Payback 2020 Review

Sunday, August 30th, 2020
Amway Center
Orlando, Florida

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United States Championship Match

Bobby Lashley vs. Apollo Crews

For the record, I have no idea why this show exists. Crews gets so show off some of his elite athleticism early on and hits a moonsault off the apron. If there is one thing that can be said about the quarantine era, it's that they are able to take risks that they weren't able to in front of a live crowd. Now it will be interesting to see what kind of a reaction a guy like Crews gets in front of an audience whenever that happens. A distraction from Shelton Benjamin and MVP allows Lashley to attack him and he carries him on his back and rams him into the ring post. As I have been going back and watching 2005, it makes me happy to see that Shelton still has a role 15 years later. Lashley considers the attack in the ring, but Apollo is able to get in a step up enzuigiri. Lashley hits a variation of the Dominator, but a cocky cover allows Apollo to kick out. Apollo hits a crossbody and both men are down. Apollo is fired up and hits a splash in the corner and hits a spinebuster. Standing moonsault from Apollo gets him a nearfall. Apollo hits a German suplex, but Lashley pops right back up. Apollo gives him another one and goes up to the top rope and hits a Frog Splash for another close call. Lashley comes back with a huge pop up chokeslam and puts in the Full Nelson and we have a new United States Champion. This was a good, solid professional wrestling match. I have become a bigger fan of Lashley's ring work over the years and Apollo is super talented. After the match. Apollo attacks Lashley and says that he is getting his title back. 

Match Rating: ***1/4 (out of 5)

They show the clip of Roman Reigns joining forces with Paul Heyman. Kayla Braxton talks with Heyman backstage. Apparently Reigns has not signed the contract for the match tonight. Heyman says that he has every reason to believe that he will, but doesn't allow her to come in and ask.

Keith Lee is getting ready and in walks JBL. JBL offers him a hedge fund at "only" a million dollars. JBL says that if he wins tonight, he'll be on his way and then tries to psych him out. 

They then show a clip of Miz and Big E on Talking Smack. 

Sheamus vs. Big E

I do really hope that Big E can gain the momentum needed to pull off a big push here. After some action on the apron, Big E misses a splash and Sheamus capitalizes. Sheamus slows things down and wrenches on Big E's leg. Big E starts to battle out, so Sheamus stomps him in his face. Big E catches Sheamus from a top rope leap and hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Big E goes for the Spear through the ropes, but Sheamus gets his knee up and he launches himself over the top rope for a shoulder tackle. Big E hits another belly-to-belly suplex, but Sheamus hits an Alabama Slam. Sheamus hits a Sharpshooter/Texas Cloverleaf combo, but Big E gets to the bottom rope. Big E is able to launch Sheamus over the top rope and this time he hits the Spear through the ropes to the floor. Sheamus is able to momentarily lock in a heel hook. Big E gets out and Sheamus greets him with a huge knee to the face. Big E catches Sheamus and hits a powerbomb. He hits the Big Ending and gains the pinfall victory. This was a little slow to get going, but it finished strong. 

Match Rating: **3/4

Matt Riddle says the stallion is going to run all over King Corbin. Apparently Corbin tweeted something about Riddle being a failure at home, to which Riddle gets serious and walks away.

Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler are backstage playing up the fact that they don't like each other. 

King Corbin vs. Matt Riddle

Just as Riddle flips off his slides, Corbin attacks Riddle. Corbin stomps a mud hole on Riddle and then tosses him to the floor. Back in the ring, Riddle jumps on Corbin's back and puts on a sleeper hold. Corbin slams him back to the mat, but Riddle locks it in on the ground this time. Corbin gets out and fights back. People can tell me as many times as they want that Corbin is a true heel, I still never want to see him wrestle again. Corbin slides under the ropes and comes back in the ring, but Riddle hits him with a kick to the head. Riddle hits a running knee after a flash of offense, but Corbin kicks out. Riddle hits some big kicks and Corbin hits a big right hand and both men are in pain. Corbin hits a Deep Six, but Riddle kicks out. Riddle hits the Bro To Sleep and hits the Floating Bro for the victory. That was probably the worst Riddle match I have seen. On top of that, Michael Cole calls that a huge upset. Ummmm, sure. Anyways, this was probably the worst Riddle match that I can think of. 

Match Rating: *3/4

Riddle is interviewed backstage and is immediately attacked by Corbin. Why is every Baron Corbin feud 8 months long? 

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match

Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler

Sasha pulls the leg of Jax on the apron and Bayley counters a submission hold from Baszler, sending Baszler into Jax and knocking her off the apron. Sasha hits two suplexes on Baszler and she tags in Baszler to slam her down back-first. On the outside, Jax swings Sasha back and forth into the barricade outside the ring. Back in the ring, Jax throws Bayley around until Sasha clips her knee when the ref isn't looking. This match is really struggling to get anything going. Jax misses a leg drop and Bayley grabs her leg in an attempt to put on a submission hold, but she gets up and drags Bayley to her corner and makes the tag. Baszler gives both opponents some big knees and hits a gut wrench face-first suplex. Jax and Baszler are now on the same page and steamroll both women. Sasha counters a powerbomb into a X-Factor. Bayley hits a top rope elbow drop on Jax and Sasha immediately follows it up with a Frog Splash, but Jax kicks out. Sasha hits the running knee and again Jax kicks out. The champions hit a double back body drop, but Jax tagged in Baszler and she puts Sasha and Bayley in a double submission hold and Bayley taps out. The match wasn't very good, but that was a pretty unique finish at least. Jax just seems to be really struggling to improve in the ring. 

Match Rating: *3/4

The new champions are immediately interviewed while Nia obnoxiously celebrates. 

Keith Lee vs. Randy Orton

Lee leapfrogs Orton and hits him with the low crossbody on Orton. Orton hits Lee with a series of stiff chops. Lee then charges at Orton and misses, hitting the ring post. Orton then hits a back suplex on Lee on the announce desk. Lee hits a back elbow and then launches Orton with a shoulder. Now Lee hits a back suplex on the table. Once they get back in the ring though, Orton hits the draping DDT. Orton goes for a RKO, but Lee hits the Spirit Bomb and gets the victory? I did not see such a short match here. If you're going to push him, strap the rocket to him. The match wasn't long enough to be really any good, but I'm in full support of Lee getting the strong victory here. Kudos to Orton here.

Match Rating: *1/2

Heyman is startled by Kayla Braxton and she once again asks about Roman signing the contract. He says that Roman offered a spoiler alert that he will leave tonight as the Universal Champion. 

Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy vs. Rey Mysterio & Dominik

Dominik teases going on the apron first, but attacks both opponents to start. Dominik frustrates Rollins after a hip toss, so he tags in Murphy. Dominik hits a side Russian leg sweep and Rey follows him up with a dropkick. Rey wants Seth in there and he tags in. After a nice little segment, Rollins hits a gutbuster to slow it down. Rollins throws Rey under the ropes and he lands on Murphy who is laying on his back with his knees up. That was an innovative spot. Rey tags in Dominik and he tries a top rope crossbody, but Murphy and Rollins catch him and Rollins hits the Falcon Arrow. Murphy puts the abdominal stretch in on Dominik and Rollins tags in and hits a body slam. Rollins distracts the ref while Dominik is outside the ring, but it backfires. Dominik throws Murphy into the barricade and then Rollins misses with a leap off the apron. Dominik makes the hot tag to Rey and he hits the tilt-a-whirl headscissor on Rollins. He follows it up with a moonsault for a 2 count. Rollins ducks the 619, but Rey hits a kick to the head. Dominik hits a tornado DDT on Murphy and Rollins hits him with a Sling Blade. Rey hits a suicide dive to take out Murphy and goes for a top rope, but Rollins catches him with leaping knees to the midsection for another close call. Rey avoids the Stomp, but Rollins slams Rey face-first to the mat. Rollins and Murphy knock out Dominik into the barricade and then Rollins does the same with Rey. Rollins goes for the Buckle Bomb, but Rey counters it and Murphy accidentally kicks Rollins. Dominik hits the 619 on Murphy and hits the Frog Splash for the victory. Rey continues to be an ageless wonder and Dominik continues to impress. Rollins has really done a nice job in 2020 as a heel, while still putting on strong matches. After the match, Rollins gives Murphy a dirty look and walks away. 

Match Rating: ***1/2

No Holds Barred Triple Threat Match For The Universal Championship

The Fiend vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns

The Fiend is the first one out and during his entrance, Strowman attacks him. Strowman its a powerslam, but the Fiend kicks out. The Fiend hits a running crossbody and hits Sister Abigail, but Strowman kicks out. The Fiend slams Strowman through the table and Alexa Bliss is shown in the back watching. Roman Reigns is still not out for the match. I legitimately never wanted to see these two wrestle again. We get the stupid hammer out and Wyatt hits him with it. I'm just going to call him Wyatt because I hate the name the Fiend. Wyatt hits Strowman with the steps and again Bliss is shown backstage. I saw this match seven days ago and it wasn't good then either. Strowman throws Wyatt into the LED board and they are both down. Strowman avoids another Sister Abigail and charges through Wyatt and they land through a table. They head back to the ring and Strowman tries to get up to the top rope, but Wyatt gets to him before he can. Wyatt hits a superplex and they do the ring collapse gimmick here. Out comes Roman Reigns with a steel chair in his hand. Roman signs the contract on his way down. Roman throws the chair down and calls for a referee. Wyatt kicks out twice and then Strowman kicks out as well. He goes back and grabs the chair and goes after Strowman first. Wyatt gets the Mandible Claw on Roman, but Roman kicks him below the belt. Roman hits the Spear on Strowman and is the new Universal Champion. This was a terrible match, but I guess at least it established Roman as a heel? 

Match Rating: 1/4*

This was the exact definition of a non-essential show. There was no reason to have another pay-per-view just seven days after your second biggest show of the year, especially in the era of three hour episodes of Raw and two hour episodes of SmackDown. 

Overall Rating: 38%