Just My Opinion: WWE Payback 2015

5/25/2015 11:16:01 PM

Photo credits: PWMania.com

The Shield reuniting, some sets of rubber matches, and perhaps an impressive video package—all that despite WWE’s production design has been sucking at hell.

Yes, it was all about Justice, Retribution, and PAYBACK.

The World Wrestling Entertainment staged their pay-per-view special once again as an epilogue to what the rivalries were shown at Extreme Rules.

Sheamus and Ziggler opened the show, with the exact opposite results happened along the way. Sheamus took home the victory—but not without getting a stink face from Dolph Ziggler.

Perhaps the fire between these two will not die down anytime soon, especially they are slugging out with each other and numerous competitors come Elimination Chamber time for the Intercontinental Championship.

And in all fairness, these two had a great chemistry. Show Off was on his usual self, while the Celtic Warrior’s heel turn was exceptionally good (and his look fits enough to be chanted “You Look Stupid!”).

Rating: 7.6

Anyway, The New Day still retained their title off a very usual-woody tactics by Xavier Woods; with this time it came via earning the second and final fall. Well, for sure this would not signal the finish on their duel. I’d like to have Natalya clashing with Xavier instead (of course, that’s not gonna happen).

Cesaro and Big E’s at their usual best. And I still ahve to admire that wicked spear on their way down.

With Xavier outside the Chamber, the road for their title defense will surely went different.

Rating: 6.9

Ryback versus Bray Wyatt; a rivalry I failed to see prior to Payback. Perhaps it sounded new since during Extreme Rules, we thought it will be Bo Dallas versus Ryback soon. Yes, it happened on RAW, but the direction went into a new one.

And I guess I can’t really make a comment on this match since I was partly asleep when this thing happened on TV telecast (sorry, folks. I had a tough time staying up since I was on the verge of having total exhaustion).

Moving on, as I get my consciousness back, John Cena and Rusev slugged it out; with the loser saying the words “I QUIT” to his opponent, the eventual winner. At the end, with some high spots along the way (including laptop and pyros), Cena retained the US title when Lana translated what Rusev’s Bulgarian words mean: “I QUIT.”

Though aside from that, the complete translation was posted at the Smark Henry page.

Well, Cena’s passing out on the accolade is something questionable at will, though technically-speaking passing out should have been considered a loss. But no, everything has to be dictated literally—even if it’s translated. That’s why at the end, Cena wins; and Rusev’s character has been on the downslide once again. You built a guy that can wreak havoc for a year, and suddenly you put him into a three-PPV contest slide? That may show the weak spot of his submission finisher, but pitting him against the ex-top babyface-slash-now-mid card holder for four times is definitely a buster. Plus, the finisher appears to be the shades on how Rusev was forced to accept John’s WrestleMania challenge. 

While Cena’s situation proves his career direction right now (which is not a bad thing at all) and at the same time, building up the mid-card characters on the main roster.

Rating: 7.4

One saddest thing about Payback though: the Divas championship was not on the line; and instead we witnessed a divas tag-team match.

Well, not really a bad thing, but something might says Divas Championship was less on their priorities. I get it they are giving a chance of a divas match. But come on, WWE... you can have them both though for damn sakes!

But nevertheless, I admired that victory by Tamina Snuka and Naomi. They are legitimate kind of badass femme fatales right there.

Rating: 7.8

Adrian Neville versus King Barett; the clash of the top modern-day English wrestlers in WWE; perhaps, it’s considered a trilogy if you count their duels in Extreme Rules kickoff show and King of the Ring right there.

But the count-out victory for Neville means one thing: expect more fire ahead.

And in terms of how these two were written, I have to admire them, just like Neville and Sheamus at present.

Rating: 8.4

Now, for the main event... sounds like a conspiracy theory, eh? All members of the Shield against the lone member of Evolution, if you compared them to last year’s Payback; the last time Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns were at one helm before the former decimated everything.

And with that triple powerbomb, is a reunion imminent?

I don’t think so... for now. As long as Seth Rollins remains the WWE World champion.

But... wait, Seth with the pedigree? That shows him being a protégé of the guy we all know as Triple H. Plus Kane still stands on the Authority side, solidifying what Hunter always used to say: The Authority wins!

Plus, two announce tables were destroyed. Perfect!

Perhaps, it now falls as one of this year’s surprising main events in WWE.

Rating: 8.4

Now, for the last takeaway, WWE Payback still lived up to its expectations compared to the ones they done last year. Things appeared it was well-written. And I guess, some of the sparks were ignited even more during Payback. Well, they will go on even if the next offerings will sound different: Elimination Chamber and Money in the Bank.

Overall verdict: 8.0

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions