WWE Payback 2023: What We Expect From September Premium Live Event

Tonight, WWE heads to the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for Payback. Every match on the card stems from an ongoing rivalry, and the event promises to boast plenty of exciting in-ring action. With that in mind, let's take a look at the card.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's Undisputed Tag Team Championship defense against Judgment Day's Damian Priest and Finn Balor is arguably the most intriguing bout. This rivalry has been brewing for months now, and it gives Judgment Day a chance to add more gold to the collection. Furthermore, the match will be a lawless Street Fight, which means Judgment Day will likely try to take advantage of the freedom to exploit outside interference. That said, Priest and Balor have been at odds lately, and it seems like only a matter of time until they turn on each other.

While we're on the topic of Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley will defend the WWE Women's World Title against Raquel Rodriguez. Ripley has been unbeatable in recent months, and she and Rodriguez have developed a dislike for each other. The champ recently left the challenger walking on crutches, but now that Rodriguez has recovered, she'll be out to end Ripley's reign of merciless dominance.

Seth Rollins is scheduled to defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura. Being a champion has put a target on Rollins' back, but he didn't expect Nakamura to lay him out following the main event of a recent episode of "WWE Raw." As such, Rollins will be out for retribution against "The King of Strong Style," and this will surely be one of the best work rate bouts on the night.

Elsewhere, Austin Theory is determined to reclaim the WWE United States Championship from Rey Mysterio. The WWE Hall of Famer won the gold on the August 11 episode of "WWE SmackDown," even though Santos Escobar was originally supposed to challenge Theory. The former champion has been irate since losing the gold, but can he overcome the high-flying abilities of the "Legendary Luchador?"

Payback will also feature some high-profile grudge matches that don't revolve around gold. Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch have been feuding throughout 2023, and this weekend's premium live event will see them collide inside a Steel Cage. Meanwhile, LA Knight will be out to silence The Miz, who's taken issue with his opponent's recent ascendancy in the wake of Knight's Slim Jim Battle Royal win at SummerSlam.

Finally, Cody Rhodes will be at the show, but he won't be in action. "The American Nightmare" is set to appear on "The Grayson Waller Effect," which will undoubtedly lead to some type of conflict. Rhodes has had some beef with Judgment Day lately, and Waller is just a naturally obnoxious heel who rubs his guests the wrong way.

Make sure to check out Wrestling Inc. this weekend for live coverage of WWE Payback, as well as all the latest news leading into the event.