WWE Battleground 2016: Biggest Winners and Losers from PPV Event

The Superstars of WWE rolled into the nation's capital Sunday night for a Battleground pay-per-view, and many used the event as a launching pad for their upcoming runs on either Raw and SmackDown, earning "winner" or "loser" status for their performances in the process.

There were monumental championship clashes in which one man not only erased preconceived notions but also established his new home's brand as the hottest in the sport.

Then there was the beloved competitor who emerged from NXT to steal the spotlight and earn one of the most organic pops in recent memory.

Another former NXT standout continued to mesmerize audiences with his promo style and unorthodox in-ring work en route to a huge victory for him and his team.

Unfortunately, not everyone could claim a successful night.

Two Superstars on the receiving end of huge championship bouts failed to live up to the moment, their booking damning them to mediocrity and a complete lack of faith from fans.

On a night with huge implications for WWE's brand extension, these Superstars left the greatest impressions—for better or worse.

Winner: Bayley

The most beloved character in NXT history made her main-roster debut in grand fashion Sunday night, exploding through the curtain to a pop unrivaled by any other all night and joining Sasha Banks to defeat Charlotte and Dana Brooke in the night's opening contest.

It was the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and devotion to her craft. Fans were not the only ones genuinely happy to see Bayley realize her dream. Banks, her former on-screen rival, was visibly emotional both before and after the match as she stood side-by-side with her partner.

Bayley never disappointed. She brought undeniable energy to the match and even played the babyface in peril when the time called for it. Not the focus of the contest, she played a great second fiddle to Banks.

After all, The Boss is the one gearing up for a championship clash with Charlotte at SummerSlam.

Still, Bayley shined under the brightest lights and left an impression on the WWE Universe that can be enhanced when she makes her way to Raw or SmackDown permanently, presumably after August's TakeOver: Back to Brooklyn, where she figures to challenge Asuka for the NXT Women's Championship.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

For years, Dean Ambrose was treated as the third-most important member of the unit formerly known as The Shield. He regularly did jobs for both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns and was never allowed the opportunity to go over his former teammates in a high-profile match.

He got the last laugh Sunday night, though, when he entered Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center as WWE champion and delivered a Dirty Deeds to Reigns to ensure he left the same way.

Ambrose was even given the grand celebration to close out the show.

The same week in which The Lunatic Fringe was SmackDown Live's first overall draft pick, defeated Seth Rollins to successfully retain his title on said show and put to rest the vendetta that existed between him and his former Shield mates, he silenced any and all critics by proving that his title reign is anything but a transitional one.

How he follows up his monumental week will determine how history remembers Ambrose's title run, but for now, it is heading in the right direction.

Loser: Zack Ryder

On Sunday night, Zack Ryder returned to championship relevance when he battled Rusev for The Bulgarian Brute's United States Championship.

Unfortunately, Long Island Iced Z never came across as a credible threat to capture the title. Instead, he looked like a generic good guy, sporting red-white-and-blue tights straight out of Ultimate Warrior's 1991 wardrobe.

It was pandering at its weakest, and it hardly worked. Fans never bought into Ryder's chances to win, and the result was an underwhelming crowd response, despite a very solid match.

Hurting Ryder even more was the fact that he played the role of damsel in distress, needing longtime NXT tag team partner Mojo Rawley to make the save after the bell.

The result? Heat was taken straight off Ryder and given to Rawley, who was treated like a much bigger star in two minutes than Ryder was in the entire build to his title opportunity.

Winner: Enzo Amore

Enzo Amore continues to prove himself as one of the most valuable stars of WWE's bright future, a virtuoso mic performer whose ability to capture the audience is his greatest attribute.

On Sunday night, he used that attribute to put the fans in Washington, D.C. on their feet and chanting, "Ooooh, Enzo Amore!" Partner John Cena sat back and watched, visibly amused by The Certified G's shtick.

Amore's performance did not end once the bell ended. Energized and determined to prove he was every bit the wrestler of his two opponents, the Superstar out of Hackensack, New Jersey, sold for his opponents before firing back into the bout with DDT-based offense.

From there, his amusing showdown with both Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows as the ferocious pit-bull type who has not realized he is the smallest dog in the fight fired the crowd up and ensured a hot finish.

Despite all of the early attention paid to Big Cass, Amore has proven himself the consummate underdog that fans cannot help but connect with and invest in and that will do him wonders going forward, particularly if WWE management inexplicably splits the popular team. 

Loser: Darren Young

Darren Young entered Battleground lacking any measurable crowd heat, his rise to intercontinental title contention the result of a fluke Battle Royal win and a series of poorly received vignettes involving a Hall of Famer whose last in-ring action came in 1996.

Thus, it should be of no great surprise to anyone that fans found it difficult to invest in him during Sunday's match with The Miz.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the match, except the lack of crowd heat, but there was also nothing that suggested Young can or will succeed in his current role.

The most damning moment of the entire ordeal came after a confusing double-disqualification finish. Frustrated, Young trapped Miz in the Crossface Chicken Wing at ringside, then rose and stared at his hands.

As if he could not be any less interesting, WWE Creative now has him ripping off the gimmick of mentor Bob Backlund, who was more over in his post-match meltdown than Young was for anything he did in the 10 minutes that preceded it.

Some guys will always be more effective tag team workers than singles stars, and Young appears to fall into that category a little more with every passing bout he works alone on Raw.

Winners: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's longtime rivalry was at the heart of Sunday's best bout, an emotionally fueled grudge match that saw the childhood friends unleash all of their hatred and frustration on each other in grand fashion.

Fans were compelled by the match the former Ring of Honor and NXT standouts delivered, particularly late in the contest, when Zayn showed more intensity and fury than he has to this point in finishing Owens off with the Helluva Kick.

Easily the best match of the Battleground card, the Superstars accomplished an amazing feat: This was their second pay-per-view contest this year to merit Match of the Year consideration, their first coming back at Payback.

Though commentators tried to sell their match as the final chapter in their story, the fact they are both on the Raw brand suggests that is not the truth. In fact, would anyone really be that shocked if they wage war on Monday's broadcast, a desperate attempt by management to steal viewers with a rematch of Sunday's epic encounter?

Either way, Owens and Zayn continued to prove themselves as two of the best wrestlers in the industry, their consistent appearances in the best matches on any given card proof of their work and abilities.

Winner: Randy Orton

The Viper returned to WWE Sunday night, as Randy Orton joined Chris Jericho for a special edition of The Highlight Reel.

The Orton fans witnessed at Battleground was not the slow, methodical, cerebral, third-generation performer they had become accustomed to. No, the Orton they witnessed during Sunday's interview segment was more alive, energetic and animated than ever before.

He spoke quickly, delivered more than one witty retort and even took shots at everyone from Brock Lesnar to Fandango with pointed criticisms.

And in true Orton fashion, he delivered an RKO to put an exclamation point on the segment, leaving Jericho lying to a big pop.

The fact that Orton referenced Lesnar's recent drug-test failures instantly added more tension and heat to the upcoming match, injecting a personal edge to their program that will only help it stand out.

After so many years of calculated movement and cold demeanor, it was refreshing to see Orton be himself and showcase more personality than he has in years.