And so, while most of America watched Game 5 of the NBA Finals between Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs last night ,WWE got through the small matter of their WWE Payback PPV (which, as I pointed out in my preview on Friday, was criminally devoid of any actual Payback-related motives for fighting). However, as predicted, the card more than compensated for poor hype with fantastic in-ring work and two potential Match of the Year contenders.
It was a night that saw CM Punk make a winning return in his hometown Chicago; an ambulance being the ultimate victim in the Three Stages of Hell match; Alberto Del Rio turn heel (against a now-babyface Dolph Ziggler) while winning the World Heavyweight Championship in the same arena Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart did their famous double switch 16 years ago; the return of RVD announced; AJ leaving Kaitlyn in tears after taking her Divas Championship; Curtis Axel become the new Intercontinental Champion and The Shield retain their belts.
Here are some of the highlights, as told by Twitter:
WWE superstars, past and present, wish their fans a Happy Father’s Day…
Brilliant. Happy Father's Day! pic.twitter.com/t4yurP1McC
— Jay Hunter (@OSWreview) June 16, 2013
Happy Father's Day to everyone accept the no good raisin balls piece of shit motherfucker low life orange dick Hulk Hogan
— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) June 16, 2013
Twitter was NOT impressed by WWE taking a break during a match on the YouTube pre-show.
So now the @WWE runs commercials during the @WWEonYouTube #Payback pre-show? STUPID!!!!! ANNOYING!!!!!
— Brian Moser (@TheBrianMo) June 16, 2013
The hot Chicago crowd got a lotta love…
We're 10mins in & I already want Chicago's #Payback crowd VS. New Jersey's night after Wrestlemania crowd to fight at Wrestlemania 30.
— Adam Lucidi (@adamlucidi) June 17, 2013
I know I wasn’t the only one who thought this…
Have a dilemma: I really need to use the bathroom, but I actually want to watch the Divas match for once. This has literally never happened.
— Rick Nash (@AMTRick) June 17, 2013
Kaitlyn was pretty devo about losing her title…
Someone take @KaitlynWWE's belt and shoelaces just to be safe #Payback
— WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) June 17, 2013
It’s safe to say that people were excited by the news that RVD will be returning next month…
ONE OF A KIND! HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY ONE OF A KIND!! IT'S ABOUT DAM TIME ROB VAN DAM HAS RETURNED!! DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAD. #PAYBACK
— Graham Mirmina (@SAVE_US_GSM) June 17, 2013
People start to clock onto the relevance of Alberto Del Rio working as a heel and Dolph Ziggler being a face during their brilliant match…
This has Austin/Bret WM13 written all over it...same building too... #WWE #Payback
— PlaceToBeNation (@Place2BeNation) June 17, 2013
Legit heat for Del Rio on Twitter here for being 'stiff'. Pleasant surprise to see that working on smart fans in 2013. Great match #Payback
— Rick Nash (@AMTRick) June 17, 2013
WWE focusing in on fans boo'ing should confirm to you that Del Rio is officially a heel. BOO THAT MAN! #wwe #payback
— WrestlingNewsSource (@WNSource) June 17, 2013
Oops. Someone tweets a spoiler to the whole major ‘Will Punk return or not?’ story before the show…
Look at this picture ! Don't focus on big show n the ref look at cmpunk in the back !!! #payback #wwe pic.twitter.com/awMP12OpGa
— Snowman (@snowyAK47) June 16, 2013
So did Paul Heyman.
Official Reunion Pic! @CMPunk @HeymanHustle @WWE #Payback #Chicago #HappyFathersDay! pic.twitter.com/TnBedzp9ae
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) June 16, 2013
Heeeee’s back!
Hit the music! ... http://t.co/dfhOVTb6sj .... @CMPUNK is BACK! #Payback
— WWE (@WWE) June 17, 2013
But Twitter is taken slightly aback by his new sideburns…
Strangely, @CMPunk's now saying "It's Clobbering Time", but he looks more like Wolverine than The Thing @wwe #payback
— JK / Deadpiñata (@jkmoogle) June 17, 2013
Bravo to @CMPunk & @IAmJericho for an outstanding wrestling match at #Payback. Called it all in my head. Old school grappling. @WWE
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) June 17, 2013
The Shield’s entrance through the crowd is infectious…
Planned my walk back to my seat perfectly. I now can say I know what it feels like to be in The Shield. #payback
— Marty DeRosa (@MartyDeRosa) June 17, 2013
Seth Rollins gave most people a heart attack…
Someone needs to hit Rollins with a rolled up newspaper on the nose and tell him STOP STUPID BUMPS! #Payback #WWE
— Podswoggle.com (@Podswoggle) June 17, 2013
Suffice to say Twitter wasn’t overly excited about the main event…
Ryback and Cena vs The Chicago Crowd is the real main event #payback
— Fullofit (@jfull305) June 17, 2013
No pressure lads.
You want to be a main event star in @WWE? You have to be able to follow EVERYTHING & then make the fans only think of YOU! #realpressure
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) June 17, 2013
Fans’ attention switched more to the lumberjacks than the action during the first fall…
Alex Riley's shirt says "Say it to my face"...on his back. Seems counterproductive no? #payback
— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) June 17, 2013
People began to get slightly irrational during the Table Match…
If ryback wins 2-0 I swear by the old gods and the new I will sell my house and live on the streets for the rest of my life #WWE #PAYBACK
— Burrows (@leebws) June 17, 2013
And restless during the Ambulance Match, as things got a bit ridiculous…
"It only gets worse from here." No arguments from us, Ryback #Payback
— WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) June 17, 2013
This must be a poorly constructed ambulance.. #Payback
— Arda Ocal (@arda_ocal) June 17, 2013
The ambulance needs an ambulance. @WWE #PAYBACK
— Joey Styles (@JoeyStyles) June 17, 2013
Things Stronger Than Chicago Ambulances: Hot Wheels Cars. #Payback
— Molleigh† Mollz? (@Cena_Ryder1996) June 17, 2013
With ambulances like this it's no wonder we don't offer our Superstars health insurance. #Payback
— WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) June 17, 2013
WWE Payback Quick Results
Pre-Show: Sheamus def. Damien Sandow by pinfall
Triple-Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championshop: Curtis Axel (w/Paul Heyman) def. Wade Barrett & The Miz by pinning Barrett.
Divas Championship: AJ Lee (w/Big E Langston) def. Kaitlyn by submission
US Championship: Dean Ambrose def. Kane by countout
World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio def. Dolph Ziggler by pinfall
CM Punk def. Chris Jericho by pinfall
WWE Tag-Team Championship: Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns def. Daniel Bryan & Randy Orton
Three Stages of Hell for WWE Championship: John Cena def. Ryback (Ryback wins Lumberjack Match; Cena wins Table Match; Cena wins Ambulance Match)
Rick Nash is the founder of WWE Parties Ireland, throwing parties for wrestling fans where you can watch big WWE PPVs on the big screen! He is also a DJ and terrible sports gambler, so feel free to share some tips with him on Twitter.
