Csonka’s WWE Payback Review 5.17.15

Introduction
As a reminder, this will not be another traditional recap, but instead it will be a mash up of the Rs, Instant Analysis and my usual Twitter ramblings I would do during the shows; completely uncensored and as the ideas flow unfiltered to the old keyboard. Remember, this is a review; and I am here to review the show. As always, I encourage discussion and even disagreement, just do so in a respectful manner. I will be doing the review for Raw and most PPVs and iPPVs going forward.

WWE Payback Review 5.17.15

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler @ 12:20 via pin [***½]
– 2/3 Falls WWE Tag Team Title Match: Champions The New Day defeated Kidd & Cesaro @ 12:41 via pin [***¼]
– Bray Wyatt defeated Ryback @ 11:04 via pin [**¾]
– US Title I Quit Match: Champion John Cena defeated Rusev @ 28:10 [***]
– Naomi and Tamina defeated Nikki and Brie @ 6:15 via pin [*½]
– Neville defeated King Barrett @ 7:36 via countout [**¼]
– WWE Title Match: Champion Seth Rollins defeated Orton, Reigns and Ambrose @ 21:05 via pin [***¾]

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Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler: These guys had a good match (with a shit stipulation) at the Extreme Rules PPV. I think that they can do better, and in the opening spot have that chance tonight. Sheamus countered a superkick and landed a strike to the knee, sending Ziggler to the floor and that started the heat. Instead of working the knee, Sheamus went right into the “WWE Chinlock” for no reason. Sheamus never focused on it, and Ziggler sold it when it was convenient. Seriously, he was throwing knee strikes with the “injured knee” and running around down the stretch. Why did you even set that up if you weren’t going to use it at all? Ziggler made his comeback and then rubbed his ass into Sheamus’ face, to get payback for last month. Anyway, Sheamus hit a Liger bomb, powerslam and white noise down the stretch, and then applied the cloverleaf but Ziggler got the ropes and went back to selling the knee. Ziggler busted himself open late as he threw a head butt and then landed a superkick for a near fall. He got busted open big time there, if Ziggler and Bryan have taught us anything, do not exchange head butts with Sheamus. Sheamus hit the brogue kick for the win. They got a lot of time, and put on a largely entertaining match. Had they not used the knee to introduce the heat, just skipped that and used something else, the match is even better. The finish works well for me though, Ziggler fought for all he’s worth and went down only because he was torn down and in a pool of his own blood. The match was better than last month’s effort, and could have been great if they had cleaned up the psychology with the knee.

* Kane and Rollins argued backstage. DO NOT CARE.

2/3 Falls WWE Tag Team Title Match: Champions The New Day vs. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd: New Day did promo work and worked in the local sports team. They’re doing really well with the heel turn. Cesaro and Kidd won the first fall in under three minutes, and that continues the theme that the former champions are better in a straight up match and that New Day can only win via some sort of shenanigans. New Day got the heat for fall two as Big E caught Kidd on a dive, and then hit the overhead belly to belly on the floor. Big E did his big spear through the ropes to the floor on Cesaro, taking him out and leading to Kidd fighting on his own. New Day evened things up at 8:14 with an out of sync version of their finisher. Cesaro would eventually get the hot tag, did the running uppercut buffet on Kofi but had issues on a suplex spot with Big E (E didn’t look to go up properly). They worked some nice stuff down the stretch, with some good near falls and really getting the crowd into things. Despite some hiccups, these guys have developed a good chemistry. Xavier Woods snuck in and rolled up Cesaro for the win, and then told the ref that it was Kofi that did it. I liked the finish because it plays into the whole gimmick of New Day thus far, although I am sure all we’re going to hear is that they did the “every back guy looks the same” finish (which was popular on the Twitter). This wasn’t quite as good as last month’s match; mostly due to the rushed nature of the match and some missed spots. They should have cut the pre-match promo work to be honest with you. But the finish was creative and the crowd got really into it. As we head to the Elimination Chamber tag match, it sets the stage for New Day to have to try and win without all of the bullshit. I liked this.

Ryback vs. Bray Wyatt: Serious question, is Ryback getting bigger every fucking week or is it just me? The Big Guy is seriously yoked, so much so to the point that he has issues selling a snap mare. Wyatt brutalized Ryback early, taking him to the floor and even hitting the backsplash off of the apron (he completely crushed Ryback there). I had almost wanted that to be the finish (the countout) because it was set up really well and we wouldn’t have given away a win for either man. Wyatt worked a very physical style, and it works well for him. Ryback got a near fall when he made a comeback late and hit a top rope splash, but the injured ribs slowed him. They teased finishers; the buckle pad was ripped off by Wyatt and after slamming Ryback into it he scored with Sister Abigail for the win. I liked the finish, it played off of the work they did in the body of the match well and they didn’t set it up minutes earlier so that we all knew it was coming. I didn’t think that this was quite as good as the earlier matches, but it was good. The work made sense, when Wyatt gets to beat on a guy (and they get to do the same back) he’s at his best. The work led to the finish and this felt like a rock solid first match in the feud. Ryback was reportedly injured on the senton spot (possible broken rib).

US Title I Quit Match: Champion John Cena vs. Rusev: As far as the match quality goes, I was pretty excited for this series, but in the ring and creatively I have felt disappointed overall. Lana I wearing white tonight, could she maybe throw in her jacket (instead of a towel) for Rusev to quit? Or will they go the Foley/Flair route and screw Cena when Rusev threatens Lana to force him to give up (But it was all A TRAP)? The ref has the mic with him in the ring, is that really the best of ideas with how loud Cena tends to call spots? The crowd was chanting for Lana a lot early in the match. Rusev controlled mostly, and used the steps (first on the floor and then in the ring) to repeatedly toss Cena into them while trying to get him to quit. He later hit Cena with the catatonic onto the steps, but Cena wouldn’t quit. Cena fought back, did the spot where he tosses he steps to the floor and thankfully Rusev moved. We also got the spear through the barricade spot, which feels really overused by WWE lately. They brawled into the crowd, they blew a table spot out there and then Cena just beat the hell out of Rusev. Rusev’s selling and facial expressions are so great. Cena eventually hit the AA onto the pyro, which went off and then Lana ran to the top of the entranceway. Cena then used one of the old metal barricades to hit Rusev, but Rusev would then suplex Cena onto it. Again, the facials and selling by Rusev here have been great. Cena looked to fight out of the accolade, but fell back down and then he passed out. Rusev celebrated as if he won, but that was not the case because he didn’t say I Quit. Rusev exposed the buckle and undid the top rope (shades of the Umaga match with Cena). Which led to the rope assisted STF, Rusev refused to quit so Lana quit for him. The finish feels, to me, that it is all about Rusev and Lana, and not about Rusev and Cena. Overall I liked the match in some ways, they worked hard but it was too long, they relied on way too many “reliable spots” (the barricade, crowd brawling, Umaga finish call back) and the ending feels like a cop put to not have Rusev quit. Add in that a lot of the set up to asking guys to quit weren’t believable, and it under performed. I am worried about Rusev going forward as I feel as if they have crushed all of his momentum with the feud.

* New Day celebrated their victory, and they were then informed that they would defend the tag titles in an Elimination Chamber match. They were not pleased.

The Bella Twins vs. Naomi and Tamina: This was the cool down match. To their credit they worked hard and kept a nice pace, but it was way too clunky at times and we had some positioning issues. Tamina tossed Brie to the barricade, Nikki got distracted and slammed off of the top rope and Naomi scored the win to continue their feud. It was fine.

* Backstage Rusev yelled at Lana for costing him his match. He then told her to get out.

* We see highlights of Bryan relinquishing the IC Title. At Elimination Chamber, we will crown a new IC Champion.

Neville vs. King Barrett: These guys work well together, and I like their matches. But with that being said, this did not feel special at all, it simply felt like any other match they have had thus far with a backwards finish. Barrett found himself in trouble, and walked away to take the countout finish. This is a finish that they should have done on TV instead of trading wins to build to this match. Barrett then attacked Neville post match, but Neville came back and hit the deadlift German and the red arrow. This feud must continue. This came across as filler and a TV angle to build to a PPV match, not a PPV match. I mean, if he was going to hit the move and stand tall, why not just have him in instead of book shit out of order? It felt like another case of them not wanting a guy to lose.

* Kane wished Rollins luck before the match…

Fatal Four-Way WWE World Heavyweight Title Match: Champion Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton vs. Dean Ambrose (If Rollins loses, Kane is fired): J&J got involved at the bell, and we got a wild opening portion with dives and big moves. Kane then got involved to help Rollins, because why not. The match then broke down into the predictable “your turn part”, where we were one on one with the others on the floor and the extras constantly getting involved. They did a Shield reunion spot where Rollins, Reigns and Ambrose beat down Orton and gave him the triple powerbomb through the announce table, which got a great reaction. Rollins looked so pleased and wanted to do the fist bump, and then realized that Reigns and Ambrose still hated him and then they attacked. The crowd ate this part up. Reigns and Ambrose then laid out Rollins on the table, and powerbombed Kane into him and the table did not break. That had to suck. The crowd chanted “one more time” so they did and the table then broke. This left Reigns and Ambrose to battle, and again the crowd was digging this big time. They exchanged some good near falls, Rollins returned and they battled and Ambrose hit Rollins with dirty deeds, but Kane pulled Ambrose to the floor for the save. Kane took out Reigns and Ambrose, Orton posted him and was back in the match. J&J ate RKOs, ands then Kane. But then Rollins hit a shitty pedigree on Orton to retain. I did not like this match early, but they did a good job of making me enjoy it when they got rid of a lot of the extras and did the mini-Shield reunion. I was also pleased that Ambrose didn’t take the pin; Orton has so much equity built up that he can lose here and not lose anything, where as Reigns and Ambrose don’t need to be taking pins, even with shenanigans. I also like that they started away from the “Reigns and Ambrose have miscommunication” stuff and let them work together and then fight it out to see who the best was. I still feel that the whole scenario is too focused on Kane, and would prefer we get some main events that are just the match instead of a study in extra curricular activities, but they delivered here despite a flat finish and using a lot of tools I generally dislike.

* Triple H celebrated with Rollins post match.

* Steve Cook and I will have a post Payback podcast LIVE at 11:30 PM ET, and you can listen live or via the archive at this link.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.4

The final score: review Good

The 411

I felt that the first four matches were a nice start to the show (Ziggler vs. Sheamus could have been great if they followed through on what they set up), and that we were headed for possibly a very good show. The Cena match seems to be the most polarizing thing on the show, and I can completely understand that. I have seen opinions from ** to ****½ on that match. I thought it was good and a nice addition to the card, but far from great. The ladies match was clunky and rough, and the Neville vs. Barrett match was oddly booked and they can certainly do better. The main event started rough, but ended up working very well as an overall package. The match could have used that one great match” to ramp it up a bit, but I felt overall (even with the things that I didn’t so much like) that this was a good show.