WWE Battleground 2017: 8 Most Memorable Moments in Event's History

WWE Battleground is one of the youngest WWE pay-per-views, first airing in 2013. Despite a somewhat rocky start to the show's legacy, Battleground has become an important show for WWE as the yearly lead-in to SummerSlam.

This has been a show of reunions and returns as well as the night where rivals have ended their battles. Battleground has been witness to matches ranging from Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan to Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns.

Moreover, the event has been highlighted by The Wyatt Family returning to prominence, Bayley's debut on the main roster and even the surprise return of The Undertaker. Legends have graced the ring on this night and built a legacy that would appear to span far longer than just four years.

The fifth edition is rapidly approaching, but it will have to live up to the legacy of the shows that came before.

8. Bayley Debuts on the Main Roster to Help Sasha Banks

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2016

The Moment: Sasha Banks was after women's champion Charlotte Flair, but Charlotte's protege Dana Brooke constantly cost Sasha shots at the title. Sasha agreed to a tag team match at Battleground against both with a partner of her choosing. Shocking Charlotte and everyone in attendance, Sasha's partner was none other than NXT's Bayley, who finally debuted on the main roster and helped Sasha dominate the two heels.

Impact: The Four Horsewomen of NXT were broken up when Charlotte, Sasha and Becky Lynch debuted on the main roster without Bayley. While those three were dominating on Raw and SmackDown, Bayley was putting on good to great matches with everyone from Asuka to Eva Marie.

This was not an unforgettable moment, but it was important, as Bayley made sure the women's division was stacked with the best talent WWE had to offer. Seeing Bayley rolling on the main roster, taking out Dana with ferocity, was worth the wait.

Due to Bayley's lingering commitments in NXT, she did not return to the main roster until the end of August, but this was her first appearance on the show and Bayley's opportunity to kick-start a feud with Charlotte that ultimately led to her winning the Raw Women's Championship.

7. Luke Harper Returns to Bray Wyatt's Side

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2015

The Moment: After Roman Reigns cost Bray Wyatt a shot at Money in the Bank, Wyatt declared war on Reigns. However, he looked to be no match for Reigns' power when the two battled. After a grueling 20-minute match, Wyatt revealed the trick up his sleeve as Luke Harper attacked Reigns and cost him the match, setting the stage for a Wyatt Family reunion.

Impact: It is inevitable that stables will break up in WWE, allowing the individual wrestlers to shine on their own. However, The Wyatt Family breakup was largely unsuccessful, with Harper finding success for a few months until there were no stories for him. The group needed to reform to help Wyatt and Harper regain the dominance they once had in WWE.

This was a shocking moment at the time because Wyatt had made no indication that he was looking to reunite his family. Wyatt vs. Reigns was just starting to grow as a feud, but this moment jumpstarted the rivalry. Not only did Wyatt gain his only clear victory over Reigns in the program, he also began to reshape his position in WWE.

This feud would ultimately lead to great matches as well as the debut of Braun Strowman, but it was only thanks to Harper's return to the family that any of the rest was possible.

6. Big Show's Frustration Breaks Up the Main Event

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2013

The Moment: In order to make sure Daniel Bryan did not defeat The Authority's champion, Randy Orton, Triple H and Stephanie had found a way to manipulate Big Show. In order to keep his job, he was forced repeatedly to hurt his friends and was supposed to help Orton retain at Battleground. Instead, his frustration boiled over and he attacked Bryan and Orton, ending the match in a no-contest.

Impact: The Authority angle produced many memorable moments in WWE, but it also disrupted the flow of shows over time. This was a case of a moment superseding a match, as Show's attack made sure the match between Bryan and Orton was widely forgotten over time. It was not the best first impression Battleground could have made with its main event.

Still, it was certainly memorable and changed the direction of WWE for a while. Show became a major part of the storyline with The Authority, even getting one last main-event match out of the deal. While he has often been criticized as a performer, this was an angle that showcased Show's greatest asset: his ability to entertain.

The real issue here was that Show would ultimately be perceived as another obstacle in the way of Bryan's rise to prominence. Now knowing the whole story of Bryan and The Authority, this moment comes off in a better light than it did at the time.

5. Sami Zayn Finally Overcomes His Betrayer Kevin Owens

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2016

The Moment: After almost two years of tension between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, the two decided their final battle would be at Battleground. While Owens had constantly gotten the better of Zayn in their past matches, on this night, Zayn would not be denied. He hit an exploder suplex into the corner to set up a Helluva Kick and then a second for good measure, finally emerging victorious over KO.

Impact: KO debuted at the end of 2014, ending NXT TakeOver: R Evolution with an attack on his best friend Zayn just after he won the NXT Championship. Since then, the two have been connected at every step of their wrestling journey. KO took Zayn's NXT Championship and followed Zayn's path to the main roster, answering John Cena's U.S. Open Challenge just as Zayn had.

When Zayn returned from injury at the Royal Rumble, his first task was to eliminate Owens. These two were so intrinsically connected that it was hard to imagine they would ever stop fighting. Battleground was the culmination of this rivalry, a test of who the best man truly was.

What made this moment special was Zayn finally reaching his catharsis, gaining revenge against his former best friend and standing tall in one of the best matches of the year. The two would go on to battle again soon enough, but this was the last major PPV match they would have and the biggest moment of Zayn's career to date in WWE.

4. Dean Ambrose Wins a War of The Shield and Keeps WWE Championship on SmackDown

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2016

The Moment: At Money in the Bank, all three members of The Shield held the WWE Championship, with Seth Rollins winning the title from Roman Reigns only for Dean Ambrose to cash in on him to take the championship. In a vicious Shield Triple Threat match, Ambrose managed to once more emerge victorious, not only proving himself the better man but also keeping the championship for SmackDown.

Impact: Battleground could be considered the pay-per-view of The Shield, which put on many of the biggest moments and matches of the event. This is the trio's first appearance on the list but certainly not the last. Going into the 2016 event, the biggest story was the WWE draft with Raw and SmackDown once more split up.

This main event for the night was a battle for pride and brand supremacy as the winner would take the WWE Championship to his show, leaving the other brand without a world title. Ambrose was at a distinct disadvantage despite being the current champion as both Rollins and Reigns were members of Raw.

Ambrose's win helped to solidify his status alongside two men who had stepped over him at times to become the best in WWE while also allowing SmackDown a moment of true victory over Raw, which had been considered the top show for years.

3. Dean Ambrose Is Banned from Own Match but Still Attacks Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2014

The Moment: When Rollins did the unthinkable and turned on his Shield brothers, he had no idea how driven Ambrose would be to make him pay. After Rollins stole the Money in the Bank briefcase from Ambrose with Kane's help, they were set to have a match at Battleground. The two began their brawl early, though, causing HHH to ban Ambrose from the building, but Ambrose found his way back inside, attacking Rollins repeatedly even as he was being carried away.

Impact: This was a bold move by WWE, cancelling a scheduled PPV match. However, in aid of the story, it was a brilliant move that stood out more than anything on the 2014 edition of Battleground. It is rare that feuds are so heated that WWE can get away with selling the idea that the wrestlers care more about hurting each other than ever actually wrestling.

Ambrose and Rollins basically had a match, though one that was consistently broken up and waged everywhere but the ring. Rollins took a "victory" by forfeit, with Ambrose coming off as unstoppable as he battled through security and jumped off the announce table just to get a few more shots at his former Shield brother.

The fight even waged past the main segment, with the two brawling in the parking lot as well. It was a brilliant moment for perhaps the best feud of 2014, and it ultimately paid off, with multiple great matches down the line fueled by the animosity on display on this night.

2. The Undertaker Returns to Cost Brock Lesnar the WWE Championship

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2015

The Moment: When Seth Rollins cashed in at WrestleMania 31 in the main event to become WWE champion without pinning the current champ, he did not anticipate Brock Lesnar going berserk until he got his rematch. Rollins looked completely out of his depth against Lesnar before The Undertaker returned and attacked Lesnar to cause a disqualification.

Impact: WrestleMania XXX was the turning point of Brock Lesnar's run in WWE, as he shockingly ended The Streak and becoming a truly unstoppable force of nature. Soon thereafter, Lesnar won the WWE Championship from John Cena and destroyed everyone in his path, only for Seth Rollins to sneak in at WrestleMania 31 and steal the title from The Beast without pinning him.

That made this Battleground moment the culmination of two WrestleManias of buildup, with Lesnar attempting to avenge his loss to Rollins and regain his title only for Taker to return with a vengeance. While the match was not the show-stealer it was expected to be, Taker's return was the surprise turn that made this event special.

This would launch a feud between Lesnar and The Deadman that gave Taker some of the last great performances of his career. It was great to see him competing outside of Mania and jumpstarted the summer for WWE, showing that anything could happen at any time.

1. Cody Rhodes and Goldust Defeat The Shield and Save Their Careers

Credit: WWE.com

Event: Battleground 2013

The Moment: Cody Rhodes made the biggest mistake of his career when he decided to speak out against The Authority. It got him fired after losing a match to then-WWE champion Randy Orton. He and his returning brother Goldust were given one chance to save their careers, facing the unstoppable Shield at Battleground. With Dusty Rhodes watching at ringside, they won the match and the tag team titles as a family.

Impact: On rare occasions, WWE finds the perfect story to both create lasting memories and elevate the wrestlers involved. This match was just that, filled with nostalgia and honest moments of emotion. Not only did it elevate Cody for the first time in years, it also reintroduced fans to Goldust, who had somehow gotten better with age.

The Authority rarely was handed serious losses over the time the group was in control of Raw. Even Daniel Bryan's victories felt temporary until his ultimate win at WrestleMania XXX. This was a true win for the heroes, though, as Cody fought the system and got his job back and managed to get his brother Goldust reinstated, beginning a new run for the veteran.

While the whole match was filled with small moments, including Dusty hitting Ambrose with a Bionic Elbow, and may just be the best match in Battleground's history, it was the final moment of the past, present and future of the Rhodes family hugging in the center of the ring that sealed this as the biggest moment in Battleground's history.