Before summer officially ends, WWE's top rivalries look to reach their apex at Payback at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on September 2. The event airs on Peacock in the U.S. and the WWE Network in the U.K.
Some of the top stars compete on the show. The Judgement Day will be all over it, with several title bouts featuring almost all of its members. Veterans return to action, while current stars look to shine. Despite not being involved in a match, Cody Rhodes will also appear as a guest on the "The Grayson Waller Effect.”
Will we see new champions crowned at Payback? More importantly, with tension leading up to the event, will The Judgement Day remain intact?
Here is a breakdown of all the matches happening at Payback, which will be updated when new information is released:
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WWE Payback 2023 card
Seth "Freakin" Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the World Heavyweight Title
Seth "Freakin" Rollins defends the World Heavyweight Title against Shinsuke Nakamura.
Nakamura turned heel on Rollins on an episode of Raw and acted in a heelish manner like his run in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Speaking of NJPW, WWE has presented him as an unstoppable force, similar to his run where he elevated the IWGP Intercontinental Title.
As reported, Rollins comes into the match with an injured back. Nakamura has cut promos stating that after their bout, Becky Lynch, his wife, will have to take care of him, and he won’t be able to walk his daughter down the aisle when she’s older.
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage match
In a battle between the past vs. the present of WWE, Trish Stratus faces Becky Lynch in a Steel Cage match.
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It all started after Lynch and Lita won tag team gold against Damage CTRL, with Stratus helping the former in the feud. Stratus eventually replaced an injured Lita, they lost the tag belts, and Stratus turned on “The Man” after.
At Night of Champions, Stratus beat Lynch. Another bout between the pair was delayed after Stratus sustained a broken nose. But following multiple matches that ended in DQ and count-out and a nixed bout at SummerSlam, the two finally agreed to fight in a Steel Cage match at Payback.
On the go-home show before Payback, Lynch beat Stratus’ muscle, Zoey Stark, by putting her through a table.
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s World Title
The Judgement Day's Rhea Ripley defends the Women’s World Title against frenemy Raquel Rodriguez.
In recent weeks, Rodriguez has come to the aid of Natalya and tag partner Liv Morgan after an assault at the hands of Ripley. Ripley also attacked the knee of Rodriguez, who at one point was half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions. Continuing to injure various stars, Ripley was finally confronted by Rodriguez, now healthy, and the match for Payback became official.
Ripley has become the de-facto leader of The Judgement Day.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c) vs. Finn Balor and Damian Priest in a Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles
Speaking of The Judgement Day, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles against group members Finn Balor and Damian Priest.
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Owens and Zayn defended their belts against Priest and Dominik Mysterio in July, but that didn't end the feud. Mysterio successfully defended the NXT North American Title against Zayn, who was distracted after the group injured Owens.
Zayn would fight The Judgement Day for weeks without Owens until his return in August. Following multiple brawls, a street fight for the titles was announced for Payback.
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Austin Theory for the WWE United States Title
Rey Mysterio defends the WWE United States Title in a rematch against former champion Austin Theory.
In July, Santos Escobar beat Mysterio to earn a shot at Theory, the champion at the time. However, Theory attacked Escobar before their match, and Mysterio took his place, winning the bout. Theory won a number one contender match to face Mysterio, in an attempt to win back the title.
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LA Knight vs. The Miz
The mics will be left at home as talkers LA Knight and The Miz use their fists at Payback.
Their rivalry started when Knight eliminated Miz in the Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal. Pushed to the stratosphere by WWE brass, Knight has garnered a large following in a short period with the company. Miz, of Real World fame, has not been pleased with losing fan affection.
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