6 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE Payback 2023 (Results & Review)

5. Cena Endorses Knight

LA Knight has been in this strange zone of being insanely over with fans but not getting a signature win or the true recognition from the company that they see something in him.

His feud with Miz has overall been a move in the right direction, letting him cut loose on the mic and spar with someone regarded as a WWE staple. Picking up the win itself at Payback was another positive (match quality being a separate issue).

But afterward, Knight picked up an endorsement that could also carry some serious weight: a handshake from John Cena.

Cena served as the special guest referee during the match and raised his hand in victory. Later, on the ramp, Big Match John offered up a handshake as a show of respect, which was a nice display of support from one of the biggest stars in company history.

Given that Cena is hanging around for a bit on SmackDown, there’s always a chance their paths will cross again, maybe even in the ring together. Getting that endorsement isn’t necessarily a golden ticket, but it doesn’t mean nothing either.