Tonight! For the second Sunday in a row we’ve got ourselves a WWE PPV, this one being Payback 2020. I’ll be here with you all night to give you the live recap of the show as it comes! Watch this space!
The Hurt Business comes out to the ring, the US title match is up first. MVP cuts a promo in the inset talking about how last time Crews met with Lashley he ended up spending a month at home. He vows this time he’ll become a permanent stay-at-home dad.
WWE United States Championship: Apollo Crews (c) vs. Bobby Lashley
Lock-up, Bobby takes him into the corner. Ref breaks, Lashley with a waistlock takedown! And then another! Keeps the waistlock cinched in. Crews escapes and hits the ropes but eats a shoulder block. Lashley tries to hit the ropes, Crews with a dropkick but doesn’t quite drop him, leapfrog but Lashley clips him and takes him to the corner again. He’s just grinding his elbow into his face. Whip to the opposite corner, Crews with a floatover, big dropkick, charging elbow takes him to the floor! Goes to the apron, kick to the face, Asai Moonsault lays out Lashley and Crews stays on his feet!
Takes him into the ring but Lashley takes over, hurls him ruthlessly onto the top rope! Crews falls to the floor. Lashley pursues, hoists him onto his shoulders and runs him right into the ringpost! Throws him into the ring, cover for 2. Side headlock cinched in. Goes for a back suplex but Crews escapes behind him, enziguri! But it doesn’t take him off his feet, Lashley hoists him up, Dominator! Close nearfall! Crews sidesteps Lashley on a charge, boot up on a second charge, Crossbody off the second rope! Crews clobbers Lashley in the corner, Stinger Splash! Ducks a line, wants the Toss Powerbomb, Lashley with a knee to the face, hits the ropes but eats a big Spinebuster! Standing Moonsault for a nearfall!
Crews raises the roof, hoists him up for a Military Press but Lashley escapes behind, Full Lashley but Crews escapes it, German Suplex, Lashley fires up but eats a second one! Crews goes up top, Frog Splash!! Aaaand nearfall! Crews with a charging forearm in the corner, eats a back elbow, ducks a line but Lashley nails a Throw-Down Spinebuster! He’s stalking for the Full Lashley… he’s going for it, takes him to the mat with it! And he has to tap.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Good match. Had to put a title on Lashley eventually. A little sad Crews’ reign couldn’t be longer ’cause I don’t think anyone is sure he’ll get another. Afterwards, Crews attacks him from behind and leaves shouting that he’ll get his title back.
Corey and Cole talk about Roman Reigns allying with Paul Heyman.
JBL talks with Keith Lee backstage which is an odd sentence. He tells him not to be upset if he loses to Orton because he’s one of the best ever.
Another clip from Big E on Talking Smack where he passionately makes it clear that he intends to be a main event and does not intend to change who he is to get there. As Sheamus comes out for this next match, Sheamus says that Big E’s right that people have been talking about him behind his back and now is his time to shine. Some have said Kofi and Woods have been holding him back for years but the truth is they’ve been propping him up and now is his time to fall.
Big E vs. Sheamus
Lock-up, taken into the corner, ref forces a break. Lock-up once more, into the ropes for a ref count. E with a waistlock, Sheamus with back elbows, reverses into a waistlock. E turns him over with a big hip toss! Staredown. Lock up again, Sheamus with a headlock takedown. Big E fights to his feet, shoots him off, leap frog, ducks under a clothesline, charging back elbow! Sheamus takes him to the apron, Ten Beats of the Bowery! Big E falls to the floor, Sheamus tries to pursue but E clips him onto an apron, pounds him. Goes up there, huge splash on the apron but Sheamus evades it and he lands hard!
Sheamus takes him into the ring, works over the leg. Seems to be trying to setup for the Cloverleaf, he gets a kneebreaker in. Kicks to the chest, cover for a 1 count. Really wrenching at that leg now. With his free leg he sends some kicks to the back to escape, but Sheamus plants him with an Irish Curse for a nearfall! Single Leg Boston Crab cinched in! It’s in tight, E forces the break but Sheamus with a clothesline, goes up top, comes off but is caught out of the air with an Overheard Belly To Belly! And another! Tries for a third but Sheamus catches him with a headbutt which staggers him to the corner, Sheamus charges but E stops him with a Uranage!
Sheamus rolls to the outside, E wants his Apron Spear but Sheamus stops him with a knee to the face! Pullover Shoulder Tackle, E ducks an axe handle but there’s a third Belly To Belly! He gyrates, Sheamus grabs at his legs though, takes him and nails an Alabama Slam for a nearfall! Inverted Sharpshooter locked in now! He’s got it in reeeaaaal deep but E makes it to the rope for the break! Sheamus hits the ropes, but a back body drop takes him to the floor hard! Big E hits the ropes as Sheamus climbs back up, APRON SPEAR TAKES THEM BOTH TO THE FLOOR!
He throws him into the ring! Starts the clap! Sheamus avoids the Big Ending, takedown into a Heel Hook! Big E looks trapped! He’s grabbing at the beard, clobbering him across the head until he breaks the hold! Vicious Pump Knee from Sheamus for a nearfall! Stalks for the Brogue, but E catches him out of the air with a Powerbomb! Big Ending follows and that is that!
Winner: Big E
Good stuff, nice hoss fight there. I really dig what I’m seeing from this Big E push so far.
Now we hear from “the Bodacious Barefoot Bro” Matt Riddle. He says he’s always motivated and since he’s started on SmackDown Corbin’s been harshing his vibe. He’s just done and over with it but he gets it, he’s afraid the King of Bros is gonna take his crown, the Stallion is gonna reign all over King Corbin. Interview asks about a tweet where Corbin claimed Riddle would prove he’s a failure in the WWE ring and has already proven he’s a failure at home. Riddle fumes and makes his leave.
Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin
Corbin attacks Riddle from behind before the bell. Keeps battering him after the bell. He kicks him out of the ring, leans him against the commentator’s table for the clubbering blows. He takes him back into the ring, Riddle fights back with high kicks, leaps at him for a Kimura but Corbin powers out into a body slam! Riddle slips behind him for a Piggyback Sleeper! Corbin Stunners his way out of this, but Riddle zombies up to get him right back in the Sleeper! As Corbin slowly stands with him, Riddle with elbows and crossface blows. Corbin does stand with him still on his back, judo throw takes him to the mat. Riddle sidesteps a charge, Corbin with a Ring-Around-The-Ringpost for a nearfall!
Corbin keeps up the heat, Riddle tries to fight back but gets topped with a charging back elbow for another nearfall. Pulls him up by the hair, double leg trip, wants a half crab, Riddle kicks him away. Sidesteps, Corbin wants Ring-Around-The-Ringpost again but this time he eats a big Head Kick! He rolls to the floor! But when he pulls him back into the ring he gets him with another head kick, flips to his feet, Broton for a nearfall! Exchange of forearms but Riddle wins out obviously, kick to the side, Corbin with a big right hand to the face drops him but now he’s holding his kidney.
Riddle goes up top, Corbin tries to stop him, Riddle leaps over him but a Deep Six leads to a nearfall! Corbin wants some mounted punches but gets caught into a Triangle Choke! Corbin powers out but Riddle slips to his feet for another liver kick, Bro To Sleep, goes up top, Floating Bro for the victory!
Winner: Matt Riddle
Nice to see some up-and-coming babyfaces get PPV wins tonight.
He gets interviewed backstage but he doesn’t get to say shit before Corbin jumps him from behind. Has to be pulled off.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax
Baszler tags herself in immediately to spite Nia. Locks up with Sasha, who gives her a leg kick and quickly pays for it, battered to her knees. Baszler catches a kick, Sasha with an enziguri but gets taken to the second rope, she singles out her head for a few kicks to the face, big Judo Throw. Singles out the arm for the stomp but she evades it and tags in Bayley who gets a waistlock, Shayna reverses, takes her down and hammerlocks her. Sasha with great effort tries to pull Nia off the apron, Bayley sends Baszler into Nia to knock her to the floor, Sasha tags in and double teaming commences. Sits her on the mat for an abdominal stretch.
Sasha with the innovative Two Amigos before a tag, they try for a double Alley Oop but it’s hilariously mis-timed, Bayley covers, Nia Jax shoves Sasha into the pile to break it up, pulls her out of the ring and there’s the Giant Swing into the barrier over and over! Nia tags in, clothesline to Bayley, Corner Avalanche, elbow drop for a nearfall! Bayley mocks Shayna as she’s being worked over, Baszler wants to enter the ring but it distracts the ref and allows Sasha to chopblock Nia. Heels working over her now. Slams the leg into the apron.
Bayley ducks a line and goes for a crossbody but is caught of the air for a Front Slam! Sasha looks terrified. Nia hoists her onto her shoulders, Sasha comes in to pull Bayley free, but Nia hoists Sasha up and slams her into Bayley before hurling her to the floor! Wants a leg drop but Bayley avoids this and is looking for a heel hook! But Nia makes it to her feet and is dragging her across the ring to tag in Baszler. Kick to the chest, forearms. High knee in the corner, sliding kicks to both women, Gutwrench Gordbuster, pump knee to the face for a nearfall!
Banks tags in but gets a Gutwrench Gordbuster of her own, and now Shayna makes the first mutual tag of the night to Jax. Jax throws Banks to one corner, Shayna throws Bayley in as well, Nia with a double Avalanche. Pulls Banks to the center for a Powerbomb but she counters with a You-Can’t-Powerbomb-Billy-Kidman!! Sasha up top, Frog Splash but Jax kicks out! Sasha and Bayley reach desperately for each other, both scared to lose their titles. Sasha tags Bayley in, want a double back suplex but Jax avoids it, Baszler with a blind tag as they hit a Double Back Body Drop on Nia, but there’s the Kirfuda Clutch on Bayley, Sasha runs in but eats a Flapjack, looking for a Muta Lock! Bayley runs in but gets a Kirifuda Clutch on Bayley as she cinched in the Muta Lock deeper, she forces Sasha’s arm around Bayley’s neck for the submission!
Winner: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax
That is a huuuuuge step down from one set of champs to another. Awesome finish though, can’t take that away from it. Nia is surprisingly enthusiastic about this victory.
Lee/Orton time now and any time Keith Lee makes his entrance now I will be RT’ing the below tweet of my cat dancing to his old music:
Keith Lee vs. Randy Orton
Lock-up, Lee fends him off, Orton with a leapfrog but Lee with a crossbody! Orton bails. Goes back into the ring and yells “I am Randy Orton and I demand your respect!” LOUD slaps, and an even louder chop! Lee is furious. Whips him to the corner, he rebounds and Lee nails the Grizzly Magnum! Takes him into the corner for body shots, Orton with a knee, sidesteps a charge and sends him shoulderfirst into the post, Lee scrambling to the commentator’s table, Orton pursues and Back Suplexes him onto the table! Lee is no Singh brother but he flies for his size. Orton takes him into the ring for a side headlock.
But as he fights his way up, he breaks the hold, hits the ropes and there’s the POUNCE to send Orton to the floor! And there’s a MEATY Back Suplex right onto the announce table in retaliation! Slides him into the ring, Orton stops him as he pursues, Draping DDT! And now he stalks for the RKO. Looks for it, Lee pops him up for the Spirit Bomb!!! And that is THAT!
Winner: Keith Lee
Holy shit!
Yeah, no, that’s about all I need about to say that!
Paul Heyman swaggering backstage. He says Roman Reigns promised he would be here and he is. He guaranteed he will walk into that triple threat and he shall. And Roman Reigns offered not a prediction but a spoiler, he will walk away WWE Universal Champion and he shall. And you can believe THAT.
Vignette for Mysterios vs. Seth Rollins’ cult plays.
Dominik & Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy
Dominik immediately jumps the heels, takes it to them both, gets a 619 on the apron to Murphy to repel him! Rollins has to keep Murphy from rushing back into the ring. Rollins tags in, Dominik with a kick to stop a back body drop, taken to the apron, shoulder thrust, Springboard Lucha Armdrag! And now Rollins is the one losing his cool on the outside! Buddy tags in, Dominik confounds him with his lucha as well, arm drag into a big dropkick! Takes him to the Mysterios corner, Rey tags in, Dominik with a Russian Legsweep, Rey with a Basement Dropkick for a 1 count, Murphy scrambles to the corner! Rey demands Seth tag in.
Rollins indeed makes the tag, slowly enters the ring. Seth gets in his face, exchange of shots but Seth wins out and takes him to the corner to clobber him. Whip to the opposite corner, Rey evades, Rollins tries to hoist him up for a powerbomb but Rey West Coast Pops his way out, only to be met with a Gutbuster! Rollins hoists him onto his shoulders, Rey escapes, Murphy tries to interfere but gets knocked to the floor, Seth though grabs Rey and throws him to the floor where Murphy is waiting with his knees up, brutal landing for Rey!
Now the heels are working Rey over, tags and isolation. Rey avoids Murphy charging, Wheelbarrow Facebuster to Seth, hot tag to Dominik! He comes off the top with a crossbody onto both but they catch him, Seth turns this into a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall! Murphy tags in, big forearms into the corner. Snap Suplex, floatover for a nearfall. Pulls him to his feet, and there’s the Abdominal Stretch! Dominik transitions to a Jawbreaker to break it up but they keep him from tagging Rey in, Rollins in for a big bodyslam. Dominik trying to fight back but Seth dumps him to the floor. He distracts the ref and Murphy grabs Dominik but gets taken into the barricade! Seth comes flying off the apron, Dominik sidesteps him and sends him into the barrier as well!
Dominik makes the tag, Rey with a big headscissor to Seth, goes to the apron, shoulder thrust, drives him headfirst into the turnbuckle and now he’s going up top! Moonsault Press for a nearfall! Victory Roll rolled through into a round kick to the head! Murphy breaks up the pin, Dominik with a Round-The-World DDT to Murphy! But Rollins takes him out only to eat the regular version of the West Coast Pop from Rey, but when he hits the ropes Seth turns it into a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker and they’re both down! Rey ducks a clothesline, Suicide Dive to Murphy! Up to the apron, knocks him away, comes flying off the top but Rollins with a Codebreaker out of the air! Avada Kedavra, nearfall!
Seth wants The Stomp, Rey avoids it and tries for a Wheelbarrow but gets dumped onto his face for a nearfall! Dominik breaks up the pin, Rollins and Murphy grab him and take him to the floor to send him into the barrier! Seth does the same to Rey! Pulls him into the ring and again yells at him to reach for his son, Dominik still laid out on the floor. Seth tells Murphy “Kick him in the head” and sets him up for a Buckle Bomb but Rey turns it into a rana, Murphy kicks Seth instead! Dominik back up, sends Seth to the floor, Dominik throws Rey into a Flying Code Red into the barrier! Dominik with a 619 to Murphy, goes up top, Frog Splash nailed and that is that!
Winners: Rey & Dominik Mysterio
Rey and Dominik together is fun as hell. What a great match.
It feels so early for the main event vignette but here we are.
No Holds Barred Match for the WWE Universal Championship: The Fiend vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns
Strowman attacks Fiend during his entrance! He snuck up in the darkness and the ref calls for the bell ’cause it’s no DQ, Roman isn’t out here though, Strowman with a huge Powerslam! Cover for a nearfall! Fiend fights back, but there’s a big crossbody and a Sister Abigail for a nearfall! Takes him to the outside, Uranage right through the announce table! He goes over to get his big ‘ol mallet! But Braun stops him, lays him out on the steps, Braun goes for a swing but Fiend avoids it, drives him into the barricade! Grabs the mallet again and smashes it into his chest, it drops him! Fiend howls in twisted glee. He pulls him to his feet, neck snap, and then he slams the steps into him! Backstage Alexa Bliss is watching with interest.
Fiend takes him up the ramp, Strowman takes over and throws him into the LED board. Fiend fights back and tries for Sister Abigail onto the stage but Braun fends him off, charges for a huge crossbody that takes him off the stage and they go crashing through the stunt pad! Braun battles back, takes him down the ramp and into the ring. He goes up top slowly. Fiend with an uppercut to stop him, pursues him up there, headbutts aplenty. Hooks him… we gonna break the ring? SUPERPLEX, THERE IT IS THE RING BROKE AND ROBINSON TAKES A SPECTACULAR BUMP!
And now of course out comes Roman Reigns! He pins Fiend, yells for a ref to come down and one does, nearfall! Cover again for a nearfall, covers Strowman for a nearfall! He’s stunned. He goes for a chair. Big shot across the back of Strowman and another and another! Cover for a nearfall! Fiend with a Mandible Claw on Reigns, until a low blow stops him! Roman still tending to his mouth. They’re trying to fight in a broken ring here. Strowman staggers to his feet, Reigns with a big Spear and that is that!
Winner: Roman Reigns
Heyman was on the stage the whole time and apparently he signed the contract ON THE WAY TO THE RING. Hilarious. Roman Reigns is a villain and it’s a beautiful thing, folks. That’s all for tonight.