What would you do with WWE Payback?

[Dagger Dias]

This is not about the 2014 edition, so please do not bring up what matches you think we will see this month. This is about the WWE Payback PPV brand itself.

Every PPV brand on the calendar with the exception of two (Payback and Battleground) currently have some type of gimmick/stipulation/rule or some type of event alongside it to set them apart from the rest. WWE Payback is being brought back again this year, and may be coming back again in the future if this year's edition does well. My main problem with it is this.... It has nothing about it to set it apart from the rest. There is no such thing as a "Payback" match type or at least not any that I am aware of, and no special rules/stipulations that are specific to that show.

So what I want to know is this....

What would you do to make Payback stand out from the rest of the PPV brands? Why would you do this?

Would you make it home to a specific match type? Would you add special rules/stipulations to the show? You may suggest anything (within reason) that you wish. WWE approaches you with the task of making the fans have a reason to want to see this PPV each year. Share with us what you would do with it to make that happen.

Discuss!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Generally speaking, the theme of Payback last year did seem to involve feuds in which one of the wrestlers was looking for....well payback against the other. We saw it with Kaitlyn vs. AJ, Sheamus vs. Sandow, Ryback vs. Cena. We saw two frequent victims of The Shield, namely Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton, attempt to gain some retribution against Rollins & Reigns. Although, that's not really much of a different theme from any other ppv as there's always someone looking to get even or come out on top with a rival.

As far as a specific theme goes...hmmm....that's difficult to say. When I think if a theme for the show, the thing that springs to mind could involve wrestlers who've been severely wronged by a rival. They've been embarrassed, assaulted, beaten down, etc. and they want some means of evening the score. As a result, I'd have the wrestlers challenge said rival to a specific gimmick match. For instance, there's talk of Evolution taking on The Shield in a series of 3 singles matches rather than another six man tag team match according to various reports. There's also talk, according to the reports, of Bryan facing Kane in a Buried Alive match as a means of writing Kane off TV for a while so he can prepare to start promotional work for See No Evil 2. Maybe Kane accidentally or purposely "injures" Brie over the course of the next few weeks, Bryan is naturally fuming over this and wants revenge, thereby laying "The Devil's Favorite Demon" to rest. The same thing could go down for various other potential feuds. I'd have the card look something like this:

WWE Payback Kickoff Show
Rob Van Dam vs. Cesaro - Rosemont Street Fight

Main Card
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Daniel Bryan vs. Kane - Buried Alive Match
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Wade Barrett vs. Big E - Tables Match
WWE Tag Team Championship: The Usos vs. Harper & Rowan - Ladder Match
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt: Hell In A Cell
Dean Ambrose vs. Triple H - Last Man Standing Match
Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton - Falls Count Anywhere Match
Roman Reigns vs. Batista - Chairs Match

Of course, the problem with a ppv with nothing but gimmick matches is that the various stipulations become rather redundant. For instance, all of these matches are basically the same, with a few minor exceptions/alterations: no disqualification. Even though a Tables Match and a Chairs Match aren't exactly exciting, at least to me, you can still put a guy through a table in a Chairs Match and use a chair as a weapon in a Tables Match.

Also, that was originally supposed to be the idea for Extreme Rules, with all the matches being some variation of no disqualification. That's sort of the problem with these themed ppvs in that it sometimes limits these matches to only specific times a year. For instance, I think Cena vs. Wyatt inside HIAC would be an interesting match, it'd also be a good way to limit interference in the match since traditional cage matches have very much lost that sort of luster, but since it has it's own ppv in October, it's highly unlikely we'll be seeing it before then.

 

[Memory Horizon]

Finality.

That is to say, this is the PPV where feuds come to end, and I mean really, really end. As JH was describing with Bryan and Kane in a buried alive match, that's a perfect example. The Buried Alive match in particular may be a bit much were this not Kane and DB, as more often than not, one of them is written off TV for a while. I'd have it more along the lines of I Quit matches, Hell In A Cell matches, Last Man Standing matches...you get the idea. This is THE end of the feud, no screwy finish, no wondering if there will be more, nothing. The better man is clear, and they move on.

It's a good place for it to be, too. You have it right before the summer, where MITB and SummerSlam come to culminate toward the next Road to Wrestlemania, since Survivor Series has fallen to the wayside in terms of being one of the big 4 as of late. The Stars can wrap up everything that's happened from whenever a feud started (think of Cena and Wyatt) into a nice PPV.

Unfortunately, most of the time, feuds are culminated with a gimmick match. As such, there'd be two gimmick PPV's in the span of two months. Extreme Rules just took place, with Bryan and Kane in a glorified No-DQ match, Wyatt and Cena in a steel cage, and so forth. So, that can be an issue.

But yes, what would I do with Payback? Finish it. Start the build to MITB, SummerSlam and beyond. Everyone's personal issues are laid to rest, and they're looking to tomorrow.

 

[RicSpade]

Payback should honestly be the closure show to most feuds.

think about it Shield and Evolution have this back and forth and Evolution needs payback to settle the score...Wyatts and Cena are 1-1 Cena needs Payback for the Cenation, Bryan needs payback for Kanes torture, I mean this stuff kind of writes itself.

People can complain all they want that its the same matches for the last 3 months, but old school wrestling fans remember feuds going 6 months culminating in one of the big 4, or things weren't settled Rick vs. Scott Steiner is one that comes to mind, Rude vs. Warrior went from Royal Rumble to Summerslam, this should be the out with the old in with the new, and all things end here.

 

[Fisheatppl]

I would switch it with Extreme Rules, so it is after WrestleMania. In the same way Backlash used to be after WrestleMania, it makes sense for the "Payback" PPV (event) to be the payback after a large event. As it is Extreme Rules would usually have any fallout from WM, so Payback seems more like an eye for an eye...for an eye back again.

 

[Sheamus' Suntan]

Being honest, I don't see the need to have a gimmick PPV after a heavy gimmick PPV.

Let's look at it;

Mania - always has HUGE matches
Extreme Rules - Gimmick matches galore
Payback - More big gimmicks
Money in the Bank.

4 months solid of big matches at PPV's, it's becoming slightly too much and I think to be honest, things should be taken back to basics.

The post above has hit it on the head. We should have Payback be like Backlash. No big gimmicks. No over the top matches. Just have revenge matches to end feuds or further rivalries. Money in the bank should be the start, the turning of the page for WWE. It's the start of their year often, it develops new stars into mega stars. You could get the endings of feuds with crazy gimmicks, therefore, at Extreme Rules and have Payback be the follow up for Mania.

In all honesty, if it has to stay where it is, I'd rather it become about a) the most gruelling matches. Things like Buried Alive, Inferno, Bullrope, Last Man Standing and I Quit matches, or b) It should revert to something like Breaking point and be about making your opponent submit.

 

[AegonTargaryen]

I agree that some of the WWE ppvs/special events must have some theme or some factor that distinguishes them from the BIG FOUR and the MITBS and TLCS. Back in the day, most ppvs had biblical names such as Judgement Day and Armageddon(with a stage representing just that) and that was the coolest thing ! Even the Backlash and Unforgiven stages were impressive. Ever since the WWE decided to do away with some old ppvs back in 2009, they have desperately struggled with what ppvs to keep. Ppvs like Battleground, Payback, Capitol Punishment, Fatal 4 Way, and Over the Limit are some of the crappiest ppvs in every way- the theme, the stage, the matches, and the buyrates.

As far as Payback, it's really a misnomer for Backlash. There can't be a more suitable theme or time for Backlash/Payback but Post-wrestlemania. What I'd do with Payback is:-

1)Rename it to Backlash/Bring back Backlash and move it to April
2)3-4 matches would be WM rematches, perhaps with some stipuations. 4 Midcard matches.
3)Bring back a stage/visual that is picturesque and represents just that- BACKLASH.
4)Bring back the opener with eerie music blended with the guy who talks about how XYZ wrestler wants revenge, how the victory was tainted, how the hero will rise again, blah blah, almost similar to how they used to open Judgement Day, Vengeance, Unforgiven and Armageddon back in the early 2000s. (I especially loved some of the Unforgiven openers and theme songs)
5)Oh yes! Bring back the ROCK theme songs. By rock, I mean theme songs composed and played by Rock Bands, new or popular, and not Non-Rock genres such as rap and hip hop or whatever other female celebrity fuck theme music they have for ppvs nowadays. Some of the most inspiring of WWE PPV themes for me were Alter Bridge- Rise Today from Unforgiven 2007, Neurotica- Ride of your life from KOTR 2002(probably), and 12 stones- Broken from Judgement Day 2002.

 

[Y2JBL]

Cancel it. Too many PPVs and this is definitely one of the pointless ones.

 

[TheICChampion]

I have to agree. Get rid of it, bring back King Of The Ring. Winner gets a title shot of their choice either on Raw or Smackdown or no later than SummerSlam. That way if it's someone who's not fully established then you have 2 months to push them enough. If the fans don't respond the way you want them to, then just have the guy lose the title match. It doesn't have to be the World title, IC or US would work just as well. There's also the MitB winner, so if the King of the Ring chooses to challenge for the World title, there's a chance that the MitB would be cashed in immediately afterward. That's suspense for you, right there.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

This might be kinda stupid, but since it is Payback, you are supposed to think that the rivalry would reach its peak point there or something, therefore the consequences should be immense. I'm thinking Loser Gets Fired. It seems a longshot at first sight, but if we think of it, there are many guys who are old and could use a break and this would be the best excuse.

Batista is gonna promote his movie, so what better way to send him off? Kane is kinda the same. HHH could go back to his strict COO role or something. If this is indeed a longshot, maybe a stipulation of "inability to compete for the World Title for the next x months" would also work nicely.

The problem with Batista I mentioned above and with this entire idea in general is that these feuds would all be follow-ups from WM and I don't think people would like to see the same feud for more than 3 months anyway. Maybe they could have Payback right after WM and Extreme Rules to follow that up.

With all these being said, I don't really believe that every PPV needs to have some kinda of stipulation to it. After all, it makes the WWE force some feud turns to us. Hell in a Cell comes up and somehow the rivals are so hating each other that want a HiaC match, which is stupid. Same for TLC. Same could be said about this. Not every feud should reach the "Payback" point.


If I could mention another idea, it would definitely involve MitB or some kind of real Payback (even though I think it would just work for 1 PPV only). *enter fantasy booking mode* Let's say that Kane hypothetically wins the title. Punk returns and takes out Kane and somehow a match is made with the two of those and Punk wins the title or something. Punk had beef with Kane "from back then" and this is the Payback.
It could also work with MitB. Let's say Big Show wins the MitB (again, fantasy booking) and somehow at this time next year, Bryan is still the champ. Big Show enters after Bryan's match, grabs mic and says "payback, bitch" and cashes in the contract.

These are the best I can come up with, but at the same time, they don't seem really that appealing. I'd say that not every PPV needs to have something really special about it and this could certainly be a PPV, sorry, special event, that could be free of special stipulations. After all, what people are actually looking at is the card and not the stipulations. If the card is amazing and the performance is stellar, then I could care less if the match was a Hell in a Cell or just a normal one.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Cancel it. Too many PPVs and this is definitely one of the pointless ones.

Get rid of it, bring back King Of The Ring.

That's not an option though. In my opening post I gave the scenario of WWE assigning you to come up with a reason to make the fans care about this show. If you suggested to trash it, in most jobs you might get fired for suggesting a project be trashed instead of working on it.


I personally would move it to where Extreme Rules currently is. Payback makes much more sense as the annual Wrestlemania rematch show. I liked that last year's edition had the Three Stages of Hell match. I wouldn't mind that becoming a permanent part of the Payback brand. Arguments can be made for Submission matches, Last Man Standing matches, or even I Quit matches, as long as it is about wrestlers seeking (for lack of a better word) payback against their rivals. If they did go the route of making this show be home to the Three Stages of Hell match type then as long as they are creative enough with what the stages are, it can be something fans will anticipate seeing. As long as WWE puts forth some type of effort to make Payback stand apart from the other brands, I am fine with them keeping the brand around.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Cancel it. Too many PPVs and this is definitely one of the pointless ones.

I disagree entirely. "Too many" was a legitimate complaint when they were PPVs that you had to pay 60 bucks each. But now, these are basically special edition WWE TV Shows. WWE can drive up network subscriptions by making MORE of them, not LESS!

They ended the brand extension a few years ago, but ironically enough, now is the perfect time to have TONS of branded PPVs!

They could easily fit 20 PPVs on the schedule, and it won't feel like oversaturation if half the roster is featured on each PPV. 8 PPVs for each brand and the Big 4.

January- Royal Rumble
February- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
Match- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
April- WrestleMania
May- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
June- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
July- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
August- SummerSlam
September- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
October- One for Raw, one for Smackdown
November- Survivor Series
December- One for Raw, one for Smackdown

I know some of you will complain that this is oversaturation, but WWE has a 24-hour-wrestling network to fill with content. The network is made for people who want to watch as much wrestling as possible, so there is no point to beat around the bush here.

The more content, the more it feels like a steal. Having a "Special Event" every 2 weeks isn't bad, especially if each show still gets 1 month of buildup on their own brand.

Without PPV bonuses, we'll still get tons of opportunities for midcarders to shine. It would be spectacular if done right. And with the roster divide, you can have 1 NXT match on each branded show. It will really boost morale backstage and storytelling possibilities.

I know this thread is for Payback though, so keeping on-topic, I say that it should be a branded PPV, in line with revenge-themed PPVs like Vengeance and Backlash. You can put it after the Rumble so people can get "payback" over Rumble-related shenanigans right before the Grandaddy of them all.

Here's a preliminary lineup:
- Royal Rumble
- Night of Champions (Raw), Payback (Smackdown)
- WrestleMania
- Backlash (Raw), No Way Out (Smackdown)
- Extreme Rules (Raw), Battleground (Smackdown)
- Money in the Bank (Raw), The Great American Bash (Smackdown)
- SummerSlam
- Hell in a Cell (Raw), TLC (Smackdown)
- Unforgiven (Raw), No Mercy (Smackdown)
- Halloween Havoc (Raw), Elimination Chamber (Smackdown)
- Survivor Series
- Judgment Day (Raw), Armageddon (Smackdown)