WWE Payback was one of the best premium live events this year, featuring a stacked match card that delivered. Arguably the best match of the night was the Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed Tag-Team Championship, where Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens battled against Finn Balor and Damien Priest from Judgement Day in a historic bout that will be remembered for years.
Over the past few months on Monday Night Raw, Judgement Day had been feuding with Sami and KO, even injuring KO and putting him on the shelf for weeks. Their match at WWE Payback was supposed to be the one to bury the hatchet once and for all, with Judgement Day having a lot to prove, and they did.
Finn Balor and Damian Priest defeated Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens
In a surprising turn of events, Judgement Day emerged victorious over Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, capturing the undisputed tag-team gold at WWE Payback. This victory was well-deserved, given their remarkable run and momentum on Monday Night Raw throughout the year.
The match was not without its share of interferences, as Dirty Dom made an appearance to assist Judgement Day. Additionally, Rhea’s spear, which sent Kevin Owens crashing through the barricade, effectively took him out of the match. Just when it seemed like Sami Zayn and KO were on the cusp of victory, JD McDonagh intervened, breaking the pin.
This street fight had no disqualification rules, making it inevitable that the numbers game would come into play, with Judgement Day and JD McDonagh outnumbering Sami and KO by 5-to-2. After Sami delivered a devastating Helluva Kick, Dirty Dom struck Sami with the Money in the Bank briefcase, allowing Finn to secure the pinfall victory and finally claim the tag-team gold, solidifying his status as a grand slam champion.
THEY DIIIIIIIID IT!!!!@FinnBalor & @ArcherofInfamy bring the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles to The Judgment Day following an incredible Steel City Street Fight at #WWEPayback!#AndNew pic.twitter.com/x7dmFeXDIz
— WWE (@WWE) September 3, 2023
How long did Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens reign as tag-team champs?
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens became the Undisputed Tag-Team Champions in an iconic match versus The Usos in the main event of Night 1 of WrestleMania 39. They had an incredible run of 5 months, defeating the likes of Roman and Solo, Pretty Deadly, and even Judgement Day once. The crowd was behind them throughout this run, and they put on incredible matches.
However, it seemed like the rivalry between them and The Judgement Day was getting repetitive. They even teased a match versus The Street Profits this Friday on Smackdown, which seemed like an incredible prospect. Now, with Judgement Day running the WWE, it’s going to be very exciting to watch all the possible matchups we can get and whether Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will return for the tag-team gold.
Since Triple H took control, Judgement Day has soared to new heights, and this transformation is entirely justified, given the remarkable abilities of its members, each of whom has become a champion. It’s fantastic to see Finn Balor holding gold, and it will be intriguing to see what The Judgement Day does with the tag team titles, especially considering their likely appearances on both the blue and red brands due to the unification of the Tag Team Titles.
