WWE Payback lacked in several areas, especially with little storyline development and a weak card, but there were a few cool moments that saved the pay per view from being a waste of time.
Check out our WWE Payback Power Rankings to see who ended up making the PPV a worthwhile one.
Honorable Mention: Sheamus: His opening match with Antonio Cesaro was probably the most technically sound of the night. Although there was no Brogue Kick from The Great White, Sheamus more than held his own with one of the best workers in the company and perhaps the world. The fact that he sold for most of the match not only helped Cesaro as a heel, but it makes a rematch possible. With the U.S. title still around his waist, Sheamus is still just a hop, skip and jump from the upper part of the card again. Add in plenty of chemistry with Cesaro and you have a great feud for the middle of the card.
5: Alexander Rusev: His first victory over a legitimate talent, Rusev destroyed Big E. Langston at Payback, thanks to the Accolade and an absolutely vicious Superkick. Although he’s still got a ways to go and his cliche gimmick isn’t helping him, his performance at Payback was a step in the right direction. Who’s next for the Bulgarian Brute?
4: Wade Barrett: In a solid performance against the always offensive Rob Van Dam, Barrett retained the Intercontinental title at Payback. With a lack of real competition in the division and plenty of charisma, Barrett is completely in a league of his own right now. Crazy to think that six months ago, he was pretty much an afterthought.
3: Daniel Bryan: Perhaps Bryan’s wife, Brie Bella should have made this list instead. Slapping her former boss Stephanie McMahon and leaving her job at the WWE, Bella allowed Bryan to hold on the WWE World Heavyweight title. This opens the door for a whole slew of ramifications for Bryan that could only spice up a nonexistent title scene.
2: John Cena: The leader of the Cenation hasn’t been in a match this brutal in a long time. One that doesn’t hurt the street creed of Bray Wyatt, Cena was able to maintain his legacy, but not destroy the budding one of Wyatt and the Family. At the same time, you have to wonder where Wyatt and Cena go from here. With WWE title runs out of the question for both competitors for the time being and their feud presumably over, they’re desperately in the need of something new and daring.
1: The Shield: Evolution tried their hardest to take them out and came very close at Payback, but when it was all over, The Shield swept Evolution- and in grand fashion, began what will be the beginning of their run as a top face faction in the WWE.
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