WWE Payback 2017 Predictions

Hello Misfits! Its The Wrestling Classic here with my WWE Payback 2017 predictions. Personally for me this is the time of the year where I feel like I have a bad Wrestlemania hangover after being so high on wrestling that I need a break from it. However, luckily for us the WWE Universe who doesnt’ feel that way the WWE doesn’t have an off season, so we still get wrestling during this Wrestlemania hangover. It’s not necessarily bad but its just a weird time in the year for me. I just find myself very unintersted the months of April and May after Wrestlemania. I feel like things start to pick up again in June, around the Money in the Bank PPV. Hence, why my intrigue to this PPV is very low which also means it has a great chance to being amazing to since my hopes aren’t that high for it. I always feel this way around this time of the year but last year around this time we got those amazing matches between AJ Styles and Roman Reigns, so who knows what to expect. The brand shake up also makes this event feel extra weird but I’m sure by the end of it we’ll be entertained. I’ll elaborate on how the brand shake up effects some of these matches in my predictions. I could go on about how the Universal Title isn’t being defended on this card since “part-time” Brock Lesnar is the champion again but it’s something we dealt with a lot in the past 5-6 years so whatever. Let’s move on.

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If the Hardy’s never returned, I could only assume this would have been for the tag team titles. I’m a fan of both teams even though I feel like we’ve seen them face each other in some context A LOT. The match will still be enjoyable and like most of the matches on this card, I don’t really know where the angle or storyline between these teams are heading. I’d hope that either one of these teams would become the new number one contenders following this night. I think they might play off the fact that Enzo was attacked this past Monday and still nursing injuries. Enzo and Cass will remain over regardless so as per usual, without any real idea who might win this match, I’ll be rooting for The Club. Let them regain some of their dominance.
Prediction – The Club

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Although last month at Wrestlemania their match was on the kick-off show, I still think it was best in-ring wrestling match on the card. I’m a huge fan of both guys and I think they tell a great story every time they get into the ring with one another. I mentioned many times before how I disliked how frequently the cruiserweight championship changed hands from its inception up until Neville won the belt. Therefore I’d love to see Neville retain here again. Of course, I’d love to Neville regain due to some help from TJ Perkins. I do eventually want to see A Double as the cruiserweight champion, but I see it happening when Raw has their shit together more and these to meet again in a multi-man match such as a fatal four way.
Prediction – Neville

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The Hardy Boyz shocked the world when they returned at Wrestlemania. They didn’t just return to the WWE but they won the tag team championship belts on their first night in a four-way ladder match. The team that should have never been a team in the first place but the Raw creative had nothing better for them do (I’ll never let it go) are the first challengers after the former champions to face off against the charismatic brothers. As much as I love Cesaro and tolerate Sheamus, I don’t think we have the current Hardy spirit broken just yet and its more slowly built. Let the momentum and nostalgia run wild just a little bit longer with The Hardy’s picking up the victory here. Maybe start some tension between Sheamus and Cesaro again?
Prediction – The Hardy Boyz

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Sasha screws Bayley. Can it just happen already? Bayley’s run as Women’s Champion in my perspective has been the lacklustre. Alexa was a breath of fresh air on Smackdown Live and it feels the same with her on Raw. If Alexa beats Bayley because a botched Sasha Banks interference…that leaves the fans wondering if it was intentional or not, tells a great story. Plus, our champion can be someone who already captures our attention anytime she is around with Alexa Bliss.  I know there is a lack of babyface’s on Raw if that happens but it sets up an interesting Summer. Dana/Emma, Banks/Bayley and Bliss/James for the next couple of months on Raw doesn’t sound bad to me. Bliss and James can finish off what they started on Smackdown. Banks and Bayley can recreate the magic they had as opponents.
Prediction – Alexa Bliss

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I doubt there will be any Triple H involvement so I figure this match is going to be fight rather than a wrestling match. Rollins wants retribution on Joe for almost ending his career and Joe wants to beat respect into Rollins because he feels like he doesn’t appreciate the hand that feeds him. These two guys can go and I actually have high hopes for this match. Although, I feel like this might be the first match out of many in their rivalry, I think it starts off with Rollins picking up the victory with that new finisher he introduced on Monday Night Raw this past week. Imagine them selling the fact that Rollins used the same knee that he had to get reconstructed because Joe re-injured it to defeat Joe. I think this would lead to Joe coming for his own Payback the next night on Raw.
Prediction – Seth Rollins

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This had to be one of the most intriguing and perfectly slow built rivalries in recent history which is being cut short because of the brand shake up, I know their match at Wrestlemania didn’t live up to anyone’s expectation but I still felt like these two had a story to tell moving forward. Their rivalry didn’t stop getting intriguing but in fact it was getting more intriguing with Haper and Rowen both back in the mix. However, Bray Wyatt was drafted to Raw and set his focus on Finn Balor, Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose in the midst of his feud with Randall on Smackdown. Also, nobody quite knows what this “House of Horrors” match is. From what I got from Renee Young on Talking Smack is that it supposedly starts in the “House of Horrors” but ultimately ends in the ring. I’m just curious about what kind of voodoo shit we’re going to see. The stuff at Wrestlemania was unpredictable but seemed to have keep the match at a certain pace…I expect this match to do the complete opposite. In the end, Randall finds a way to overcome Bray Wyatt in the so he can move forward with his feud with Jinder Mahal which has already started on the blue brand. Bray loses the war with Randy just to start one with someone new on Raw. How do you protect Bray…maybe have his loss come due to the appearance of a certain Demon King? 
Prediction – Randall Keith Orton

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Jeri-Ko explodes round two. Love them or hate them they held it down for Raw for months as the most entertaining duo on the red brand. Now they’re on separate shows with Jericho still on Raw and Kevin Owens moving “The Kevin Owens Show” to Smackdown Live. Kevin Owens has already started dubbing himself as “The Face of America” on Smackdown Live since beating Jericho for the United States Championship at Wrestlemania. Jericho however still has the right to evoke his re-match clause and decided to at Payback. The cool stipulation here is that if Jericho wins he not only wins the US Title but he joins the Smackdown Live crew. Its something I would really love to see since the Raw roster is already pretty stacked. On another note, I definitely don’t want to see Owens lose the championship so early after winning it. Plus, Owens is line to defend the championship against AJ Styles and that rivalry has already started its progression on the blue brand. Therefore, my gut is saying just go with my prediction that Owens picks up the victory here and Jericho rides out in the sunset to go on tour with Fozzy following this match. However, how cool would it be if Jericho won just to join Smackdown for a month to lose to Owens again in a triple threat that featured AJ Styles before leaving? I dig it.
Prediction – Kevin Owens

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The last time we saw Roman Reigns, he was getting completely destroyed by Braun Strowman. The fans loved it since it came off of Reigns possibly ending The Undertaker’s career at Wrestlemania. The last time we saw the leader of the Roman Empire, he was strapped to a stretcher in an ambulance that was flipped over by the “Monster Among Men” Bruan Strowman. I don’t expect this to be the most technical savvy wrestling match but similar to what we saw at Fastlane with a monster and the big dog just trying to destroy each other. If I was writing creative or the booker for this match my biggest struggle would be how to end this match with both guys looking strong. I mean you can’t hurt Bruan because he’s the hottest big man the company has had in a long time that the people believe in. Roman Reigns is hot off the heels of beating The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, which something only one other person can say they did. If Reigns is the new big dog of the yard, it doesn’t make sense for him to lose his next big match. I’ll say my prediction is that Reigns wins but quite frankly the only way I can see this match ending is in a No Contest. Let it end in chaos. Let it end with Reigns finding some creative way to attempt to destroy Braun back in the parking lot area or something. It’ll be over the top but no guy would technically have lost to the other yet.
Prediction – Roman Reigns

What do you think about my predictions for the Payback? What are your predictions? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts and ideas of what might happen on the show? Leave your comments and opinions below.