After a historic year including an official induction to the WWE Hall of Fame at WrestleMania 39 in April, wrestling icon Rey Mysterio continues to defy the odds as the 48-year-old superstar retained his United States Championship at WWE Payback in an electrifying performance.
Since his career defining victory in the headline Royal Rumble match in 2006, the Mexican star has consistently shocked the world, with his World Heavyweight Championship match success at WrestleMania 22 as the smallest athlete to hold the title proving his iconic status. The recent title defense against Austin Theory was of a similar vein in form, with Mysterio successfully retaining the championship despite the difficult challenge posed by Theory.
At WWE Payback, Mysterio’s historic performance featured in an incredible evening of action in Pittsburgh, with rivalries renewed and legacies challenged across the WWE roster.
With a stacked match card, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins continued to rule above the roster as he defended his championship against Japanese sensation Shinsuke Nakamura to cap off a tense period. Despite recent injuries affecting his performance, Rollins would retain his title and continue his reign dating back to Night of Champions in Jeddah in May.
Earlier in the evening, Becky Lynch took on recent rival Trish Stratus in the Steel Cage contest, tying into the legacy of Pittsburgh as a pioneer for the Steel industry across the United States. In an explosive fight, Lynch would get the upper hand and emerge victorious from the cage with WWE fans showing their appreciation for the two battling stars.
Elsewhere, it was an emphatic evening for The Judgment Day, with Rhea Ripley defeating Raquel Rodriguez to maintain her status as Raw Women’s Champion before a victory for the squad in the headline tag team encounter. Following their recent confrontations, Finn Bálor & Damian Priest put their differences aside to take down Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to claim the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship in Pittsburgh.
The WWE universe has seen a recent resurgence from some of the sport’s biggest personalities, with WWE Payback showcasing this in effect as Hollywood superstar, John Cena returned to the ring as the surprise referee for the high-flying contest between LA Knight and The Miz. In a dramatic matchup, LA Knight went on to take the victory, with Cena set to feature heavily in the coming weeks.
Fans in the Middle East can keep up-to-date on all the action across WWE’s SmackDown and Raw live shows, with live coverage and highlights exclusively on Shahid.
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