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After an adventurous SummerSlam event, the company is set to host another Premium Live Event, WWE Payback 2023, on Saturday, September 2, at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
After a string of stadium shows in different countries over the past several months, Payback will be the first WWE PLE to take place in an arena in a while. So, the company will have to come out swinging with a good show to get the crowd as electric as they have been.
Even without Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, the Payback card is loaded with high-profile matches. Becky Lynch will take on Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage Match. Rhea Ripley defends the WWE Women’s World Championship against Raquel Rodriguez. LA Knight takes on The Miz, and Rey Mysterio will defend the United States Championship against Austin Theory.
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Seth Rollins will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in the likely main event for WWE Payback.
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This article will explore five logical outcomes for WWE Payback 2023:
#5. Becky Lynch beats Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage Match
In what should be the conclusion to a feud that has been ongoing since shortly after WrestleMania 39, Becky Lynch will face off against Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage Match.
In a feud that began with a lot of hype and expectations, the heat has died down considerably over the past few months. It feels like WWE dragged the feud out too long, and instead of ending it on a major stage like SummerSlam, the blowoff is happening on a B-level show on Payback.
The logical outcome for this match is for Becky Lynch to beat Trish Stratus at WWE Payback. As we head into the fall and winter months, it would behoove the promotion to heat Becky Lynch if they plan on having her face someone like Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40.
That is a big money match for WWE, and a win over a Hall of Famer in Trish Stratus would be another notch under Lynch’s belt.
#4. Rey Mysterio beats Austin Theory to retain WWE United States Championship
Current United States Champion Rey Mysterio is set to defend his title against Austin Theory at WWE Payback.
Mysterio becoming champion came as a big shock as Santos Escobar was set to challenge Theory for the title before being attacked before the match. Rey took his spot and defeated Theory for the championship.
The logical outcome for this match is for Rey Mysterio to beat Austin Theory to retain the United States Championship at WWE Payback. It feels like Mysterio will be a transitional champion to bridge the gap to either Escobar or Grayson Waller. It would be strange for WWE to break up the LWO, who are extremely over with fans. But it is definitely a story with seeds already planted.
As for Waller, he is a main event star in the making and would be a great US Champion. He is what WWE was hoping Theory would be on the main event roster.
#3. Rhea Ripley beat Raquel Rodriguez to retain WWE Women’s World Championship
Rhea Ripley is set to defend her Women’s World Championship against Raquel Rodriguez at WWE Payback.
This is another match that WWE should have placed on the SummerSlam card. With that being said, this is the first time Rhea is facing a legitimate challenger and one she has a history in the form of Rodriguez.
The logical outcome for this match is for Rhea Ripley to retain the WWE Women’s World Championship at Payback. While The Eradicator’s reign has been lackluster so far, this could be the match to kick-start things.
As mentioned, she and Rodriguez have a history dating back to NXT. They also have good chemistry together, and both are powerhouses. So expect this to be entertaining if given time.
#2. LA Knight beats The Miz at WWE Payback
LA Knight will take on The Miz at WWE Payback in a surprisingly entertaining feud.
There is a case to be made that LA Knight is the most over wrestler in the industry at the moment. You can hear loud “YEAH” chants in every arena WWE goes to. Every time Knight comes out, he gets Stone Cold-like pops.
The logical outcome for this match is for LA Knight to heat the Miz at Payback. While Knight is super over, he needs to start winning matches. The A-Lister has only won one match in 2023, so Knight losing here would be a bad look for him and on WWE for still not capitalizing on his popularity.
#1. Seth Rollins beats Shinsuke Nakamura to retain World Heavyweight Championship
In the likely main event for WWE Payback, Seth Rollins will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura.
It got an interesting twist in what seemed like a random, easy feud for Rollins. It was revealed that The Visionary has back issues, and Nakamura knows this weakness.
The logical outcome for this match is for Seth Rollins to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura. Even though The Visionary is likely to retain with his back injury, this feud could extend to Fastlane in October. The big question of this match is what condition will his back be in.
