WWE Payback 2017: Assessing The Potential Quality Of All 8 Matches

1. Randy Orton Vs. Bray Wyatt - WWE Championship House Of Horrors Match

Randy Orton Bray Wyatt
WWE.com

It's almost impossible to predict how good the House of Horrors Match will be because nobody is entirely sure exactly what that entails.

Even WWE themselves seem to be operating on a title first, content later basis. They surveyed the WWE Fan Council a few weeks back to ask what they'd like to see, and the options were as baffling as you'd expect. They listed cage, darkness, fire, pitchforks, mirrors, projected images, a "match done outside the arena" in a "creep scary venue", music, and "Sheeple" - which is a strangely cuddly term for the purportedly terrifying extras in sheep masks. Hilariously, the option "nothing different" was also listed. Why even call it a House Of Horrors match?

Those averse to Wyatt's act might cynically observe that another straight singles match would be horrific in itself, given the tedious and weird for weird's sake bout at WrestleMania 33. The match does have the potential to veer across the spectrum from unique and entertainingly camp to so-bad-it's-good - but the Superstar Shake-Up fallout has all but telegraphed the winner.

The predictability of the match doesn't end with the finish.

On Monday's episode of RAW, the commentary team shed a fraction of light on what we might expect. The match will apparently begin in the "house" and end in the ring, which renders any near falls - or really, any of the action at all in the titular house inconsequential.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!