Just one week after SummerSlam, WWE is returning to pay-per-view with its Payback event. The show goes down on Sunday night, and it’s looking like another stacked summer event from inside the ThunderDome at Orlando’s Amway Center. With little time to build to a new pay-per-view, WWE used Raw to set up half of the card while SmackDown on Friday should be poised to fill out the rest of the event. 

Payback will begin at 7 p.m. ET with the show expected to last approximately three hours, not counting the kickoff show, which starts one hour prior to the main card at 6 p.m. Crumpe Sports will be with you the entire way on Sunday with live results, highlights and analysis.

Let’s take a closer look at who our Crumpe Sports experts predict will come out on top at WWE Payback.

2020 WWE Payback predictions

United States Championship: Apollo Crews (c) vs. Bobby Lashley 

Credit to WWE for booking Crews strong during most of his U.S. title run. But if he’s just going to run through the entire Hurt Business, what’s the point of the group? Crews outsmarted Lashley in the arm wrestling contest, beat MVP twice clean and now faces the man who nearly took down Drew McIntyre for the WWE title a couple of months ago. Crews’ reign ends here. Pick: Bobby Lashley wins the title. — Adam Silverstein (also Brent Brookhouse)

Women’s Tag Team Championship: Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax

While I initially expected this to be the spot where the Golden Role Models lost their straps, I also expected to see Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan as the ones contending at Payback. Why WWE would throw Baszler and Jax together for this when Baszler already made crystal clear her intentions to be Asuka’s No. 1 contender makes no sense to me. The only way I can see Baszler and Jax winning is if WWE’s goal is to have a “stronger” team be the ones to defeat Bayley and Banks only for Baszler and Jax to implode in a week or two and drop the titles. But that’s bad booking because the goal of a more established team beating Bayley and Banks would be to put them over in the first place. So I’ll err on the side of retention here. Pick: Bayley & Sasha Banks retain the titles — Silverstein

I don’t love the idea of Baszler and Jax winning the titles, especially when there are other, established tag teams who should be getting the shot. But it’s clear that we’re heading to Bayley vs. Banks, and leaving Bayley with the only title after their team held all the gold sets that up well. Meanwhile, Baszler sharing the titles with Jax will only play into their feud. I can certainly see Bayley and Banks retaining while still building to bigger issues as the teamwork between Baszler and Jax falls apart. But it just feels like the trigger is getting pulled here on the title change. Pick: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax win the titles — Brookhouse

Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins & Murphy

There’s a point where the Mysterios need to pick up a win to keep this moving forward. Rollins has tormented Rey in every way imaginable, including removing his eyeball and brutalizing his son as Rey sat by helpless and handcuffed to the ropes. Then, the Mysterios were left to be attacked by Retribution. There has to be a moment where the Mysterios get a victory, or else there’s nowhere else for this story to go. Pick: Rey & Dominik Mysterio win — Brookhouse (also Silverstein)

Randy Orton vs. Keith Lee

There are few worse possible decisions than having Lee lose here. If he’s going to be a player on the main roster, he shouldn’t be dropping matches yet — even against Orton. There’s an easy path to victory here with Drew McIntyre helping Lee steal the win. That is an issue in its own right, with Lee “needing help,” but it’s the best route to go to protect everyone involved and continue building toward the Orton/McIntyre rematch. Pick: Keith Lee wins — Brookhouse (also Silverstein)

Universal Championship: “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman (No Holds Barred)

La WWE a eu une énorme opportunité de repenser et de réorganiser le personnage de Reigns quand il est revenu courageusement de sa bataille contre la leucémie. Pas seulement en ce qui concerne la façon dont cela l’a réservé mais aussi le look de son personnage (le gilet, la musique d’entrée, etc.). Bien qu’il ait trouvé une certaine retenue en ne réservant pas Reigns dans l’image du titre pendant des mois, l’objectif était finalement de le mettre à WrestleMania. Avec Reigns se retirant au milieu du COVID-19 et maintenant de retour, la WWE pourrait ressentir le besoin de le remettre dans la position qu’elle avait prévu de prendre il y a quatre mois. Espérons qu’ils font preuve de la même retenue étant donné que Wyatt vient de remporter le titre il y a une semaine, il s’agit d’un match à triple menace (ce qui signifie que Reigns n’a pas à être impliqué dans la finition pour perdre) et il appartiendrait à la WWE du point de vue de la réservation de construire un match plus long. , une querelle interminable avec Reigns chassant Wyatt. Choix: “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt conserve le titre – Silverstein (également Brookhouse)