At WWE Payback, Roman Reigns managed to swoop in and pick up the pieces after 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt and 'The Monster" Braun Strowman laid waste to each other, achieving victory in the main event in a fashion which is unusual to his character, to reclaim the Universal Title that he never lost.

For much of the match, though, Roman Reigns was nowhere to be found, having not even signed the contract to be part of the No Holds Barred Triple Threat Match at Payback. Braun Strowman blindsided Bray Wyatt with the lights still off during 'The Fiend's' entrance and also kicked out of a Sister Abigail by his diabolical rival a few moments later.