WWE Battleground 2015: Superstars Who Will Exceed Expectations

Acting as effectively a preliminary show for SummerSlam, one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year, Battleground gives those on the card one last chance to impress ahead of a major show.

There are some who need a chance to impress after a lean few months, while others will be keen to put in a good performance to maintain their standing and momentum.

But like always, there are those on the card who will end up surprising us all by exceeding our relatively modest expectations.

Rusev

To say it's been a lean few months for Rusev would be an understatement.

Losing to John Cena numerous times not only took away his undefeated streak but also completely dismantled any momentum he may have had during that monumental run since joining the main roster.

His feud with Dolph Ziggler presents the Bulgarian with a great opportunity to get back on the horse, though, and if this week's edition of Raw is anything to go by, then the old Rusev could be set to strike once again.

He proved that he can still attract plenty of heat by fooling Ziggler into thinking he was still injured with a broken ankle, before almost completely dismantling Dolph with the crutch he'd used to get around over the last few weeks.

It forced Ziggler to leave the arena in an ambulance and instantly reminded us why Rusev still has the potential to be a mega-heel in WWE.

If the two men meet at Battleground, expect Rusev to continue his strong showing and regain his "super-athlete" image. The guy is incredibly skilled in the ring, and since he is likely to go over on Ziggler and get back to where he should be, Rusev could be about to embark on another impressive run—with or without Lana.

Roman Reigns

It's difficult to accurately pin the expectations fans have for Roman Reigns on a weekly basis, such is his ever-changing stature in the company's main event plans.

Since his loss at WrestleMania, the plan has been to rebuild Reigns with a slow-burn approach, one that is gradually taking the heat from fans off his back.

This feud with Bray Wyatt, one of the company's rough diamonds, will improve that standing more, and the two should combine well to create a great match at Battleground.

Wyatt's feuds have often been without logic or clear planning, but after Reigns denied him a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match, Bray has clear reasoning to go after Roman, which will help both men to create a compelling and believable feud.

As for Reigns himself, in being placed slightly further down the card for now, he will be able to go about his business with a lot less pressure and heat on his shoulders. That will yield improved performances.

Reigns and Wyatt have some interesting and impressive chemistry, some of which we saw previously when they were both heading up their respective stables, The Shield and The Wyatt Family. 

Fans would have expected a dull, mundane and predictable match while Reigns was going through that major push, which happened too soon. There's no need to expect that here; he will produce the kind of performance that earned him all those rave reviews while with The Shield, whether he wins or loses.