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Payback Kickoff
The expert panel is Cody Rhodes, R-Truth, Big Show and Josh Mathews.
WWE's pre-game show started with Damien Sandow vs. Sheamus.
Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole and JBL handled commentary for the pre-show match, which is a departure from the past.
Sheamus received a pretty monstrous reaction from the Chicago fan. They went back and forth early. Sheamus scored a two count with a powerslam. He followed up with a Battering Ram off the top rope for another two count. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but Sandow escaped to the outside.
Sheamus followed him to the floor but was shoved into the ringpost. The announcers pushed that this was a new, more aggressive Sandow. Sandow drilled him with a dropkick through the ropes. He scored a two count as the fans chanted for Sheamus.
Sandow went to the top but Sheamus cut him off and snapmared him into the ring for a two count. Sandow ducked a short arm clothesline and nailed a drop toehold into the ropes. He nailed a Side Russian Legsweep and the elbow of disdain for a two count.
They then...went to COMMERCIAL! Yes, in the middle of the match, they went to a Payback PPV commercial. The announcers signed off so it was a planned break. Still, very odd to see them cut in the middle of a match.
When they returned, Sheamus was trapped in a side chinlock trying to battle his way out. Sandow scored several two counts but Sheamus kept kicking out. Sheamus backdroped him over the two to the apron and drilled him with shots across the chest. Sheamus finished him up with the Brogue Kick for the pin.
Your winner, Sheamus!
The WWE Payback PPV began with a video tying the mob history of Chicago into the Payback theme.
WWE Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett vs. Curtis Axel vs. The Miz
All three circled each other. Axel was sent to the outside. Miz nailed a flapjack for a two count. Axel distracted him, allowing Barrett to nail him from behind. There was a brief ECW chant. Axel spent the early part on the outside, leaving the other two to battle it out.
Barrett drilled Miz with a kick in the corner for a two count. Axel tried to get involved but was nailed with a knee to the mid-secton. Miz took out Barrett, causing him to be crotched in the ropes. Axel and Miz went at it. Axel drilled him with a dropkick and sent him into the turnbuckles.
Axel nailed a rolling snapmare on Miz for a two count. Axel controlled the flow for some time. Miz and Barrett drilled each other. Axel broke up several pinfall opportunities. Barrett went for Wasteland and drilled Miz as he turned. Axel slipped out and nailed the Perfectplex. Chicago went nuts but Miz broke it up.
Miz nailed the Skull Crushing Finale on Axel but Barrett threw him out of the ring. He covered Axel but Miz pulled him out and covered Axel for a two count. Axel was backdropped over the top by Miz, who put Barrett in the figure four. Barrett tried to battle to the ropes but was pulled to the center. Barrett looked like he might tap but Axel returned to the ring and covered Barrett for the pin.
Your winner and new WWE Intercontinental champion Curtis Axel!
Decent opener. They had some good back and forth sequences. The most shocking thing here was the big reaction for Axel's win live.
They aired a promo for Mark Henry's return on Raw.
Backstage, Axel and Paul Heyman were walking in the back when they came across Triple H. He stared them down. Vince McMahon showed up and congratulated them on the win and waved them off. They left. Vince looked at Triple H and said "Axel vs. HHH on Raw. Feeling it?" HHH said, "Nope. Not feeling it." He walked off.
WWE Divas champion Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee.
They reviewed Kaitlyn getting Catfished. AJ blew a kiss at her. Kaitlyn drilled her and began beating the hell out of her, including tossing her over the Spanish Announcing table.
Back in the ring, Kaitlyn continued beating her. AJ cut her off with a dropkick on the apron. AJ brought her back into the ring for a two count. She locked in a side chinlock and slammed her down for a two count.
Lee nailed a pair of neckbreakers for another near fall. She began browbeating Kaitlyn, who tried to fight back. Lee kicked her down. She locked in a sleeper, scissoring her body. Kaitlyn backed her into the corner but Lee used the buckles as a springboard to kick Kaitlyn down to the mat for a two count.
Lee drilled her with a spinning kick but was caught with a dropkick as she rebounded off the ropes, Kaitlyn drilled her with several clotheslines and a spear for a two count.
Lee came back with a crucifix for a two count. Kaitlyn nailed a gutbuster. Lee grabbed the ropes so Lee ripped at her and pulled off her belt. Kaitlyn pulled her into the ring with Lee pulling the ring apron in with her. The referee fixed the apron and missed Lee nail Kaitlyn with her belt for a two count.
Lee went to the ropes and came off but was caught. Kaitlyn went for a move but Lee spun around and locked in The Black Widow submission. Kaitlyn finally powered out and nailed her with an over the knee backbreaker. She speared Lee, blew her a kiss and covered her but Lee kicked out at the last second.
Lee shoved Kaitlyn off after being pulled up. She went to the corner. Kaitlyn charged but Lee jumped up. Kaitlyn nailed the buckles facefirst. She went down. Lee smiled and locked on the Black Widow. Kaitlyn tried to hold on and finally tapped out.
Your winner and new WWE Divas champion AJ Lee!
They worked hard and had the best Divas bout in WWE in recent memory. Good solid stuff.
Kaitlyn broke down crying as she left. Layla, in her first WWE appearance in weeks and weeks, came out to console her. She brought Kaitlyn to the back where Alicia Fox and Natalya also tried to tell her everything would be OK. The distraught Kaitlyn wanted to be alone and walked off.
Their expert panel of Big Show, R-Truth, Cody Rhodes and Josh Mathews discussed the title changes thus far.
They aired a promo for the Wyatt Family.
WWE United States champion Dean Ambroe vs. Kane
The crowd was solidly behind Ambrose. He went right at Kane but was overpowered with several right hands and a suplex for a two count. Ambrose came back with several punches but was caught with a sideslam. Kane began working over the champion's back.
He brought Ambrose into the corner and worked him over. Kane drilled with an uppercut. He whipped Ambrose into the opposite corner. Kane kicked Ambrose and snapmared him over. Ambrose came back, working on Kane's left knee. Ambrose was caught with an over the shoulder slam but his knee was bothering him.
Kane kicked off an Ambrose charge and ascended to the rop rope. Ambrose tried to stop him but was fought off. Kane went for the flying clothesline but missed. Ambrose came off the ropes with the old Tracy Smothers Jawjacker elbow for a two count. Ambrose locked in a sleeper, trying to force Kane out. Kane rose to his feet, so Ambrose jumped on his back.
Kane backed him into the corner. Ambrose climbed the ropes and jumped off, only to be caught with an uppercut. Kane worked over Ambrose but was caught with a running knee in the mid-section. He nailed a series of slaps and a running dropkick against the ropes for another two count.
Ambrose went to the top to attempt Undertaker's Old School but Kane yanked him down. The attempt enraged Kane, who nailed a series of clotheslines and a sideslam for a two count. Kane came off the top with clothesline. He called the chokeslam but Ambrose rolled to the outside. Kane went to grab him but Ambrose snapped his throat over the ropes. Kane was unphased and drilled Ambrose, sending the champ to the floor. Kane nailed him and set up to use the announcing table on Ambrose, but was caught and drilled with Ambrose's DDT on the floor.
Ambrose returned to the ring, but Kane was counted out.
Your winner and still United States champion, Dean Ambrose!
Another solid match. The finish is OK in terms of setting up rematches. Both had their moments here.
They aired an awesome promo announcing the return of Rob Van Dam at the Money in the Bank PPV. That is awesome.
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