Greg DeMarco’s Bold Predictions for WWE Payback

411Mania’s Greg DeMarco gets you ready for Sunday’s WWE Payback in style with his B.O.L.D. Predictions!

On Sunday, May 17th, the WWE presents their Payback pay-per-view, where WWE superstars get Payback!

…well at least some of them do?

WWE Payback is the follow-up to a surprisingly entertaining Extreme Rules, but has to work hard to ensure it isn’t forgotten in favor of the newly announced Elimination Chamber event. They’re off to a good start by keeping Big Show and Kane off of the card!

So precisely what is going to happen at WWE Payback on Sunday? For answers to that question you should check out our 411Mania Roundtable Preview!

Because contained below are bold predictions for the event. Not likely to happen, these are indeed B.O.L.D.: Bullheaded, Outlandish, Lascivious, and Deplorable. But if one hits, I can promise you’ll never hear the end of it!

Now then, let’s have some fun!

Paige Returns

Paige was written out of WWE storylines to tape Santa’s Little Helper. Various outlets are reporting that filming has wrapped, leaving the door open for the return for The Miz and Paige.

Why not have her return here? The division has largely been on hold without her, including Nikki Bella’s clean win over Naomi at Extreme Rules and the newly formed Naomi & Tamina team. Many can speculate that they’re waiting for the NXT Divas like Charlotte and Sasha Banks to move up to the main roster, but I think they were waiting for Paige.

And what better time for her to return? I could see her coming out at any point during this match—intros, middle or even after. WWE logic puts her out there for commentary, which while a cop-out wouldn’t be a terrible decision.

Any way you slice it, I believe the time is right for everyone’s favorite pale Diva to make her WWE return.

Baltimore Hosts A Wyatt Family Reunion

On top of the Paige return, there is another big return I expect at WWE Payback: The Wyatt Family. Granted Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan haven’t left, but they haven’t been together either.

Unlike The Shield, the Wyatt Family split hasn’t done anything for any member of the family. The Shield is comprised of three main eventers. The Wyatt Family is comprised of a main eventer, a mid-carder and Erick Rowan. They’re better together.

What does that spell for Ryback? D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R. That’s what.

There is one tweak we need to see for the Wyatt Family this time around: Sister Abigail.

A “Re-Ascension”

That picture up there represents a time when The Ascension was a bad ass WWE tag team, taking no prisoners. Well, I don’t know if I should say “bad ass WWE tag team” or “bad ass NXT tag team.” Since their, um…ascension to the main roster, they have been anything but bad ass.

Many (including the commentary team) were quick to call The Ascension a Road Warrior knock-off, so it seems fitting that they regain their footing against what is already being heralded as the greatest knock-off tag team ever.

Can Curtis “AxelMania” Axel and Damien “Macho Mandow” Sandow be the answer to The Ascension’s issues? We’ll find out on Sunday, but I am boldly predicting a royal ass-kicking for the face comedy duo in this match.

Neville Continues To Be Mighty

“The Man That Good Looks Forgot” is on a real tear since making it to the WWE main roster. He’s embroiled in a feud with Wade “King” Barrett, but has also had great showings against WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and United States Champion John Cena.

And outside of the King Of The Ring finals, he’s largely owned the man who would be king.

That ownership continues at WWE Payback, and in a dominant way. Not only does Neville win, but he nearly squashes Barrett en route to victory. In doing so, he firmly establishes himself as a mid-card player, and becomes a threat for the Elimination Chamber Intercontinental Championship match.

Rusev Crush…Lana SWERVE!

An excuse to print a Lana photo? Nah, I already did that with Paige above!

The WWE has the dirt sheets reporting a potential face turn for Lana, complete with Rusev dissension and the Fandango dance. But it’s all a rouse as the Soviet Power Couple isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

So you can wait on my prediction for Lana to be outed as an American spy in Russia!

For now, what we’ll see is a swerve at Payback. An “I Quit” match is hard to book when you have two competitors who really shouldn’t be quitting. Rusev would be damaged to no end if he quits here, and while John Cena wouldn’t be damaged you know the WWE simply isn’t doing it.

What we’ll get instead is a situation where Lana is put in harm’s way by Rusev, and only chivalrous John Cena can save her…by uttering those two little magic words.

And when he does, Lana will give that million dollar smile, proving that she found a new way to crush the competition.

Finn Balor Debuts

Look, I don’t actually expect Finn Balor to finally debut on WWE television at WWE Payback. But it’s gotta happen at some point, and I figure if I keep writing about it, it finally will!

SURPRISE!

Seth Rollins is on a roll as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Hell, he was on a roll before winning the championship, starting his climb up the ladder since he actually climbed a ladder and grabbed a gold briefcase.

Rollins used that Money In The Bank briefcase to capture the WWE’s top championship at WrestleMania 31, and he hasn’t looked back since. 47,000 long winded RAW opening promos later, and we here!

Seth Rollins is the future of the WWE, but he’s not alone. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose are easily in the category, and I still believe Bray Wyatt will be there with them.

And Rollins heel dominance in 2015 will continue…after a slight bump in the road.

The WWE’s free month promotions have reportedly been very fruitful for the Network, and the new Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event is on the last day of the May promotion. What better way to show the fans that the Network is a must-have then to have TWO world title changes in the same month.

Dean Ambrose wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship by stealing Roman Reigns’ pin on Seth Rollins at WWE Payback, and goes on to lose the title back to Rollins at Elimination Chamber. It solidifies Ambrose as a main eventer, sells the Network, further boosts Rollins’ heel credibility, and starts a story of Roman Reigns being the only Shield member who hasn’t won the big one.

Sounds like a winning combination to me!

Greg DeMarco is a wrestling fan of over 30 years and has worked on the independent circuit as a promoter, announcer, character and booker. Greg is a weekly contributor at 411Mania.com, applying his opinionated style to the world of pro wrestling as often as possible.

He began writing for 411Mania in October 2010 and has been pissing readers off ever since!

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And as always…