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As autumn approaches, WWE is ramping up the excitement with its Payback premium live event, hosted at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena. While some past WWE events have boasted bigger names, this September gathering offers an excellent platform for emerging talents to make their mark.
The headline act of the night is the World Heavyweight Championship bout between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. The rivalry has turned personal, especially with Nakamura’s threats to exacerbate Rollins’ existing back injury and make his life even more difficult post-match. A victory for Nakamura could be a career-defining moment, potentially revitalizing his somewhat subdued presence on the main WWE roster. On the other hand, while Rollins has proven to be a dominant champion, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Nakamura, the King of Strong Style, come out on top and potentially kickstart an extended storyline.
Cody Rhodes, who has been relatively low-key since his SummerSlam appearance, isn’t booked for a match at Payback. However, he is slated to appear on “The Grayson Waller Effect,” potentially setting the stage for physical involvement that could hint at future rivalries leading up to Fastlane and beyond.
Becky Lynch is finally set to culminate her year-long feud with WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage match. After defeating Stratus’ ally Zoey Stark in a Falls Count Anywhere match during the August 29 episode of Raw, Lynch enters Payback with considerable momentum. The match offers her an opportunity to decisively close this chapter by defeating Stratus.
Here’s a quick rundown of all the essential details you’ll need to catch the Payback action this weekend:
Event: WWE Payback 2023
Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023
Venue: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Start Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
Where to Watch: Available on Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network internationally.
Match Card:
Hosted By: John Cena
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Steel Cage Match
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus
Women’s World Title Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title Steel City Street Fight
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (c) vs. The Judgment Day
United States Title Match
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Austin Theory
Single Match
LA Knight vs. The Miz
Special Segment
“The Grayson Waller Effect” with Special Guest Cody Rhodes
So whether you’re a die-hard fan or just curious, this Payback event promises to deliver plenty of thrills and potential upsets.
