WWE Payback 2017
Live on Pay Per View on Sunday, April 30th (Or May 1st UK time, as intended) Payback, exclusive to the Raw brand, took place at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
Usually Payback is WWE's shockingly good event for a regular Pay Per View that delivers outside of its usual constraints. Last year it sunk to a new low. Would this year be able to pick back up or continue the downward spiral WWE so easily allow for themselves?
With its Superstar Shakeup, titles all over the place, and failed story depth could it rise above? Featuring a title bound for its rival brand and two already moved superstars, WWE made a sheer mess of its brand exclusivity deal. With the House of Horrors premier and eleventh hour changes, was it doomed from the start?
Payback's a real one!
Let's find out.
WWE United States Championship
Kevin Owens (c) Vs Chris Jericho
Kevin Owens was labelled as "The face of America" a bulbous, laboured, pedestrian failure who whines, is handed everything and never materialises on his own talent. WWE just gave American's and its critics a perfect branding of its ordinary citizens.
The action swiftly began with laboured punches from Kevin Owens, who popped outside already and returned to lying on his back. The same routine of his worn out repertoire and bloated, blown up 'action' within less than three minutes. Something to be proud of. Huffing, puffin and all pedestrian favouritism from Triple H's NXT lunacy ignorance sees WWE decline even more ratings from its freebie trinkets devalued in hand gifting to another failed pet project.
Even in a suit, with a shave and snorting his nostrils,
Kevin Owens still looks like a cheap and tacky version of an angry lesbian
finally making an effort to dress up for a night out to cover up his blotchy
bits. There is no amount of airbrushing that can smooth over those cracks,
darling.
Chris Jericho, on the other hand, couldn't deliver either. Old, dated, tired out and the pair phoning it in, with Jericho having to sell the failed run through of Big Kev was another puerile embarrassment. It was all filler and finally transferred the United States Championship to Chris Jericho after a boring opener that devalued the US title, America, the sport and WWE even more than ever.
No-one truly cared.
As per stipulation from last month's failed Superstar Shakeup, mini draft, the winner would remain on Smackdown LIVE, thus moving Jericho. WWE badly advertised the US title for the PPV and now realise they needed to have it play out before moving to avoid is constant false advertising failings.
Jericho is leaving on Thursday once more to go touring after his third WWE return for a pay off only is over.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Neville (c) Vs Austin Aries
Boring acrobats, the ignorant weed of cast off action men dolls, Austin Aries had another random, favoured encounter with no earned plaudits. It was another typical jump around, swatting flies run through of pathetic lunacy proving the Cruiserweight's and its random title have no place in WWE and should never have been rectified.
The failed action was an early toilet break which saw Austin Aries win by disqualification, so Neville could retain the worthless title and continued this disastrously worn out feud already.
WWE are too scared to pull the natural plug.
Another of Triple H's excellent business management fails on ignorance. NXT and Cruiser's, Tag's and Women have all but sunk.
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
Sheamus and Cesaro Vs The Hardy Boyz (c)
Some felt this picked up the pace, which wasn't difficult with the previous two filler match, warm up acts.
Golden talent Cesaro, wasted outside of the main event, always brings the excellence that WWE seem to hate. Instead, we had the old age routine act of boredom that was the Hardy Boyz nostalgia of yesteryear failing to advance the future.
An already injured Jeff Hardy, working limited action, was used to sell injury angles with turnbuckle action but failed to deliver. Hardy proved ring rust once more from his laboured TNA and Independent circuit run throughs taking a beautifully crisp leg drop of high rise Cesaro. Jeff Hardy was later smashed by ever useless liability Sheamus with an injury. Hardy suffered a cracked tooth, after moving the wrong way on Cesaro's dismount.
Cesaro also officially turned against the lovey Hardyz, with already bad boy Sheamus. There was no other option in WWE's mind. Which could have broke him free and finally boosted him into the lacking main event. Vince doesn't like him, so there. The Hardy Boyz retained.
WWE Raw Women's Championship
Bayley (c) Vs Alexa Bliss
Ever lacking champion and hometown hero Bayley walked into the arena with a distant reaction, despite home love. She still wasn't over and WWE's poor management of her as a plus one random to Banks/Charlotte months back continues to see her zombified run of just being there.
Her competition was a freshly transferred Alexa Bliss, which was obvious in competition and result. The match was somewhat off and distilled 'wrestling by the numbers' comfortability, but provided some interest in places and was better than most at this point of the card.
It was fresh but tepid. Eventually Alexa Bliss naturally defeated predictable favourite Bayley to become the new Raw Women's champion. WWE continued to overhype her as 'making history' from winning both SD Live and Raw Women's titles. The titles have only existed for a year and aren't that historic or competitive at all. Fans are not that easily retarded.
House of Horrors
Randy Orton Vs Bray Wyatt
Well, here it is. The match we've all been waiting for. WWE once again failed to address its false advertising. Previously for the WWE title, since the Shakeup switch, Wyatt, now a Raw superstar with Randy Orton on Smackdown was simply a regular match now, losing all its hype.
Fully advertised as a WWE title match, WWE decided not to put it on the line in another bungled false advertising con.
How did you know they were doing a pre-taped segment in some random house? WWE recorded the first part of its 'match' which breaks false advertising yet again.
The match was instantly laughable with Orton pulling up to a derelict house in a limousine, shirtless, but in sweatpants.
He entered this spooky house that was daft and laced with almost everything that resembled a random anything falls, hardcore, anything goes, backstage brawl.
It was simply sad and made Bray Wyatt as a weird entity fans could support, simply removed from main event status due to Vince McMahon's warped ideas of madness conferred onto Wyatt.
 |
| Wasted |
Orton, on the other hand looked insanely ridiculous in playing this competitor filled with suspended dolls from ceilings, run-down, broken walls in need of restoration, and battles in the kitchen, supposedly to be Bray's.
Jokes of cooking, kitchen sinks and washing the dishes were aplenty from fans and critics who could not fathom the ridiculousness of it all.
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| It's the Kitchen Sink! Do you dishes, dear. |
The scenes ended, from the darkened night sky with Bray Wyatt smashing a refrigerator over Randy Orton, before hijacking his limousine and arriving to the Payback arena, which was brimming with light evening, cloudy sky that made fans in attendance applaud with laughter.
Even WWE could not think about making it a parallel dimension. They have no ideas without yours truly, Max Waltham, and try to emulate a wackier version of WWE mimicry in Bray Wyatt's empty shell. you aint me. It cannot be replicated in any capacity.
Samoa Joe Vs Seth Rollins
Whilst waiting for Bray Wyatt to arrive, the match was stalled. Fans were as confused as everyone except Vince McMahon's even more warped brain of lunacy, it would seem. Babe, this was not engaging or appealing and darn confusing to many. You and I might understand but your audience does not, and now, you look more senile than ever. That's advice, bae.
The next filler match began with another of Triple H's ignorant friends and resident boring chubster Samoa Joe, fresh from TNA cast offs. (It's still TNA, not iMPACT Wrestling). In his constantly boring and evaporated 'feud' with Seth Rollins, both based on triple H's over inflated ego (even when off TV, he has to be centre of attention with other pawns) this was mundanely boring.
Rollins, who cannot seem to sell injuries any longer and has been over done to the point of extinction, had no other option but to try. Working with the clunky, Yeti come Sumoa Joe, the match was infeasible, daft and weak.
Poor brawls, lacking leg work over's and pedestrian filler from Samoa 'non entity' Joe, who simply stumbles around, pouts his snorty nose and looks every bit Kevin Owens' twin brother of failed succession, was unappealing trash.
Seth Rollins eventually countered a random move of no value to win another toilet fest break.
House of Horrors, Part 2
Randy Orton Vs Bray Wyatt
Bore Wyatt returned to the arena, fresh from the limo and entered normally, after its pre-taped lunacy.
Once the lights in the arena returned to normal, Randy Orton was shockingly behind Bray Wyatt in a mysterious turn of events. It was unexplained, of course.
As Randy Orton beat down Bray Wyatt, as predicted to the trained eye, fans were short-changed when newest Smackdown star Jinder 'full of steroids' Mahal ran in with his new friends The Singh Brothers, to ambush Randy Orton. Mahal, who had been given a contenders battle at the next PPV for Smackdown, Backlash, walked off with the WWE title.
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| Jacked 'n' Juicy Jinder's before and afters. |
Bray Wyatt seized the opportunity and used Sister Abigail on Randy Orton to cover him in the ring to win this appalling House of Horrors match.
A week prior, WWE gave Jinder Mahal a title opportunity because WWE are using him and the Singh's to gain some network attention in the newly set up India TV deal. Displaying Indians as cheating, steroid junkies, un-apprehended by WWE's blind eye Wellness Policy system and flaunting disgrace is not something to be proud of. Plus Jinder Mahal always has and forever will be a jobber for life.
Ratings have once more since declined since Owens, Joe and Mahal at the top of WWE. Excellent moves Vince.
There WAS/IS SOOOO much content that could have made this exceptional. Once again I do have all the answers, but Vince is distant and selfish to be the showoff. I don't care for all that, but without me it is fundamental proof it cannot be anything exceptional. So many things were missed here that could have been epic and barely scratched the surface. If only Vince McMahon would think about his product's future than hate fest snarl.
Oh well. I guess that's your problem right now, not mine.
Roman Reigns Vs Braun Strowman
The final main event couldn't come quick enough. It felt too long as a PPV and at this point fans just wanted it over with.
WWE hoped to use Braun 'Brown' Strowman as bait to anti-Roman Reigns fans, after WWE's John Cena Mark II, thrown down everyone's throats to willingly accept come disinterest gain traction.
Braun Strowman, who has been on the main roster for two years and still never once over, was only cheered for the sheer hate of Roman Reigns, and WWE know it. Outside of Reigns, Strowman is yet another failed concept that would normally have been future endeavoured by now.
Week's before this match, Braun Strowman tipped over an Ambulance where Roman Reigns was inside. Pre-recorded footage showed Reigns being unbuckled and escape by his shadow as Braun tipped it over. There was a mechanical crane on the other side that actually tipped the vehicle which was another poorly delivered heat builder.
Strowman continued the no sell but clumsily walking around, doing nothing.
So comes Payback, where Strowman used the 'big man' moves including the Chokeslam, with another useless deliverance that had no impact to character building. He did it onto the announce table, as is the repetitive case every PPV.
Reigns followed with a Spear and failed near fall. He landed two Superman Punches, who countered with a lame submission. Braun used Running Powerslam's to gain an advantage which helped to get ahead. He cheaply covered him as Braun Strowman defeated hated WWE favourite Roman Reigns, which had absolutely no value or impact for either of them.
Fans were only hoping it would raise Strowman with fans. It didn't. They cheer for Roman, so vehement despised, under Vince and WWE's failed direction of the last two years which had a top performer apparent. It was supposed to be an Ambulance match tonight, but WWE changed it at the eleventh hour, as always, which once more, puts off fans and viewers with such mismanaged indecision.
This was clearly a failed main event of both stars and signals a serious concern for WWE's future.
WWE is fresh out of options, and has no-one left to implement success.
You're Welcome!
PPV Rating - 1/10
Men/Women of their matches - Chris Jericho, Neville, Cesaro, Alexa Bliss, Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns
Man/Woman of the PPV - Bray Wyatt
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| Fine specimens failing to launch by WWE alone. Packing more than a punch, too. |
Cesaro was once more the star of the show, forever wasted in the tag divisions. WWE has since lost numerous performers in the tag decision by injury, release or break ups. Once more Triple H's failed tag division has crumbled and replacements with cheap ignorance infesting all the waters of NXT has/is proving disastrous. A serious cleanse and re-configuration is needed. Old hat performers including the opportunities Hardy sad acts are not what once was and WWE still fails to learn it cannot keep relying on its old age to create the new one. Cesaro was the only selling point and this would have been the perfect time to move him from Sheamus and go solo to the main event, but Vince McMahon seemingly hates him for some unexplained reason, yet, with Rusev, Orton and what was once Wyatt, where/are the most over guys in WWE.
Neville was the better of the two and is the King of Cruiserweight's he so claims, but only by default. there is no competition and as we have constantly explained the Cruiserweight's have no place in WWE and should be disbanded. The title is ugly, useless and holds no value. It is a hindrance than a success, just like the cursed Intercontinental championship.
WWE's old hat merry go round with its ignorance favoured dilution of title, prestige and competition proves both the Jericho/Owens types are a constant failure for WWE. No direction, apathy, inable knowledge knowing how to work from green, out of shape stars who do not strike any relevance continue to dwindle fans and ratings. Jericho, who is leaving soon after his useless win, and zero competition, has added nothing of importance to WWE on another failed snatch and grab paycheck return.
Alexa Bliss has made history holding both of the same title. The Women's title, which was never properly disbanded, actually nullifies her legitimate history claim as it is only the Raw Women's title which was the original title, unseperated. WWE have no clue what to do anymore in its own branding. Bliss, even with this phantom run, has only held the titles that are practically just as new as her. It is not something to be overhyping instantly, but WWE can't help themselves. These decisions further alienate its audience. They never learn or listen. The results are telling.
What to say about that House of Horrors one off? Much and little comes to mind. Laughable, pathetic, comedy, lunacy and missed opportunities on action, character builds and credible epic match making. WWE have no clue and get bored. When they do they fail to put the full effect in. When they do, however, it is distorted to an illogical way of interaction. Thus, WWE have failed both brands, fans, performers, titles and everything in between. It was an epic fail. Orton was a chump. Wyatt was a fool. Nothing was set up further for any involved and delivered further contempt alongside a disastrous, cheap and tacky ending of no sense. Snakes. worms, bugs, The Boogeyman, Mirror trickery and distorted images could even have proved profitable for some fun and entertaining weirdness. Instead WWE, clueless and having no creative direction in their offices, settled for a movie style filmed disappointment instead. Bray Wyatt can never get over on his own or when a distraction arrives.
Seth Rollins has reached the point of sheer boredom. Triple H's ego has destroyed WWE's second best performer in the Wrestling Wonders Pro 50 2016, and former number 1 previously. Injury prone, Triple H's extra, alongside his poodle Samoa Joe, and a random encounter that has no being, WWE enter another sloppy seconds. Who really cares? This is deadpan. Another replay of the failure that was Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin's painstakingly lukewarm 'feud' last year.
Roman Reigns was the better worker of the two on the night, but the moment Roman Reigns works a decent match, the problems have already been cast. He is the most reviled superstar on WWE's roster due to its failed mismanagement runs two years back as champion. Since then, forcing a John Cena style acceptance whether you like it or not, from Vince McMahon's dominance, has shifted the haters to the edge of never. Reigns is ruined and nothing can seemingly be done under WWE's current direction to fix it. Of course, I know, but WWE enjoy burning bridges, so. As for Strowman, he is more greener, or browner, than ever before. He is just a jobber that fits in place right now, but has nothing to offer and should have been pink slipped years ago. Being cheered as the anti-hero is not going to get him over through cheap tactics.
© Max Waltham 02nd May 2017
All Rights Reserved
