The Judgment Day Shock Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn to Win WWE Tag Titles at Payback 2023
September 3, 2023
Judgment Day members Damian Priest and Finn Bálor defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a Steel City Street Fight at Payback on Saturday to win the undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.
WWE @WWETHEY DIIIIIIIID IT!!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/FinnBalor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FinnBalor</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/ArcherOfInfamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArcherofInfamy</a> bring the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles to The Judgment Day following an incredible Steel City Street Fight at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEPayback?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEPayback</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AndNew?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AndNew</a> <a href="https://t.co/x7dmFeXDIz">pic.twitter.com/x7dmFeXDIz</a>
This electric match included Owens sporting a Mario Lemieux jersey and hitting a swanton bomb onto Dominik Mysterio:
WWE @WWE😲😲😲😲😲😲<a href="https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FightOwensFight</a> delivers the HITZ at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEPayback?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEPayback</a>!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/penguins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@penguins</a> <a href="https://t.co/dhQ2S0SnTN">pic.twitter.com/dhQ2S0SnTN</a>
However, interference from Mysterio and Rhea Ripley ultimately led to The Judgment Day reigning supreme on the night.
WWE @WWEALL CHAMPIONS RISE in The Judgment Day!<a href="https://twitter.com/RheaRipley_WWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RheaRipley_WWE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ArcherOfInfamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArcherofInfamy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FinnBalor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FinnBalor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DomMysterio35?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DomMysterio35</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEPayback?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEPayback</a> <a href="https://t.co/fkY0wJ7QQq">pic.twitter.com/fkY0wJ7QQq</a>
Bálor pinned Zayn for the win after Mysterio hit Zayn with the Money in the Bank briefcase.
In recent weeks, The Judgment Day have set out to show that they run Raw, and on the occasions that Owens and Zayn stood in their way, they attempted to put both on the shelf.
They succeeded in injuring KO, causing him to miss SummerSlam, and while Zayn continued to fight against The Judgment Day during his teammate's absence, he did so at far less than 100 percent.
Prior to a scheduled six-man tag team match that would have pitted Zayn, Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes against The Judgment Day, Sami was attacked backstage by Judgment Day ally JD McDonagh and suffered an elbow injury.
The ailment rendered Zayn unable to compete that night, but he bounced back quickly and continued to oppose The Judgment Day until Owens returned to action after being out for about one month.
On the go-home episode of Raw prior to Payback, Zayn faced Priest in a singles match, which The Archer of Infamy won due to interference from McDonagh.
Priest was unhappy despite the win since he didn't want the Irishman to get involved with Judgment Day business, further driving a wedge between him and Bálor since The Prince has long been friends with JD.
Frustrated by Judgement Day members and McDonagh constantly interjecting themselves into their matches, Owens and Zayn upped the ante for their scheduled title defense against Priest and Bálor at Payback.
Rather than simply making it a standard tag team match, KO and Sami challenged the faction to a Steel City Street Fight, meaning their bout would be anything goes.
Despite the divide within The Judgment Day, Priest and Bálor rose to the occasion and each became a tag team champion for the first time in their WWE careers.
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