Seth Rollins to lose his title, big update to Rhea Ripley's match? 4 last-minute changes for Payback 2023 that can be made on WWE RAW
WWE RAW takes place tonight, but the next premium live event is set to air this weekend. Payback will stream on Peacock beginning 8.00 PM EST on Saturday, September 2nd and will held at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The card has quickly filled up. As of the release of this post, five matches are confirmed for the event, three of which are championship bouts. Additionally, a Cody Rhodes segment is currently scheduled as well.
Before the big premium live event, however, is Monday Night RAW. The red brand airs later on tonight and will feature the top stars from RAW and potentially even a name or two from SmackDown.
This article will look at some major last-minute changes that could be made to Payback on the upcoming episode of WWE RAW. There's a strong chance that matches could be made or changed. How might Payback be affected?
Below are four last-minute changes that could be made for Payback on WWE RAW:
#4. Rhea Ripley vs Raquel Rodriguez could have a unique stipulation added
One of the matches already announced for Payback will see Rhea Ripley battle Raquel Rodriguez. The Women's World Championship will be on the line for the match, which immediately makes the bout more intriguing.
Still, the contest could be spiced up further on WWE RAW. Adam Pearce may reveal that the upcoming match will be a Lumberjill Match. Also known as a Lumberjack Match, the bout features superstars surrounding the ring. If a wrestler leaves the ring during their bout, the lumberjills can then throw them back in, with some taking liberties along the way.
This bout may seem random, but there is more reason for it than meets the eye. Rhea Ripley has made tons of enemies on WWE RAW and even NXT. Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, Dana Brooke, Natalya, Lyra Valkyria, and Liv Morgan have all been injured or brutalized by The Ripper. Imagine if they could get their revenge at Payback?
#3. An IYO SKY title defense could be announced on WWE RAW
One of the hot button issues on social media is in regards to women receiving adequate opportunities in WWE and other promotions. One of the major criticisms for AEW's All In show is that it featured just one women's bout, a contest that was the shortest of the night.
WWE is no stranger to these criticisms either. SummerSlam featured two women's matches, although one of the bouts was the second longest match of the night. Still, fans want more opportunity for the women of WWE RAW and SmackDown.
Triple H may recognize this and add a third women's bout to the Payback card. It could be announced during WWE RAW that SmackDown's IYO SKY will defend her WWE Women's Championship at the event. The bout can then be more fleshed out come Friday Night SmackDown.
#2. Chad Gable vs Gunther could be confirmed for the show
Gunther is one of the top heels on WWE RAW. He's also the reigning Intercontinental Champion. He needs to hold onto the title for about two more weeks to become the longest reigning champion in the title's illustrious history.
The only problem is Chad Gable is hot on his heels. Gunther initially laughed off Gable, believing that the Olympian couldn't hang in the ring with The Ring General for five minutes. Not only did Gable do that, but he took Gunther to the limit. They then clashed again and shockingly, Chad won by countout.
Master Gable will go one-on-one with Ludwig Kaiser on WWE RAW. If he wins, there's a chance that he will then go on to challenge Gunther for the gold one more time at Payback. He technically won their last bout together and a win over Kaiser should seal the deal. The Payback match could be made official by the time WWE RAW ends.
#1. Damian Priest could win the World Title on WWE RAW, dramatically changing the upcoming premium live event
Damian Priest is known as Senor Money in the Bank. He won the coveted briefcase earlier this year, which means he has a guaranteed world title opportunity for a full year. He may very well end up cashing it in on tonight's edition of RAW.
If The Archer of Infamy cashes in successfully, that would make him the new World Heavyweight Champion. This, however, would disrupt the planned bout between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura for Payback.
This dramatic change could lead to some major changes. Seth and Nakamura could still go one-on-one, only non-title. Damian Priest could be inserted into the bout and it could become a Triple Threat Match. The third and final option could see Priest battle either of the two stars in a singles match. Regardless, it could dramatically shake up Payback.