New major storyline to go in an unexpected direction, legend to retire? - 4 directions for Trish Stratus following WWE Payback

WWE Payback 2023 is in the books. The big show was held at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday in front of an announced attendance of 14,584 fans. The main event saw Shinsuke Nakamura fail to dethrone Seth Rollins of the World Heavyweight Championship.

The opening bout arguably stole the show, however. Trish Stratus went one-on-one with her big rival Becky Lynch in a Steel Cage Match. This followed the two being at each other's throats since after WrestleMania. The match was a good one too.

The two women put their bodies on the line and beat each other senselessly for around 20 minutes. In the end, Becky Lynch stood tall and won despite Zoey Stark attempting to interfere. Post-match, Zoey laid the Hall of Famer out after Stratus gave Stark attitude.

With the feud between the pair seemingly over, Trish Stratus' future in the company is now up in the air. What will come next for the Canadian star? Will she chase a title? Could she retire? This article will dive into possible directions for her moving forward.

Below are four directions for Trish Stratus following WWE Payback.

#4. She could feud with Zoey Stark following the events of Payback

As noted, WWE Payback didn't go great for Trish Stratus. While she had an epic bout, she ultimately lost to Big Time Becks in the Steel Cage Match. She also seemingly lost her tag team partner after disrespecting Zoey Stark several times.

Zoey laying Trish out with her finisher and walking away is likely the end of their relationship. Naturally, this could and most likely will be the setup for an ongoing feud between the two stars whose careers span several wrestling generations.

If all goes according to plan, Stark could be the babyface coming out of WWE Payback. She and Stratus could clash at an upcoming event, possibly Fastlane or even Survivor Series. This would give Trish another major match at a Premium Live Event and give Zoey a major platform.

#3. Trish could retire from WWE

Trish Stratus had an incredible performance at WWE Payback. She and Becky Lynch put on what is arguably the match of the night and potentially even a candidate for match of the year. The two put on a fantastic bout.

The contest between the pair being so good could mean the end of Trish's time in WWE, however. The Hall of Famer may choose to go out on a high. She had a fantastic match and put over the biggest modern star in Becky Lynch, and the future of the women's division in Zoey Stark.

Beyond that, Trish is 47 years old. While she's still in fantastic shape, most 47-year-olds don't take bumps into cages, onto ladders, and smash into chairs. She is doing more than many performers half her age. At some point, Stratus may decide to hang her boots up for a second time. That could, unfortunately, be now.

#2. Stark and Stratus could make up and go for tag gold

The most expected direction for Trish Stratus, at least in regards to Zoey Stark, is that the two will now feud or completely distance themselves from each other. Given what happened at WWE Payback 2023, it is certainly fair to assume that will happen.

Still, WWE could be preparing a big swerve. Instead of Zoey and Trish feuding, the pair could instead make up. Stratus could admit she was wrong, apologize, or somehow manipulate her way back into Zoey's good graces. From there, the pair could form a proper tag team.

If the two do become a full-time tandem, they could challenge Chelsea Green and Piper Niven for the Women's Tag Team Titles. The two don't have any obvious challengers despite there being a handful of quality duos in the division. Stratus and Stark could quickly move up the ranks if they get on the same page.

#1. Trish Stratus could challenge Rhea Ripley for the Women's World Championship

Rhea Ripley is one of WWE's biggest and brightest stars. Prior to this year, she was already a major success. Ripley had won the RAW Women's Championship, NXT Women's Championship, NXT UK Women's Championship, and Women's Tag Team Titles.

2023 has somehow been even better for The Ripper. She won the Women's Royal Rumble Match from the #1 position. She has since defeated Charlotte Flair for the Women's World Championship and has destroyed all competition WWE has put in her path.

Still, Rhea hasn't wrestled a veteran with as much experience as Trish Stratus during her impressive title reign. The Canadian star could have a trick to stand tall against Rhea, thus giving Trish her first belt since her initial retirement. Conversely, Trish could end up being another victim of The Eradicator.