# Payback (2014)
**Payback (2014)** was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), held on June 1, 2014, at the [Allstate Arena](https://www.edgepedia.org/allstate-arena) in Rosemont, Chicago, Illinois.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/events-results/ppv-special/wwe-payback-2014) The event is best remembered for [The Shield](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-shield)'s clean sweep victory over [Evolution](https://www.edgepedia.org/evolution) in the main event, John Cena's Last Man Standing win over Bray Wyatt, and a storyline segment in which WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan refused to relinquish his title and Brie Bella quit WWE.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | Sunday, June 1, 2014, 8 PM ET, Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Chicago, Illinois[3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014) |
| Main event | The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose) def. Evolution (Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista) in a No Holds Barred six-man elimination tag team match[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) |
| Other headline results | John Cena def. Bray Wyatt (Last Man Standing); Bad News Barrett (c) def. Rob Van Dam (Intercontinental Championship); Sheamus (c) def. Cesaro (United States Championship)[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) |
| Storyline development | Daniel Bryan refused to give up the WWE World Heavyweight Title and Brie Bella quit WWE[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) |
| Historical notes | First Payback livestreamed on WWE Network; WWE's first pay-per-view since Armageddon 2006 without a men's world championship match[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) |
| Aftermath | The Shield's clean sweep was the faction's final major match before Seth Rollins turned on Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns the following night[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) |
| Critical reception | Final grade A- from WrestleFile, recognizing one of WWE's strongest 2014 cards while accounting for a thin middle[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) |
## Background and event identity
Payback premiered on pay-per-view on Sunday, June 16, 2013, at Chicago's Allstate Arena, introduced as the newest addition to WWE's pay-per-view calendar with a theme of settling scores and gaining retribution.[5](https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwe-payback-tickets-on-sale) The 2014 edition returned to the same venue on June 1, 2014.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/events-results/ppv-special/wwe-payback-2014)
The 2014 show carried two pieces of event history. It was the first Payback to be livestreamed on the [WWE Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/wwe-network), the streaming service WWE had launched in February 2014 to carry all of its pay-per-view events for a $9.99 monthly subscription.[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) • [6](https://time.com/51882/wwe-online-network-is-already-body-slamming-tons-of-subscribers/) It was also WWE's first pay-per-view since [Armageddon](https://www.edgepedia.org/armageddon) 2006 without a men's world championship match, which left the middle of the card without another major anchor after the two headline attractions.[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/)
## Main event: The Shield vs. Evolution
The main event pitted The Shield, the trio of [Roman Reigns](https://www.edgepedia.org/roman-reigns), Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose, against Evolution, the reunion of [Triple H](https://www.edgepedia.org/triple-h), Randy Orton, and Batista, in a No Holds Barred six-man elimination tag team match.[7](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Payback_2014) The match was announced on Raw the week before the event as a No Holds Barred Six-Man Elimination Tag Team match, after The Shield challenged Evolution to a rematch.[7](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Payback_2014)
The Shield won with a clean sweep, and WWE's own event page framed the result as making clear which faction was dominant.[3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014) Batista was the first man eliminated, pinned after a spear from Reigns.[8](https://blowbyblowwrestling.blogspot.com/2014/06/payback-2014-review.html) The match's historical weight came immediately: it was The Shield's final major match as a unit, because [Seth Rollins](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-rollins) turned on Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns the following night.[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/)
## Other matches and results
**John Cena def. Bray Wyatt (Last Man Standing Match).** Cena won, ending the battle with an Attitude Adjustment on Wyatt through a large black box at ringside.[9](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2082789-wwe-payback-2014-grading-best-and-worst-performances-from-all-state-arena)
**Championship matches.** Bad News Barrett retained the Intercontinental Championship against [Rob Van Dam](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-van-dam), winning by pinfall in 9:32 with the Bull Hammer elbow.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) • [10](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=109566) United States Champion Sheamus opened the show against Cesaro in a roughly twelve-minute brawl that reviewers treated as an effective way to bring the crowd into the show.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) • [11](https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2014/06/02/reviewing-the-review-payback-2014/) Divas Champion Paige defeated [Alicia Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/alicia-fox), who had beaten Paige on Raw two weeks earlier.[3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014)
**Undercard.** Rusev defeated Big E by submission in a singles match lasting 3:40, continuing the push of the debuting Bulgarian wrestler who had proclaimed allegiance to [Vladimir Putin](https://www.edgepedia.org/vladimir-putin) since the night after [WrestleMania](https://www.edgepedia.org/wrestlemania) 30.[3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014) RybAxel (Ryback and [Curtis Axel](https://www.edgepedia.org/curtis-axel)) defeated Cody Rhodes and Goldust, a result remembered almost entirely for the post-match angle as the Rhodes brothers' losing streak continued.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) • [4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) Kofi Kingston versus Bo Dallas ended in a No Contest after Kane attacked Kingston.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) On the Kickoff pre-show, El Torito defeated Hornswoggle in a Mask vs. Hair Match, keeping his mask while Hornswoggle lost his hair.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results) • [3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014)
**The Bryan segment.** In a non-wrestling segment, Daniel Bryan refused to give up the WWE World Heavyweight Title, and [Brie Bella](https://www.edgepedia.org/brie-bella) quit WWE, a development that carried the championship storyline while Bryan was unable to defend the title on the show itself.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results)
## Reception and assessment
Contemporary reviews placed the two marquee matches at the top of the card. The event-focused review spread was strongly positive, with [Bleacher Report](https://www.edgepedia.org/bleacher-report), TJR Wrestling, Cageside Seats, 411Mania, PWTorch, WrestleView, WrestleZone, and Daily DDT all supporting a picture of an event with two major successes, The Shield-Evolution and Cena-Wyatt, and a useful Sheamus-Cesaro opener, while criticism concentrated on the short middle-card material and the Kofi-Bo non-match.[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) WrestleFile's final grade of A- recognized one of WWE's strongest 2014 cards while accounting for the thin middle.[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/) The John Report ranked Payback at 6.5 in its ranking of the 2014 WWE pay-per-views.[12](https://www.wrestlingnewssource.com/news/34704/The-John-Report-WWE-Payback-2014-Review/) On CAGEMATCH, the event holds a Matchguide rating of 6.95 based on 125 votes.[10](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=109566)
The event's lasting significance rests on three developments: the clean Shield sweep that closed the faction's run, the Rollins betrayal the following night, and the Bryan championship transition that followed his refusal to surrender the title.[4](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/)
## References
1. [WWE Payback 2014 Full Results & Match Card, The SmackDown Hotel](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/events-results/ppv-special/wwe-payback-2014)
2. [WWE Payback 2014 results, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014/wwe-payback-2014-results)
3. [WWE Payback 2014, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2014)
4. [Payback 2014 Review & Final Grade, WrestleFile](https://wrestlefile.com/events/payback-2014/)
5. [WWE Payback debuts on pay-per-view Sunday, June 16, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwe-payback-tickets-on-sale)
6. [WWE Online Network Is Already Body-Slamming Tons of Subscribers, TIME](https://time.com/51882/wwe-online-network-is-already-body-slamming-tons-of-subscribers/)
7. [Payback 2014, Pro Wrestling Fandom](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Payback_2014)
8. [That Wrestling Blog: Payback 2014 review](https://blowbyblowwrestling.blogspot.com/2014/06/payback-2014-review.html)
9. [WWE Payback 2014: Grading Best and Worst Performances from Allstate Arena, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2082789-wwe-payback-2014-grading-best-and-worst-performances-from-all-state-arena)
10. [WWE Payback 2014, CAGEMATCH](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=109566)
11. [Reviewing the Review: Payback 2014, KB's Wrestling Reviews](https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2014/06/02/reviewing-the-review-payback-2014/)
12. [The John Report: WWE Payback 2014 Review, WrestlingNewsSource](https://www.wrestlingnewssource.com/news/34704/The-John-Report-WWE-Payback-2014-Review/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestling promotions and championships › WWE promotion and brands › WWE pay-per-views, 2002–2016*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license