Well, my predictions were terribly wrong. However, that's a good thing, because Battleground was outstanding!
From top-to-bottom, from bell-to-bell, from the pre-show to the main event, the 2016 WWE Battleground was a dynamite pay-per-view. WWE's creative powers ushered in a new era with a high-octane showcase of some of today's and tomorrow's brightest talent. There were stories told, titles retained and surprises revealed as WWE delivered a superb Battleground event.
With a card that could rival that of any recent SummerSlam, this year's Battleground is going to be a hard act to follow, as we head into an exciting new era.
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There were nine big matches to cover, plus a special edition of Jericho's Highlight Reel, featuring a returning Randy Orton.
Let's dive into the results and hand out some grades.
KICKOFF/PRE-SHOW
BREEZANGO DEF. THE USOS
This was a huge victory for Tyler Breeze and Fandango. In fact, this was the biggest win of the Breezango run to date. Both men have struggled in putting the pieces together as a tag team. However, getting the rub from a big win over a team as notable as The Usos, that will do wonders for a tandem of any caliber.
I wouldn't be too concerned about this loss affecting Jimmy and Jey too much. They're an established, top-tier tag team. Having a pre-show loss under their belt won't do any damage. In fact, it looks good on them to put over a younger, up and coming duo, such as Breezango.
Overall, this was a solid match. It wasn't very long, but it served it's purpose as a kickoff bout.
GRADE: B+
SASHA BANKS & BAYLEY DEF. CHARLOTTE & DANA BROOKE
It may have been a one-time deal for Bayley, but she left her mark on the WWE Universe. When Bayley's music hit, the Verizon Center exploded with what was likely the biggest pop of the evening. Bayley is such a loved talent, I can't see why she wasn't picked up in the draft. Nonetheless, she made a huge impact and once she does get her official call-up, the fans will be ready.
The only two problems I saw with this bout, was the fact that the champion was made to look incredibly weak. Also, the time. It's a tag match, regardless if it's men or women, a tag team contest needs more than seven minutes to effectively tell a story.
Even with the limited working time, the match was still pretty good. In the end, it was Banks who shined the brightest. Don't be surprised if The Boss is on-deck for the next women's title reign.
GRADE: B
THE WYATT FAMILY DEF. THE NEW DAY
If anyone needed a pay-per-view win, it was Bray Wyatt. With the draft seemingly splitting The Wyatt Family apart, it appeared The New Day might have had the advantage in what was probably the grand finale of this rivalry. However, that wasn't the case as Bray and his masked monsters took care of business in dominating fashion.
As the match was heading into its final moments, Bray finished things off by getting into Xavier Woods' mind and just when it appeared to be shifting in the favor of The New Day, Bray catches Woods with a beautifully executed Sister Abigail, then got the pinfall victory.
The star of this contest was undoubtedly Bray Wyatt. He was flawless with his maneuverability and he told a captivating story, using only his eyes. This guy is beyond ready for a big push.
U.S. TITLE MATCH: RUSEV(C) DEF. ZACK RYDER
As much as I like and respect Ryder, there was only one outcome that made sense for this match. The United States title is in much better hands with The Bulgarian Brute.
The match wasn't terrible and Ryder showed brief signs of life, but when it's all said and done, Rusev is the only one capable of elevating the title to the status which it rightfully deserves.
GRADE: C+
SAMI ZAYN DEF. KEVIN OWENS
What we have here is the match of the night. My...oh...my, what a match!
Like I've said time and time again, I could watch these two wrestle all night. Sami and Kevin are without question, the best feud in all of wrestling today. These guys obviously know one another extremely well and their chemistry is absolutely unbreakable. No matter who the record books sat gets the win, there is no real loser and the true winners are the fans who get to witness this magic.
Moving forward, I can certainly see both men moving into some sort of title contention. It's going to be a fun ride!
GRADE: A+
NATALYA DEF. BECKY LYNCH
I didn't expect much out of this match, but the ladies surprised me with a really good match. Natalya is such a highly underrated talent. The problem she is facing and will continue to face, is the amount of quality ladies in the women's division, plus the young ladies still in NXT, waiting to come up.
This wasn't some sort of light the world on fire match, but it was far from a bathroom break contest. Becky Lynch is certainly a championship-worthy talent. She'll just have to wait in line, but there's not many who can jump ahead of her, other than maybe Sasha Banks.
INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE MATCH: THE MIZ VS. DARREN YOUNG(DBL DQ)
If there was one match that didn't meet its expectations, it was this one. In the weeks leading up to this match, Darren Young really appeared to be building some serious steam, only to fall flat when it mattered most. The whole "Make Darren Young Great again" angle with Backlund all really seemed nonsensical at the conclusion of this bout.
The Miz is someone who I have defended on a consistent basis, as one of wrestlings most underrated title holders. However, he didn't live up to that notion at Battleground.
When the bell finally rang, we had eight minutes of a disaster. For one reason or the other The Miz and Darren Young just couldn't sync up and get this thing off the ground and that's too bad.
GRADE: C-
JOHN CENA, ENZO & BIG CASS DEF. THE CLUB
Let me start off by saying that before the match even started, Enzo Amore delivered yet another fantastic, comedic promo. If this guy doesn't make it as an in-ring performer, he definitely has a career as a manager. This guy is absolutely hilarious he and Colin Cassady are so over with the fans, it's insane. The rub they've gotten from being paired with John Cena is something that they will both benefit from and appreciate for years to come.
When the bell finally rang, we got nearly fifteen minutes of quality action from all six competitors. Even in a losing effort, AJ Styles is consistently one of the best pure wrestlers on this planet. If this guy isn't challenging for a top title by the end of the year, it'll be a travesty.
I'm curious to see how The Club stable moves forward, with AJ going to Smackdown and Gallows and Anderson remaining on Raw. It's very possible that Bálor picks up where Styles left of, but I don't see Finn turning heel immediately. We will just have to watch and see.
GRADE: B
MAIN EVENT: TRIPLE THREAT FOR WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
DEAN AMBROSE(c) DEF. SETH ROLLINS & ROMAN REIGNS
Four years ago, The Shield made their main roster debut and completely turned the company upside down. For weeks and months, the Hounds of Justice dominated everything that moved and conquered everything that had life.
Since that very beginning, the talk began of what would happen if the trio were to split and go to war with one another. Well, at Battleground, we got our answer. The battle of The Shield was one for the ages. Just like three disgruntled brothers, each one knew exactly what the other was going to do, before they even made a move.
This match was exactly at the level we all should have expected. There was intense in-ring competition and compelling storytelling all throughout the match.
In the end, there was shattered bodies and a destroyed ringside set. Everything within reach was used during this match. Each of the three had their moments at one point or another, but there could only be one. When it was all said and done, the champion proved to have just a minimal amount of extra fuel left in his tank, which is ultimately, what carried him over the top.
GRADE: A
REFLECTIONS
It was an incredibly successful night for WWE and the WWE Universe. Heading into this equipment era, the company needed to have at least a decent event, but instead, they delivered what was one of the better pay-per-view events in recent memory. With a card that could legitimately rival one of the top level WWE events, this was a night that Vince and his crew should pat themselves on the back for.
As far as who stood out, their was not just one particular superstar who excelled over the others. However, if I had to award an overall MVP on the evening, it would probably be Sami Zayn. The effort he put forth against Kevin Owens was second to no one.
I also have to give kudos to Bray Wyatt. This man is one of the most under-appreciated talents in all of wrestling. Not to mention one of the most creative minds in the business today. Unfortunately, his pay-per-view luck hasn't been anything to write home about. But, at Battleground, the Eater of Worlds was able to redeem himself in a major way. Hopefully a push is in his near future.
Finally, it was great to see The Viper, Randy Orton back in the ring, even though it was just a Highlight Reel appearance. He has a chance to have a historic night at SummerSlam, as he has the unfortunate task of taming The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar.
