With SummerSlam concluded, WWE now focuses on the upcoming Payback event in Pittsburgh on September 2. This event marks the beginning of the road to Survivor Series, one of WWE’s “big four” pay-per-views.
While the full card is still being assembled, there are already notable matches confirmed for Payback. These include Seth Rollins defending his world heavyweight championship against Shinsuke Nakamura, and Rhea Ripley putting the women’s world championship on the line against Raquel Rodriguez.
Furthermore, the ongoing rivalry between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus will culminate in a steel cage match at this event.
Below are the confirmed matches for Payback, along with some predictions for the event. The main card will stream live on Peacock on September 2, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
2023 WWE Payback matches
World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: Nakamura turned on Rollins after teaming up in a six-man tag match. Rollins responded by offering Nakamura a title shot at any time. Nakamura, however, whispered something to Rollins that visibly affected him, revealing later that he knows about Rollins’ back problems and plans to capitalize on them.
Women’s World Championship — Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez: Ripley and Rodriguez have been engaged in a series of fights, with Ripley injuring Rodriguez’s knee and attacking her friend, Liv Morgan. For weeks, Rodriguez was unable to compete due to her injuries. Finally, she has been medically cleared and seized the opportunity to challenge Ripley for the championship.
Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch (Steel Cage Match): Stratus and Lynch’s rivalry has been ongoing for several months. Their past matches have ended in interference from Zoey Stark or countouts. To ensure a decisive outcome, a steel cage match has been scheduled for Payback, although interference cannot be completely ruled out.
2023 WWE Payback predictions
The Miz vs. LA Knight: Miz and Knight have exchanged words on both Raw and SmackDown. Knight recently distracted Miz on Raw, leading to an upset victory for Akira Tozawa. It seems likely that Miz and Knight will face off at Payback to further elevate Knight’s status.
Jimmy Uso vs. Jey Uso: It may be too soon for a full Uso vs. Uso match, but the groundwork could be laid at Payback. The match may not end cleanly, allowing the storyline to continue towards a major pay-per-view like Survivor Series. WWE seems intent on prolonging the long-running Bloodline story.
Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Chad Gable: Gunther aims to surpass the Honky Tonk Man as the longest-reigning intercontinental champion. However, he has faced challenges from Chad Gable, who survived Gunther’s “five-minute challenge” and defeated him by countout in a title match on Raw. This leaves Gunther as champion but with something to prove moving forward.
