WWE Battleground 2016: Biggest X-Factors to Watch at Massive PPV

For several reasons, July 24's WWE Battleground 2016 is under big pressure to deliver.

With the brand split happening just a matter of days before the pay-per-view, it will be a crucial show to determine the future direction of the company and its top stars.

There's also the pressure of living up to the Money in the Bank pay-per-view last month, which provided great entertainment and huge drama.

Luckily for WWE, several major storylines and stars could make the show go off with a real bang.

Here's a look at the biggest things to watch for at this month's show—a pivotal one with August's SummerSlam 2016 just weeks away. 

AJ Styles Continuing to Deliver Top Matches

A quick rundown of AJ Styles' year since joining WWE and a glance at some of his biggest matches say one thing: He always delivers.

He is arguably WWE's most consistent in-ring performer this year, with The Phenomenal One living up to his name in every way.

Whether it's his brutal battle with Roman Reigns at Extreme Rules or his stellar bout with John Cena at Money in the Bank, Styles is still capable of delivering at the very biggest shows. And although he will almost certainly lose to Cena at Battleground to set up a decisive bout at SummerSlam, the level of Styles' performance will not be in question.

Wrestling fans have been served up some real treats inside a WWE ring this year. AJ Styles is one of the biggest pluses of all, and his incredible performances will continue at Battleground.

The Boss Stealing the Show

Credit: WWE.com

Lately, WWE's female roster has suffered from a lack of direction for many of its top stars, but the return of Sasha Banks appears to have given the whole division a lift.

It's unclear whether Banks will fight Charlotte for the WWE Women's Championship at Battleground or whether the company will hold off until SummerSlam to have that match, but expect Banks to be in action regardless.

And if she's not fighting Charlotte, she'll be taking another step closer to becoming the undisputed top challenger for the current champion.

Expect Banks to star as she so often does, with The Boss making another strong case to become the next champion.

Bray Wyatt's Return to Action

Credit: WWE.com

Following a surprise rivalry with The New Day, it's highly likely that WWE will hold off having Bray Wyatt wrestle until Battleground.

That will increase the anticipation and hype for Wyatt's in-ring return—and when he does wrestle again, he'll do so aiming to capture the tag titles alongside Braun Strowman and Erick Rowan.

The Wyatt Family's feud with WWE's hottest tag team is already showing the potential to be one of the best on the card.

WWE planted seeds on Raw this past week suggesting that Xavier Woods is somewhat terrified of The Wyatt Family and its creepy gimmick by having him follow up an in-ring segment looking paranoid and walking away from a backstage interview.

There are a whole host of ways WWE can go with this rivalry, which makes it hugely exciting, but Bray Wyatt's return to in-ring action is perhaps the biggest positive of all.  

The Roman Reigns Effect

Credit: WWE.com

Given how Roman Reigns' first television appearance following his suspension is Battleground itself, WWE has put itself in a potentially tricky position with his involvement in the show's main event.

Will Reigns be ready to be thrown straight into such a high-profile match? Will the rivalry suffer without Reigns being there to hype it?

These are all questions that will be answered at the show itself, but one thing is for certain: The controversy surrounding Reigns immediately makes him one of the show's biggest draws.

It will be intriguing to see if the fans' heat and hatred dies down during his suspension or only intensifies due to the nature of his ban. The result could determine whether WWE pushes ahead with a heel turn for The Big Dog quicker than expected.