shotgun dropkick, and misses a Coup De' Gras. Sami Hits  a Haluva Kick but Dominic nails Zayne with M.I.T.B. briefcase and Balor gets the pin!

WINNERS: (AND NEW) JUDGEMENT DAY

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Next is The Grayson Waller Effect with special guest Cody Rhodes (I guess with only a 6 match card, you needed something!?) "So...Pittsburgh... (Cut off by Waller..) "Nah, we aren't doing that tonight! Nobody cares what Pittsburgh wants to talk about!"... (Am I now becoming a Grayson Waller Fan!? #GoRavens) Grayson talked down to Cody about a potential "Big Announcement" A pretty funny back and forth between Cody and Grayson happens. A "F**k those trees" chant breaks out in Pittsburgh! (Damn it, that was pretty cool, I almost tolerated Pittsburgh at that moment! ALMOST....lol.) Cody announces that Main Event Jey Uso is the newest full time member of the Monday Night Raw roster and Jey comes out to a CRAZY pop!!! Cody walks away back up the ramp and Jey gets in the ring and starts knocking down the Grayson set signs. Waller starts talking to Jey and cutting him off talking about the Bloodline...Telling him that as an individual wrestler he has done absolutely nothing! Jey Superkicks him! (Day 1-ish intensifies) 

WINNER: THE WWE UNIVERSE

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Next is the WWE Women's world championship between Rodriguez and Ripley. Match starts with a lock up and multiple back and forth tests of strength. Both ladies not really gaining any advantages or backing down. More stalemate type moves like shoulder blocks and non successful Irish whips. Neither woman giving an inch. Rodriguez knocks Ripley down and has a few moves of momentum until Ripley cuts her off and takes control of the match with a wicked dropkick to the face. Rhea slows it down with strikes and kicks to her down challenger. Really starting to dominate with submissions and rest holds. Rodriguez fights back for a moment but Rhea quickly re takes control with vicious stomps. After a dropkick she starts raining down hammer fists and punches to the challengers ribs and mid section. After a double goozle in the middle of the ring Rodriguez takes control with a blow to the back of the neck, fall away Slam and corner splash. Rhea and Rodriguez do some back and forth corner moves and a big Suplex from the challenger. Hits the spinning corkscrew elbow but Rhea out at 2.5! Rhea hit a pretty solid running knee but a lackluster cover only got a 2 count. Rodriguez counters riptide into a powerslam but Rhea wiggles out of the hold. A few moves and a near fall for Rodriguez. Finally Rhea hits a chop block to the bad knee and hits that standing figure 4 submission hold but Rodriguez rolls into a near fall. Both women exchange punches in center of ring. Then action spills to the outside. Raquel puts Ripley into the ringpost then the barricade. Challenger has the momentum for now. Dominic Mysterio comes down the ramp. Rodriguez hits a running Power Slam on Dominic but that allows Rhea to hit the Riptide for the win.

WINNER: RHEA RIPLEY

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Cut to backstage where John Cena is wearing a sports jacket over his T-Shirt and a pink bow tie. He is interviewing the new Tag Champs Damian and Balor. After the interview Priest tells Cena "Good Job" (All of this stems from the small back and forth earlier between Miz and Cena about hosting tips!)

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Promo airs for the next Peacock WWE PLE. Fastlane on October 7th in Indianapolis. Also a preview of the new special tonight "Angle" about the rise and fall of Kurt Angle. That looks amazing! Fitting for a Pittsburgh PLE to promote the Pittsburgh native Kurt Angle! 

 

As we come back, they recap the feud between Rollins and Nakamura leading up to this match tonight! 

 

Main Event: WWE World Championship match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Seth "Freakin" Rollins!  Of course Rollins makes another impact full fashion statement as he looks like "Little Gold riding Hood" Lol. The 2 start with a few lock ups and chain style wrestling with nobody gaining any clear early advantage. Rollins does some mat based submission attacks but Nakamura fights out to a rope break. We have more fast paced back and forth grapples and striking. Rollins hits a middle rope dive to the outside. Nakamura quickly focuses on the lower back with a series of forearms and kicks. Nakamura begins to take control. Seth quickly cuts him off with a over the top rope slingshot swanton. Nakamura launches Seth from the barricade onto the announce table. The Challenger takes firm control of the match with powerful offensive strikes and knees. He then locks in a camel clutch on Seth and more strikes. Rollins fires up but Nakamura cuts it off with a knee to the spine and gies back to work. Seth hits a hurricanrana from the top rope. The 2 exchange strikes in the center of the ring. Rollins hits the frog splash for a 2 count. Rollins goes for a powerbomb but the lower back gives out. He hits a ripcord clothesline. Nakamura moves out of the way of the stomp and gets a sleeper then a middle rope knee strike to the throat. Shinsuke hits a couple nice moves including an inverted exploder. Seth intercepts the kin-sasha with a superckick for a 2 and 7/8 count!! Nakamura tries to get the arm bar so Shinsuke turns it into a triangle choke. Seth turns it into a powerbomb for a near fall. Both men down and looking super gassed. They get up nose to nose exchanging strikes. After some ducked kicks and strikes Rollins hits an inzeguri and both men are back down. Nakamura has Seth on shoulders and hits a top rope landslide for a near fall. Hits kin-sasha to back of neck and sets up for the killing blow. Rollins collapses. Nakamura continues to exploit the back with strikes and stiff kicks. Rollins hits the pedigree. Then hits the stomp for the 3 count!

WINNER: SETH ROLLINS

 

Overall a really solid show. I came in with low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised. 

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You can really see the dominance and star power of Judgement Day as they are collecting all the gold. I am interested to see where the Trish and Zoey Starks storyline goes from here. This was without a doubt the best version of Nakamura that I have seen really since debuting in WWE. I give it a strong 6 out of 10 stars. It would have been 6.5 but it was held in Pittsburgh so that's a half a star deduction! Lol. 

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Thanks for reading, everyone! Have a safe and happy Labor Day! (YEAH)

-Keehner Out- 

#GoRavens ;)

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Wayne Keehner, Contributor