WWE Battleground Review

Kickoff Match                

Tye Dillinger vs Aiden English                         

This match started off slow with some constant back and forth action in which Tye took the lead and assumed the lead and looked like he would eventually win this match. It was pretty standard for a kickoff match until Aiden took control. After he was taking it to Tye he placed him in a choke hold and was taunting him by his usual god awful singing. After the choke hold he went to the top rope in attempts to do a cross body in which Tye countered with a drop kick and seemed to turn the tide. However that was short lived because after Tye went for his finisher, which he evaded, Aiden went to the outside and lured Tye out there to give him a strong clothes line. Once back in the ring he does a reverse RKO in which he gets a 2 count on Tye. After Tye kicked out Aiden starts to lose control and throws a temper tantrum in the ring and needs to get some composure again if he wants to win this match. After that Tye gets Aiden in the corner and gives him the perfect 10 punches and goes for a superplex off the top rope in which Aiden counters with a headbutt. Aiden then does a crossbody which leads to a roll up 2 count, then a counter by Tye for a 2 count as well. After that Aiden hits Tye with the reverse RKO for a 2nd time and this time was successful with a 3 count for the win.

Winner: Aiden English 

Rating 2.5

Smackdown Tag Team Championship

New Day vs Uso (c)

This match started off kick with Kofi hitting a drop kick and got a quick 2 count. From there he tagged in Woods and he was able to get a crossbody off the top rope and got another two count. They seemed to be in control until Jey interfered from the outside and turned the tables, Jimmy and Jey are then doing what they do best, working like a well oiled machine. Woods is being taken advantage of by both Jimmy and Jey. Jey has Woods on the top looking for a superplex and Woods counters with a headbutt trying to be able to get away from him to try to get the tag. Instead of going for the tag he hits Jey with a drop kick and Woods is down himself. Both teams make tags and Kofi is taking it to Jimmy and seems to have taken control of the match. Kofi hits the boom drop and them gets the crowd clapping along with him. Kofi goes to the top rope and goes for a crossbody but the Uso's catch him and they power bomb Kofi on the floor. Woods comes over and gets an uppercut for his efforts. Once they get back in the ring Jimmy heads to the top rope and Woods counters into what is a version of a sunset drop. Uso's perform a teamwork move with the toss into a samoan drop and Woods is able to kick out. Jimmy hit Woods with a superkick after he jumped off the top rope! omg omg omg what a moment!!! Woods then kicks out!!!!, like what???? Could this be New Day's titles to win???? Jimmy goes with the half boston crab looking to make Woods tap but Woods, is not giving in. He is still fighting and now Big E is firing up the crowd and the crowd gets Woods to keep fighting and get to the rope. Woods is hurting but here comes Kofi who tags Woods and then they hit the midnight hour!!!. 1, 2!. Noooo Jimmy kicks out and the match goes on. Jimmy hits the superkick, tags in Jay for the splash from the top rope! he covers Kofi.. 1, 2 and Kofi kicks out!!! The match is still going on! Now the Uso's are going to separate top corners and Woods takes out Jay! Jimmy misses the splash! Woods tags Kofi, who then hits the trouble in paradise! Woods then goes to the top rope and hits the elbow drop from the other side of the ring!!! 1, 2, and 3!!! The New Day are the New Smackdown Tag Team Champions!!!!!

Winner: The New Day

Rating 4.0

Shinsuke Nakamura vs Baron Corbin

Corbin starts with some trash talk and tries to get in the head of Nakamura in which he turns and hits him in the face. Nakamura taking it to Corbin with strikes to the chest and legs! Corbin ducks out to reset and is up to a 4 count. Nakamura is taunting him to come back in. They swap places as Nakamura is now on the outside. As he tries to get back in Corbin get him and stomps away at him. Kind of a slow moving match to start and now Corbin gets Naka into a bear hug and is putting stress on his lower back. Naka uses the elbow to the back of the head to break the hold, and then reverses it into a form of an arm-bar submission. Once that's broke, Corbin gives Naka a big boot and gets a 2 count. Naka rolls out of the ring and Corbin follows him out and is taking it to Naka on the outside with two strong moves of putting Naka into the guard rails. Once the ref is up to 6 Corbin brings Naka back into the ring and keeps the pressure on. Back into the bear hug Naka seems to be fading a little bit but then starts to fight back which causes Corbin to drive Naka's back into the turnbuckle to regain the hold. Naka finally kicks out and then Corbin goes for a chokeslam and Naka stuns Corbin with a kick to the chests! Corbin is on his knees and Naka does some strong style kicks until Corbin catches one in which he uses his other leg to deliver another one. Naka follows this up with good vibrations in the corner and lines him up for 2 knees to the midsections which leads to a 2 count. Naka keeps the pressure on but Corbin reverse the whip in which Corbin goes for the splash in the corner but when Naka moves Corbin goes under the ropes, comes back in and gives Naka a wicked clothesline and almost knocks him out of his shoes. Corbin goes for a suplex in which Naka countered and hit Corbin in the head with 3 successive knees to set up his knee strike, in which Corbin counters it into a deep six which gets another 2 count. Both men are struggling to get to their feet and both get up at the same time, they are going back and forth but Naka gains the momentum briefly but then gains full momentum after a counter and then uses a couple of knee strikes while Corbin is on the ground, He is waiting in the corner trying to psyche himself up but Corbin is not getting up so Naka goes over to him and pulls Corbin up, once he is up he does a low blow and gets disqualified! such a bad ending to a great match... however this does nothing to hurt either men, in fact it actually could help both of them to become more involved in other story-lines.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura 

Rating 3.0

After the match Corbin starts to walk away but comes back and hits Naka with the briefcase and then hits the End of Days! He then walks away with the briefcase held high.

Fatal Five-Way Elimination Match (Natalya, Lynch, Charlotte, Lana, Tamina)

Lana starts with a kick to the back of Charlotte's knee, Natalya goes for a cover quick but only gets a 1 count. Tamina tries the same on Becky and got a 2 count. Lana throws Becky into the announcers table and then puts Natalya there as well. Now is a 2 on 1 in the right with Tamina and Lana going after Charlotte. Tamina holds Charlotte and Lana kicks her in her neck. Charlotte counters a suplex by Tamina and now Charlotte goes after Lana but Tamina, grabs her leg and they continue to work over Charlotte in an effort to weaken her and get her out. Becky comes back in and goes right after Lana, and now you have Becky and Charlotte working together to get rid of Lana and Tamina, but then right after they start going after one another. After a quick one count Becky gets 2 arm drag takedowns in before Natalya comes in and goes after Charlotte. Becky puts a becksploder on both Natalya and Lana and then tries for Tamina but she counters for a superkick and then a samoan drop on Natalya. Charlotte goes for the figure four on Natalya but she counters into a small package. Natalya gets Charlotte into a sharpshooter and Lana for some reason breaks it up and then goes for a pin on Charlotte. After a 2 count Becky comes in and puts Lana into the disarmer! After Tamina breaks it up twice on Lana, Becky gets Tamina into it and taps out… once that happens, Becky gets Lana to tap out as well! Right after that Natalya comes in and gets Becky into a roll up and gets the 3 count! Just like that you have 3 people eliminated. Only Charlotte and Natalya are left. They are going back and for and Natalya puts Charlotte into an arm-bar submission, Charlotte with her strength picks Natalya up and gets her into a power bomb. After a 2 count Charlotte goes for the moonsault off the top rope, Natalya gets the knees up and then puts Charlotte head first into the bottom turnbuckle. After that she gets her into a pinning predicament and pulls off the victory. We will have Natalya vs Naomi at Summerslam.

Winner: Natalya

Rating: 3.5

United States Championship

Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles (c)

Owens being the aggressor right out of the gate and gets AJ in a headlock. AJ counters and throws AJ into the ropes in which KO just runs over AJ. After that AJ gets KO from behind and they keeps switching positions and then AJ knocks KO down and once again he rolls out of the ring. KO slowly gets back in while the crowd is chanting for AJ. KO gives AJ and right elbow and looks to run off the rope and get AJ but AJ counters and hits KO with a dropkick. KO once again rolls out but this time AJ follows and they fight on the outside. AJ throws KO into the barricade and then goes for a splash but misses. After a little more on the outside KO throws AJ back inside and gets a 2 count. KO is in control and goes for another cover, another 2 count. KO has AJ in a laying headlock on the mat and is putting pressure on AJ trying to get him to submit. AJ is powering out of the hold and got up to his feet only to have KO pull him back down to the mat. KO using the slow pace to keep AJ grounded but AJ gets back to his feet again and this time uses shots to the midsection to try to break the hold. KO then throws AJ down, goes for the senton but AJ gets his knees up and gets a little breather. After that AJ gets a few hits in but KO counters with a DDT into a cover and gets a 2 count. After that KO goes back to the headlock and is continuing to wear him down. AJ breaks free and is finally able to take KO down and then does a flying forearm off the ropes to slow KO down. AJ tries to get KO up but was unsuccessful and then was able to get him into a face plant and get a 2 count out of it. AJ goes for the styles clash, gets counters and KO throws AJ into the ropes and uses a roll up with the help of the tights to get a 2 count. They are going back and forth with not much really to show for it. AJ does the 450 off the top rope but KO gets his knees up and then rolls up AJ but still only gets a 2 count. He hurt himself in the process but once he gets back up he hits AJ with the cannon ball and then again gets, you guessed it, another 2 count. KO puts AJ on the top turnbuckle and is up there with him, AJ is trying to counter with some close range headbutts and then tries to do a sunset flip powerbomb off the top rope, but KO holds on! Instead he puts him in a torture rack, ala Lex Luger, and then drops KO. AJ went back to the top rope but then KO was able to take his legs out. KO climbs back up there and nails AJ but he counters by sliding off and and then hits him from behind. AJ goes for the phenomenal forearm but KO goes under the ropes and then takes out the legs from AJ and hurts AJ's shoulder. He then throws him into steel post and then and arm take down. AJ then his KO with the pelee kick and then goes for the styles clash again, KO countered and threw AJ into the ref. AJ gets KO into the calf crusher but KO counters and puts KO into the crossface. AJ is fighting out and puts KO in the cross face as well. Then KO counters as well and gets AJ into a pinning spot, the ref stirs and counts 1,2, 3! They announce KO as the winner but it looked like both men had their shoulders down. Lets see how this will turn out on Tuesday on Smackdown

Winner: KO

Rating: 3.5

Flag Match

John Cena vs Rusev

Rusev runs right for the flag thinking he was going to win easily. Cena puts him in a headlock in which Rusev breaks out and runs right for the flag again. Cena then gets him in a headlock again and Rusev puts on a couple offensive moves before trying for the flag again. Once up there Cena runs after him and gives him a bulldog off the top rope. Cena then tries for his flag and Rusev puts Cena in an electric chair drop! I think both competitors finally realized they might need to put some punishment on each other before trying for the flag again. Rusev is taking it to Cena and then gives him a suplex. After a few stomps Rusev is standing there deciding what to do. He then takes Cena to his corner and was taunting Cena with his flag. Rusev is now trying to get his flag again but Cena grabs him from behind in with Rusev countered again. Cena is trying to drag himself to his corner but Rusev is following him around ready to attack. Cena counters and pulls all of his vintage Cena moves and ends with the 5 knuckle shuffle. He then goes for the AA but Rusev counters and throws Cena to the outside. Rusev tried to get his flag again but Cena was able to get there and was using the post to hold himself up. Once there he goes for the leg drop but Rusev countered with a powerbomb and then was able to finally get his flag out of the holder. Cena was waiting for him and uses a drop kick to knock Rusev down and knock the flag out of his hand. Cena then uses the AA on Rusev and hits it!!! Both men are down but Cena is stirring and it trying to climb his corner to get to his flag. Once he is at the top Rusev gets up and goes for another powerbomb...Cena counters with a sunset flip and puts on the stf and doesn't let go! Rusev taps but that does nothing in a flag match. Cena gets the US flag but Rusev is up and nails Cena with a superkick!!! Rusev rolls out of the rings but got his flag and is starting to walk towards the ramp. Cena was waiting for Rusev to come to him and takes him out and then throws him into the steel steps. Rusev is down but as Cena starts walking towards the flag holder Rusev gets up and takes Cena out. Now they are battling on the outside and Rusev hits Cena in the head with the steel steps. As Rusev was trying to go Cena grabbed onto his legs and held onto him. Cena throws Rusev into the jumbotron and when Cena was going to go back to get his flag he decided against it and use the podium to attack Rusev but he was caught and Rusev used a fall away slam on the steel grates. Rusev is now putting up a table right by the American podium but Cena is crawling away. Rusev set up 2 tables next to each other and is now stalking Cena. Rusev slams Cena’s head into the podium and is now climbing the podium and is trying to use the AA on Cena to put him through the tables. Cena gets away and brings the flag a little bit closer. Cena has the flag as is getting close to the podium but he is crawling there. Rusev then uses the stand to his Cena and then puts Cena in the accolade. Rusev is now heading back for the flag after releasing Cena and as he is walking back to the podium Cena is nowhere to be found. Cena appears from besides the podium and stops Rusev from doing it. He tries for the AA but Rusev reverses it and then tries for the accolade one more time but Cena powers out of it and AA's Rusev through the tables!!!! Cena grabs the flag and puts it in the holder!! Cena wins!!!!

Winner: John Cena

Rating 3.0

Sami Zayn vs Mike Kanellis

Match starts with a tie up in the middle of the ring with Zayn taking Mike down and they continuing the onslaught just like this past Tuesday on Smackdown. Sami throws Mike into the ropes but Mike holds on in which Sami clothes lines him out of the ring. Maria once again gets involved and distracts Sami which allows Mike to get in another cheap shot. Mike is now taking it to Sami in the center of the ring and while Mike is beating up Sami he stops to blow kisses to Maria! this gimmick is going to make me sick. Sami tried to fight back but Mike has now had two consecutive clotheslines in the corner and then a big boot. After a 2 count Maria calls for Mike to come over to give him a kiss, yuck. Mike then puts his knee into the back of Sami and is trying to get him to submit but Sami powers out and then does a couple of clotheslines of his own. Sami reverses a toss into the ropes with a springboard and then he throws Mike outside the ring in which Sami does a leap frog over the rope to take him out. Once back in the ring Sami does a crossbody off the top into a cover and gets a 2 count. Sami when for a blue thunder bomb but Mike counters. Sami went for and exploder but Maria got into the ring in between him and the corner to prevent it from happening. Mike tried to sneak behind Sami to pull the same thing as Tuesday but Sami was ready and then hit the xploder in the corner anyways. Once he was lined up Sami hit MIke with the helluva kick and got the 1,2, 3 and the victory. Finally Sami gets a much needed win.

Winner: Sami Zayn

Rating 2.5

Punjabi Prison Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Randy Orton vs Jinder Mahal (c)

Orton starts the match quickly and takes it to Jinder. Once Jinder gets away he calls for one of the doors to open. Both combatants are attempting to get out the door but no one gets out! 1 door is not locked for good. Now Orton is throwing fists at Jinder but Jinder used an arm breaker and now Jinder is focusing on the arm. Jinder is focusing on the arm and has used different means to damage it. He twisted it around the structure, he put him in an arm bar, he also wrapped it around a rope. He is looking to damage it so Orton will only have 1 arm to climb. Jinder calls for the 2nd door and is prevented to try to get out. Orton is crawling on the mat to try to get out but Jinder pulls him away and when Jinder tries to get out Orton stops him and now the 2nd door is locked. Only 2 remaining to get out. Orton is starting to use the structure to hurt Jinder but Jinder has decided to try to climb out. Orton drags Jinder back down who hit the top rope on his way down, not so fun lol. Orton is bringing out the inner viper and goes vintage but JInder counters and causes Orton to go head first into the structure. Jinder is continuing to assault Orton against the structure but Randy countered the most recent attempt and Randy suplexed Jinder into the structure to by some time. Orton is now applying pressure and using the ropes as well. Orton called for the 3rd door to be open, but by the time he gets there Jinder gets there to prevent him from leaving. They both are now trying to get out but both are not successful. Now we are down to 1 door remaining before they have to climb out of both structures. Both are now taking a few moments to stare at each other and the remaining door and then they go after each other. Orton does a power slam and then goes vintage this time with the DDT off the ropes. Orton called for the 4th door then goes for the RKO but it was countered with a knee to the face. Jinder goes for the crossface crippler but Orton countered into an RKO. The Singh Brothers show up!!!! They pull Jinder out of the last door before it closes and before Orton can get out. Orton is climbing the inner structure and then reaches over to the outer one to prevent Jinder from climbing over that one and to keep the fight going. After Orton knocks Jinder off the structure the Singh Brothers drag Orton back down and beat him up. Jinder then gives Orton a big kick with the help of the Singh Brothers. Orton is fighting back and takes out the brothers and is now climbing the structure and pulling Jinder back down. Orton turns his attention back to the Singh Brothers so he can keep them out of it. After that Jinder grabs a kendo stick and breaks the first one over Orton and then grabs a second one. Orton then grabs one and nails Jinder with it right across the head, which i think  was supposed to hit his shoulder, but then continued the assault against his arms and body. Samir climbs through the hole in the structure and he climbs up the outside to slow Orton down and is successful for a moment until Orton regains control and knocks Samir off and through the announce table 15 feet below. Now Orton and Mahal are almost at the top fighting each other and they both dropped back down to take the fight to each other as a safer level. Mahal got his leg caught in the structure and gave Orton the opening he needed to do his vintage DDT. Orton's left arm is still in bad shape and he really can't lift it, how will this continue to be a hinderance for him. Orton grabbed a steel chair and has taken out Samil and is now using it against Jinder. Orton is now thinking about climbing the structure again in an effort to win the championship. Samil goes up after Orton and slows him down for a moment but the Great Khali shows up!!!!!! The Great Khali is here!!!! Khali has Orton in a chokehold and is passing out! Jinder is climbing out of the cage and is going to keep the title!!! Jinder wins with the help of the Great Khali!!!! Orton will definitely have something to say about this on Tuesday!!

Winner: Jinder Mahal

Rating: 4.0

Overall I felt this was a decent show and will help build the matchups for Summerslam

Based off of my predictions (ones in bold) I was 5-3 and felt I had a pretty good sense of what was going on. While I was completely surprised by the Great Khali showing up, I should've guessed that.