Tag: WWE Payback

WWE Payback 2023 results: The Judgment Day rises, Seth Rollins prevails in Pittsburgh

Get full WWE Payback 2023 results from Pittsburgh, including a title changing hands and a new addition to the Raw roster.

While there certainly is, ahem, other pro wrestling news being discussed today, WWE will do its best to take back the attention of the industry with Payback from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Yes, there are no Roman Reigns/Bloodline matches on this card, making it feel somewhat lesser, but this feels like a show where the efforts of the wrestlers themselves can make it shine.

That’s definitely true of the World Heavyweight Championship match between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. Rollins has spoken often about wanting to be the kind of champion who inspires through his work effort, and a matchup with the King of Strong Style certainly gives him the chance to prove it.

Making their meeting even more interesting is the way Shinsuke has introduced Seth’s real life back issues into his pre-match mind games. It’s not often we see the uber-confident Rollins thrown off his game, which will make his eventual triumph (if that’s what happens) that much more compelling.

The dynamic between Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley is a lot less subtle and easier to understand right away. Raquel Rodriguez has been the one woman in all of WWE able to stand up to Ripley physically, making her a straightforward challenge. Can Mami pass this test and maintain her dominance?

With only six total matches on the Payback card, there’s room for some surprises. Could Damian Priest cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase? Might John Cena, ostensibly in Pittsburgh to host the show, end up in a match? These are all things we’re anxious to find out.

WWE Payback 2023 results:

(click on any match with a link for full details)

  • Becky Lynch def. Trish Stratus by pinfall in a Steel Cage match, and things get even worse afterward for Trish as Zoey Stark has enough of her and hits Stratus with the Z-360
  • John Cena makes his appearance and says his job as host is to make the night special by being the guest referee … for The Miz vs. LA Knight; Miz is upset, so Cena asks him for advice as host but still is sticking to his idea
  • LA Knight def. The Miz by pinfall with John Cena as special guest referee
  • Rey Mysterio def. Austin Theory by pinfall to retain the United States Championship
  • Cathy Kelley tries to talk to Lynch backstage when Tiffany Stratton approaches her with some cheerful insults
  • Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall in a Steel City Street Fight to become the new Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions
  • The Grayson Waller Effect welcomes Cody Rhodes for a big announcement, and he gives it to him: Rhodes got Jey Uso on the Raw roster; naturally Jey Uso ends up superkicking Waller
  • Rhea Ripley def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship
  • Cena interviews Balor and Priest, who say when they’re on the same page, no one can stop The Judgment Day
  • Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship

WWE Payback 2023 results: Seth Rollins guts it out to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura

Despite Shinsuke Nakamura targeting his back early and often, Seth Rollins prevailed at WWE Payback. Get the details here.

As he is wont to do, Seth Rollins enjoys a nice, long singalong in a single spotlight in the ring. Shinsuke Nakamura gets a pretty dope comic book style prelude to his ring walk. The Great Muta is on hand in the crowd too.

Shin seems to be in Seth’s head a bit at the beginning of the match, but the two men wrestle to a standoff. Rollins beats his challenger back to the corner and stomps away, then hits a jumping forearm shot before following with a suicide dive to the floor.

Rollins thinks Pedigree but is back dropped as a counter. Shinsuke nails him in the lower back with forearms and kicks, then chokes him with a boot.

Making a brief rally, Rollins hits a slingshot senton, then dives out to the floor to hit him for the second time. “Why don’t you talk some more?” Rollins says as he smashes Nakamura into the announce table. The champ has ideas of a big move off the barricade, but Nakamura throws him back first off the announce table, covering back in the ring for a one count.

Some knee shots in the corner set up another cover for Shinsuke, forcing Rollins to kick out at two. His assault continues both in and out of the ring, with Seth needing to dig down to keep kicking out.

Nakamura’s enzuigiri is a rare move that isn’t to the back, but Rollins is able to hit a hurricanrana off the top rope to finally get a respite. Seth attacks with a series of strikes, then hits a Sling Blade. A Frog Splash is next, but Nakamura kicks out at two.

A clothesline gets Rollins another near fall, but Shin avoids the Stomp and goes back on the offensive. A suplex has the champ looking good, as well as a sliding snap suplex, but Rollins fires right back with a superkick.

Grabbing wrist control, Rollins hammers some forearms, but Shinsuke rolls into an armbar. He switches to a triangle, but Rollins rises into a sitout powerbomb for a near fall.

Rollins hits an enzuigiri that leaves both men down. But Nakamura leaps from the turnbuckles with a landslide and looks for more. Rollins collapses to the his back, however, and smacks the challenger before eating some kicks.

Shinsuke kicks the champ  under the ropes, but Rollins rallies after a series of standing switches and connects on a Pedigree. He goes for the Stomp but is cut off, and he hits the Stomp out of a scramble. He drags himself on top of Nakamura and covers, and it’s barely enough to get the three.

WWE Payback 2023 results: Dirty Dom helps Rhea Ripley past Raquel Rodriguez

It took just a little assistance, but Rhea Ripley was able to fend off Raquel Rodriguez to retain her title at WWE Payback.

The announcers ponder what Raquel Rodriguez can do to win this match, but also say Rhea Ripley has to guard against overconfidence. Raquel wins the early power tests, so Rhea gets a breather on the outside.

Ripley kicks her challenger in the midsection but can’t budge her on an Irish whip. A battle of clotheslines goes to Rodriguez, who slams Ripley once but gets taken down with a leg sweep/hair grab.

The champ puts Raquel down with a nasty dropkick and peppers her with a few right hands. Ripley smashes her face into the turnbuckle, mocking her fallen tag team partner Liv Morgan.

Ripley takes some time to flex, then paint brushes Rodriguez a bit. Raquel finally buys some time by tossing Rhea across the ring. Some stomps force Rodriguez down to the mat, and Ripley is enjoying this pace now.

A nasty knee shot gets Ripley a near fall. Rodriguez comes right back with a clothesline for her own two count. A chop block to Raquel’s already bad knee makes for a great response, setting up her standing Figure Four. Rodriguez rolls through and forces a kickout from Ripley as her shoulders are pinned.

Raquel slams Rhea but the announcers sell her knee buckling. Both women get to their feet to exchange blows, one of which sends Ripley to the floor. Rhea knocks Raquel’s legs out from under her, but the challenger hoists the champ and smacks her into the post, then the barricade.

Here comes Dirty Dom, when Mami needs him most. Sadly for him, he takes a running powerslam, but it buys Rhea time for some leg kicks and a Riptide for the win.

WWE Payback 2023 results: KO, Sami find 2-on-5 too much to handle, Judgment Day wins tag team gold

It took the entire Judgment Day — and more — but Damian Priest and Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for gold at WWE Payback.

No pressure on Damian Priest and Finn Balor here, except there very much is since Rhea Ripley promised changes in The Judgment Day if they don’t win. The announcers mention that Priest’s last Street Fight, against Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico, went poorly, and the fans are already chanting for tables.

Sami Zayn takes to the air, landing on both of his opponents right after Balor angered the crowd by stepping on a Terrible Towel. Zayn and Kevin Owens put in some serious work with a pair of trash cans, then batter Balor with kendo sticks while he’s stuck inside a can.

The Judgment Day takes control both in and out of the ring, though KO is able to beat Priest down for a bit until Balor stops him with a chair shot. Zayn gives Balor some of the same medicine, and the fight goes outside the ring with all four men — make that five as Dominik Mysterio arrives to lend a hand.

While The Judgment Day is strategizing, though, Owens and Zayn make a costume change and pop back up wearing Pittsburgh Penguins jerseys. Their rally leads to Zayn hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb to Balor on a pile of chairs in the ring; Sami ends up getting powerbombed into some chairs in return.

Owens is screaming for their foes to fight him, but he’s going it alone at the moment and is sent into the barricade behind the announce table. The Judgment Day duo batters KO up an aisle until he rallies further back in the crowd on the floor, and Zayn joins him there.

Sami hits a somersault senton off a platform back in the crowd, and KO seems to have something special planned for Mysterio. Dom is placed on a table, and Owens climbs into the stands and lands hard on a Swanton Bomb through the table.

Back in the ring, Zayn has Balor in trouble, though a trash can throw by Priest stops him in his tracks, and Finn covers for a near fall. Sami has to fight to avoid double team offense, which he does. He sends Balor crashing through a table on the floor, and Owens is back in with a Stunner for Priest. A Helluva Kick follows, but JD McDonagh drags Sami out of the ring.

KO makes JD pay for that decision, bouncing him hard off the announce table. Rhea Ripley runs down and spears Owens through the barricade in retaliation, which is an awesome sight.

Only Balor and Zayn remain in the ring, and Finn hits the Sling Blade and his shotgun dropkick. But he misses the Coup de Grace when Zayn moves, and an Exploder sets up the Helluva Kick. Mysterio clobbers him with the MITB briefcase though, and Balor covers to give us new tag team champions.

WWE Payback 2023 results: Becky Lynch finally gets the best of Trish Stratus inside a Steel Cage

See how Becky Lynch prevailed over Trish Stratus (and Zoey Stark) in their Steel Cage match at WWE Payback.

While both wrestlers enter the cage, NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton is shown in the crowd. Trish Stratus rushes for the door right away, but it’s wishful thinking for her to escape. Becky Lynch rams her face into the cage repeatedly, then hits a couple of Becksploder suplexes in a row.

Stratus buys herself a second by slinging Lynch to the mat by her hair, then tries to climb the cage. Lynch meets her on the top rope but gets thrown into the steel after stopping Trish from ascending higher.

Clearly enjoying herself, Trish rubs Becky’s face across the stage and grabs a double leg for a slam. Both women score quick near falls that don’t really look like they have any chance of ending it.

In a fun bit, Lynch picks up Stratus battering ram styles and runs her into the cage, shoulder-high. That leads to another two count, and when Lynch can’t get the Disarm-her applied, she settles for a leg drop when Trish tries to Matrix out of the way.

An exchange of blows goes Stratus’ way, then they end up fighting along the cage. Trish ends up sprawled across the top rope, where Becky drops a leg across the back of her neck for a longer two count.

Stratus has a big welt forming on her forehead, but she’s able to handstand into Lynch on the top turnbuckle, where they trade shots until Trish decides to climb over her foe. Becky has to hustle to grab her, which she does emphatically with a powerbomb and yet another near fall.

Trish shows her power by getting Becky lifted overhead, dropping down hard for a Widow’s Peak for two. Not to be outdone with the homages, Lynch responds with a Twist of Fate that earns two right back.

After Lynch appears to tweak her knee, Trish hits Stratusfaction for the closest they’ve come so far to ending it. Now Stratus has thoughts of escape again and nearly makes it to the top of the cage, and the two foes battle down to the top rope and into a big bulldog that nearly finishes Lynch again … but not quite.

Both women make it to the top of the cage, and Trish even makes it over to the other side before Becky grabs her. Stratus ends up upside-down for a second, and Lynch finally manages to pull her back in for a big superplex. Lynch covers but sees Stratus get the shoulder up at the last split second.

Becky wants to climb but stops as she sees Trish going for the door. Zoey Stark arrives and tries to pull her mentor out, and though Lynch wins the tug of war, Stark intervenes directly after a Manhandle Slam makes it look like Becky has it won.

Stark floors Lynch, but Becky pops up and hits Zoey with a Manhandle Slam. With Trish climbing again, Becky grabs her and uses a very high Manhandle Slam to plant her foe and finally get the three count.

After the match, Stark and Stratus discuss what just happened, with Trish slapping Zoey. Instead of leaving as ordered, however, Stark closes the cage door and hits Trish with the Z-360 before taking off her “Thank You Trish” shirt.

WWE Payback 2023 predictions: Who will prevail in Pittsburgh?

What will WWE Payback give the fans on hand in Pittsburgh? We take our best guess with predictions for every match.

Considering that the name of WWE’s upcoming premium live event in Pittsburgh is Payback, there’s a shocking lack of overall revenge on this year’s card. Oh sure, there are superstars on the card looking to get back at their opponents for attacks or slights over the last few weeks, but it’s not like this is a show bursting at the seems with big rematches.

There’s also notably no Roman Reigns or Bloodline matches scheduled, but there are championships at stake. The men’s tag team titles, Women’s World Championship and United States Championship will all be defended at PPG Paints Arena.

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention that Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura will get a chance to shine in what presumably will be the night’s main event. It’s not a spot they’re always in (particularly Shinsuke), so it’ll be interesting to see if they step up to the challenge.

So what do we think will happen in each bout? Scroll down to see our predictions for Pittsburgh.

WWE Payback 2023 betting odds: Champs expected to roll

Check out betting odds for WWE Payback 2023 to see who is expected to win Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

Looking for some big upsets and new champions? Don’t expect that to happen at WWE Payback in Pittsburgh this weekend — or at least the consensus popular opinion doesn’t see it.

The Payback betting lines show the champions in the four title matches announced so far to all be significant favorites to retain their championships. The longest odds are facing Raquel Rodriguez, who despite holding her own against Rhea Ripley in some physical confrontations as of late, is seen by Betfair as a +900 underdog to win the WWE Women’s World Championship.

Shinsuke Nakamura is seen as having a better chance to unseat Seth Rollins as World Heavyweight Champion, but he’s still a significant dog at +450. Perhaps the thing to watch in that matchup is whether Damian Priest cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase, though he also has a tag team title match alongside Finn Balor.

As we always do, we’d like to remind you that we don’t actually endorse wagering on pro wrestling matches even where it’s legal to do so since someone already knows the outcomes. That said, it’s still good insight into what people think will happen at any big wrestling show, and Payback is no different in that regard.

There’s a definite possibility that another match or two will be added as late as SmackDown Friday night, but for now, here are the lines for the matches announced for Payback, expressed in U.S.-style betting odds.

(Latest update: Sept. 1, 2023, 1:25 p.m. ET)

WWE Payback 2023 betting odds:

Steel Cage match
  • Becky Lynch: -500
  • Trish Stratus: +275
WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Seth Rollins (c): -1250
  • Shinsuke Nakamura: +450
WWE Women’s World Championship match
  • Rhea Ripley (c): -3333
  • Raquel Rodriguez: +900
WWE United States Championship match
  • Rey Mysterio (c): -275
  • Austin Theory: +190
Singles match
  • LA Knight: -715
  • The Miz: +400
Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c): -715
  • Damien Priest and Finn Balor: +333

How to watch WWE Payback 2023: Live stream US, international

Here’s how to catch WWE Payback live from Pittsburgh this weekend.

As it enters the fall, WWE kicks off the latter part of the year with the Payback premium live event from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Other marquee WWE events have had more star power, so this show provides plenty of chances for talent to step up and shine on this early September night.

Headlining Payback for the World Heavyweight Championship, Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura‘s feud has become personal given Nakamura’s threats to worsen Rollins’ back injury and make his life harder after the match.

A win for Nakamura would be his biggest moment in WWE in years, giving him an opportunity to excel in his otherwise quiet stint on the main roster. While Rollins has been a formidable champion, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the King of Strong Style break through and open a longer program with the Visionary.

Cody Rhodes has been quiet since SummerSlam and is not scheduled to compete in a match at Payback. However, he will be a guest on “The Grayson Waller Effect,” which could be how the American Nightmare gets physically involved at the show and potentially sets up his next feud for Fastlane and beyond.

Becky Lynch has endured a long, bumpy road to finally get to her Steel Cage match against Trish Stratus at Payback, which should end their year-long feud. After Lynch defeated Stratus’ compadre Zoey Stark in a Falls Count Anywhere match on the Aug. 29 Raw, she will enter the show with momentum and the chance to go over the WWE Hall of Famer once and for all.

These matches, and more, will grace Payback in Pittsburgh. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.

WWE Payback 2023

  • Date: Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023
  • Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world

Updated WWE Payback 2023 card: KO, Sami take on The Judgment Day in a Steel City Street Fight

Check out the latest WWE Payback 2023 card, with all the matches confirmed so far for Pittsburgh.

WWE will host is next premium live event, Payback, at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Sept. 2. It’s the first marquee show since SummerSlam and will feature feuds that developed in the fallout.

One of the first matches announced for Payback was Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage match. This feud, which has been going on since shortly after WrestleMania, is one of WWE’s longest running and will culminate at Payback after a summer-long program that has lost steam.

WWE confirmed that Rhea Ripley will defend her WWE Women’s Championship against Raquel Rodriguez at Payback, following weeks of tension pitting the champion against Rodriguez and her tag team partner, Liv Morgan — which culminated in Ripley sidelining both of them with injuries. On the Aug. 21 show, Rodriguez returned healthy to get her retribution and set up the title match.

Shinsuke Nakamura teased an edgier side to his persona, culminating in a surprise Kinshasa on Seth Rollins to close an episode of Raw earlier this month. This led to simmering tension between the two, and now the match has been confirmed for Payback, where Rollins will defend the World Heavyweight Championship.

As expected, The Miz and LA Knight will face off after their recent exchanges, and the winner of the Slim Jim Battle Royal will have the chance to have one of the biggest WWE matches of his career if it is confirmed. Gunther vs. Chad Gable in a rematch for the WWE Intercontinental Championship is also plausible.

We’ll update this post as WWE announces more matches for Payback. For now, here’s what has been set for the PPG Paints Arena.

Last update: Aug. 28, 2023, 11:15 p.m. ET

WWE Payback 2023 card:

  • Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez – WWE Women’s Championship match
  • Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Austin Theory – WWE United States Championship match
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c) vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) – Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus – Steel Cage match
  • LA Knight vs. The Miz

WWE announces Payback premium live event date, location

This will be the first WWE Payback in three years and the first premium live event in Pittsburgh since 2018.

WWE had mostly left its premium live event schedule unannounced after Money in the Bank in July and SummerSlam in August. However, the slate for the rest of 2023 began to take shape Friday.

WWE officially announced that the WWE Payback premium live event will return on Saturday, Sept. 2 at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. It will be the first major WWE event to be held in Pittsburgh in five years.

Payback also marks the first WWE premium live event of 2023 not at a large-scale American venue or international location, as the PPG Paints Arena holds less than 20,000 people.

Payback last occurred in August 2020, when Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt for the WWE Universal Championship headlined the COVID-era show at the ThunderDome. Prior to that, WWE held this premium live event each year from 2013-2017, usually after WrestleMania.

This time, Payback will follow SummerSlam, so expect to see rematches and new feuds built from the latter’s fallout. With two world titles back in the mix, the card should be an intriguing one, although the match slate will not shape up for another two months.

WWE’s decision to run premium live events on Saturdays will have an effect on AEW, since its new Saturday show, Collision, premieres on June 17. This means that the two will clash at least once a month, as long as WWE continues to run Saturday shows or Collision remains on the air. Therefore, AEW may have to stack its match card against WWE’s shows, particularly if they both air at 8:00 p.m. ET.

In the coming weeks and months following the announcement of Payback, WWE should announce the rest of its 2023 premium live event schedule — including the host city and arena for Survivor Series in November and other events. Where else will WWE take their marquee shows before the year ends?