PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

PAYBACK WWE EVENT PREVIEW

Wrestling fans can rejoice because Payback is making a comeback. For the first time since 2020, the WWE event Payback will be held. This year’s pay-per-view event is scheduled to take place on September 2, during Labor Day weekend, in Pittsburgh. Not only is this year’s Payback special because it’s taking place in September for the first time but it’s also the first live-streaming event in the state of Pennsylvania since 2018. 

A lot has changed in Pennsylvania since 2018, most notably legalized sports betting. Pennsylvania was one of the first states to legalize sports betting, doing so in 2019. Fast forward a few years and there are now several prominent PA sportsbooks operating. That has helped add to the excitement of every Pennsylvania sporting event, including WWE’s Payback.

As far as Payback is concerned, it’s unclear what to expect, which is part of the fun. However, we have some ideas about what fans can expect. For instance, Chad Gable facing Gunther for the Intercontinental Title would be an ideal pairing for a pay-per-view event. The same can be said for The Miz squaring off against LA Knight. While The Miz doesn’t have the greatest track record for these types of fights, he’s undoubtedly one of the best entertainers that WWE has, so it would make a lot of sense to have him feature during Payback. 

This might also be the perfect opportunity to see a grudge match between Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. There have been so many twists and turns to the WWE storyline between the two brothers that it might be time to bring it to a conclusion. At some point, something had to come to ahead, so why not make Payback the occasion to make that happen? If Jimmy and Jey face off on pay-per-view, it certainly wouldn’t disappoint fans.

As far as the World Heavyweight Championship is concerned, Shinsuke Nakamura facing Seth Rollins might be the most likely matchup. Shinsuke Nakamura is searching for his first WWE title and is definitely cunning for Rollins, who has always been able to hold off Nakamura on two previous occasions. That could make this a potential matchup during Payback, especially if there is a twist that has Nakamura finally get the best of Rollins.

Meanwhile, the World Women’s Championship looks like it could be a showdown between Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley. They were supposed to be in the ring together during SummerSlam, but now it looks like Payback will be the venue for their anticipated duel. It might seem inevitable for Ripley to dominate inside the ring and beat Rodriguez. But this is still a matchup that fans want to see and would certainly become one of the highlights of Payback.

Of course, there is an endless parade of stars who are likely to show up during Payback. Cody Rhodes is both the son of a legend and a legend himself, so the event would not be complete without him. Bianca Belair is one of the younger wrestling stars on the circuit and will continue to make a name for herself at a big event like Payback. Don’t overlook the likes of Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch either, as both will likely have a role at Payback and be on opposite sides. But no matter what happens, this year's Payback event is bound to be unforgettable.

 

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet