2023 WWE payback results:John Cena as Special Guest Referee
By Daniel Mfoniso
WWE September premium event (PAYBACK) was live from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. As John Cena became a special guest referee in L.A Knight match while Becky Lynch defeats Stratus in a steel cage match.
Though it was Becky Lynch and Stratus that began the night on an intense steel cage match, the whole night was filled with thrilling and breath-taking contest which saw Rey Mysterio retained his title.
STEEL CAGE MATCH: BECKY LYNCH vs. TRISH STRATUS.
In the opening match of Payback, Lynch and Stratus set the bar super high with their performance.
Lynch and Stratus started off hot by taking the action all around the ring and up and down the cage, which turned out to be irony as both had wanted to end things on each other quickly after several escape attempt that turn sore.
However, Zoey Stark got involved by preventing Lynch from leaving the cage and slamming the cage door in her face forcing the number game on Lynch.
But Becky fought of the two with a manhandle slam on Stark and Stratus from the top rope for a win.
After the match Stratus go angry with Stark and ask her leave the cage with a slap which Zoey responded with a Z360 finisher after slamming the door.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH.
JOHN CENA AS REFEREE: L.A KNIGHT vs. THE MIZ.
John Cena had earlier introduced himself as a special guest referee for the Miz and L.A Knight’s match while welcoming the fans to tonight’s show.
The Miz and LA Knight already had a good amount of energy and tension coming into Payback, but the addition of John Cena as a guest referee was for sure a more fascinating event.
Knight managed to fight off Miz tricky manipulations at the early stage of the contest before finding his rhythm to contend the A-leister for the most part of the encounter.
Though the two gave a noble account of themselves, it was Miz little error that send him out of the game while mocking Cena to land an elbow on Knight, only to miss. Knight countered with his signature Blunt Force Trauma to earn a victory.
WINNER: L.A KNIGHT.
UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP: REY MYSTERIO vs. AUSTIN THEORY.
The challenge of taking on the greatest luchador in the history of the sport in front of him, Theory took the offense to Mysterio early as he used his physicality and athleticism to dominate Mysterio all around the ring.
However, the two did not waste time in getting on each other as they began exchanging big moves, with Mysterio landing his 619. Mysterio then looked to pop off the rope to splash Theory, but Theory got his knees up just in time. Theory then went for his A-Town Down finisher, but Mysterio countered and rolled Theory up for the victory. Mysterio retains.
WINNER: REY MYSTERIO.
