Credit: WINC
We go to a video package looking back at the WWE SummerSlam main event on Sunday, which saw Roman Reigns return after “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt won the WWE Universal Title from Braun Strowman.
WWE Producer Adam Pearce is backstage with several security guards. He tells them to be extra alert tonight, if you see something say something. Pearce points to the office door behind him, showing that WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon is in the house tonight. Pearce sends security on their way. Pearce knocks and walks into Vince’s office. Pearce tries to fist bump Vince but he’s not interested. Vince says he seems a bit nervous, which is normal for people who come around him. Vince has a mission for Pearce tonight. He hypes the No Holds Barred Triple Threat at Payback and hands Pearce the contract for the match. He tells Pearce he needs their signatures on the paper before the night is over. He wants Pearce to start with The Fiend, and if he can’t find him, try Bray Wyatt, possibly in the Firefly Fun House. Vince pulls one of his suits in a cover off a door, handing it to Pearce to get the job done. Pearce asks if he’s serious. Vince tells Pearce to say hello to Huskus The Pig for him as Vince is apparently a big fan. Pearce leaves to head out on his mission.
– We’re live from the WWE ThunderDome at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s joined by Corey Graves. Virtual fans look on from their seats.
– We go right to the ring as new WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy comes out. We see how he won the title from AJ Styleslast Friday night.
Hardy says it’s good to be standing in the ThunderDome. After what AJ did to his knee last week, he’s lucky to be standing anywhere. Jeff goes on and says he’s ready to defend tonight… the music interrupts and out comes Styles to the stage, dressed in street clothes. AJ asks if this is real. AJ says Hardy is a liar and a cheat. He walks to the ring and says he’s had knee injuries before and never went to a doctor to get an illegal object on his knee, but Jeff did. AJ is referring to Hardy using the knee brace to beat him last week as he went for the Styles Clash. AJ says Jeff had a plan all along and knew exactly what he was doing. Jeff knows how to play the system, he says.
AJ says the same doctor Jeff whined and complained to now won’t clear AJ to compete tonight, and it’s all Jeff’s fault. Jeff says that sucks for AJ because he was about to issue an Open Challenge to anyone in the back, except for AJ. AJ yells at Hardy for taking advantage of the system. The referee tries to calm him but AJ yells back that he won’t shut up. Hardy ends up dropping AJ with a right hand. We go to commercial with Hardy standing over AJ.
Jeff Hardy (C) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Intercontinental Championship
Hardy wine with the Twist of Fate followed by the Swanton Bomb.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
After the match, Hardy walks up the ramp and Styles gets in the ring. He says he’ll take that title off him soon. As Hardy goes in the back he’s cut off by a returning Sami Zayn, who’s holding another Intercontinental Title. He big boots Hardy and calls him a fraud, raising his title. Hardy and Styles stare each other down as Sami retreats.
Back from the break and a happy Sami Zayn is walking through the backstage area when Kayla Braxton stops him. She asks him where he’s been. Sami says he’s all about righting wrongs and what’s wrong is Jeff Hardy walking around claiming to be the WWE Intercontinental Title, as AJ Styles did before. Sami brags on winning the title in March and retaining it over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 36. She asks him why he hasn’t been here to defend the title in the last 5 months. Sami says he has many reasons, many valid reasons why, and he doesn’t need to explain. He goes on about being from Montreal, being a man of the world, and being a true Intercontinental Champion in every sense of the word. He speaks some in French and walks off.
We go to the Firefly Fun House with WWE Universal Champion Bray Wyatt. He says he feels like something is missing… and it’s the Universal Title. He says the title is back and none of those monsters with big nasty teeth can take it back this time. He changes his tone and gets serious, telling Roman Reigns that it’s good to see him back. He changes his tune again as the doorbell rings. It’s Adam Pearce, dressed like a postman. Wyatt welcomes Postman Pearce, who has the Paybackcontract in his hand. Pearce asks Wyatt to sign the contract for Sunday.
He laughs and asks why would he sign it. Pearce says sometimes there feels like a connection between Wyatt and… him. We see flashes of The Fiend across the screen. Wyatt agrees to sign and says he hopes Reigns and Braun Strowman know what they’re getting into. Wyatt signs and says if he knows “him” like he thinks he does, he just signed a couple of death warrants. Pearce leaves as Wyatt laughs. Wyatt says remember to let him in. He waves goodbye to end the segment.
The announcers hype the rest of Pearce’s mission for tonight. We also get a look at the Matt Riddle vs. King Baron Corbin feud.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Matt Riddle. Riddle cuts a promo on King Baron Corbin and says he’s afraid. He talks about the King’s Ransom and ends up calling Corbin out for a fight. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Riddle is still in the ring, calling Corbin out. The music hits and out he comes. Corbin talks some trash and says he accepts… Shorty G drops Riddle with a sneak attack. Corbin finishes and says he accepts, on behalf of G.
Matt Riddle vs. Shorty G
Riddle wins with the Bro Derek.
Winner: Matt Riddle
After the match, Riddle stands tall as his music hits. Corbin hits the ring and they tangle for a minute but Corbin retreats after ducking a kick. Riddle’s music starts back up as he taunts Corbin from the ring. We go to replays. Corbin and Riddle continue the trash talking.
– Cole shows us how The Miz and Big E had a heated exchange during last Saturday’s return of “Talking Smack” on the WWE Network. We see video from earlier today with Big E saying he wasn’t going to waste his time on MizTV tonight, arguing with The Miz and John Morrison. Sheamus joined Miz and Morrison to stand with them, while Heavy Machinery joined Big E to even the odds. The six Superstars faced off and Cole announces that they will meet in the ring later tonight.
– We see Big E and Heavy Machinery backstage now. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions appear, Sasha Banks and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, and crack jokes at them before walking off. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Adam Pearce is knocking on Roman Reigns’ door but no one answers. We see Kayla Braxton stopping King Baron Corbin and asking if he will now accept Matt Riddle’s challenge. Corbin rants on about how he’s going to destroy Riddle at WWE Payback on Sunday and prove that he doesn’t belong in this kingdom. A furious Corbin walks off.
– We go back to the ring and out come the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions – Sasha Banks and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. Greg Hamilton does the introductions.
Bayley takes the mic about how this has been a hard week for them. They both had to defend their singles titles at SummerSlam last Sunday and now have to defend their tag titles against Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax at Paybackthis Sunday. She gets hyped up and says but lucky for them they are the best tag team. She goes on bragging as they pose with the titles. Bayley knows Banks is devastated about losing the RAW Women’s Title, she tries to talk her up and then takes blame for the loss, saying it’s all her fault.
Bayley says she should’ve never let Asuka challenge Banks, but she saw Banks watching her with both of her titles, and knew she wanted the same. Banks isn’t impressed. Bayley says but all that is in the past now and they will move forward, with a win on Sunday. She goes on about how they’re stronger together, the titles represent more than their friendship. Bayley says on Sunday they cannot lose. Banks agrees.
Banks doesn’t want Bayley to worry and says as long as Bayley has her back, they can get through anything together. Banks may not be 2 Belts Banks anymore, but she knows who she is and what she stands for, and they are still best friends. Baszler and Jax interrupt from the big screen.
They go on about how they both dislike each other, but they hate Banks and Bayley more, and will team with just about anyone to take their titles. The two sides continue talking trash and Banks cuts a defiant promo about how she will leave Payback with her title and there’s not a damn thing Baszler and Jax can do about it. Banks and Bayley stand tall as their music hits.
– Adam Pearce is backstage looking for Braun Strowman, but so is Drew Gulak because he wants payback. Gulak walks over to a table and smacks Strowman over the back with a steel chair. He just takes it and Gulak walks off. Strowman turns around to see Pearce standing there with the Payback contract. They have words and Strowman says the only way he’s signing the contract is if Pearce gets Gulak in the ring for him, right now. Pearce says that sounds like a plan. Strowman walks off and we go to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see SmackDown Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura talking. Cesaro has a match with Kalisto tonight but needs to know they’re a team. Sami Zayn walks in and is all smiles and happy about the trio reuniting. Cesaro and Nakamura aren’t so sure. Nakamura says Zayn has been gone for months and didn’t even give them a phone call. Sami admits he should’ve been more communicative, but he’s sorry. Cesaro says some things around here actually changed for the better while Sami was gone. He says that was his plan, for them to come together and the proof is in their title win. Sami places his Intercontinental Title belt next to their titles and says he’s going to hang out in this Championship Lounge, but Cesaro says they were having a conversation, as a tag team, when Sami waltzed in, and they would like to finish that conversation. Sami asks if they want him to go and Cesaro asks please. Sami says that’s OK because he actually has to go, he’s got so much to do.
