Is a John Cena Win vs. Rusev Guaranteed at WWE Battleground 2017?

As John Cena prepares to take on Rusev in the rare dual-comeback match Sunday, all signs point to WWE's poster child and All-American hero prevailing.

With Jinder Mahal doing WWE's version of the outdated "evil foreigner" character opposite Randy Orton, he'll make for a great foil for Cena in a potential SummerSlam feud as WWE goes all-in on the U.S. vs. the world booking strategy.

Rusev attacked Cena Tuesday on SmackDown Live, all but sealing his fate based on WWE's typical pattern of booking someone to look strong on the go-home show only to lose at the pay-per-view. 

So is a John Cena victory guaranteed? Not necessarily. In fact, a Cena win isn't assured at all. 

Given the stipulation of this encounter, a Flag match, and comparing who has more to gain, a Rusev win sounds like the way to go, and there are several reasons why.

John Cena Has Nothing to Gain by Beating Rusev

Let's face it, John Cena is John Cena. He's one of the few WWE Superstars in the rich history of the sport to successfully cross over to A-list movies.

Cena is on the same trajectory as The Rock in terms of becoming a box office superstar with surprising range given his chiseled frame. He tied Ric Flair's record for most world championships in history with his 16th title success earlier in the year, and with his days numbered as even a part-time WWE performer, there's a good chance WWE pulls the trigger to have him break that record.

Losing to Rusev in a Flag Match will not make a dent on his resume. Always remember this is the same John Cena who once lost to something called a Kevin Federline and didn't skip a beat. And if Rusev beats Cena because he grabbed a flag, so be it. Rusev's stock would grow, and Cena will ride again.

Rusev Has Everything to Gain by Beating John Cena

Let's face it, Rusev is, well, Rusev. The man had a rookie year comparable to that of Kurt Angle and even a poor man's Bill Goldberg. With Lana by his side, the two put a unique twist on the otherwise played-out "evil foreigner" stereotype WWE has so strangely relied upon for Battleground.

But since then, Rusev's career has been plagued by injuries, bad booking decisions and that League of Nations abomination.

Try to remember the last time Rusev was in a relevant storyline. It was likely in 2015 against John Cena. 

Now, once again paired with WWE's top star and fresh off a respite, Rusev has the opportunity to become the monster he was two years ago. Rusev entered WrestleMania 31 on a tank, and it was awesome. WWE doesn't do that for just anybody. It's clear this promotion once saw something special in the Bulgarian Brute. With a new lease on life, it's time to tap into that special something with a big win over Cena.

Who Really Wants to See John Cena Get All Patriotic for Another Month?

John Cena recently leaned all the way into patriotism during a rah-rah speech that could have doubled as an audition tape for Gran Torino 2: Stay off My Lawn.

It was a bit much and may have been just about all most people can stomach of Cena singing the praises of a country that is more divided than ever.

As Wade Keller of PWTorch noted: "I'm not sure how many pro wrestling fans tune in for that maudlin level flag-waving rah-rah stuff, especially in the context of promoting a pro wrestling exhibition in the same breath as speaking about D-Day [and] 9/11."

Is this John Cena going to win a Flag match against Rusev and go on to continue to wave Old Glory into SummerSlam against another foreigner in Jinder Mahal? Remember, SummerSlam is in New York, a liberal state that doesn't buy into proud-American jargon.

Going deeper, SummerSlam will be held in the hipster safe space of Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Their favorite thing about America is the fact it has plenty of coffee shops. WWE is close to exhausting its goodwill with this us vs. them act. It's time to change direction. 

Can Rusev just have this one?

SmackDown Is in Dire Need of a Top Heel

SmackDown's heel situation is as dicey as it gets. Here's a quick rundown of the heels on the blue brand: 

• Baron Corbin, the Money in the Bank holder, is a work in progress who could be great in a few years. 
• Kevin Owens is a cool heel who gets cheered consistently. Owens is a heel the same way Paul George is a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. People will go along with this charade as long as it lasts, but it sadly won't last for long.
• Jinder Mahal is a midcard WWE champion. 
• The Usos are amazing, but they're an endangered species as a tag team in WWE. 

Rusev has an opportunity to beat an all-time great and build momentum as a legit top heel on SmackDown Live. Being a heel is among the hardest feats in WWE today given an increase in hip audiences who refuse to go along with the script and love cheering bad guys.

The Bulgarian Brute could face those strange struggles given how inherently likable he is, something that was put on full display through his comedic styling as Big Bart on Southpaw Regional Wrestling.

But WWE needs a heel to step up and tick people off. And Rusev just might be talented enough to pull it off. 

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.