WWE Payback 2013 Predictions

So do you want the good news? If you had followed my Extreme Rules predictions, you will have had a nice deposit into your account Monday morning after the pay-per-view. We are slightly up over the course of the first two pay per views, so by next month I should have a little more to this site to show off.

I must admit, this pay per view kind of snuck up on me. I have been a bit disconnected with WWE recently, with various things on, so I was about 3 or 4 weeks behind schedule before writing this report.

Nevertheless, I have managed to catch up, and here are my predictions for WWE Payback.

WWE Championship – 3 Stages of Hell Match

John Cena © vs Ryback

Okay, my bold prediction for Extreme Rules did kind of cost me. Despite saying there was “no DQ”, there were no contests, so the draw between Cena & Ryback did void one of the bets (though the others paid of, so it wasn’t too bad).

Again, I still cannot see a Ryback victory. Cena needs to hold the championship for a while, and carry on his “redemption” from Wrestlemania, plus Ryback is just a big muscly guy without a push behind him as big as, say, Curtis Axel. He’s just keeping the main event picture warm for the time being until a bigger challenger stands up.

Cena to win. Put your house being 2-1 falls too.

Prediction: John Cena Win

World Heavyweight Championship

Dolph Ziggler © vs Alberto Del Rio

Dolph Ziggler – who has been off TV for ages – needs a win to restore some of the momentum he lost through his enforced absence. He’s only recently come back, and Del Rio hasn’t exactly looked strong, so I’m going to go with a Dolph Ziggler win.

However, and this is the big however – Ziggler could lose through DQ or countout, still retain the championship, yet screw over our lovely bet. I don’t think that will happen, but WWE have a habit of throwing in a surprise every now and again. So, it’s a Ziggler win, with trepidation.

Prediction: Dolph Ziggler Win

Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk

This is probably the most interesting match on the card.

It began the week after Wrestlemania, with CM Punk leaving Paul Heyman in the middle of the ring after walking out on the WWE following a loss at Wrestlemania to the Undertaker. Heyman has since gone onto bigger things, managing Lesnar and the new chargin, Curtis Axel, as his march on the WWE Championship continues.

Jericho has since goaded Heyman to accept a match on behalf of his most successful – yet forgotten – client in CM Punk during his absence. The match takes place Sunday, at Payback, in CM Punk’s home town of Chicago.

Here’s what I see happening.

CM Punk is never, ever going to get booed in Chicago. A returning star in his home town is going to be treated like royalty. Even as a heel, Punk still shows love for his home town. He’s the face going in, and will be the face going out. I can see Jericho turning and feuding with Cena up until Summerslam, joining forces with Heyman. We’re due a proper turn (yeah, Ryback was meh).

Where that leaves Punk I’m not sure, I hope a long term storyline leading upto a Punk vs Jericho/Lesnar/Axel?!?! match for the title, but that’s wishful thinking mainly.

Prediction: Chris Jericho win

WWE Tag Team Championship

The Shield © (Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins) vs. Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan

Talk about a thrown together team.

The Shield have been their usual dominant self since claiming the tag team gold last month at WWE Extreme Rules, and I cannot see them dropping the belts here. Especially against the new team of Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan, thrown together because they both have issues with The Shield, and Bryan has been having stellar matches with The Shield recently.

It looks like Orton will never turn heel now, so will remain his usual bland self, as much as I want him to turn, so I think a clean win for The Shield, hopefully with Orton taking the fall, and hopefully Bryan staying face – he’s been so entertaining so far, and if would be unfair if WWE pulls the rug from under him.

Prediction: The Shield

WWE Intercontinental Championship

Wade Barrett © vs Curtis Axel vs The Miz

This was scheduled to be Barrett, Miz & Fandango in the match, but Fandango got pulled due to his concussion, a wise move, if slightly frustrating for all concerned, as Fandango isn’t as dead in the water as I thought he was.

In his place is the latest recipient of a monsterous push: Curtis Axel. With massive boots to fill as the son of Mr. Perfect, the former Michael McGuillicutty has had a push akin to his father, being paired with Heyman, and even coming out to a dubstep remix of his dad’s music.

This push can continue even if Axel doesn’t leave with the belt, so I’m tempted to go for a Miz win. If only because Barrett has held the title for a while, and is doing nothing with it (not that anybody actually has, but there we go).

Prediction: The Miz

WWE United States Championship

Dean Ambrose © vs Kane

Ah! So this is why the team of Orton & Bryan was thrown together, so Kane can challenge Ambrose.

Again, really not expecting Ambrose to lose this. Kane has been entertaining but you just feel he will come up short at WWE Payback. Ambrose on the other hand has been a rarity – a mid card champion that actually wins matches. Brilliant! Expect him to win here, hopefully cleanly to keep The Shield looking strong.

Prediction: Dean Ambrose

WWE Divas Championship

Kaitlyn © vs AJ Lee

Again, another surprising moment – Divas have actually been entertaining!

The storyline that they have been running has been Kaitlyn has had a secret admirer, which turns out to be Big E Langston – AJ’s associate. Simple yes but an actual damn storyline! Of course it was all a ruse, which suggests one thing to me – Kaitlyn will get her revenge and walk out a victor.

With that said, they could also go with AJ (who is by far & away the best Diva at the moment) winning, setting up a match down the road. This would be nice to have a slow burn feud, and as there are no two better Divas at the moment, I’m tempted to go with AJ for the win.

Prediction: AJ Lee

So those are my predictions, what do you think? Payback has kind of snuck up on me if I’m honest, WWE has been solid recently, if not spectacular. It’s not been abjectly boring and a chore like it was a few months ago, so that’s a bonus. Yay WWE!