Payback 2015

Payback 2015 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by WWE which took place on May 17, 2015 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the 3rd annual Payback event. The theme songs for the event are: "Friction" by Imagine Dragons and "Payback" by Juicy J, Kevin Gates, Future and Sage the Gemini.
==Background==
Payback featured professional wrestling matches that involved wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on WWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
At WrestleMania 31, John Cena defeated Rusev to win the United States Championship. Following a rematch at Extreme Rules, Cena retained the title by defeating Rusev in a Russian Chain match. Later in the event, after visiting The Authority, Lana announced that Cena would defend the title against Rusev in an "I Quit" match at the event.
At Extreme Rules, Seth Rollins defeated Randy Orton in a Steel Cage match to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. On the April 27 episode of Raw, after Orton and Roman Reigns defeated Rollins and Kane, it was announced, by vote on the WWE App, that Rollins would defend the title against Orton and Reigns in a Triple Threat match at the event. On the May 4 episode of Raw, Dean Ambrose defeated Rollins, and per match stipulation, he was added to the match, thus making the match a Fatal Four Way.On the May 11 episode of Raw, Triple H announced that if Rollins loses the title, Kane will no longer be the WWE Director of Operations.
On the Extreme Rules pre-show, Neville defeated Bad News Barrett. On April 28, Barrett defeated Neville to win the King of the Ring tournament and adopted the ring name King Barrett. On the May 7 episode of SmackDown, Neville and Dolph Ziggler defeated Barrett and Sheamus. On the May 11 episode of Raw, it was announced that Barrett would face Neville at the event.
At Extreme Rules, Ziggler defeated Sheamus in a Kiss Me Arse match. On the May 7 episode of SmackDown, Ziggler and Neville defeated Sheamus and Barrett. On the May 11 episode of Raw, it was announced that Ziggler would face Sheamus at the event.
At Extreme Rules, The New Day defeated Tyson Kidd and Cesaro to capture the WWE Tag Team Championship. On the April 30 episode of SmackDown, Kidd and Cesaro defeated The New Day by disqualification in a rematch for the titles. On the May 11 episode of Raw, it was announced that The New Day would defend the titles against Kidd and Cesaro in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Tag Team match at the event.
On the May 11 episode of Raw, during a match between Curtis Axel and Damien Sandow, in the guise of Macho Mandow, The Ascension attacked Axel and Mandow. It was then announced that Axel and Sandow would face The Ascension on the Payback pre-show.
On the April 27 episode of Raw, Bray Wyatt attacked Ryback after Ryback defeated Bo Dallas, having sent messages to Ryback weeks prior.  On the April 30 episode of SmackDown, Wyatt attacked Ryback after Ryback defeated Luke Harper. On the May 11 episode of Raw, Ryback attacked Wyatt. On May 13, it was announced on WWE.com that Ryback would face Wyatt at the event.
At Extreme Rules, Nikki Bella defeated Naomi to retain the Divas Championship. On the May 4 edition of Raw, Naomi and the returning Tamina Snuka attacked Nikki and Brie Bella. On the May 11 episode of Raw, Tamina defeated Brie. On the May 14 episode of SmackDown, it was announced that Tamina and Naomi would face The Bella Twins at the event.
==Match Preview==
Damien Sandow & Curtis Axel vs. The Ascension	Preview
Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus 	Preview
The New Day vs. Cesaro & Tyson Kidd 	Preview
Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback 	Preview
John Cena vs. Rusev 	Preview
King Barrett vs. Neville 	Preview
Naomi & Tamina vs. The Bella Twins 	Preview
Fatal Four Way Match 	Preview
==Results==
;
;
*Kickoff Show: R-Truth defeated Stardust (6:40)
*Kickoff Show: The Ascension (Konnor & Viktor) defeated The Meta Powers (Macho Mandow & AxelMania) (2:57)
*Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler (12:20)
*The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) (w/ Xavier Woods) [2] (c) defeated Cesaro & Tyson Kidd (w/ Natalya) [1] in a Best Two Out Of Three Falls Match to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship [2:1] (12:40)
:*Tyson Kidd beat Kofi Kingston [0:1] (2:48)
:*Big E beat Tyson Kidd [1:1] (8:13)
:*Xavier Woods beat Cesaro [2:1] (12:40)
*Bray Wyatt defeated Ryback (10:54)
*John Cena (c) defeated Rusev (w/ Lana) in a "I Quit" Match to retain the WWE United States Championship (27:58)
*Naomi & Tamina Snuka defeated The Bella Twins (Brie Bella & Nikki Bella) (6:13)
*Neville defeated King Barrett by Count Out (7:22)
*Seth Rollins (c) (w/ J&J Security (Jamie Noble & Joey Mercury) defeated Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton and Roman Reigns in a Fatal Four Way Match to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (20:52)
:*
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Jerry Lawler
*Michael Cole
*John Bradshaw Layfield
*Marcelo Rodríguez
*Carlos Cabrera
;Pre-show Panel
*Renee Young
*Booker T
*Corey Graves
*Byron Saxton	
;Interviewers
*Eden
*Tom Phillips
;Ring announcer
*JoJo
*Eden
;Referees
*Jason Ayers
*Rudy Charles
*Darrick Moore
*John Cone
==See also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WWE Event History
*Event gallery
*Payback
==DVD release==
* Payback 2015 on DVD
==External links==
* Payback 2015 Official Website
* Kickoff on WWE Network
* on WWE Network
* Fallout on WWE Network
* Payback 2015 Kickoff Show at CAGEMATCH.net
* Payback 2015 at CAGEMATCH.net
* Payback 2015 at Online World of Wrestling
Category:WWE Payback
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:2015 pay-per-view events
Category:Events with I Quit matches