WWE Payback
April 30, 2017
San Jose, California
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
On the WWE Payback Kickoff Show, Enzo and Big Cass defeated Anderson and Gallows. On Miz TV, Finn Bálor laid out The Miz.
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
A video kicks off the show highlighting the big match-ups on the show tonight.
We go live into the arena to see a big pyrotechnics display. Michael Cole welcomes us to the show.
WWE United States Championship Match Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens (c)
The bell rings, and Owens quickly leaves the ring. Jericho follows him outside and attacks before bouncing him off the table. Jericho gets him into the ring. Owens attacks him while he reenters the ring. Owens hits the ropes, but Jericho dropkicks him down. Owens rolls to the apron and gets up, so Jericho knocks him off. The crowd is hot for Jericho. Jericho goes to the top rope and catches Owens coming into the ring with a flying back elbow for a two count. Jericho punches him in the corner before having a whip reversed, but he quickly boots Owens. Jericho gives him a face-buster before going for a Lionsault, but Owens rolls away. Jericho goes for a springboard dropkick, but Owens counters by bouncing his head off the turnbuckle. Owens then slams him into the barricade and hits him with a cannonball. Owens gets in the ring and looks for a count-out. Jericho gets in before he is counted out. Owens hits him with a senton splash for a two count. Owens quickly transitions to a chin lock. A loud “Y2J” chant fires up. Jericho fights up, but Owens hits him with a neckbreaker off his knee for a two count. Owens goes back to the chin lock. A “stupid idiot” chant fires up. Jericho fights up, chops the chest, and rolls him up for a two count. Owens immediately pops up and clotheslines him down for a near fall. Owens chokes him on the ropes before clubbing his forehead. Jericho chops back at him, but Owens lays him out with a DDT for another near fall. Owens goes to the chin lock for a third time. Jericho tries to fight up, but Owens powers him down. Jericho finally gets to his feet, so Owens whips him to the corner. Jericho fights out of the corner and goes for an avalanche, but Owens moves. Jericho hits the turnbuckle and crashes to the floor. Jericho slowly get sin the ring, so Owens attacks. Jericho kicks him in the face and chops away at him. Owens quickly puts him on the apron, so Jericho goes to the top rope and lays him out with a double axe handle. Jericho gets the crowd going and goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Owens whips him away. Jericho quickly floors him with an enzuigiri for a near fall. Jericho continues to chop him before sending him to the corner, but Owens counters back with a superkick for a near fall.
Owens goes for a Pop-up Powerbomb, but Jericho holds the ropes. Owens counters a Codebreaker and throws him off. Jericho takes him down and goes for a Lionsault, but Owens gets his knees up. Owens gives him a cannonball in the corner for a near fall. Owens is furious he cannot put Jericho away. Owens slaps Jericho and goes for the Pop-up Powerbomb, but Jericho counters with a hurricanrana before rolling through and applying the Walls of Jericho! The crowd is on their feet. Owens screams in pain, but he eventually gets his finger on the bottom rope like he did at WrestleMania 33. Jericho stomps the fingers a few times. Owens rolls out of the ring, so Jericho follows him out and slams it off the steel steps a few times. Jericho jams the arm in the steps and kicks them. Owens screams in pain and gets in the ring. Owens quickly rolls him up for a two count. Jericho soon fights back with another Walls of Jericho. Owens nearly gets to the bottom rope, so Jericho pulls him to the center of the ring. Owens then submits, and Chris Jericho is now part of Smackdown Live!
Winner and new WWE United States Champion: Chris Jericho
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match Austin Aries vs. Neville (c)
They forego the traditional handshake at the beginning of the Cruiserweight Matches. They circle the ring and lock up. Aries powers him to the corner and gives a clean break. Aries looks at him confidently. Neville applies a side headlock, so Aries whips him off and drops him with an arm drag. They lock up again, and Neville powers him to the corner this time. Neville wrenches the arm a few times, so Aries whips out and takes him down with a fireman’s carry for a one count. Neville continues to wrench the arm, and he powers him to the corner before shouldering him. Aries comes back with a pair of arm drags, but Neville quickly grapevines the head. Aries gets out and kicks him. Neville quickly gets to the ropes to keep him back. The referee shouts at Aries to stay back. Aries lays out across the top turnbuckle. Aries boots Neville back and sends him to the corner. Aries drops him to the apron, but Aries comes back with a elbow to the head. Aries hits a slingshot senton, so Neville gets out of the ring. Aries then lays him out with a plancha. Aries gets him in the ring and goes to the top rope, but Neville gets up and dropkicks the rope to make him crash and burn to the mat. Neville stomps away at him, and the crowd starts to respond. Neville viciously whips him to the corner and stomps him. Neville goes to a chin lock to keep him grounded. Aries tries to fight up, so Neville slams him down on his face. Neville goes to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Neville taunts the crowd before booting him in the head. Neville boots him in the head and mocks Aries rope taunt. Aries then dropkicks him over the top rope. Neville pulls himself up to the apron and forearms Aries back. They fight it out, and Aries bounces him off the top rope. Aries goes for a suplex into the ring, but Neville lands on his feet. Neville hits the ropes, but Aries takes him down. Aries chops away at him, hits a gutbuster, an STO, and an elbow drop. Aries hits a snapmare and goes to the second rope for an elbow to the back of the neck for a near fall. Aries gets him to his feet, but Neville elbows him in the neck. Aries puts him on the apron and comes back with a neckbreaker off the ropes. Neville goes to the outside to recover, so Aries lays him out with a suicide dive. Aries gets him in the ring and picks up a two count.
Aries applies a front facelock, but Neville fights up and hits a jawbreaker. Aries fights back with a forearm. Neville counters a Discus Fivearm with a kick to the midsection. Aries comes back with a shinbreaker and a slam. Aries goes to the top rope, but Neville gets away. Neville runs up to him, but Aries catches him with a sunset flip powerbomb. Aries quickly transitions to the Last Chancery. Neville grabs at the referee and sends him flying in desperation. The referee disqualifies him. Neville keeps the title.
Winner by Disqualification: Austin Aries
Footage is shown of Sheamus and Cesaro talking about their upcoming match against The Hardy Boyz on the WWE Payback Kickoff Show.
WWE RAW Tag Team Championships Match Sheamus and Cesaro vs. The Hardy Boyz (c’s)
A loud “DELETE” chant fires up. Matt Hardy locks up with Cesaro. Matt powers him to the corner and gives a clean break. They lock up again, and Cesaro wrenches the arm. Matt twists out, but Cesaro rolls him up for a one count. Cesaro wrenches the arm before giving a clean break in the ropes. They lock up, and Matt attacks the arm. Jeff Hardy is tagged in, and he comes off the second rope with an elbow to the arm. An “OBSOLETE” chant fires up. Jeff puts him in the corner. The Hardy Boyz then hit Poetry in Motion on Cesaro. Matt picks up a one count. Matt wrenches the arm and sends him to the ropes, but Cesaro uppercuts him down. Sheamus tags in, and he hits a rolling senton for a two count. Sheamus uppercuts him to the corner before tagging Cesaro back in. Cesaro comes off the second rope with an elbow to the arm. Cesaro takes him down for a two count. Sheamus tags back in, and he shoulders Matt in the corner. Sheamus then takes him down for a two count. Sheamus goes for a powerslam, but Matt slides off and tags in Jeff. Jeff snaps Sheamus off the top rope before taking him down, hitting an inverted atomic drop, a double leg drop to the midsection, and a splash for a two count. Jeff wrenches the arm, but Sheamus counters by whipping him out of the ring. Jeff too a nasty bump on the floor. Cesaro tags in, puts Jeff in the ring, and picks up a near fall. Cesaro deadlifts him and hits a gutwrench suplex for a two count. Sheamus tags in, and they hit a double-team back elbow. Sheamus drags him near the corner and hits a diving knee drop off the second rope for a near fall. Sheamus then applies a chin lock. Sheamus kicks him in the face and knees him down. Cesaro tags in, and he drops a leg for a two count. The crowd starts chanting “DELETE.” Sheamus tags in. Cesaro hits a running uppercut, and Sheamus follows up with a shoulder. Sheamus hits an Irish Curse Backbreaker for a near fall. Sheamus goes back to a chin lock.
Jeff eventually fights up and fights off both Cesaro and Sheamus before hitting them both with a Whisper in the Wind. The crowd is getting pumped for Matt. Jeff hits Cesaro with a mule kick before tagging in Matt. Matt quickly attacks Cesaro and bounces him off the top rope while the crowd chants, “DELETE.” Matt hits a bulldog for a two count. Matt goes to the second rope for a diving elbow to the neck. Matt follows up with a Side Effect for a near fall. Jeff runs in and gets Sheamus out of the ring. Jeff then takes him out with a cross-body off the apron. Matt takes Cesaro down in the ring and goes for a top rope moonsault, but Cesaro rolls out of the way. Cesaro wipes him out with a springboard corkscrew uppercut. Both men are down. Cesaro takes him down and fires up the Cesaro Swing with many revolutions. Cesaro follows up with the Sharpshooter, but Jeff comes over and gets Matt’s hand on the bottom rope. Sheamus quickly takes Jeff down at ringside. Cesaro puts Matt in the corner. Matt boots him back and goes to the top rope, but Cesaro uppercuts him. Sheamus tags in and hits a second rope White Noise, but Jeff breaks up the pin! Jeff gets Cesaro out of the ring and dives off the apron, but Cesaro catches him. Jeff slides off and sends him into the crowd. Matt ducks a Brogue Kick and goes for a Twist of Fate, but Sheamus gets out. Sheamus DDTs him for a near fall. Jeff blind tags in. Sheamus powerslams Matt and covers, but he’s not the legal man. Jeff stuns him with a Swanton Bomb for the win.
Winners and still WWE RAW Tag Team Champions: The Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz check on their fallen opponents. They all get to their feet and shake hands. The Hardy Boyz then raise the arms of Sheamus and Cesaro. The crowd gives them a decent hand. The Hardy Boyz pose on the ropes, and Sheamus and Cesaro attack them from behind. Cesaro viciously pulls Jeff into the ring post a few times before Sheamus Brogue Kicks his head into it. They then approach Matt and get him in the ring. Sheamus and Cesaro stand over him before getting him to his feet. Cesaro holds him up for Sheamus to hit a Brogue Kick. Matt is bleeding from his scalp. Sheamus and Cesaro then grab the titles and hold them up before laying them on their fallen opponents and walking off.
Braun Strowman is backstage. Strowman says Roman Reigns is looking for the big fight, but by the end of the night, he’ll be looking for Strowman to put him out of his misery.
WWE RAW Women’s Championship Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley (c)
They do the announcements in the ring. Bayley gets a huge reaction from her hometown crowd. The bell rings, and they lock up. Bayley gets her in the corner, and the referee backs her up. Bayley wrenches the arm, but Bliss gets on the ropes to break it. They lock up again, and Bayley powers her to the corner before giving a clean break. Bliss pushes her and takes her down before taunting the crowd. Bliss sends her to the corner, but Bayley slingshots over her and hits a scoop slam for a two count. Bliss immediately rolls out of the ring. Bliss gets on the apron, but Bayley dropkicks her off. Bayley gets her in the ring and picks up a two count. Bayley bounces her off the top turbuckle a number of times. Bliss comes back with a vicious strike to take her down. Bliss bounces her off the top turnbuckle a few times before clubbing away at the back. Bliss takes her down for a one count. Bliss goes to a chin lock. Bayley fights up, but Bliss bounces her off the ropes for a one count. Bliss covers again for a one count. Bliss continues to attack her before standing on the hair and pulling her arms up. Bliss covers for a two count. Bliss rips at the hair before whipping her down by her ponytail. Bliss then goes back to the chin lock. Bayley fights up, but Bliss clotheslines her down before talking a little trash. Bliss then stands on her and bounces her face off the mat. Bliss then kicks her out of the ring.
Bliss gets her in the ring and takes a lot of time getting back into the ring. Bliss gets on the apron at nine. Bayley attacks her and starts her comeback. Bayley bounces her off the turnbuckle and clotheslines her down. Bayley gives her a suplex before elbowing her and giving her a dropkick. Bayley shoulders her in the corner before hitting a teardrop suplex for a near fall. Bayley goes to the second rope and hits a diving elbow. Bayley gets her to her feet, but Bliss powers her face-first into the turnbuckles. Bliss goes to the top rope, but Bayley cuts her off. Bayley tries for a move, but Bliss counters with a sunset flip powerbomb for a near fall. Bliss bends her back and talks trash before slamming her. Bliss goes for her knee attack, but Bayley moves and hits a running knee to the side of the head. Bayley goes to the top rope and hits a diving elbow drop, but Bliss kicks out at two and a half. A loud “Let’s go Bayley” chant fires up. Bliss slaps her, so Bayley viciously attacks her and stomps her in the corner. Bliss pushes her off and goes for a pin, but Bayley sits on the shoulders for a near fall. The kick-out sends Bayley headfirst into the ring post. Bayley manages to kick her away, but Bliss comes right back. Bayley goes for an inside cradle, but Bliss kicks out and immediately follows up with a DDT for the win! Alexa Bliss defeats Bayley in her hometown.
Winner and new WWE RAW Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Video Package: Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt in a House of Horrors Match
JoJo announces the match will begin in Bray Wyatt’s House of Horror and end in the ring with a pinfall.
House of Horrors Match Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton
We cut to see a limousine pull up in front of a house. Orton is sitting inside with his shirt off and wearing pants. The house is shown in blue light with a window in the upstairs room blinking. A lawnmower powers up and moves on its own. Orton cautiously approaches the house. Orton enters what looks like a garage and sees Bray Wyatt through the window. Orton goes to the front door and kicks it in. There are spiderwebs in the doorway of hte house. The furniture is covered in cloth and the lights are blinking. We hear Wyatt’s voice saying, “Randy, RUN!” Wyatt appears from behind and attacks him. Wyatt welcomes him to the house before sending him into a wall. Wyatt kicks away at him and laughs before sending him into a lamp. Wyatt welcomes him to hell and punches him in the face. Orton pulls himself up on the covered sofa before smashing a glass off Wyatt’s head. Wyatt runs away. Orton starts to walk around looking for him when Wyatt’s hand bursts through the drywall and chokes him. Wyatt then runs off again. Orton enters a room where baby dolls are hung off a ceiling. The camera does a bunch of creepy cuts. Wyatt attacks him from behind, but Orton rips at his eyes. They’re playing horror movie music throughout. Orton whips him into a wall, and both men are down. Wyatt throws a piece of furniture on him and disappears again.
Orton walks around screaming for Wyatt to come out. Orton knocks over a dining room table. Orton then enters a room where a bizarre model is made out of tree limbs. A baby doll’s head is hanging on it. Orton walks away and enters a kitchen with a blinking fluorescent light. Orton sidesteps an attack from Wyatt and beats him around the kitchen before viciously punching away at him. Orton stops to catch his breath before punching away at him again. Orton takes his time before putting Wyatt’s head in the sink. Wyatt comes back with a desperation low blow. Wyatt tips a refrigerator over on him, but the camera cut clearly shows Orton had magically disappeared. Wyatt pulls himself up and starts to walk through the house out of breath. Wyatt then screams a few times before exiting the house. Wyatt takes a few moments to get to the center of the yard before kneeling and saying, “Follow the buzzards.” The house then turns red, and Wyatt laughs. Wyatt gets in the limousine and tells the driver to take him to the arena. Wyatt sings to himself.
We cut back to the arena to hear the crowd loudly booing this match. It will apparently continue later on tonight.
Video Package: Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
They take their time before locking up. Joe powers him to the corner, but Rollins quickly fights out with a chop. My WWE Network feed just went out. It was out for a few moments. It comes back to see Joe down at ringside. Rollins wipes him out with a suicide dive. Rollins gets back in the ring and hits a second suicide dive. Rollins gets him in the ring, but Joe quickly grabs the leg as he comes in and snaps it off the ropes. Rollins hobbles at ringside, and Joe takes him out with a suicide dive. Joe gets him in the ring and peppers him with kicks. Rollins tries to fight back, but Joe sweeps the feet and plants him on his face. Joe stands on the leg and hits a senton splash on the knee. Rollins grabs his leg in pain. Joe chops the chest a few times, but Rollins chops him back. Joe reverses a whip to the corner and hits a running back elbow followed by a pelé kick for a near fall. Joe jabs away at him, but Rollins pulls him into the turnbuckles. Rollins goes for a clothesline, but Joe doesn’t go down. Rollins ducks a clothesline and kicks him in the throat. Rollins puts him in the corner and hits a pair of running forearms. Rollins follows up with a neckbreaker before going to the top rope. Rollins dives, but Joe catches him and hits a sit-out knee breaker. Joe applies a knee bar, but Rollins claws his way to the bottom rope. Joe continues to attack, but Rollins flips to his feet. Rollins’ knee gives out. Joe hits him with a scary powerbomb, but Rollins kicks out. Joe quickly transitions to a single leg crab, but Rollins gets to the bottom rope. Joe digs his boot into his face in the corner. Joe hits the ropes, but Rollins attacks him. Rollins elbows him back and hits a Sling Blade. Rollins chops away at him and boots him back. Rollins hits a blockbuster for a two count. Joe comes back and takes him down before going for a senton on the leg, but Rollins moves. Rollins superkicks him for a near fall. Rollins goes for a powerbomb out of the corner, but his leg collapses. Rollins hits a sit-out falcon’s arrow for a near fall. Rollins follows up with a frog splash, and he clutches his injured knee. Rollins then covers for a near fall. Joe starts to punch back at him, and they trade blows. Rollins then takes him down with a step-up enzuigiri. Joe goes for a Coquina Clutch, but Rollins climbs the ropes and pushes back for a near fall. Joe immediately takes him down. Joe applies a chin lock, but Rollins pushes back and picks up the victory.
Winner by Pinfall: Seth Rollins
The limousine containing Bray Wyatt pulls up. The crowd loudly boos while he gets out of the limousine.
House of Horrors Match, Part Two Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton
Bray Wyatt’s music hits, and he makes his entrance. We see replays of the first portion of this match earlier in the night. Wyatt gets in the ring. When the lights come on, Orton is behind him with a steel chair. Wyatt is stunned. Orton hits him with the chair twice, and he leaves the ring. Orton sends him into the steps before bouncing him off the commentary table. Orton then sends him over it. Orton clears the top of the table and kills him with a hanging DDT to the floor. Orton takes his time before cracking the chair off his back. Orton gets him in the ring and signals for an RKO. The Singh Brothers attack him from behind. Orton fights them off, gets out of Sister Abigail, and drops Wyatt with an RKO. All of a sudden, Jinder Mahal cracks him in the head with the WWE Championship he stole on Smackdown Live. Orton gets to his feet, and Mahal hits him with the title again. Wyatt immediately follows up with Sister Abigail for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Bray Wyatt
Video Package: Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns made his entrance to loud boos. His left shoulder is heavily taped up, and he’s walking slowly. Reigns punches away at him, and Strowman quickly shoves him away. Strowman gets him out of the ring, but Reigns leaps off the steps and clotheslines him down. Reigns gets in the ring and taunts the crowd. The crowd is loudly booing him. Strowman gets to his feet and grabs Reigns trying for a Drive-By Dropkick. Strowman powers him into the barricade before slamming him off the commentary table. Strowman lets out an animalistic scream before putting him in the ring. Strowman clubs the arm and kicks away at him. Strowman avalanches him in the corner, and Reigns collapses. A loud “Let’s go Roman/Roman sucks” chant fires up. Strowman stands on Reigns before getting off, applying a hammerlock, and clubbing the arm. Strowman then sends him shoulder-first into the ring post. Reigns falls out of the ring. Strowman taunts the crowd, and they loudly cheer him. Strowman avalanches him into the ring post and sends him shoulder-first into the ring steps. Strowman rolls him into the ring and knees away at him. Strowman sends him into the ropes and clotheslines him down. Strowman picks up a two count. Strowman applies a bear hug and cinches it in. Reigns struggles to catch his breath. Reigns’ ribs were injured in the attack weeks ago. Reigns fights up and gets out with an elbow. Reigns sidesteps him in the corner twice. Reigns hits a pair of clotheslines, but Strowman never goes down. Strowman grabs him trying for a third one, but Reigns fights out and slowly lifts him for a Samoan Drop. Reigns starts clubbing him in the corner before clotheslining him over the top rope. The momentum takes Reigns over.
Strowman tosses Reigns back into the ring, but Reigns rolls out and gives him a Drive-By Dropkick. Reigns charges him, but Strowman lifts him up for a Powerslam. Reigns slides off and sends him into the ring post. Strowman gets up and charges him against the ring post, but Reigns sidesteps him. Strowman hits the ring post and goes down. The referee begins to count them out. Reigns is in the ring. Strowman gets back in the ring at the count of nine. Reigns lays him out with a Spear for a near fall. Reigns goes for another Spear, but Strowman boots him. Strowman lifts him up, but Reigns gets out and hits a pair of Superman Punches that takes him down to a knee. The crowd is loudly booing him. Reigns hits the ropes, but Strowman lifts him up for a head and arm choke. Strowman follows up with a Powerslam, but Reigns barely kicks out. Strowman hits a second Powerslam for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman isn’t done with him yet. Strowman throws the steel steps into the ring. A loud “YES” chant fires up. Referees run down to try to stop him, but they don’t even get into the ring. Strowman sets the ring steps up on its side. A loud “Thank you, Strowman” chant fires up. Strowman lifts him up and drops him ribs first on the steps. Strowman stands over Reigns while holding the steps. Strowman then lifts them over his head and slams them onto Reigns’ ribs! Strowman walks off while Reigns is bleeding from his mouth from internal injuries. Another loud “Thank you, Strowman” chant fires up. Strowman poses at the top of the ramp with a wild face.
After showing a few replays, Reigns gets to his feet and walks off on his own power. Reigns hobbles by the commentary table. EMTs show up with a stretcher, but he waives them off. The PPV comes to an end.
During RAW Talk, we see Reigns walking backstage before coughing up blood on the wall. Reigns goes to get into an ambulance. Strowman tries to attack him from behind, but Reigns sidesteps him. Strowman hits the ambulance door and rips it off the hinges. Reigns then slams the other door into him, and Strowman runs off.
Quick Match Results
* Chris Jericho def. Kevin Owens via Submission to win the WWE United States Title * Austin Aries def. Neville via DQ; Neville retains the WWE Cruiserweight Championship * The Hardy Boyz def. Sheamus and Cesaro to retain the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships * Alexa Bliss def. Bayley to win the WWE RAW Women’s Championship * Seth Rollins def. Samoa Joe * Bray Wyatt def. Randy Orton in a House of Horrors Match (non-title) * Braun Strowman def. Roman Reigns
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