LIVE Payback thoughts - June 1, 2014

10:56 - WOW!  Shocked -- but not disappointed -- to see the Shield take a clean sweep of this match.  Two PPV's in a row they not only win, but they win decisively!  It was a really great match and, again, I think made all three members of the Shield look great.  Very effective booking.

10:52 - I'm actually pretty surprised to see Batista eliminated first.  I thought they'd throw us for a curve and have Orton eliminated first.

10:36 - It looks like Ambrose might be the first to go, which would be a mistake in my opinion.  Since he's the least face-like of the group, putting him in a dire situation would only get him more over.

I love that Bluetista is getting so much attention.

10:24 - I hope that WWE resists the temptation to go with Reigns (or Triple H, for that matter) as the sole survivor.  There are so many talents in this match, particularly on the face side, so there's no reason why they can't make NUMEROUS stars in this match.

10:21 - You know what?  I'll commend Batista here.  I admire any guy that doesn't fall into that "black trunks" main eventer trap.  Not the BEST look in the world, but it's fine.  Also, disappointed to see Randy the beard.

And for the first time all night, I'm having some visual issues with the show.  It's been kinda choppy/pixelated since the end of the Divas match.

10:18 - No AJ return, which is disappointing.  But let's hope that the Shield bring back their skull masks, at least.

10:06 - Guessing/hoping Paige wins here.  REALLY hoping new Chicago resident AJ Lee makes a return post match.

10:00 - Brutal match and enjoyable....and I don't have an issue with Cena winning.  However, I just never truly got emotionally invested in this feud, so it lacked a bit of luster for me.  Nice to see the Usos get spotlighted, though.

9:49 - I'll admit it....that step throwing spot was pretty damn cool.

9:34 - I wonder if the Usos slyly mentioned "hey, we've got shorts the same color scheme as Cena's new shirt...." to somebody in creative to warrant this (well deserved) semi-main event push.

9:22 - This segment is doing a whole lot to make Brie look like a real bad ass.  And Daniel Bryan is there too.

9:19 - Wow, two explicit references to CM Punk.  I guess they decided to face this matter head on.  And since his contract (I believe) is about to expire anyway, I guess they figure he's not coming back.

9:14 - Sorry Steph, but you can't deliver "FIRRRRED" like your old man.

9:09 - I'm somewhat surprised by how many people Barrett has gone over cleanly.  I'm also surprised by how many people "lower" than him on the card that RVD has put over.  Has RVD won ANY feud since his series of returns?  Nonetheless, the right person won.

9:07 - Jerry Lawler is beyond painful on commentary now.

8:53 - Okay, that was fine.

8:48 - LOVE Kofi's Flash-inspired gear, but he is WAY too good to be jobbing out to Bo Dallas.

8:45 - This match has sorta shown how far Big E has fallen, hasn't it?  Rusev won cleanly and decisively, through submission no less.  And not too long ago, Big E was seemingly getting the super push.

8:40 - I like Big E's American-ized version of his ring gear.

8:39 - Who waves a flag like that?

8:37 - I still cannot get into this Lana/Rusev act.

8:25 - Has there ever been a losing streak storyline that REALLY worked out for the person losing?  I'm okay with them breaking up the Brotherhood, but only if they have an actual long-term plan for Cody.  I don't want to see them to lose interest in pushing him and just having him flounder, when he and Goldust (when pushed) had a great thing going.

Also, good to see Rybaxel actually matching their gear now.  They had Ryback in yellow and red and Axel in yellow and black.  Now it looks like they're matching in black and red.

8:22 - Not surprised to see Sheamus retain here.  Both guys looked good and Sheamus' win seemed almost like a fluke.

8:05 - For the second PPV Kickoff show in a row, El Torito and Hornswoggle provided a shockingly entertaining match.  We're beginning the PPV with Sheamus/Cesaro in a United States Championship match.  I find it interesting that the latest online report is that WWE didn't have him win the Intercontinental Championship because they worried it would hurt him, but then they threw him into a United States Championship feud.  Does that mean they view the US title as more prestigious?  Or they just perceive Sheamus as being higher up the ladder than Big E?