10 Things That Must Happen At WWE Payback 2016
Is Sunday's PPV going to be a phenomenal one for AJ?
Payback is a night of firm decisions for WWE's top brass.
Do they stick with the idea of Shane McMahon running Monday Night Raw, forcing Stephanie to seek solace on the SmackDown brand? Or, is Shane ousted from the picture, as Vince McMahon chooses his darling little girl to continue leading the flagship show?
Both outcomes have merit, and both could lead to the return of the 'Brand Extension' to WWE screens. Whatever Vince picks in the end, it could play into the result of the WWE Title bout between Roman Reigns and AJ Styles.
The most plausible outcome is a Reigns victory. He did just bag the belt at WrestleMania after all. This isn't about what probably will happen however, this is all about what definitely should happen.
Whichever results at Payback make WWE more interesting going forward is what the company should be concerning themselves with.
Prospective title changes, management decisions and ensuring a solid show overall are all things the head writers must focus on. Let's look at what must happen come WWE Payback on May 1...
10. Kalisto Defeats Ryback During Kickoff Show
The outcome of Kalisto vs. Ryback at Payback depends on what WWE want to do with the masked man. At this point, maybe he'd be better placed back by Sin Cara's side in the tag-team division, but that doesn't mean he should drop the WWE United States Title on Sunday.
As WWE Intercontinental Champion last year, Ryback was a failure. There's nothing to indicate a run with another secondary title would benefit him or the belt itself.
Ryback has turned heel since then, but he's still largely in the same spot and he definitely wouldn't enhance the US gold. Therefore, Kalisto should win, pretty much by default.
There's a reason this match is on the Kickoff show again as it's probably the least exciting on the card. Give these guys 10 minutes to warm up the crowd, hand Kalisto the win, then perhaps he can drop it to someone more meaningful on Raw or SmackDown in the near future.