A few weeks ago, everything was as it should be in the WWE Universe. After a successful Extreme Rules event, WWE looked to be loading it’s next big card Payback with some exciting rematches to help continue storylines from the April show. But then Daniel Bryan, WWE World Heavyweight Champion, announced that he needed neck surgery.
Had this announcement came from Fandango, or Big E, or The Miz, this might not have been such a big deal, but as WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Bryan was set to be a focal point for not just Payback, but for the foreseeable future. Bryan could be out anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Nothing is certain.
Last Monday, WWE will make a statement regarding the status of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I will be anxiously awaiting their decision, especially since I have a few ideas of my own. With Payback only a few weeks away and only two matches signed so far (John Cena vs Bray Wyatt in a Last Man Standing Match and The Shield vs Evolution II), I see this as the perfect opportunity to use Payback as not only a way to elevate some top talent, but add something very special to the show. Today I will be playing armchair booker and laying out the card, and concept, of WWE Payback if I was in charge.
Taking a page out of Jeff Dehaan’s book, Payback 2014 would bring back a June tradition in WWE, focusing the event around an 8 man, single elimination tournament to crown the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The concept is due for a comeback, and it would add some extra intrigue to those fans on the fence about ordering the show. Of course, as past King of the Ring tournaments have proven, your tournament is only as good as your participants.
Let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: I would NOT include The Shield, Evolution, John Cena or Bray Wyatt in the tournament. I know that would be a big risk because those eight men themselves would be considered the top talent in WWE right now, so why not have your best of the best make up the competition? Well, there are a few reasons why I won’t go that route. First, these men are already booked in two marquee matches that could help sell the show in addition to the tournament. They have stories to tell that I don’t wish to side track. Secondly, I believe the tournament could be used to help elevate talent that could really use a push and bring them up to the same level as these eight men. It’s a gamble, but one I’m willing to take.
Here are the eight men I would put in my WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament:
Sheamus: The current United States Champion is still a player in WWE, but his momentum has been a little lackluster since his return at the Royal Rumble. Winning the United States Championship has given him a boost however and he could realistically be seen as a possible winner.
The Big Show: We haven’t seen Big Show since Wrestlemania XXX, and not long after that time I wrote an article calling for Big Show’s appearances to be scaled back to make his presence more important and special. A tournament for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship seems like a special time to bring him in and make an impact.
Rob Van Dam: A former WWE Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion, Rob Van Dam still has name value, although he most certainly would be considered an underdog in this tournament. Van Dam can still have great matches with the vast majority of his opponents and the Chicago ECW fans would still give him a great reaction.
Cody Rhodes: Many people feel like Cody Rhodes is destined to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion one day, and I don’t think fans would find it all that surprising if Cody was given the ball to run with. Add to the fact that his talent as an in ring performer is undeniable, and you have a dark horse candidate that fans can get behind.
Rusev: The Russian strong man has been clearing a path of destruction since his arrival in WWE and putting him in this tournament makes a statement about his position and future with the company. It’s time we move past the squash matches and see what he can really do.
Bad News Barrett: Bad News Barrett has been riding a huge wave of momentum for the last few months, so it only makes sense to include him in this tournament. As current Intercontinental Champion, his standing with the company makes him a prime candidate and believable contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Kane: When Daniel Bryan announced he was having neck surgery, he was embroiled in a feud with Kane. It only makes sense to have Kane continue his quest to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion at an event where he can cause lots of mayhem and destruction.
Cesaro: Of all the men on this list, Cesaro is the closest to breaking into the top tier with his cult like following that sees him getting cheered despite being a Paul Heyman guy. I would want to keep that impression going and leaving him out of the tournament won’t accomplish that.
Now that we’ve had a look at the players, here’s how I see things playing out on the show:
First Round Match: Sheamus vs Bad News Barrett. Aside from the fact that you have two popular and talented individuals, there is an added appeal of having the United States Champion take on the Intercontinental Champion in a tournament for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Sheamus needs the win here more than Barrett, who could easily bounce back from the loss. Winner: Sheamus.
First Round Match: Rob Van Dam vs Kane. Both of these men are the hard hitting type, so you’re likely to get a smash mouth contest with Rob Van Dam showing off his trademark offense while absorbing lots of Kane’s punishment to make the big red machine look vicious. Good thing the whole dam show is double tough. Winner: Kane.
First Round Match: The Big Show vs Rusev. This is another first round match with extra appeal stemming from not only Big Show’s return but Rusev’s first major challenge against an opponent who can match him power for power. This is a hard match to book because you can’t really have either man look weak. Show is just returning, and you want to keep Rusev looking good. In the end, I would have Rusev look strong against Show, but ultimately lose to a WMD Punch, allowing Rusev to taste defeat for the first time…And begin a build towards a rematch for Summerslam. Winner: The Big Show.
First Round Match: Cody Rhodes vs Cesaro. Two young talents at the top of their game. I think it’s quite easy to assume that this match would be great between the ropes and entertaining outside it with both Paul Heyman and Goldust involved. In the end, Cesaro is on too hot a streak to lose here, and it’s easy to further along the tension between the Rhodes brothers with some communication errors and Goldust costing his younger brother the opportunity of a lifetime. Winner: Cesaro.
The Shield vs Evolution. Last month I felt that Evolution had to pull off a victory against the Shield in order to not be seen as weak. Well, they lost last month and they’re going to the well again with a rematch, not that I’m complaining. Their encounter last month was pretty crazy. It makes you wonder where they can go from here. I imagine that heading into summer season, WWE may want to put an end to this feud, seeing as how Batista will need some time off to promote Guardians of the Galaxy. That being said, I would still have Evolution take this one, albeit through some nefarious means to give us one more showdown at Money in the Bank. Winners: Evolution.
Semi Final Match: Sheamus vs Cesaro. It would be tough to follow an act like The Shield vs Evolution II, but I believe these two Europeans have what it takes. I would have Sheamus take Cesaro to his limit here, maybe even having Cesaro rely on some underhanded tactics to secure his spot in the finals, but make no mistake about it, I would have the Swiss Superman walk (or limp) away the victor. Winner: Cesaro.
Semi Final Match: The Big Show vs Kane. A battle of behemoths would be an interesting one here as we would see the more vicious side of Kane, and a renewed will to win from The Big Show. I imagine it wouldn’t be pretty, but the story would be in The Big Show managing to fight off everything Kane throws at him, proving that he was the heart of a champion. I would have Kane go downfor the count, but only after two WMD Punches from the world’s largest athlete. Winner: The Big Show.
Last Man Standing Match: John Cena vs Bray Wyatt. With this being the rubber match between Cena and Wyatt, I don’t see things ending well for the leader of the Wyatt family. I would allow these two to throw as much at one another as they could for what I imagine would be a destructive, but memorable match. In the end, the hero must prevail, and John Cena needs to win this fight. Winner: John Cena
Tournament Finals, WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: The Big Show vs Cesaro. Two Paul Heyman guys squaring off in the finals. I feel like the brief showdown we saw between Cesaro and The Big Show at Wrestlemania XXX was simply the tip of the iceberg. I imagine that Cesaro could impress us all even more with feats of strength against The Big Show we have never been witness to. In the end, after a valiant effort, I see The Big Show falling to Cesaro and ending the match much the same way the Battle Royal did, with a hand shake and a show of respect. So why Cesaro? It all has to do with the reaction he has been getting. Despite evidence supporting the contrary, WWE continues to pair up Cesaro and Heyman together despite the fans wanting to cheer him. Why? Well, if they think anything like I do, then it’s all about long term planning. Paul Heyman likes to build up clients and then tear them down. We’ve seen it happen time and time again throughout his career. Why would Cesaro be any different? What if Heyman was scouting Cesaro not for himself, but for Brock Lesnar?
Lesnar needs challenge. He’s made it clear that is his MO. After defeating the Undertaker’s streak at Wrestlemania there are few mountain to climb. What if Paul Heyman decided to build his own challenge for Brock Lesnar, in the form of the fastest rising superstar on the roster? What if the tournament, the WWE World Heavyeight Championship, and any other subsequent victories were all tests to see if the King of Swing was worthy of facing Heyman’s “real” client, Brock Lesnar. The fans are already behind Cesaro, so a double cross by Heyman would nicely set up a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match between Cesaro and Brock Lesnar, just in time for Summer Slam.
There you have my fantasy booking sheet for WWE Payback 2014. Did you #LoveIt or #HateIt? Sound off and let me know your #FantasyBooking choices for the show.
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