While this is not a championship match, it feels like the most important contest on the entire Payback card. Roman Reigns, the ultimate company guy, takes on the unstoppable monster, Braun Strowman, in a grudge match after Strowman laid him out on Raw.
Reigns has missed many episodes of Raw as a result, including the Payback go-home show. This begs the question, what is on the cards at Payback for these two men? We cannot predict the future, but we can present possibilities to you that may give you a glimpse into the outcome of the match. Read on, folks.
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#5 Utter annihilation by Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman is probably the best ‘big man’ in the business at the moment. Maybe the best since The Big Show. WWE realises his potential and has pushed him to the moon and back by booking him very dominantly. So, we've seen him tip over ambulances with his bare hands, destroy a ring with his weight and dismantle the company's golden boy Roman Reigns with no mercy at all. There’s a significant possibility that he carries this momentum into Sunday and does not let Reigns get any offence in through the entire match.
This could be a repeat of the infamous Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena match from a few years ago or the Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton match from last year. The monster completely annihilates his opponent and appears indestructible. We know that Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar will probably be in a program soon, and it makes sense to present him as an invincible force. We wonder if WWE will choose to tread this path at Payback. It may be a smart long-term booking decision.
Also read: Braun Strowman is proving that he is the next big thing in WWE
#4 Roman Reigns enters in an ambulance and gets himself disqualified
Here’s another interesting way to book this epic contest. Braun Strowman took out all his ire on Roman Reigns, utterly destroying him and putting him out of commission. Roman could come back now to seek retribution on the monster. There is no championship on the line; there is no reason to play by the rules. This is just a matter of Payback, simply put. Reigns could come out with a kendo stick or a trashcan or even an ambulance and put Strowman out for good.
Well after the match has ended, the beatdown could continue, eventually leading to Strowman being put in a hospital. This makes Roman Reigns look strong and also does not make Braun Strowman look weak as Roman Reigns used nefarious means to take his anger out on the Monster among Men. Who knows? Such an attitude may actually get the crowd to chant for Reigns.
#3 Double count out
It is important for Braun Strowman to be booked as the next big monster heel. At the same time, Roman Reigns is always the top guy in the WWE, Vince McMahon's chosen one. For either man to take the pinfall may be difficult for the company to bear, since both men feature in their plans.
The solution, therefore, could be that neither man wins. The brawl begins in the ring and continues outside the ring while the referee counts to ten. This may be a lame way for the match to end, but it protects both men.
#2 Roman Reigns wins the match clean
In traditional booking, a monster heel is built up only to be fed to the company’s top babyface or golden boy. While Braun Strowman certainly deserves better, we all know how traditional WWE can be in their overall outlook.
There's a good possibility that Roman Reigns will beat Braun Strowman clean, in the middle of the ring. Strowman will slip down the ranks, and all his momentum will have been for nothing. Maybe it's just our paranoia speaking, but we certainly hope that WWE knows better than to allow this to transpire.
Also read: 5 reasons Roman Reigns is pushed despite all the hatred
#1 A double turn
Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin wrestled as babyface and heel respectively in their classic match at WrestleMania 13. By the end of the match, through the course of their actions, their roles had reversed. Say what you want to about Roman Reigns, but he can work an excellent match.
Braun Strowman is no slouch either. A heel turn for Roman Reigns has also been long overdue. This could be the perfect opportunity to tell a good story and create a new top babyface the fans can actually root for. It will freshen up both characters and make the coming months far more entertaining.
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