WWE Payback 2017 presents one of the more unique match cards of the year.
Due to the crazy Superstar Shakeup that occurred after WrestleMania 33, several members of the Raw and SmackDown Live roster found themselves new brand homes. This major event has altered the lineup for Payback 2017 and given us some brand warfare bouts. Raw’s Bray Wyatt is looking for revenge against SmackDown Live’s Randy Orton in the 1st ever House of Horrors Match. Plus Raw’s Chris Jericho is looking to nab the United States Championship from his former best buddy (who’s now been transferred to SmackDown Live), Kevin Owens. These two cross brand bouts are joined by a host of other great matches that feature the most standout members of the Raw roster.
Here’s all the match results and highlights you need to know from WWE Payback 2017.
Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
Winners: Enzo Amore and Big Cass!
Highlights: Enzo and Cass made sure to give the crowd their usual serving of catchphrases, plus they threw some much deserved shade at their opponents for the night. Once both teams stood across from each other, Enzo quickly assaulted Anderson. Anderson managed to get back in the fight by laying a few strikes to Enzo’s arm, then he tagged in Gallows to continue Enzo’s punishment. Anderson and Gallows took over Enzo’s arm for a good while.
Enzo finally escaped the wrath of the “Good Brothers” after laying Gallows out with a Tornado DDT. But he was unable to tag his big ally afterwards once Anderson shoved him outside the ring. Enzo made an attempt to make another desperate tag to Cass, but Gallows pulled Cass off the ring apron. When Cass finally got the hot tag, he went to town on Gallows and Anderson with his comeback offense. Gallows got saved by Anderson at the last moment, which lead to Gallows laying out Cass with a side kick. Enzo got tagged in and began getting a severe beatdown from both men. Gallows and Anderson almost landed their finisher, but Cass arrived just in time to big boot Anderson out of the ring. Enzo then got the win after rolling up Gallows in a school boy pin.
Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries (WWE Cruiserweight Championship)
Winner: Austin Aries via disqualification…
Highlights: Both Cruiserweight’s stared each other down while the crowd roared on in approval. Aries got the better of the champ during their 1st lockup. On their 2nd lockup, Neville finally got a hold of Aries by twisting his arm. Aries escaped it with his quick spirited counters and did the same once Neville tried to lock his head between his legs. Aries dropkicked him, then chose to taunt Neville. Aries elbowed Neville, then launched himself right onto Neville when he crawled to the outside. Aries climbed to the top rope, but Neville dropkicked the rope and caused him to slip groin first onto the rope. Neville finally got control of the match soon after.
During his moment of control, Neville climbed onto the middle rope to jaw jack with the audience. Aries dropkicked him during this moment of extreme cockiness and managed to get the upper hand when he came back into the ring. Neville tried to take Aries down, but Aries landed a neckbreaker on Neville on the middle rope. Then Aries used his Heat Seeking Bullet to slam Neville into the crowd barrier. Aries almost locked Neville into his Last Chancery, but Neville fought out of it. Aries then proceeded to drop Neville with his knee breaker/back suplex combo and almost hit his 450 Splash. Neville stopped that from happening, but he then got smashed with a Sunset Powerbomb when he jumped to the top rope. Aries then locked in the Last Chancery and almost got the submission victory. But Neville got so desperate to escape that he grabbed the ref so hard, it caused a disqualification. Aries won the match, but Neville still left with the title…
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
Winner: Seth Rollins!
Highlights: Joe made a beeline for Rollins’ surgically repaired knee as soon as things got underway. Rollins chopped Joe to get him away, but this didn’t phase him whatsoever. Joe began his strike assault on Rollins, but Rollins responded with a dropkick and a splash to the bigger man on the outside. Joe launched Rollins into the timekeeper’s section, but Rollins flew back out of it with a flying clothesline. Rollins then rammed Joe into the crowd barrier with two Suicide Dives. When Rollins looked to hop back into the ring, Joe grabbed his knee and injured it with a Dragon Screw right onto the middle rope. While Rollins tried to get his knee back into good shape on the outside, Joe launched himself at Rollins with a Suicide Dive of his own. Once back men got back into the ring, Joe continued targeting Rollins with some brutal knee-based offense.
Rollins tried backing Joe down with numerous chops, but Joe stuffed Rollins back into the corner and dropped him with his back elbow/Enzuguri combination. Joe then got back to torturing Rollins. Later on though, Rollins used a Flatliner to slam Joe’s face into the middle ring pad. Rollins started making his comeback after landing a Superkick on Joe. Rollins went airborne soon after, but Joe caught him and dropped him knee first into the mat. Joe then locked Rollins’ ankle into a tight submission hold to take apart his right knee even more. Rollins fought hard to finally escape and grab hold of the bottom rope. Joe stayed on top of Rollins after Powerbombing him and immediately locking him into a Boston Crab. Once again, Rollins crawled to the bottom rope in order to break the submission hold.
Joe looked to keep weakening Rollins’ knee, but Rollins saved himself after using his Slingblade neckbreaker to take down Joe. Rollins then started landing most of his signature comeback maneuvers on the bigger man. Things got hectic when Joe tried to use a Senton Drop on Rollins’ knee and Rollins dodged it time to launch right into a kneeling Superkick. Rollins slowly made his way to the top rope to land something big, but Joe followed him up there. Rollins tried to counter with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb, but his knee forbade him from doing so. Rollins still took Joe down with a Falcon Arrow and then a Frog Splash, but Joe still held on long enough to break the ref’s 3-count. Both men got to their feet and began striking each other repeatedly. Rollins soon found himself locked in Joe’s Kokina Clutch, but he almost rolled up Joe in a pin while the hold was still locked in. Rollins escaped and caught a nasty clothesline as soon as he turned to face Joe. Rollins got locked into the hold once again, but he still managed to finally roll through for the winning pin.
Find out how to watch a free live stream of WWE Payback 2017 here: