WWE Battleground 2017: Final Picks and Predictions for Entire Match Card

WWE Battleground 2017 will be the fifth installment in the event's history, and it airs live Sunday night from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia at 8 p.m. ET.

Randy Orton has been hot on the heels of Jinder Mahal and his WWE Championship for months, and at Battleground, he will vie for the gold in a Punjabi Prison match. Will he find a way to escape the sadistic structure and reclaim the title?

Although AJ Styles was originally scheduled to contend for the United States Championship, he instead captured the star-spangled prize at a WWE live event earlier in July. What lengths will Kevin Owens go to in order to get the belt back in his possession?

For the first time, Battleground will host a Flag match when John Cena and Rusev rekindle their ruthless rivalry. Who will emerge victorious and make the bigger impact on his return to the ring on the WWE Network?

Fans have been speculating for weeks about which Superstars will reign supreme, not only in the main event but also across the card. With the final pit stop before SummerSlam of the year upon us, these are the predictions that matter most.

Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English (Kickoff Match)

Credit: WWE.com

I was upset two months ago when Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English was announced for the Backlash Kickoff because we had already seen them face off on SmackDown Live twice before. Thus, you can only imagine how frustrated I am we are getting the exact same match again at Battleground.

Additionally, neither of these guys has received the slightest bit of storyline support as of late, so it's yet another meaningless match between them that most fans won't care about. Dillinger can always be counted on to kick off any event on a high note given how much he connects with fans, but he should be more than that.

He received a racuous reaction from the post-WrestleMania crowd when debuted on SmackDown Live back in April, but it was apparent officials had no plans to push him. He has sparingly showed up on WWE TV in the past few months, making this match all the more random.

Similar to how it helped Chad Gable, Dillinger would benefit from answering AJ Styles' U.S. Open Challenge. He's too talented to be wasted by constantly being relegated to Kickoff matches without purpose.

All that aside, Dillinger is a surefire pick to emerge victorious here.

Prediction: Tye Dillinger wins.

Mike Kanellis vs. Sami Zayn

Credit: WWE.com

There are likely those who aren't pleased Sami Zayn isn't higher up on the card at the moment, but let's simply appreciate he has some sort of direction on SmackDown. During his time on Raw, there were points when he wasn't wrestling on the pay-per-views, and obviously Zayn deserved better than that.

Mike and Maria Kanellis, on the other hand, needed a stable feud to kick off their stint on SmackDown the right way. Zayn is perhaps the best possible opponent for Mike considering he makes everyone he steps in the ring with look good and doesn't lose much in defeat being the ultimate underdog he is.

While the rivalry has been relatively tame, it has established Mike and Maria Kanellis as both aggressive and opportunistic. That was evident in Mike's debut match on the most recent edition of SmackDown when he used Maria to distract Zayn and consequently score the victory.

No reason was given as to why this rematch is being held, but it is a fine addition to an already stacked show. It will also give them a chance to have a better bout than they did on Tuesday and leave a bigger impression on fans.

It is way too early in Mike's run for him to be losing, so he should beat Zayn for a second straight time at Battleground.

Prediction: Mike Kanellis wins.

SmackDown Women's Championship No. 1 Contender's Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match

Credit: WWE.com

Raw's women's division isn't exactly lighting the world on fire these days, but SmackDown Live's women's division is in a significantly worse state. This is largely due to how the women are constantly being thrown into multi-woman matches without any real purpose.

Battleground will be no different, as Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Tamina and Lana fight for the chance to contend for Naomi's SmackDown Women's Championship at SummerSlam. It would be a much more compelling contest if we hadn't essentially seen the same match at WrestleMania 33, Backlash and Money in the Bank.

There are a ton of talented ladies on the blue brand, but each is suffering from a lack of character development because there aren't any individual storylines. Here's hoping several feuds emerge from this bout because these No. 1 contender matches have grown tiresome.

Lana had her shot on three separate occasions and lost every time, and Natalya isn't a believable challenger. Lynch would be a fine choice, but Charlotte has unfinished business with Naomi, and therefore she is the pick to win.

Given how much television time she has received lately, Tamina is a dark horse to come out on top, but Flair could get a far better match out of the champion.

Prediction: Charlotte Flair wins.

The Usos vs. The New Day (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)

Credit: WWE.com

The Usos vs. The New Day feud has been well-handled, with the two teams trading victories in singles competition over the past two months. Their Money in the Bank encounter was enjoyable, and they are bound to take it to the next level at Battleground.

There's still some juice left in this feud, which is why The Usos should hold on to the gold for a little longer. Additionally, they have been killing it as the heel champs, and to cut their momentum short with a decisive loss on Sunday would be a mistake.

With American Alpha broken up, no team other than New Day makes sense to take the titles from The Usos. The key will be what happens with the division after this rivalry has run its course and which other teams will rise to prominence.

This program has breathed new life into SmackDown's tag team scene with entertaining matches and awesome mic work. The terrific chemistry The Usos and New Day share has made them a recurring highlight on SmackDown.

Count on The Usos to walk out of Philadelphia with their title reign intact, only for New Day to capture the championships in the same place they kicked off their record-setting reign as tag team champs in 2015: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, at SummerSlam.

Prediction: The Usos retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin

Credit: WWE.com

At Money in the Bank, Shinsuke Nakamura was considered the favorite to capture the contract in the night's main event. However, his hopes of becoming Mr. Money in the Bank were dashed thanks to an ambush at the hands of Baron Corbin before the bout got underway.

Corbin was the best choice to emerge with the briefcase considering he has been on the cusp of the main event scene for several months. He has also shown signs of steady progression over the past year and has the potential to be an even bigger breakout star during the remainder of 2017.

WWE's mentality has always been that no matter how many times the Money in the Bank winner loses, it won't matter because they will cash in the contract successfully. That might do more damage to them in the long term, but it's safe to assume WWE will take a similar route with Corbin, starting with this Battleground match against Nakamura.

The promotion shouldn't be beating him like a drum over the coming months, but he will benefit from working with top-tier talent such as Nakamura and AJ Styles before he captures the championship later this year—he isn't ready quite yet.

Nakamura has been undefeated in singles competition since arriving on SmackDown earlier this year, and he shouldn't suffer his first such defeat at Battleground.

Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura wins.

John Cena vs. Rusev (Flag Match)

Credit: WWE.com

It isn't often we see Flag matches in WWE, and the most recent one featured Rusev when he defeated Jack Swagger at SummerSlam 2014. Thus, he has fared well in this type of matchup before and won't be at a disadvantage versus Sunday's opponent, John Cena.

The two have history, dating back to their long-running rivalry in 2015. And every one of their encounters ranged from good to great. That said, it's apparent they are rekindling their rivalry merely to keep Cena busy before going after the WWE or United States Championship at SummerSlam.

That's a poor use of Rusev, who has proved time and time again he can hang with main event stars. It looked like he would finally be utilized better on SmackDown, but the angle that saw him demand commissioner Shane McMahon granted him a title match at Money in the Bank was quietly dropped.

Rusev deserves better than serving as a stepping stone for Cena, but that's unfortunately the point of this program. Having the Bulgarian Brute score the upset victory would be a pleasant surprise, but he is destined to lose if his attack on Cena this past Tuesday were any indication.

Beyond Battleground, look for Cena to chase Jinder Mahal or AJ Styles for his title as SummerSlam draws closer.

Prediction: John Cena wins.

AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens (United States Championship)

Credit: WWE.com

AJ Styles and Kevin Owens first went to war over the United States Championship at Backlash in May, and Owens managed to retain his title when Styles was counted out. Then, they were set to fight in a rematch for the belt at Battleground, but Styles' victory over Owens at a live event changed the complexion of the contest.

It was a cool way to make WWE house shows feel more unpredictable while also making the outcome of their Battleground championship clash less obvious. Lest we forget, Owens regained the gold from Chris Jericho two days after losing it at Payback, so it isn't guaranteed Styles will walk away from Philadelphia as U.S. champion.

However, Styles is the best choice to carry the title for the foreseeable future. Owens had an entertaining run as champion, but The Phenomenal One could elevate the belt to another level if he brings back the U.S. Open Challenge as promised.

Shinsuke Nakamura and John Cena have both teased going after the star-spangled strap at SummerSlam, but WWE should wait until WrestleMania 34 to do Styles vs. Nakamura. Styles vs. Cena would be an incredible attraction for SummerSlam, whereas Owens can be transitioned into a rivalry with Randy Orton.

Either way, Styles is just getting started as United States champion and should definitively defeat Owens for the first time in a televised match at Battleground.

Prediction: AJ Styles retains the United States Championship.

Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship Punjabi Prison Match)

Credit: WWE.com

I wasn't too high on the idea of a Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal program when it started in April, and nothing they have done since has changed my mind. In fact, the feud has only become more boring and tiresome, with both men cutting the same repetitive promos about patriotism.

Their match at Money in the Bank exceeded expectations, but everything else has fallen flat and hasn't felt important in the slightest. That doesn't mean Mahal should be labeled a failure as WWE champion, but he hasn't carried the brand to new heights like past titleholders have.

Moreover, Orton was uninspiring in the champion role before losing to Mahal at Backlash, so putting the belt back on him anytime soon (for as long as he's a babyface anyway) would be the wrong move to make. As previously mentioned, a feud with Kevin Owens would be fresh, but Orton would benefit from a character overhaul sometime soon.

Thankfully, this Punjabi Prison match appears to be the culmination of this rivalry, and should hopefully also eliminate the possibility of interference from The Singh Brothers. Mahal must emerge victorious in clean fashion considering he has the most to gain from winning this contest and establishing himself as a credible champion.

The previous two Punjabi Prison matches weren't anything to write home about, but it will surely be spectacle, at the very least.

Prediction: Jinder Mahal retains the WWE Championship.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.