Breaking: Rikishi to be referee at Payback

A social media post promoting an appearance by WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi has broken some news late Friday afternoon. The graphic for Ninja Exchange says, “Come meet Rikishi before he referees at Payback.”

The event will take place in Carlsbad, CA on August 26th, which is a week before Payback takes place in Pittsburgh, PA. It has been expected that Jimmy Uso vs. Jey Uso could be a co-main event match at Payback, even with recent rumors that the match be delayed until Wrestlemania 40.

After the rules of tribal combat were broken at Summerslam, Rikishi as special referee in the match with two of his sons could finally show the tribal elders getting involved in the Bloodline storyline. Rikishi’s other son Solo Sikoa is involved in that storyline as well.