Tossing Salt Presents:
WWE Payback 2023
Thoughts & Predictions
September 1, 2023
DougMaynard.com

Tomorrow night, live from Pittsburgh, PA, is WWE Payback, available for viewing on the WWE Network and Peacock. Are you ready for a few predictions? I’m Doug, your favorite wrestling guy, and I’m excited. Let’s do this.

Steel Cage Match
Becky Lynch versus Trish Stratus

I keep hearing that Becky has some business to take care of down in NXT, so this match needs to wrap up her issues with Trish and allow Becky to help boost the B-shows for a while. I expect that the determining factor will be Zoey Stark. Zoey gets involved and costs Trish the match. Then we get a babyface Trish taking on Zoey for a while as Becky goes to give NXT a little star power for a few weeks. Works for me.

Winner: Becky Lynch

World Championship Match
Seth Rollins versus Shinsuke Nakamura

I like Shinsuke, but is he the right choice to be the face of RAW and the World Champion? Seth is getting stale in my opinion, so I can see a title switch here, but Shinsuke? I’ll go with the biggest faction on RAW, the Judgement Day, getting involved here. A distraction by one or more of the Judgement Day members and Shinsuke manages to get the win and become the new World Champion. And then, immediately afterward, Senor Money In The Bank does his thing. But for this match, I expect to see that gold belt change hands.

Winner and NEW WWE World Champion: Shinsuke Nakamura.

WWE Women’s Championship Match
Rhea Ripley versus Rachel Rodriguez

Rachel is bigger than Rhea and this should be a stiff brawl that will most likely steal the show. I expect Rachel to take the fight to Rhea and get as close as possible to getting a win and the title, but Rhea, with maybe an assist from Dom, will find a way to steal the win and retain her title.

Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Champion: Rhea Ripley.

The Miz versus LA Knight

The Miz was amazing in that promo he cut on LA Knight on Monday night, but there is no way that LA Knight is losing here. It’ll be a fun match and in the end, LA Knight gets the win.

Winner: LA Knight.

U.S. Championship Match
Rey Mysterio versus Austin Theory

The money here is the eventual battles with Rey and Santos, over the future of the LWO. Austin is just here to wrap up his feud with Rey and move on. No belt will be changing hands in this match.

Winner and STILL U.S. Champion: Rey Mysterio

Steel City Street Fight for the WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn versus Finn Balor & Damian Priest

Mama told Balor and Priest that they better win, or else. That means that they won’t be winning the belts. Or will they? It’s a street fight so anything goes and Mami & Dom will be lurking around, as will Finn’s buddy, JD McDonagh. Owens and Sami are getting a bit stale in my eyes, so a title switch with The Judgement Day holding all the gold would be awesome. Since I expect to see Priest cash in the Money In The Bank contract and become the World Champion, they can use the Freebird rule and McDonagh can take his spot as Finn’s partner. Then you have everyone on the Judgement Day wearing gold. Works for me.

Winners and NEW WWE Tag Team Champions: The Judgement Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest).

Cody Rhodes will appear on the Grayson Waller Effect.

This will be interesting. I expect that Waller will be getting punched in the mouth by Cody. Maybe we’ll see John Cena too. He and Cody can tease a fight and then both beat up Waller. Whatever happens, I expect this segment won’t be boring.

And there you go with my predictions for this event. What do you think? Am I right? Am I wrong? Let me know in the comments, along with your thoughts and any questions. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to the site, and thanks for reading. And with that, let’s wrap things up. Have a great weekend and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!