5 Ways WWE Payback 2017 Can Exceed Expectations

Bryan Heaton

WWE Payback, Source: WWE.com

Fan expectations for WWE Payback are pretty low this year. Here are five ways those expectations can be surpassed on Sunday.

On Sunday, WWE and Raw present Payback from San Jose, California. It’s the first pay per view event for the company since WrestleMania 33. And, to put it bluntly, expectations for the show are not great.

The card for Payback is still not finalized as of this writing. However, what has been announced so far suffers from the same predictability that hampers many WWE shows these days. Just looking at the card, one can almost figure out exactly how the night will unfold.

It’s not a lost cause, though. There are plenty of ways WWE can exceed expectations for Payback. The biggest thing necessary is to avoid that same old predictability. If (and that’s a big if) something happens that is truly unexpected, fans will likely respond positively. Even if it’s not necessarily a desired outcome, getting something different objectively makes the show exceed expectations.

So how can WWE pull this off? There are quite a few ways, in my opinion, that avoiding the predictable and expected result would be an improvement. Some involve match results, some involve the aftermath of a contest, and some just would provide a cool visual.

With that, here are five ways WWE and Raw can exceed expectations for Payback this year.

5. House of Horrors Should Hold Nothing Back

Leaving aside the ridiculousness of having a world champion from SmackDown Live appear on a Raw pay per view for a title match that becomes a non-title match, this match has potential.

The problem is, Bray Wyatt and his “mind games” have become so predictable and lame that no one is really expecting much of anything from the House of Horrors match. The last time Wyatt faced Randy Orton at WrestleMania, the bugs projected on the ring were pretty awful. To come back from that would require quite a bit.

How can this be remedied? By literally throwing everything you have into creating the House of Horrors. I’m talking throwing a Big Four pay per view show’s entire budget into making this match unlike anything seen before.

Look, Orton basically no-sold the creepy crawlies from the video projection at Mania. From a competitor’s standpoint, Wyatt needs to think outside the box to make sure this match accomplishes it’s intended purpose – to avenge his loss and make Randy pay. Video bugs didn’t work, so how about literal bugs? How about chainsaw-wielding clowns? Fire breathing robots? THE BOOGEYMAN?

Must Read: 3 Things the House of Horrors Match Should Include

The point here: The House of Horrors match can’t just be “Bray Wyatt acts spooky and a kid sings an old hymn,” because that would be more of the same. If you’re truly blowing off the Wyatt-Orton story, and the title is a non-factor, and they’re going to be on separate shows for the foreseeable future? Go crazy with it.

4. Keep Bayley and Sasha as Allies

The Women’s Title match between champion Bayley and challenger Alexa Bliss has the potential to be a great match. Bliss has already been a real shot in the arm for the women’s division on Team Red, and a (sorta) high-profile match early on is another great opportunity.

The potential cloud hanging over the match, though, is Sasha Banks. For weeks – even months – WWE has been telegraphing a turn to the dark side from the Legit Boss. Every time she’s come out recently to stand up for her “sister” Bayley, the WWE Universe has been waiting for the other shoe to drop.

More from Daily DDT

After taking the pinfall to Bliss in the number one contender’s match, it seems incredibly likely that Banks will complete the turn at Payback. Since she’s not in the match, it’s a little easier to have her be the one that costs Bayley the match and the championship, setting up a feud to take us into SummerSlam.

But again – that’s what everyone is expecting, and no one really wants to see it. At least, not like that, I would think. To keep everyone guessing, what really should happen is Sasha should help Bayley to seemingly solidify their friendship. That opens up a whole other world of stories – Bayley questions whether or not she really can do it on her own, Sasha claims that Bayley owes her something now, and so on.

Having Sasha turn on Bayley in so obvious a way is the lazy way out. A more nuanced story and subtler kind of turn would be much better.

3. Break The Hardy Boyz

This one may seem kind of obvious, but using a match to “break” Matt and Jeff Hardy again would appease a large section of the WWE Universe.

It may not even be possible, given the legalities of the gimmick and uncertainties over ownership. But if recent rumors are true, WWE does plan on using the “Broken” Universe at some point during the Hardys’ run. Honestly, there’s no better time than the present.

Since Matt and Jeff returned at WrestleMania, they’ve basically been what they always were in WWE – Team Extreme. The past few weeks have been a nice nostalgia act, but there have been subtle hints at something more. “DELETE” chants are everywhere, and Matt still occasionally drops his “Broken” voice into promos.

More from Raw

With a Tag Team Championship defense at Payback against Cesaro and Sheamus, there’s a perfect opportunity to transition into Broken Matt and Brother Nero if WWE wants to take it. Using a concussion to get there like in TNA probably wouldn’t fly in WWE (especially with the concussion lawsuits going on), so why not losing the titles?

Let’s say Cesaro and Sheamus emerge victorious at Payback. All four competitors have been very respectful of one another thus far. But, the Hardy Boyz have been victorious each time they’ve met. If the tables turn, perhaps Matt and Jeff don’t think it’s so WONDERFUL anymore.

Or, Cesaro and just grab both Hardys and swing them around until they’re obsolete. Whatever works.

2. Strowman Squashes Roman

When it comes to predictable, nothing is ever guaranteed in WWE like Roman Reigns overcoming the odds and winning a match he has no business winning. He really is the new John Cena.

But at Payback, he’s taking on Braun Strowman. And Strowman just happens to be the guy who has done the following in recent weeks:

viciously attacked Roman backstage, necessitating medical attention.
taken the stretcher Roman was placed on and throwing it over a ledge.
attacking Roman in the ambulance and flipping the whole ambulance on its side with Roman still in it.
beating up the Golden Truth backstage before dumping Kalisto in the garbage – literally.
not letting Big Show push him around, then superplexing Show so hard the ring collapsed.
stood up immediately after the ring collapsed.
threw Kalisto into a dumpster and pushed said dumpster off the stage.

There is absolutely no logical reason that Strowman should lose a match right now. Especially if it’s to Roman Reigns, who’s suffering from numerous ambulance-related injuries.

Why not take it one step further? Let Strowman just squash Reigns at Payback. If The Big Dog is injured, it gives him an excuse for falling short. And it could help really legitimize Strowman as a main event caliber talent, with an eye on the Universal Championship.

Must Read: Predictions for Strowman vs. Reigns

If Braun wins at Payback, the shorter the match the better. To further establish himself as a literal Monster Among Men, he should absolutely destroy Reigns and absorb little to no punishment along the way. Think Lesnar vs. Cena at SummerSlam 2014, but even more one-sided.

1. Plant the Seeds for a Shield Reunion

One of the net positives for Raw in the Superstar Shake-Up was the acquisition of Dean Ambrose. It’s not so much because of getting him specifically, but with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns already working Monday nights, the potential for a Shield reunion is created.

Rollins will be taking on Samoa Joe at Payback. Thanks to surprisingly coherent storytelling, both men are out for literal payback – Rollins for the injury he suffered at Joe’s hands, and Joe for Rollins causing injury to his “client” Stephanie McMahon. In what is sure to be a great match, the possibility that someone may interfere on Joe’s behalf – like Triple H – is ever present.

More from Daily DDT

Well, who could make the save for Rollins? Assuming Braun Strowman annihilates Reigns, that leaves Ambrose as the most likely candidate. Imagine the reaction from the crowd if you see Ambrose – after everything that has happened since 2014 – coming to the aid of Seth Rollins. The only thing that could top that would be Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens working together.

Or, Rollins and Ambrose could separately try to save Roman from the Strowman beatdown, only to work together in the end. This could lead to Joe coming out to continue an assault on Rollins, and The Miz could try to take out Ambrose.

And if you tell me that a potential six-man tag pitting Strowman, Miz, and Samoa Joe vs. a reunited Shield doesn’t make you giddy, well, I don’t know what to tell you.

Must Read: 5 Must-See Matches From WWE Payback History

How do you think WWE can exceed expectations for Payback?

Bryan Heaton

Bryan lives on Long Island with his wife and a pug, and more often than not there's some form of wrestling or another playing on the TV or computer. Follow him on Twitter @BigHeat34 to talk about WWE, NXT, or Chikara (seriously, wrestling ice creams and wrestling ants are AMAZING), or introduce him to your favorite promotions or matches!