WWE Money in the Bank 2016: Feuds That Will Continue Through Battleground

Sunday's WWE Money in the Bank 2016 was the first chapter of a number of long-term feuds that will continue through the company's next pay-per-view, Battleground. 

First and foremost among those: John Cena vs. AJ Styles. The longtime standard-bearer for WWE took a loss against The Phenomenal One, albeit a tainted one thanks to an unintentional ref bump and help from Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson. 

If Sunday night proved anything to those still unsure of Styles' place in the company, it's that the former indy titleholder is truly one of, if not the best, in-ring performers in the industry. Styles' slick transitions from Cena's traditional move set was unlike anything fans have seen from a Cena opponent.

This is one of those feuds that fans will enjoy moving forward. Cena and Styles put on a tremendous match at Money in the Bank, continuing to tell the story that started on Memorial Day, when John Cena returned to WWE programming. 

Each time since that initial encounter, the two Superstars have advanced the narrative of the journeyman Styles trying to make his name in the industry's premier company against The Face That Runs The Place. Sunday's result, with its questionable finish, helps advance that story.

Monday's developments on Raw, with Cena questioning Styles' manhood, only further guarantees that fans will see Cena vs. Styles 2, if not a third match at SummerSlam. 

Styles vs. Cena isn't the only feud from Money in the Bank that will have a repeat performance at Battleground. However, some will be more anticipated than others.

Rusev vs. Titus O'Neil

WWE didn't give either Superstar much of a build leading to their United States Championship match at Money in the Bank.

It showed, as fans weren't invested in the outcome in the arena or on social media. Being sandwiched in between the Money in the Bank ladder match and the pay-per-view's main event didn't help matters, either. 

But everything Sunday's encounter between these heavyweights lacked seemed to be on display the following night. O'Neil, livid for being disrespected by The Bulgarian Brute the previous evening, was on fire when he entered the ring on Raw. 

Finally, there was a reason to care about this feud. O'Neil displayed more energy during that five-minute brawl than he has throughout his entire WWE career. Even during his tag teams days as a member of The Prime Time Players, O'Neil was more happy-go-lucky than fierce. 

And that's what can make this feud exciting. Rusev is a dominant competitor with a mean streak. It takes a Superstar with an outsized personality and grit to stand toe-to-toe with him in the ring. 

On Monday, O'Neil found that intensity. If he can keep that momentum going, the former Florida Gator could walk out of Battleground a champion. 

Natalya vs. Becky Lynch

Heading into Money in the Bank, these two were friends and tag team partners. When the pay-per-view ended, a new feud in the women's division had emerged. 

There's no reason they shouldn't settle their differences at Battleground. 

Following a loss to women's champion Charlotte and Dana Brooke, Natalya attacked Lynch, leaving her in a pile inside the ring. The following night on Raw, Natalya offered little in explanation, only to say that for the first time in a long time, she was looking out for herself. 

This is a feud that can benefit not only the two Superstars involved but the women's division as a whole, too. 

It's been more than two months since WWE put a proper spotlight on the division, instead focusing on Charlotte and her father, Ric Flair, up until recently. During that time, Natalya was little more than a punchline, the Superstar who always wound up shorted by underhanded deeds. 

With Sasha Banks' return to the title scene, WWE needs to expand the role of the other women in the company. Pitting two superior in-ring workers against one another is a great move. If WWE gives the entire division the time it deserves, the company as a whole will be better for it.