Payback (2017) — BrandWiki

Payback (2017)

Overview

Payback

promotion	WWE
attendance	13,694
brand	Raw
date	April 30, 2017
venue	SAP Center
city	San Jose, California
wwenlast	WrestleMania 33
wwennext	United Kingdom Championship Special
event	Payback
lastevent2	2016
nextevent2	2020

The 2017 Payback was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE. It was the fifth annual Payback and took place on April 30, 2017, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The event aired via pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming and primarily featured wrestlers from the promotion's Raw brand division. Due to that year's Superstar Shake-up (draft) that occurred just two weeks before Payback, the event included two interbrand matches with wrestlers from SmackDown as the matches had been scheduled before the Shake-up occurred. It was the final Payback event until 2020, as Payback was expected to return as a SmackDown event in 2018, but following WrestleMania 34 that year, WWE discontinued brand-exclusive PPVs, which resulted in the reduction of yearly PPVs produced. The theme of the event was wrestlers seeking payback against their opponents.

Eight matches were contested at the event, including one on the Kickoff pre-show. In the main event, Braun Strowman defeated Roman Reigns. In other prominent matches, Raw's Bray Wyatt defeated SmackDown's Randy Orton in a House of Horrors match, which was a cinematic match, and Seth Rollins defeated Samoa Joe to end his undefeated streak since joining the main roster. The event also saw two titles change hands: in the opening bout, Raw's

Event

Pre-show

During the Payback Kickoff pre-show, Enzo Amore and Big Cass faced Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Amore pinned Gallows with a schoolboy for the win.

Later, The Miz hosted "Miz TV" with Finn Bálor as the guest. Bálor stated that he wanted the Universal Championship back, as he never lost it, and ended up attacking Miz.

Preliminary matches

The actual pay-per-view opened with the first interbrand match, in which SmackDown's Kevin Owens defended the United States Championship against Raw's Chris Jericho. Owens attempted a Pop-up Powerbomb on Jericho, who countered into a hurricanrana. Jericho applied the "Walls of Jericho" but Owens touched the ropes with only one finger to break the hold. After Owens failed to execute a Pop Up Powerbomb, Jericho forced Owens to submit to the "Walls of Jericho" to regain the title for a second time. As a result of the win, Jericho was transferred to the SmackDown brand.

Next, Neville defended the WWE Cruiserweight Championship against Austin Aries. In the climax, as Aries applied the "Last Chancery", Neville pulled the referee by his shirt. The referee then disqualified Neville, resulting in Aries winning the match but not the title.

Later, The Hardy Boyz (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy) defended the Raw Tag Team Championship against Cesaro and Sheamus. The end came when Jeff performed a "Swanton Bomb" on Sheamus, who was covering Matt and unaware that Jeff was the legal man. Jeff then pinned Sheamus to retain the titles. After the match, the two teams shook hands. However, as Jeff and Matt were celebrating, Cesaro and Sheamus returned and attacked The Hardys, thereby turning heel.

In the fourth match, Bayley defend the Raw Women's Championship against Alexa Bliss. In the climax, Bayley countered a Code Red attempt by Bliss into a pinning combination, but Bliss kicked out and sent Bayley head first into the ring post. Bayley then rolled up Bliss, but Bliss kicked out and performed a Snap DDT on Bayley to win the title for the first time. As a result of her win, Bliss became the first wrestler to win both the Raw and SmackDown women's championships.[27]

Next was the second interbrand match, in which SmackDown's WWE Champion Randy Orton faced Raw's Bray Wyatt in a non-title House of Horrors match. The match was a No Holds Barred match type that began in the House of Horrors, but could only be won by pinning or submitting their opponent in the ring or by forfeit. A cinematic match, it began when Orton broke into the house and Wyatt attacked Orton. Orton and Wyatt fought throughout the house and into the kitchen, where Wyatt pushed a refrigerator onto Orton. Wyatt then stole Orton's limousine and drove to the arena.

In the meantime back in the arena, Seth Rollins faced Samoa Joe. Joe applied the "Coquina Clutch" on Rollins, who countered into a pin for the win, ending Joe's undefeated streak since debuting on the main roster in January 2017.

Later, Raw's Bray Wyatt arrived at the arena and performed his usual entrance. As the lights came on, SmackDown's Randy Orton appeared and attacked Wyatt. SmackDown's The Singh Brothers (Samir and Sunil) then appeared and attacked Orton, who managed to fight them off. Orton performed an "RKO" on Wyatt, only for Jinder Mahal to attack Orton with the title belt he had stolen from Orton on the previous episode of SmackDown. Wyatt then performed "Sister Abigail" on Orton to win the match.

Main event

In the main event, Roman Reigns faced Braun Strowman. Strowman performed a chokeslam on Reigns onto a broadcast table. Reigns performed a spear on Strowman for a near-fall. Reigns performed two "Superman Punches" on Strowman and attempted a third, however, Strowman applied a lifting arm triangle choke and performed a running powerslam on Reigns for a near-fall. In the climax, Strowman performed a second Running Powerslam on Reigns to win the match. After the match, Strowman attacked Reigns with the steel steps and stood tall as the event ended.

Aftermath

Immediately following Payback on Raw Talk, Roman Reigns was about to be taken to a medical facility, but Braun Strowman attempted to further damage him. Reigns retaliated by slamming an ambulance door against Strowman's arm multiple times.[28] The next night on Raw, General Manager Kurt Angle addressed the two's condition and said that both were injured.[29] The following week, Strowman, in an arm sling, said that after he was completely finished with Reigns, he wanted Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship, but Kalisto came out and demanded a rematch. That match ended after Reigns came out and attacked Strowman.[30] On the May 15 episode, it was revealed that Strowman required surgery on his injured arm, and would be out for up to six months. Reigns, Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, Bray Wyatt, and Finn Bálor were scheduled to compete in a Universal Championship number one contender's extreme rules fatal five-way match at Extreme Rules.[31]

Also on the post-Payback Raw, Seth Rollins said that his business with Samoa Joe was done. He then turned his attention to Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, however, Finn Bálor interrupted and stated that he should be the next person to face Lesnar as Bálor was the inaugural champion and never lost the title. Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose then came out. He criticized Lesnar for not appearing and wrestling often and claimed the Intercontinental Championship to be the top title of Raw. The Miz then came out and said that he should be the one to face Ambrose for the title. A number one contender's match was scheduled between Rollins, Bálor, and Miz, which Miz won after interference from Joe and Bray Wyatt.[29] The Miz and Ambrose had their title match on the May 15 episode where Miz won by disqualification. A rematch between the two was scheduled for Extreme Rules where if Ambrose were to get disqualified, he would lose the title.[31]

Jeff Hardy received medical attention after losing a tooth from a kick by Sheamus midway through their Payback match.[32] On the post-Payback Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus explained their reasoning for attacking The Hardy Boyz. They called The Hardys a novelty act and criticized the fans for living in the past instead of appreciating the present and claimed that The Hardys stole their moment at WrestleMania 33.[29] Cesaro and Sheamus subsequently won a number one contender's tag team turmoil match for another title opportunity at Extreme Rules,[30][31] which was made a Steel Cage match.[33]

Also on the post-Payback Raw, new Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss had a coronation on becoming the new champion as well as being the first woman to win both the Raw and SmackDown women's titles. The other seven female wrestlers on the Raw roster were also in the ring. She belittled Mickie James, Sasha Banks, and Bayley before a brawl broke out that resulted in an eight-woman tag team match where the team of Bliss, Nia Jax, Emma, and Alicia Fox defeated the team of Bayley, Banks, James, and Dana Brooke.[29] On the May 15 episode, Bayley invoked her championship rematch clause for Extreme Rules, and it was made a Kendo Stick-on-a-Pole match.[31]

WWE Cruiserweight Champion Neville and T. J. Perkins continued their feud with Austin Aries. Perkins was defeated by Aries on the post-Payback Raw, but Perkins attacked Aries after the match and attempted to injure him.[29] Aries was given another championship opportunity at Extreme Rules in a submission match.[31][33]

On the May 2 episode of SmackDown, Kevin Owens defeated Chris Jericho in a rematch for the United States Championship. Owens subsequently injured Jericho, taking him out of action. Owens was then scheduled to defend the title against AJ Styles at SmackDown's pay-per-view Backlash.[34]

The 2017 Payback would be the final Payback event until it was reinstated in 2020.[35] A SmackDown-exclusive Payback was expected to be held in 2018,[36] but following WrestleMania 34 that year, WWE discontinued brand-exclusive PPVs, which resulted in the reduction of yearly PPVs produced. This subsequently made the 2017 event the only brand-exclusive Payback event.[37]