We begin with a graphic In Memory of Bob Armstrong.
– We take a look back at the Universal Title Match from SummerSlam and what happened after The Fiend won the title, with Roman Reigns return.
Backstage:
Adam Pearce is telling security to be very careful to protect everyone, including Mr. McMahon from Retribution. Pearce sends his troops into position. Pearce enters Vince’s office and says everything is ready. Vince says that Adam seems a bit nervous and that everyone who comes around him gets intimidated. Vince says he has a mission for Adam. He wants Adam to visit all three men in the Universal Title Match at Payback to get them to sign the contract. Vince suggests that Adam go to the Fiend first. Vince says there is going to be a Firefly Funhouse tonight. Vince wants Adam to say hello to Huskus for him. He tells Adam not to fail him.
In the Arena:
We are live from the WWE Thunderdome at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL, as the new Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy makes his way to the ring.
Hardy says it’s good to be standing in the ThunderDome. After what AJ did to his knee last week, he’s lucky to be standing anywhere. Jeff goes on and says he’s ready to defend tonight… the music interrupts and out comes AJ Styles to the stage, dressed in street clothes. AJ asks if this is real. AJ says Hardy is a liar and a cheat. He walks to the ring and says he’s had knee injuries before and never went to a doctor to get an illegal object on his knee, but Jeff did. AJ is referring to Hardy using the knee brace to beat him last week as he went for the Styles Clash. AJ says Jeff had a plan all along and knew exactly what he was doing. Jeff knows how to play the system, he says.
AJ says the same doctor Jeff whined and complained to now won’t clear AJ to compete tonight, and it’s all Jeff’s fault. Jeff says that sucks for AJ because he was about to issue an Open Challenge to anyone in the back, except for AJ. AJ yells at Hardy for taking advantage of the system. The referee tries to calm him but AJ yells back that he won’t shut up. Hardy ends up dropping AJ with a right hand. We go to commercial with Hardy standing over AJ.
Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship
They lock up and Hardy with a clean break. Nakamura with a waist lock and Haryd with a standing switch. Nakamura stomps on the foot and applies a wrist lock. Hardy with a wrist lock and forearms to the elbow. Nakamura backs Hardy into the ropes and Nakamura kicks Hardy. Nakamura with a side head lock. Nakamura with a shoulder tackle and Hardy with a hip toss and atomic drop. Hardy with a snap mare and leap frog neck snap and elbow drop for a near fall. Nakamura with a drop kick to the knee. Nakamura with a drop toe hold into the leg.
We go to comments from Cesaro about Nakamura getting the title match. Cesaro says he steps away for a moment for some champagne and Nakamura is gone. No note. Nakamura is not more ambitious than him, but more impulsive. He wishes his PARTNER luck.
Nakamura kicks Hardy in the knee and puts the knee in the turnbuckles. Nakamura with kicks to the chest. Hardy blocks a kick and hits a mule kick. Hardy sends Nakamura into the turnbuckles and Hardy hobbles into the corner and is met with a knee. Nakamura puts Hardy on the turnbuckles and Hardy avoids the knee. Hardy tries to suplex Nakamura to the floor. Nakamura brings Hardy into the ring and Hardy’s knee gives out. Hardy with a clothesline to send Nakamura to the floor. Hardy kicks Nakamura to the announce table and then Hardy sends Nakamura into Styles as we go to commercial.
We are back and Nakamura works on the knee. Hardy kicks Nakamura and punches him. Hardy with a running forearm and reverse atomic drop and leg drop followed by a drop kick for a near fall after a splash. Nakamura sends Hardy into the turnbuckles and then puts Hardy on the turnbuckles. Hardy with a back elbow to knock Nakamura to the mat. Hardy with Whisper in the Wind and Hardy holds his knee. Nakamura puts Hardy in the ropes and hits a sliding German suplex. Nakamura goes up top and hits a knee off the turnbuckles for a near fall.
Nakamura sets for Kinshasa but Hardy moves. Nakamura avoids a Twist of Fate. Nakamura with a sleeper but Hardy with a snap mare and knee. Hardy with a Twist of Fate and then Hardy goes up top for a Swanton and the three count.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
After the match, the music hits as Hardy takes the title and celebrates. Hardy goes to ringside and taunts AJ at the announce table. Hardy returns to the ring and poses in the corner, raising the title in the air as we go to replays. Hardy limps up the ramp as AJ yells at him from the ring now, threatening to take the title back. Hardy turns and raises the title in the air. The music hits and out comes Sami Zayn making his return. Sami holds up the Intercontinental Title belt that he had. He dances around Jeff and taunts it with him, telling him that this is the truth. Sami says he’s the real Intercontinental Champion. They both raise their titles at each other as AJ comes walking up the ramp. Sami takes advantage of Hardy being distracted, and levels him with a Helluva Kick. Sami yells at Hardy, calling him a fraud, as the crowd boos. AJ comes walking up to the stage as Hardy limps to his feet. Sami has left to the back. AJ tells Hardy that he will own him soon. Hardy taunts AJ and raises the title again as his music hits.
– Still to come, the Firefly Fun House. Back to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and Sami Zayn walks in the back and Kayla ambushes him to ask why did he attack Jeff Hardy. Sami asks if Kayla follows his Twitter account. He says he rights wrongs and Jeff Hardy pretends to be the champion. AJ was a fraudulent champion as well. He won the title by himself and he never lost the title. Sami is asked why hasn’t defended the title in the last 5 months. Sami says he does not have to explain himself. He is a man of the world.
Firefly Funhouse:
We go to the Firefly Funhouse whereBray Wyatt welcomes everyone. Bray says it feels good to be back home with his friends. Bray says the internet is rotting Huskus’ brain. Bray wonders what is missing. He shows the Universal Title Belt. Neither of those monsters with the big nasty teeth can take it away. Bray says it was good to see Roman again. The doorbell rings and Adam Pearce arrives in a postal uniform. Adam asks Bray to sign the contract for the Fiend and Bray wonders why would he sign the contract. Pearce says there appears to be a connection between Bray and HIM. Bray says he will sign it, but he says he hopes Braun and Roman know what they are getting into. Bray signs the contract. He says if he knows HIM, he signed a couple of death warrants. Pearce leaves as Wyatt laughs. Wyatt says remember to let him in. He waves goodbye to end the segment.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Matt Riddle. Riddle cuts a promo on King Baron Corbin and says he’s afraid. He talks about the King’s Ransom and ends up calling Corbin out for a fight. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Riddle is still in the ring, calling Corbin out. The music hits and out he comes. Corbin talks some trash and says he accepts… Shorty G drops Riddle with a sneak attack. Corbin finishes and says he accepts, on behalf of G.
Matt Riddle vs. Shorty G
The bell rings and Shorty G unloads on Matt Riddle, beating him down and mounting him from behind with more strikes. Riddle comes back with a big suplex from the mat. G blocks another suplex attempt and hits a Tiger suplex of his own for a close 2 count.
King Baron Corbin yells from ringside as Riddle fights back. More back and forth between the two. Riddle ends up getting the easy pin with the Bro Derek in the middle of the ring.
Winner: Matt Riddle
After the match, Riddle stands tall as his music hits. Corbin hits the ring and they tangle for a minute but Corbin retreats after ducking a kick. Riddle’s music starts back up as he taunts Corbin from the ring. We go to replays. Corbin and Riddle continue the trash talking.
– Cole shows us how The Miz and Big E had a heated exchange during last Saturday’s return of “Talking Smack” on the WWE Network. We see video from earlier today with Big E saying he wasn’t going to waste his time on MizTV tonight, arguing with The Miz and John Morrison. Sheamus joined Miz and Morrison to stand with them, while Heavy Machinery joined Big E to even the odds. The six Superstars faced off and Cole announces that they will meet in the ring later tonight.
– We see Big E and Heavy Machinery backstage now. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions appear, Sasha Banks and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, and crack jokes at them before walking off. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Adam Pearce is knocking on Roman Reigns’ door but no one answers. We see Kayla Braxton stopping King Baron Corbin and asking if he will now accept Matt Riddle’s challenge. Corbin rants on about how he’s going to destroy Riddle at WWE Payback on Sunday and prove that he doesn’t belong in this kingdom. A furious Corbin walks off.
In the Arena:
We go back to the ring and out come the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions – Sasha Banks and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. Greg Hamilton does the introductions.
Bayley takes the mic about how this has been a hard week for them. They both had to defend their singles titles at SummerSlam last Sunday and now have to defend their tag titles against Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax at Payback this Sunday. She gets hyped up and says but lucky for them they are the best tag team. She goes on bragging as they pose with the titles. Bayley knows Banks is devastated about losing the RAW Women’s Title, she tries to talk her up and then takes blame for the loss, saying it’s all her fault. Bayley says she should’ve never let Asuka challenge Banks, but she saw Banks watching her with both of her titles, and knew she wanted the same. Banks isn’t impressed. Bayley says but all that is in the past now and they will move forward, with a win on Sunday. She goes on about how they’re stronger together, the titles represent more than their friendship. Bayley says on Sunday they cannot lose. Banks agrees.
Banks doesn’t want Bayley to worry and says as long as Bayley has her back, they can get through anything together. Banks may not be 2 Belts Banks anymore, but she knows who she is and what she stands for, and they are still best friends. Baszler and Jax interrupt from the big screen. They go on about how they both dislike each other, but they hate Banks and Bayley more, and will team with just about anyone to take their titles. The two sides continue talking trash and Banks cuts a defiant promo about how she will leave Payback with her title and there’s not a damn thing Baszler and Jax can do about it. Banks and Bayley stand tall as their music hits.
Backstage:
Adam Pearce is backstage looking for Braun Strowman, but so is Drew Gulak because he wants payback. Gulak walks over to a table and smacks Strowman over the back with a steel chair. He just takes it and Gulak walks off. Strowman turns around to see Pearce standing there with the Payback contract. They have words and Strowman says the only way he’s signing the contract is if Pearce gets Gulak in the ring for him, right now. Pearce says that sounds like a plan. Strowman walks off and we go to commercial.
Backstage:
Back from the break and we see SmackDown Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura talking. Cesaro has a match with Kalisto tonight but needs to know they’re a team. Sami Zayn walks in and is all smiles and happy about the trio reuniting. Cesaro and Nakamura aren’t so sure. Nakamura says Zayn has been gone for months and didn’t even give them a phone call. Sami admits he should’ve been more communicative, but he’s sorry. Cesaro says some things around here actually changed for the better while Sami was gone. He says that was his plan, for them to come together and the proof is in their title win. Sami places his Intercontinental Title belt next to their titles and says he’s going to hang out in this Championship Lounge, but Cesaro says they were having a conversation, as a tag team, when Sami waltzed in, and they would like to finish that conversation. Sami asks if they want him to go and Cesaro asks please. Sami says that’s OK because he actually has to go, he’s got so much to do.
Drew Gulak vs. Braun Strowman
We go back to the ring and Drew Gulak waits as Braun Strowman makes his way out.
Strowman marches to the ring in new ring attire, staring Gulak down. We see how Strowman dropped the Universal Title to The Fiend at SummerSlam. The announcers hype The Fiend vs. Strowman vs. Roman Reigns at Payback this coming Sunday.
The bell rings and Strowman charges into the corner, then launches Gulak across the ring. Strowman continues to dominate with big splashes in the corners. Strowman pulls Gulak into a big right hand to level him again. Strowman with a rare senton. Strowman wails away with big forearms while Gulak is down. Strowman puts Gulak back down with a big chokeslam.
Strowman picks Gulak back up by his neck and yells at him. Strowman scoops Gulak and finally puts him back down with a running powerslam for the pin to win.
Winner: Braun Strowman
After the match, the music hits as Strowman makes his exit and marches up the ramp. Adam Pearce stops him on the stage and Strowman signs the contract for Payback. Strowman shoves the contract back at Pearce in his chest, and walks off as we go to replays.
– We see Lucha House Party backstage. Kalisto says he learned from Lince Dorado’s mistakes with Cesaro last week. He asks Dorado to stay backstage tonight and watch how it’s done. Kalisto walks off and Dorado isn’t happy, neither is Gran Metalik. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura suddenly attack Dorado and Metalik from behind, laying them out. The SmackDown Tag Team Champions walk off and we go to commercial.
Kalisto vs. Cesaro
Back from the break and Kalisto is in the ring. We see how he recently returned but had tension with his Lucha House Party partners last week. Out next comes the SmackDown Tag Team Champions – Cesaro with Shinsuke Nakamura.
The bell rings and Cesaro dominates to start. Kalisto ends up sending him to the floor with a head scissors. Kalisto flies out and launches Cesaro with a hurricanrana. Kalisto brings it back in the ring and kicks Cesaro in the head from the apron. Kalisto flies with a crossbody but Cesaro catches it and turns it into a backbreaker. Cesaro takes his time with the pin attempt and Kalisto kicks out at 1.
More back and forth between the two. Kalisto mounts some offense but Cesaro drops him and stomps. Kalisto makes another comeback and dropkicks the knee out. They tangle again and Cesaro goes for a powerbomb. Kalisto counters and turns it into a big DDT for a close 2 count. Kalisto plants Cesaro face-first with a scissors. Cesaro kicks out at 2. Kalisto yells at Cesaro to bring it. He starts the “lucha!” chant now as Nakamura looks on.
Cesaro blocks the Salida del Sol but Kalisto comes back and sends him into the second turnbuckle. Nakamura gets on the apron but Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik run down. Kalisto is distracted by Lince and Metalik beating on Nakamura, which allows Cesaro to roll Kalisto up for the pin.
Winner: Cesaro
After the match, the music hits as Cesaro hits the ramp with Nakamura. Lucha House Party argues in the ring before leaving.
– Vince McMahon is backstage in his office when Adam Pearce walks in with the Payback main event contract. He says he has the signatures from The Fiend and Braun Strowman but he keeps knocking on Roman Reigns’ door but has had no luck. Vince goes on and advises Pearce to go knock Reigns’ door down. Vince talks more about Pearce knocking the door down to get an answer, and tells him to go find out. Back to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and Nikki Cross is holding a coffee mug while Tamina Snuka shows up. Tamina asks about Alexa and Alexa shows up and hugs Nikki and Tamina. Nikki says she is glad to see Alexa happy. Nikki points out that we haven’t see Alexa’s hair like that for a while. Nikki tells Alexa her hair would look great no matter how she did it, but it reminds Nikki of The Fiend. Alexa says she thought Nikki would be more supportive since she thought they were best friends. Alexa takes the mug and throws it to the ground to break it.
– Sheamus interrupts Miz and John Morrison and asks if they have been discussing their strategy. Morrison says they need to keep Big E out of the ring. Morrison says they have to keep Tucker and Otis out of the ring as well. Sheamus tells them to follow his lead. We go to commercial.
– We are back and Adam Pearce knocks on Roman’s locker room door and then he enters to have Roman sign the contract. Roman looks at the contract and says he needs some time to review it.
Heavy Machinery and Big E vs. The Miz, John Morrison and Sheamus
We go back to the ring and out first comes Heavy Machinery – Tucker and Otis, who is carrying his Money In the Bank briefcase. Big E is out next. They dance on the stage together before heading to the ring. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Pearce finally finds Roman Reigns in the back. Reigns grabs the contract for the Payback main event and says he needs to read it first. Pearce agrees and we go back to the ring as The Miz and John Morrison head down the ramp. Out next comes Sheamus.
Morrison starts off with Otis and they go at it. Otis tries to launch Morrison but he lands on his feet. Morrison flies but runs into Otis and goes down. Otis with a splash in the corner. Big E and Tucker tag in for a triple team sequence to Morrison. Tucker covers for a 2 count as Sheamus breaks it up. Morrison catches a crossbody from Tucker but Tucker holds it for a 2 count. Morrison turns it around and delivers kicks to Tucker against the ropes. Miz tags in and they hit a double team Gutbuster. Miz works Tucker over while he’s down now. Big E taunts Miz and tries to come through the ropes. Miz focuses on Tucker and tags Morrison back in, holding him while Morrison kicks him in the gut.
Morrison keeps control and knocks Tucker back for a pin attempt. Morrison grounds Tucker in the middle of the ring now. Morrison fights Tucker back into the corner. Tucker fights out and drops Sheamus off the apron. Miz also goes down. Tucker fights Morrison off but Morrison blocks and dropkicks Tucker out of the ring. Sheamus charges but Tucker dropkicks him.. Miz charges next but Tucker boots him into the barrier. Tucker comes back in the ring and Morrison goes to attack but Tucker clotheslines him.
Sheamus goes to the timekeeper’s area and starts ringing the bell. Cole asks him what he’s doing as the match is still going on. Tucker gets back up in control as we return to commercial.
We are back and Miz and Morrison with kicks to Tucker for a near fall. Miz tags in and they Irish whip Tucker. Miz with an Awesome Clothesline and Morrison with a kick. Miz gets a near fall. Miz with a rear chin lock. Morrison with a knee and punches to Tucker. Morrison with a chin lock and he tags Miz in. Miz with a kick to the midsection. Morrison tags back in and Morrison with a springboard round kick for a near fall. Sheamus tags in but the referee was not looking so he sends Sheamus back to the apron. Morrison with a double sledge and he tries for a neck breaker but Morrison knocks Sheamus off the apron.
Tucker with a hip toss and Sheamus throws the cover on the announce table down and he yells at Miz and tells him to kiss his arse as he leaves. Morrison knocks Otis off the apron and Tucker with a back body dop and Big E tags in. Big E with two overhead belly-to-belly suplexes and a belly-to-belly suplex to Miz. Big E with a Warrior Splash for a hear fall. Miz goes to the apron and drops Big E on the top rope. Miz sets for the Awesome Clothesline but Big E with a UranagE. Morrison breaks up the cover. Otis slams Morrison and does the Caterpillar and a double elbow drop attempt but Miz moves. Miz with a Skull Crushing Finale on Otis but Big E is the legal man and he hits the Big Ending for the three count.
Winners: Otis Dozovic, Tucker Knight, and Big E
Backstage:
We return to Roman Reigns‘ locker room. Roman says he is not signing it. He wants some changes. He will be in the match, he will break everyone and leave. He will win back his Universal Championship that he never lost. He says that is not just a prediction, that is a spoiler. We see Paul Heyman sitting next to Roman and Paul says Believe That.
Adam Pearce is backstage with Roman Reigns, who has the Payback main event contract. Reigns says he is not signing as he wants some changes to the contract. He guarantees to be in the match on Sunday and to break everyone, then leave. He also guarantees to win back the Universal Title, which he says he never lost in the first place. Reigns says that is not just a prediction, that is a spoiler. The camera then shows Paul Heyman sitting down next to Reigns as Reigns looks up at Pearce. Heyman leans over Reigns and says, “Believe that.” It looks like Reigns has hired Heyman for his services. Reigns looks down at the Payback contract as SmackDown goes off the air.
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