It’s already late in what is going to be a very busy and long day for me and I just remembered that tonight, on the WWE Network and also on pay-per-view, is WWE Payback. I have so much to say and talk about, but that will all have to wait until a future date. I’ll keep this short and sweet, like an ex of mine in more ways than one, and just stick to the basics and that means predictions for the matches and nothing more. Well, two things more, but I’ll be brief on that as well.

Happy Birthday to my most-awesome & favoritest Sister-In-Law, Tamara Parker McDonald! I love ya girlie! Happy Birthday!

Later this afternoon, I will be attending a memorial service for an incredible and inspirational woman, a dear friend, who passed away a few days ago. Sue, you made a great imapct in my life and were a true friend. You are missed already, but I know that now, you’re reunited with Jim, basking in the glow of Heaven and no longer hurting. Rest in peace.

And now, let’s do some wrestling PPV predictions. It’s WWE Payback, coming from Chicago, IL. How many CM Punk chants do you think we’ll hear tonight? Let’s do this!

WWE Payback 2016 – Predictions

WWE World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles.

This should be a really good and fast paced match. I don’t think who will walk out of the arena at the end of the night is really any question though. AJ hasn’t been in the WWE long enough to take the top spot and Roman is the golden boy, so he’ll keep the title. The only question is how and the answer? Finn Balor, Gallows and Anderson, aka the “Balor Club’. A quick piece of history is that when AJ left New Japan Pro Wrestling, he was kicked out of the Bullet Club. They’ve even hinted and alluded to it a few times on RAW. So AJ and Roman put on a helluva match. Either Gallows and Anderson interfere, attacking both men and causing a double-dq or no-contest, or they interfere after Roman scores a pin and they lay out AJ. Regardless of how it ends, Roman stays the champ. I’ll give him the benefit of a doubt though. Roman will score a close and contested pin before it all breaks loose.

Winner and STILL WWE Champion: Roman Reigns

WWE Women’s champion Charlotte (with Ric Flair) vs. Natalya (with Bret Hart)

Ric is causing problems in major airports and has cancelled his podcast, Wooo Nation. Bret has come out in public trashing HHH and talking about how he doesn’t even want to be there at Payback. So who will be punished more for the actions of their relative? Charlotte or Natayla? Natayla is great and deserves far more than she gets from the company, but she has absolutely no heat behind her right now. This whole match is just rushed and blah in my opinion. Charlotte is doing great in her current role and I think she’ll keep the title tonight as well.

Winner and STILL WWE Divas Champion: Charlotte

Vince McMahon decides who will run Raw.

We keep hearing that the brand split is coming back and this should be the start. If Vince acts as he has in the past, Shane will get RAW and Steph will get Smackdown and blah, blah, blah… I would love to have Vince come out and say that he hasn’t decided yet so for the next few weeks, we’ll have “Guest GM’s” for both RAW and Smackdown, giving us a chance to see folks like Eric Bischoff, Vickie Guerrero, Teddy Long, Brad Maddox, Mike Adamle, the Anonymous RAW GM, WIlliam Regal, Mick Foley, Steve Austin, HBK, etc all come back, reprising their previous roles as Authority figures and have control for a night and just have some fun nostalgia. Then they can do the actual announcements for Shane at RAW and the Authority at Smackdown at SummerSlam. Whatever though. Wouldn’t it be cool if Vince dissed both Steph and Shane and announced CM Punk as the new boss? Pipe-bomb!!! We could only hope and dream.

Shane gets RAW – Steph gets Smackdown and we all get a big bathroom break here…

WWE Intercontinental champion The Miz (with Maryse) vs. Cesaro

Miz is getting back a lot of momentum and heat, but he has always been good for that. Cesaro is back from injury and hasn’t missed a step. He looks great. I think we’re going to see a title change here.

Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Cesaro

Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho

Ambrose needs to get a clean win. Jericho can lose every match at this point and it won’t make a bit of difference to anyone. Ambrose always comes so close, but never can grab that brass ring. Tonight, he grabs that brass ring.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens

Much like Ambrose, Zayn needs to get a win here. Since coming up from NXT to the main roster, Zayn has been impressive, but he lost to Jericho. He hasn’t won the big matches and he’s in danger of being lost in the mix. A good tight match should happen and in the end, Zayn should be the one to get that arm raised at the end. Owens can lay him out backstage later in the night or else on RAW on Monday to get his heat back. It won’t take much, but as for tonight, Zayn needs to be the one who wins. It’s just that simple.

Winner: Sami Zayn

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. The Vaudevillains to earn WWE Tag Team championship.

Enzo and Cass are already over with the WWE audience and you can’t teach that. The Vaudevillians are great and tremendous wrestlers, but if they lose this match, they will get the Ascension treatment and it’s over before it started. They’re more of an acquired taste that has to be watched several times to be appreciated. The best thing, in my opinion, is that since Enzo & Cass are already having problems with the Dudley Boyz, you have the Dudleys create a distraction and the Vaudevillians pick up the win. Then you can have the Vaudewillians go off to fight the New Day, a classic heel versus face match, while Enzo & Cass go fight the Dudleys in another great face versus heel match. Everyone wins here and that’s how it should be.

Winners and NEW #1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship: The Vaudevillians

WWE United States champion Kalisto vs. Ryback.

Does anyone at all even care about this match? Kalisto won at Wrestlemania and retained the title. And no one remembers or cares. The ‘Big Guy’ should win the title tonight, then he can hold it for a month until John Cena returns to the ring. Then Cena beats Ryback and brings back the “Open Challenge”. And Ryback gets to go join Kalisto, Sin Cara, Darren Young and about a dozen others backstage at Catering while they wait for their next non-push.

Winner and NEW United States Champion: Ryback

And there you go with my predictions for WWE Payback later tonight. Enjoy the show and thanks for reading. I’ll catch you guys and gals on the flip side.

Ubuntu!