WWE Battleground 2017 Predictions

Hello Misfits! This is The Wrestling Classic here with my predictions for this Sunday’s Battleground. Its Smackdown Live’s final stop before Summerslam. It’s also the return of the Punjabi Prison Match. Fitting for the stipulation to return at a PPV names Battleground. The card is stacked with big matches. Cena/Rusev, Styles/Owens and Orton/Mahal are reasons enough to be excited for this event. Also getting to Shinsuke Nakamura in action is always the treat. Smackdown’s women’s division gets spotlighted again with five of the girls wrestling each other for the shot at the Women’s Championship at Summerslam. I don’t have high expectations for this PPV but I do expect it to be pretty damn good. I feel like a lot of people have low expectations for it mostly the main event. However, I think we’ll be surprised.

This is the kickoff match for the event so chances are that I’m going to miss it. I don’t see Aiden English picking up the victory unless they’re planning on building a feud between these two for the next couple of the weeks. Tye Dillinger takes the win here. I think they need to keep Tye over for when they figure out what they want to do with him.
Prediction – Tye Dillinger

This is a rematch from this weeks Smackdown Live. On Smackdown Live, Mike Kanellis went over when Maria Kanellis interfered stalling a helluva kick by Sami Zayn allowing Mike to get the cheap shot. I feel like to keep this angle going we something similar happen here at Battleground. Maria will happen Mike pick up his first PPV victory and it will lead to Sami wanting to overcome those odds moving forward.
Prediction – Mike Kanellis

Image via WWE.com

This might be the end of the Usos reign and the beginning of a NEW DAY! The Usos picked up the last victory on Smackdown when Jonathan Uso defeated Kofi Kingston. The Usos have also been the longest reigning Smackdown tag team champions of this linage thus far. I think the fact that the Usos are going into this PPV strong means they won’t walk out strong at Battleground. The New Day era starts on Smackdown Live this Sunday. Personally I would love for the Uso’s to retain but I feel like that won’t be the case unless theres another finish like last months PPV.
Prediction – The New Day

Kevin Owens lost the United States Championship to AJ Styles at a live event that took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This is Kevin Owens official rematch to regain the United States to reclaim his moniker of “The Face of America”. I think it would be ridiculous to hot potato the championship since we basically saw something similar just months ago between Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens. I believe this might possibly be the best match on the card but in the end AJ finds a way to overcome KO to retain the US Championship. I don’t know how but I’d be mind blown to see the title just to be put back on Owens. Jericho return maybe or hold off on that for a episode or Smackdown or later?
Prediction – AJ Styles

This is once again another time Smackdown writers try to make the most of their entire womens roster instead of focusing just on one or two women. Although it’s starting to feel repetitive for Smackdown Live, it works because since the brand shake-up it involves a entirely new crop of women. It is sort of a bummer that Naomi isn’t defending her title on the show and I totally understand that Carmella isn’t in the match since she is already Ms. Money in the Bank. I personally think every woman involved in this match is super talented and is a potential number one contender but considering that next months PPV is Summerslam, WWE’s second biggest PPV of the year, I have to go with Charlotte vs. Naomi. I think this match will be filled with moments and possibly start a new rivalry between Lana and Becky Lynch. In the end though, I see Charlotte going over.
Prediction – Charlotte

These two have spent weeks attacking each other from behind until this week where they were both involved in a tag match against each other. Baron Corbin to me is good but he’s not great yet. He’s missing that something that makes him feel important and they really need to build him up before he cashes in the Money in the Bank. I do think Baron Corbin defeating Shinsuke Nakamura would do wonders for him and give him A TON of heat. However, I think WWE wants to protect their investment in Nakamura and Corbin is already protected because he already has that briefcase that guarantees to keep him important. I personally envision Shinsuke walking out victorious here, lighting a fire in Baron Corbin moving forward. There may even be a chance where the finish might involve both guys going over strong and no clear cut winner.
Prediction – Shinsuke Nakamura

Image via WWE.com

Rusev and Cena again come face to face in the squared circle and this time is a patriotic war. Both men made their big returns on the July 4th episode of Smackdown Live which led to them getting booked to wrestle in a fag match against each other. In theory the flag match is brilliant because neither man really has to do the job because the way to win this match is to climb the corner turnbuckles that your counties flag is hung above and bring the flag down. I think there is an interesting story to be told here because both guys won’t be trying to pin or submit the other but ware their opponent down to the point where they have enough time to retrieve their flag. Considering this is the second evil foreign heel vs the prideful patriotic american rivalry on the roster, I feel like there has to be a good balance. If I think the evil foreigner goes over in the main event then the WWE has to send the crowd home happy with the patriotic American winning here. I hope it doesn’t hurt Rusev though and he can focus on winning the United States Championship or something after this. Also, it might even lead to Cena being the next person to try to take down the the Modern Day Maharaja, as America’s hero.
Prediction – John Cena

It’s back! The Punjabi Prison match makes its return after 1o years. The match is meant to act like a traditional cage match but the structure is made with bamboo. The winner has to either climb over two different set of walls to escape the prison or they can have a referee unlock a couple of different doors and get out within the first minute. This is also a convenient way to keep the Singh brothers from interfering, however I feel like they will still find a way to get involved. Personally, watching from home, I’m really looking forward to this match. Considering the last two involved barley mobile Great Khali and Big Show during one of his larger periods, it’ll be nice to have two guys who are similar in size and both very mobile. I do however feel bad for those watching from the live crowd because from what I have heard from people who were present at previous events where this match took place, its hard to see the action inside the ring and they spend most of the time looking at the titantron. I expect shenanigans where the Singh Brothers find a way to get involved only to give us some of the most brutal bumps of the show. I also believe this will lead to Jinder Mahal retaining the championship. I think Summerslam would be more hyped if they had a mega heel like Jinder who has legitimate heat defend that championship at Summerslam who comes off like an American hero such as John Cena after this event. It makes me question what Orton does after this and if he just forgets that Mahal threatened his dad? Do we get a triple threat at Summerslam? Maybe Baron Corbin comes out which causes a distraction allowing Jinder to win and escape with the championship before he can cash in? Maybe Orton will just win…I mean it is possible but once again, I see it more beneficial to Summerslam to have the heel defend the title. I guess we’ll have to wait and see but my gut is going with Mahal.
Prediction – Jinder Mahal

What do you think about my predictions for the Battleground? What are your predictions? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts and ideas of what might happen on the show? Leave your comments and opinions below.