WWE Battleground 2016: Booking Decisions That Must Be Made at PPV

With what will likely be on tap, WWE Battleground 2016 has the potential to be the sleeper show of the summer on July 24. Following the critically acclaimed Money in the Bank pay-per-view and right before the company's second-biggest show of the year, SummerSlam, Battleground will have its work cut out for it in terms of exceeding the expectations of fans.

The build to Battleground has been nothing short of exciting, with several matches already confirmed for the card.

A dream match of epic proportions is set to transpire in the main event, with Dean Ambrose defending his WWE Championship against Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat match. Despite Reigns' 30-day suspension, he will be eligible to contend for the championship at the event.

Battleground will also feature the final showdown between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens before they potentially go their separate ways in the upcoming WWE draft. In addition, John Cena teams with Enzo Amore and Big Cass for the first time ever in an attempt to conquer The Club.

In order for the show to live up to the hype, however, WWE needs to make the right decisions creatively. WWE has a chance to right the wrongs from Money in the Bank and set the stage for the biggest blockbuster of the summer.

Let's look at the booking decisions WWE must make at Battleground on July 24.

Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens Must Feature Decisive Finish

Credit: WWE.com

Due to their extensive history together, Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens is one of the most anticipated matches on the Battleground card. The bad blood between them has been brewing for years, and their ruthless rivalry is in need of a proper payoff.

Although WWE is billing this as their final encounter, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for them to rekindle their rivalry at some point down the line. Their Battleground bout will simply serve as the temporary culmination to a feud that has lasted many months on WWE's main roster.

Their first pay-per-view singles outing occurred at Payback, where Owens reigned supreme in clean fashion. Zayn later avenged the loss in their Raw rematch on June 20 by rolling up Owens for the victory.

As such, it is only appropriate their third match also end decisively. A questionable conclusion would leave the door open for future matchups, but this chapter of the storied program must close with one man soundly defeating the other without any shenanigans.

That way, whoever is deemed the winner can take that momentum to his respective brand and build off it. A controversial finish would be a lackluster way of concluding a feud that has been several years in the making.

Becky Lynch Must Build Momentum with Victory Against Natalya

Credit: WWE.com

While Charlotte has done exceptional heel work as WWE women's champion this year and Sasha Banks has been a fantastic foil for her, Becky Lynch has been the MVP of the growing division thus far in 2016.

Lynch was almost an afterthought in last year's Divas Revolution, but she started to come into her own as a singles competitor heading into the new year. Despite falling short of winning the Divas Championship on several occasions in the first few months of 2016, she quickly captured the hearts of fans through her plucky underdog attitude, and she has emerged as a major fan favorite in the division.

Although she remains over with the audience, The Lass Kicker has yet to build a steady stream of momentum. Each time she has been on the verge of breaking through to the next level, she has lost a meaningful match and has been knocked back down the totem pole.

This feud with Natalya has given both her and the second-generation star another opportunity to showcase their skills. It's refreshing to have a feud in the division where the strap isn't at stake, though this program should be what launches Lynch back into title contention.

Lynch should be among the biggest beneficiaries of the upcoming brand split, and her rise to superstardom should start with a decisive victory against Natalya at Battleground. The feud can continue past the pay-per-view, but Lynch is more in need of a memorable win right now than Natalya is.

Enzo Amore and Big Cass Must Be Spotlighted in Six-Man Tag Team Match

Credit: WWE.com

John Cena has had the odds stacked against him throughout his feud with AJ Styles and The Club. Although he was on the verge of victory at Money in the Bank against Styles, he fell short of beating his adversary thanks to interference from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.

Cena has been in need of backup for weeks, and he finally got some in the form of Enzo Amore and Big Cass on the Fourth of July Raw. They ran off the treacherous trio, and a tag team match involving the six Superstars was made official for Battleground.

Of all the up-and-coming athletes who arrived on the main roster from NXT earlier this year, no one has gotten over quite like Enzo and Cass have. Although they have yet to capture the WWE Tag Team Championships, it is only a matter of time before they have gold around their waists.

En route to reaching tag team title status, Enzo and Cass can prove their worth in this high-profile program with Cena and The Club. They are an excellent addition to the angle. Not only should the match be remarkable, but they will also benefit from their alliance with the 15-time world champion.

It's likely this is where Cena avenges his humiliating loss from Money in the Bank, but his team can win without him scoring the deciding fall. Enzo or Cass must lead the team to victory in order to establish the team as a future contender to the twin titles.

Charlotte Must Retain WWE Women's Championship Through Nefarious Means

Credit: WWE.com

Sasha Banks may have only just recently re-entered the WWE Women's Championship picture, but her storied history with Charlotte dates as far back as their NXT days in 2013. They started off as allies and soon became bitter enemies, and they have been at each other's throats ever since.

They traded the NXT Women's Championship back and forth during their time down in developmental, but they have yet to meet in a one-on-one title match on the main roster. Banks came close to clinching the championship at WrestleMania 32, but with assistance from her father, Ric Flair, Charlotte was successful in retaining the title on that evening.

Despite being away from programming as of late, Banks has always had her sights set on the WWE women's title, and she should claim the prestigious prize before too long. That said, it is still too early in The Boss' championship chase for her to win it at Battleground.

Charlotte has led the women's division into a new era as its heel champion, and while her reign is quickly coming to an end, it would be best to stretch out this feud for as long as possible. Yes, it is possible Banks and Charlotte end up on opposite brands post-draft, but this is far from the end of their program.

Banks hasn't lost a singles match in the year she has been in WWE, though that streak could cease at the pending pay-per-view. Whether it is via dirty tactics, help from Dana Brooke or a disqualification or count-out, Charlotte must retain her title via nefarious means in their initial encounter.

Roman Reigns Must Be Pinned in Shield Triple Threat Match

Credit: WWE.com

Roman Reigns' status for the main event of Battleground was put into question when he was suspended for violating the WWE Wellness Policy less than 24 hours after the match was announced. But it was clarified the next week on Raw that he would take part in the bout, as he will be eligible to do so.

As a result, the build will largely revolve around the other two combatants, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, in the weeks preceding the pay-per-view. With that in mind, it would make zero sense for Reigns to leave Battleground as a four-time WWE world heavyweight champion.

In addition to already having held the strap on three separate occasions since November, Reigns returning from suspension and winning the belt back in his first match would set an awful precedent for the rest of the roster. There is no logic in making Reigns champion again anytime soon.

Not only should he not win the match, but Reigns also must be the one to eat the pinfall loss. Rollins could well regain the gold on July 24, but it shouldn't come at the expense of Ambrose, who has been on a hot streak in recent months.

Rollins has been well-protected since returning to the ring in May and shouldn't be beaten so soon. If WWE is adamant about having Reigns compete in the main event of Battleground, the least it can do is humble him by having The Big Dog get pinned.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a Digital Journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

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