WWE Battleground 2013: Bouts That Will Live Up to the Hype

At this Sunday's Battleground pay-per-view, expect the major matches—and some of the not-so-major ones—to deliver.

While WWE may have seen better days creatively, its in-ring product has arguably never been better. Everyone on the roster seems to be working their butts off these days, and the results have been fabulous.

So, in order of importance on the card, let's have a look at the matches that will make the show worth watching.

5. Curtis Axel vs. R-Truth

Curtis Axel will defend his belt against R-Truth. Photo courtesy of WWE.com

While neither man has the booking crew behind them right now—now that Paul Heyman has hooked up Ryback, Axel has become a total afterthought and R-Truth barely appears on Raw any more—they should be able to churn out a decent, maybe even great, Intercontinental Championship bout at Battleground.

Despite his personality flaws and lack of charisma, Axel remains a very good technical wrestler, and R-Truth can always be relied upon to put in a strong performance.

Who knows? It may even be the beginning of a long-term feud.

4. Damien Sandow vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler has been demoted to the pre-show. Photo courtesy of WWE.com

While it's sad to see two blossoming talents like Damien Sandow and Dolph Ziggler demoted to the pre-show, the two should be able to get the Battleground pay-per-view off to a great start. Sandow continues to improve vastly as a worker, and despite his shoddy booking lately, Ziggler is as terrific of a wrestler as ever.

Hopefully, an impressive performance here will help get Ziggler's career back on track and solidify Sandow as one of the company's next big heel characters.

3. Ryback, with Paul Heyman vs. CM Punk

Ryback takes on CM Punk on Sunday. Photo courtesy of WWE.com

OK, so Ryback isn't a great wrestler—in all honesty, he's not even really a decent one—but former WWE champion CM Punk should be able to carry the behemoth to something worthwhile on Sunday.

Despite his nagging injuries and overall wear and tear, the wrestler has never failed to perform well on pay-per-view in 2013. Just check out his thrilling WrestleMania match with The Undertaker or his great bout with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

And, as always, Paul Heyman's presence at ringside should also be a boost to the entertainment factor of the match.

2. Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns

The Rhodes brothers have a major test on Sunday. Photo courtesy of WWE.com

On Sunday, it will all be on the line for the Rhodes brothers. If they manage to defeat Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, they'll both get their jobs back. However, if the two lose, they'll never be back in WWE and their dad will be axed from his role as a trainer in developmental.

Considering the in-ring run The Shield has been on—these guys have seemingly never had a bad match—as well as how well Goldust has been performing lately, there's no reason this match can't be great.

1. Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan

From an in-ring perspective, the Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton match will absolutely live up to expectations. Bryan is arguably the best wrestler in the world right now, and Orton's work has been revived thanks to his recent heel turn and title run.

Provided WWE gives them a decent amount of time—and keeps the wacky booking and outside interferences to a minimum—the pair should be able to turn out a terrific match.