WWE Battleground: Updated Card, Predictions for Each Match
On Sunday at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C., WWE will present the fourth edition of WWE Battleground. While the show's three-year history has been largely lackluster up to this point, this year's card is jam-packed with grudge matches and championship bouts.
Perhaps even more important for this pay-per-view is that it will be the first event this year to follow the WWE draft, with the show potentially being one of the last opportunities for certain rivals to clash and other performers to get a shot at championship gold.
As it stands, this is the official WWE Battleground card:
- The Highlight Reel with the returning Randy Orton.
- Becky Lynch vs. Natalya.
- The Miz (c) vs. Darren Young for the Intercontinental Championship.
- Rusev (c) vs. Zack Ryder for the United States Championship.
- Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Sasha Banks and a partner of her choosing.
- Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens.
- The New Day vs. The Wyatt Family.
- John Cena, Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Club.
- Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship.
This year's Battleground has more uncertainty surrounding it than any year before because of the unknown factor of the brand split. That makes this show all the more interesting, with the results of these matches possibly having massive ramifications for both Raw and SmackDown going forward.
As we get closer to Sunday's event, predicting the matches for the show becomes more and more pertinent, exploring just how important this show and each match could be for the future of a new-look WWE.
Becky Lynch vs. Natalya
1 of 8
For over a year, WWE has been seeking an evolution in women's wrestling. WrestleMania 32 led to the Divas being officially rebranded as women, and that moment was meant to kick-start the division's prestige and spotlight.
However, the women's division has looked more and more like the Divas division of old lately, with the focus being placed on one feud surrounding the Women's Championship. It is important that WWE shows its commitment to the division by creating multiple feuds that are not predicated on the desire to become champion.
While Becky Lynch and Natalya have not been given much television time to develop their conflict, their heated rivalry has been a breath of fresh air that the division needed. A simple but classic feud, these two women have been at each other's throats since Natalya's betrayal of Lynch at Money in the Bank.
Most of their interactions have been pure brawls. Both women have ignored their regularly scheduled duties, blowing off matches and interviews just to get a physical upper hand in this struggle. While Natalya has frequently been the aggressor, she has also brought out a more primal side of Lynch, who seems to be at wits' end with her one-time friend.
At Battleground, the two will be able to fight on a level playing field. Given Lynch's rising status on the roster as a babyface, it is unlikely she'll lose a fair fight against heel Natalya, who has already spent several months feuding for the championship.
The main uncertainty in this rivalry is how long it will last. Lynch is almost certainly pegged to win, but if this is meant to last several months, Natalya will gain wins along the way as well. Regardless of the future plans, it just feels right for Lynch vs. Natalya to have The Lass Kicker win clean in their first bout, leading to Natalya adopting more nefarious means of gaining victories.
Prediction: Becky Lynch
The Miz (c) vs. Darren Young (Intercontinental Championship)
2 of 8
Darren Young has been a member of the main roster in WWE since 2010, but he has never had a singles title match. While there are myriad reasons for this, Young has never been considered a major performer in the company, with his only success coming from his work with Titus O'Neil as a part of The Prime Time Players.
Given his lack of status within the company, it came as a surprise in May when Young was paired with WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund in a series of vignettes. Two months were spent building up Young's changing style and character through the teachings of his life coach, Backlund. The pairing came off as both odd and perhaps a waste of energy if WWE did not mean to commit to Young as a singles star.
On July 11, though, Young made his return to WWE and won a Battle Royal to earn the right to challenge The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship. It was a huge step up for Young, as the decorated Miz has had eight singles title runs, including a reign as WWE champion. Miz has also been one of WWE's biggest mainstream performers in recent years with his developing acting career.
This feud has not had time to develop, but the dynamic is straightforward. Miz is a longtime veteran who has found consistent success, while Young is a veteran with almost nothing to his name. Backlund is the X-factor, a man who has seemingly rejuvenated Young's career, allowing Young to take his first shot at his dream of becoming a champion in WWE.
With WWE likely scrambling for roster depth on both brands, Young's rise in prominence could be a lasting proposition, and having him win the Intercontinental Championship right after his return would cement his credibility with Backlund at his side. However, The Miz is the much bigger star, and he can help make the Raw and SmackDown transitions easier by being champion on one of the brands.
While Young could win in a major upset—and WWE has been known to put the midcard championships on its latest projects—Miz is a surefire champion, and the challenger doesn't yet seem ready to carry that gold.
Prediction: The Miz
Rusev (c) vs. Zack Ryder (United States Championship)
3 of 8
Similar to Darren Young's bid for the Intercontinental Championship, Zack Ryder is an underdog set against a top star. Ryder is a veteran with little gold to his name. Despite several surges in popularity during his career, he has been treated as enhancement talent for much of his tenure in WWE, rarely allowed to even speak on a live microphone.
However, WWE has shown signs over the past few months that it acknowledges Ryder's potential value to the roster. At WrestleMania 32, his Intercontinental Championship victory was the upset of the night, giving Long Island Iced Z just his second taste of singles gold. He only held the title for one day, but he was given a rare WrestleMania moment.
Meanwhile, Rusev has been a monster in WWE for much of his run, forgiving his six months of relationship drama following his lost feud against John Cena in 2015. For the most part, The Bulgarian Brute has been dominant, particularly when holding championship gold. His second reign as U.S. champion has only recently kicked off, which makes it unlikely he'll lose the gold quickly.
Rusev and Ryder's feud is mostly about Ryder, who's evolved into a man who will always rise to a challenge if the opportunity presents itself. Ryder has gone on a hot streak lately, leading him to challenge Rusev, who seemed happy to accept once his opponent was laid out.
Ryder only seems to gain steam and pick up wins when it is least expected. This latest run comes off as WWE just creating a challenge for Rusev to overcome rather than building up Ryder. The Hype Bro wasn't allowed two days as champion when he last held a belt, so it's unlikely he'd be given the U.S. title with Rusev's dominant roll only beginning.
Prediction: Rusev
Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Sasha Banks and TBA
4 of 8
For the second month in a row, the Women's Championship will not be defended on PPV. Instead, the champion, Charlotte, will be competing in a tag team match with her current rival, which is Sasha Banks this time around. This is an odd choice by WWE, as it takes away the stakes from what is supposed to be WWE's top women's feud.
Banks made her return to WWE in June after an unexplained hiatus and immediately restarted her feud with Charlotte, which began before WrestleMania 32. Given Banks' popularity, it makes sense for the brand going into SummerSlam.
Charlotte has been women's champion for 106 days on top of her 196 days as Divas champion before the title's retirement. Altogether, her title reign has lasted longer than Nikki Bella's record-setting Divas Championship reign. Charlotte's time as champion has had many ups and downs, but it has solidified her as the top wrestler in the division.
Banks has been underused in that same time, with no real rivals or stories to work with beyond the WrestleMania buildup. Still, she has kept her popularity with fans who consider her among the future of the division. Her feud with Charlotte seems poised to help Banks finally take that spot.
So far, it has been driven by fear. While Charlotte has been dominant as champion, she shows a quiet trepidation at the prospect of fighting Banks for the Women's Championship, which has led to her giving Banks a variety of obstacles to a title shot, including this match.
This contest is not for the championship. Therefore, there is little reason why Banks, who has been nearly unstoppable in matches since her debut in July 2015, would lose. The one question mark is the identity of Banks' tag team partner to face Charlotte and Dana Brooke.
The obvious answer would be Paige given the two's recent partnership, which led to Banks' return, but with many NXT stars likely to debut through Tuesday's draft, it is more likely Banks will get assistance from a new women's wrestler—namely the face of NXT herself, Bayley (even if Banks has denied she'll go that way).
Prediction: Sasha Banks and Bayley
Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens
5 of 8
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have been intertwined since long before they came to WWE. These two Superstars have already defined Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor. Now, they have taken over WWE with a feud that began in NXT and moved right onto the main roster, with this match billed as being their final encounter.
Owens and Zayn are among the best and brightest new stars in WWE, with both likely to be fighting for and holding championship gold this year and beyond, but they have consistently been placed in each other's way; Zayn has cost Owens the Royal Rumble and the Intercontinental Championship, and KO took the NXT Championship off Zayn.
Going into Battleground, Zayn and Owens' rivalry has reached its breaking point, and it is the most heated match on the card. It is a wonder they are not wrestling with a stipulation that would make sure they don't just brawl right out of the building. The two men have heavy chemistry that could easily help them steal the show.
This contest could go either way. Neither Owens nor Zayn will lose anything from a defeat here, especially since both have been equally strong throughout. This will be all about who has bragging rights whenever they end up clashing once more, which is inevitable for two men so constantly entwined.
Given Owens has spent much of this rivalry bragging about his superiority, it seems most likely Zayn will get the final laugh. KO has enjoyed significant success already in his short time in WWE, and he has proved he can easily brush off losses. Zayn is an underdog on the rise who could be launched with a win in this feud. A Zayn win would let both move onto future success.
Prediction: Sami Zayn
The New Day vs. The Wyatt Family
6 of 8
Since The New Day first became tag team champions in April 2015, Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods have defined the division with their unique brand of humor. Many have challenged the champions, but no one has captured the crowd in the same way The New Day has, particularly over its 330-plus-day title reign.
WWE has brought up many young tag teams lately, but the first team to match the energy of The New Day is The Wyatt Family. Thanks to the undeniable chemistry of Bray Wyatt, his group has connected with The New Day in a unique way over the past month.
The story between these two was built on a clash of ideologies: New Day's positivity vs. Wyatt's realism. The New Day picked a fight with Wyatt because it felt his message was too depressing, but it has quickly begun to realize the threat it has aggravated. The three even went so far as to take an invitation to the Wyatt Family's compound, only to nearly get decapitated.
The most interesting problem The New Day has faced, though, is fear in its own ranks. Kingston and Big E have kept their humor in the wake of The Wyatt Family threats, but Woods has shown dissension, worried for good reason that his friends are not taking the Wyatts seriously. These frightening and personal problems have made this the most real threat to The New Day in a year.
This six-man tag match does not include the championships being on the line, which means The Wyatt Family's chances of victory are even higher than normal. It has been an unstoppable force since its recent re-emergence in WWE, and The New Day need to be forced to see it for the danger it is.
While this will be a competitive match, the only way this feud keeps moving forward is with a definitive victory by The Wyatt Family. That would hopefully lead to a match with more stakes next time around.
Prediction: The Wyatt Family
John Cena, Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Club
7 of 8
Wrestling in the 2000s was defined by a few dominant names. In WWE, John Cena became the face of the brand, winning 15 world championships while being in the main event of almost every PPV for a decade. While his formulaic offense in the ring and promos caused many fans to dislike him, his impressive toughness and steady improvement as a performer has made him a legend in the business.
At the same time, AJ Styles was becoming the face of a brand-new wrestling promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where his high-flying, high-impact style caught the minds and hearts of fans all over the world. Many believed that, despite his impressive ability, he would never be able to make it in WWE, but after his success in both TNA and New Japan Pro Wrestling, he came to WWE, setting up a true dream feud.
Much of what divides Styles and Cena is where they succeeded. While both dominated their respective brands, Cena was always made out to be the bigger man because he was in the No. 1 promotion. Now Styles wants to make up for lost time and define WWE around his image with the help of his friends from Japan, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson—collectively known as The Club.
Enzo Amore and Big Cass recently joined Cena's side in the fight against The Club, finding its dirty tactics to be a threat to the business. Together, Cena, Amore and Cass are fighting The Club over the image the WWE will take on in the next five years.
The Club has been an impressive presence in WWE so far, but it has also lost frequently because of its initial feuds being against Roman Reigns and Cena rather than being naturally built up against lesser competition. This booking has made The Club in need of wins.
However, this match is the second part of Cena's feud with Styles, which will likely last long past SummerSlam, so it will almost certainly follow along the typical 50-50 line until Cena and Styles have their ultimate clash. Given Styles won the first match against Cena, The Club will lose here to even the score.
Prediction: John Cena, Enzo Amore and Big Cass
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns (WWE Championship)
8 of 8
At the tail end of 2012, WWE was in need of a major shake-up, but no one could have expected where it would come from. At Survivor Series, The Shield made its debut, making its presence felt in the main event and beginning a run of dominance by three rookies: Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.
When The Shield broke up the night after Payback 2014, when Rollins assaulted his brothers-in-arms, the three wrestlers were more over than almost anyone else on the roster. They quickly began dominating WWE as singles competitors. Rollins, Ambrose and Reigns feuded with top stars and all went after the WWE Championship.
Rollins ended up being the first to win the gold, pinning Reigns at WrestleMania 31 in what became a Triple Threat contest when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Reigns won the title in a tournament finale against Ambrose at Survivor Series 2015 after Rollins was forced to vacate it because of injury. Ambrose later won the title off Rollins, who defeated Reigns in his return title match at Money in the Bank this year.
The three have always been intertwined because of their shared history and quick rise to the main event. However, while each of the three has faced the other two in singles matches, there has not been a Triple Threat match between The Shield members before Battleground.
Now that each man has been champion, it is time to see all three clash for the gold they have craved since they debuted. Ambrose is the champion, but he is set to face Rollins for the title on Monday Night Raw before Sunday's contest. It would be surprising to see WWE make a change right before Battleground, but you never know with this promotion.
Since Ambrose just won the title at Money in the Bank, it is likely he'll retain in this Triple Threat. Ambrose has had to wait the longest of the three to become champion and deserves some time with the belt. With the brand split on Tuesday, it is likely he'll be separated from Reigns and Rollins so those two can continue their feud separately while Ambrose continues as champion.
Prediction: Dean Ambrose
