WWE Battleground 2015: Full Predictions for Each Champion at Event

For the roster's champions, WWE Battleground 2015 is no walk-in-the-park warm-up before SummerSlam. WWE has pitted John Cena, Seth Rollins and The Prime Time Players against opponents who can most certainly rip the crown from their head.

Each of these titleholders faces familiar foes, and not all of them will walk out of St. Louis still carrying gold.

An event that would have presumably been an overlooked appetizer for a more established pay-per-view looks more substantial than expected. That's part of the reason fans can expect Battleground to feature more big moments, title changes and all.

Who will keep their title reign going? Who will escape rather than win come Sunday, July 19? Current storyline arcs and foreshadowing from WWE help answer those questions.

Nikki Bella (Divas Championship)

Nikki Bella doesn't have an official opponent for Battleground yet. It's clear, though, that Paige and/or Naomi will factor into the direction WWE heads in for the Divas Championship.

Paige has been battling Nikki and Brie for weeks, pushing back against what she feels is a regime that needs to go down. Naomi and Tamina Snuka have frequently collided with the Bellas as well. 

However, it will be a new arrival to the roster who decides the NXT title.

Whether Paige gets another one-on-one title opportunity or Naomi and Tamina get thrown in the bout as well, bet on Battleground being the event where someone from NXT first makes her mark.

WWE has been teasing that Paige will be getting a new ally with this current "Paige as would-be rally leader" angle. It makes the most sense to use that narrative to welcome Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Bayley or Becky Lynch.

That will not only make for a climactic moment in this ongoing story, but it's a great way to introduce one of these NXT stars.

This newcomer will come to Paige's aid after Nikki and Brie do more of their "twin magic" routine. She will then cost Nikki her title.

That gives the Divas Championship picture a new face and sets up a big tag match for SummerSlam pitting Paige and the NXT star versus the Bella sisters.

Ryback (Intercontinental Championship)

Ryback is staying champion at Battleground.

It's too early to pluck the title from him. WWE is clearly trying to make him look strong by matching him up against two foes, including one who is a behemoth of a man.

The amount of focus Ryback has received since winning the title is a testament to that. Michael Cole doesn't often sit down with the intercontinental champion for his weekly interviews. He did with The Big Guy, though.

And WWE is setting up his next title bout as one where the odds are against him. He has a giant on one side of him and a cunning opportunist on the other.

That just smells like a way to make Ryback look resilient by surviving a Triple Threat bout.

It makes little sense to give The Miz another run with the IC crown anyway. He's been champ countless times, and it seems as if WWE is focusing on making the title more exciting. Another Miz reign would have little spark.

Big Show's not going to excite folks as champ either. The big man's role as of late has been to elevate other stars heading up the card, from Brock Lesnar before WrestleMania 30 to Roman Reigns more recently.

Count on Ryback getting that same treatment at Battleground.

The Prime Time Players (Tag Team Championships)

The Prime Time Players have held their titles for less time than any other current champs. It hasn't even been a full month since Titus O'Neil and Darren Young dethroned The New Day.

They face that heel trio once more at Battleground.

WWE switching the titles so soon after such little development in the story would be a surprise. O'Neil and Young have just begun to gather momentum as champions. Ending their reign after The New Day's short stint as champs would feel hollow.

That's a big part of why The Prime Time Players are the safest bet to keep their titles at Battleground.

The champs are poised to have their feud with The New Day grow more intense. Xavier Woods and company will anger the champs to set up a rubber match at SummerSlam, offering WWE a chance to deliver a climactic last chapter.

John Cena (United States Championship)

John Cena's time is up.

Everything is setting up for Kevin Owens to defeat him for the United States Championship at Battleground. For one, WWE has made sure to keep Owens looking strong despite his loss to Cena last time around. The focus that night wasn't on Cena's victory as much as it was on Owens laying out the champ after the bell.

And with Finn Balor taking the NXT title from Owens, it frees the bruiser up to come to the main roster full-time.

Cena has already done plenty to boost the U.S. title. He's made sure the belt received plenty of spotlight and has delivered a slew of standout matches as champion. His final offering with the belt in hand will be to catapult Owens.

Each of Owens and Cena's collisions has been mighty close and mighty entertaining. Look for that to continue in Round 3, but for the result to mirror their Elimination Chamber contest—not what went down at Money in the Bank.

Seth Rollins (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Fans may dub what happens in the WWE title match at Battleground the "Missouri Miracle." That will be an apt term for Seth Rollins slipping out of Brock Lesnar's grasp with his championship still in hand.

It's unlikely that WWE gives Lesnar the belt back due to his part-time schedule. His last reign made it hard to keep the world title picture in focus, as The Beast Incarnate was only around sporadically.

And WWE has made it clear how much it loves to have The Authority be front and center on Raw and SmackDown. That spells good things for Rollins.

Keeping him champion by some cunning evasion from Lesnar sets up a bigger, more anticipated rematch at SummerSlam. It keeps his feud with Roman Reigns high-profile. It sets up a possible babyface turn for Rollins after which Triple H and Sheamus come running after him.

It's hard to imagine just how it happens, but the signs point to Rollins retaining in St. Louis.