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This year's WWE Payback pay-per-view, which will return to WWE television after a break of two years, will take place a week after SummerSlam. The show will be held at the ThunderDome on August 30, 2020, which has been received well by fans so far.
WWE decided to add Payback to the calendar just a week after SummerSlam as an experiment, as per Dave Meltzer. He said that there may be a few feuds that need a follow-up, which is why the show will happen just days after one of WWE's biggest PPVs.
And, it seems like the Payback PPV is already shaping up to be an interesting one, with a few titles on the line. WWE could have some surprises in store for fans, much like the surprise return of Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.
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Let's take a look at 5 Superstars who could return at WWE Payback 2020:
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
#5 Kofi Kingston could return at Payback
It was revealed last month that Kofi Kingston would be out of action due to an injury, keeping him on the sidelines for six weeks. Sportskeeda's Tom Colohue later said that Kofi is not actually injured, but is taking some time off to be with his family:
"Kofi is absolutely fine. He has just been given six weeks off to take a quarantine period, go and see his family, take a quarantine period and then come back to work."
The six-week period is close to ending, and we could potentially see Kofi return to WWE television soon. He could perhaps return at Payback, if Big E - who has now been given opportunities as a singles star - has a match. Kofi had given Big E the blessing to begin his singles career, and he could maybe return to provide him with more words of encouragement, or even challenge for the SmackDown Tag Team titles again.
#4 Xavier Woods could return at Payback
There's a possibility that Xavier Woods, who has been out of action for a long time, could also return to WWE television ahead of Payback or at the pay-per-view. The New Day member has been on the sidelines since October 2019, which is when he suffered the Achilles injury. He revealed last month that he feels alright, but did not reveal a return date.
Woods, who is now the new host of Talking Smack, alongside Kayla Braxton, could potentially return at Payback. The current SmackDown Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura have not had too many strong challengers since they won the title.
This could be an opportune moment for both Kingston and Woods to return to reunite The New Day. Even if Big E embarks on a singles run, Woods and Kingston could challenge for the SmackDown Tag Team titles, while E chases gold in the singles division.
What made Kofi's run ahead of his WWE Championship reign great was the camaraderie that the trio showed leading up to WrestleMania 35. Big E could also benefit hugely from the support that his two friends could give him.
#3 The Forgotten Sons could return at Payback
The Forgotten Sons, the trio of Wesley Blake, Steve Cutler, and Jaxson Ryker, were pulled from WWE television after Ryker put out a controversial tweet. The trio were removed from WWE programming in June, and have not returned yet. But, there could be a chance of them returning at Payback.
Over the last few days, Ryker has posted a few posts on Instagram, where he stated that it was time for them to return and it was time for a change.
The Forgotten Sons could perhaps return to feud with the reigning SmackDown Tag Team champions at Payback. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer recently revealed that The Forgotten Sons were reportedly set to win the SmackDown Tag Team titles, but they changed their plans after Ryker's tweet.
Cesaro and Nakamura took their place and won the titles from The New Day. We could perhaps see them return at Payback, and challenge Cesaro and Nakamura for the titles. The SmackDown Tag Team titles were not on the line at SummerSlam, but the RAW Tag Team titles were.
#2 RETRIBUTION unmasked; Carmella returns at Payback
RETRIBUTION, the masked group in WWE, surprisingly did not feature in SummerSlam, despite them causing havoc on the road to SummerSlam. They showed up again on the RAW after SummerSlam, assaulting Rey and Dominik Mysterio. Could the group feature at this weekend's Payback pay-per-view?
There are currently just four matches confirmed for Payback, and even if a few more are confirmed on SmackDown, there's still time for RETRIBUTION to make an appearance at Payback.
One Superstar who fans think is a part of RETRIBUTION is Carmella. The former SmackDown Women's Champion has been absent from WWE television since April of this year. She is not injured and has posted videos of her working out.
She even retweeted a post by a fan, who requested WWE to bring Carmella back to WWE television.
Some fans had pointed out earlier this month about one RETRIBUTION member looking like Carmella. RETRIBUTION could potentially unmask themselves at Payback, and Carmella could be one of their members.
#1 Sami Zayn returns at Payback
Some WWE Superstars have decided to stay at home during this pandemic. Two of the most prominent names were Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. Reigns returned at SummerSlam, and he will be in a match at Payback, but there's no sign of Zayn at all.
Zayn, who was stripped of the Intercontinental title after not appearing on WWE television, has time and again taken shots at whoever has held the belt. He recently took shots at AJ Styles and then new Intercontinental champion Jeff Hardy.
Zayn could potentially return and shock everyone, just like Reigns did this past week. The former NXT Champion could enter a feud with Hardy, or even both Hardy and Styles, in a bid to regain the title that he never lost.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro, two Superstars he allied with before his current absence, are holding the SmackDown Tag Team titles. Zayn could perhaps even come to their aid if the SmackDown Tag Team titles are defended at Payback.
SmackDown needs a dastardly heel like Sami Zayn now more than ever.
