This Sunday night, the WWE presents Battleground live from the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Florida, and with eight matches on the card and four title bouts, it should be a memorable WWE event.
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The show is headlined by a Fatal 4 Way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship pitting title holder John Cena against Randy Orton, Roman Reigns and Kane while the Intercontinental, Tag Team and Divas Championships will also be up for grabs.
Here is a preview, the latest rumors and possible spoilers and some predictions for Sunday's big event.
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Pre-Show-Naomi vs. Cameron:
The inevitable breakup has finally happened for the Funkadactyls and will lead into a match this Sunday. It seems as though the WWE is big on pushing Naomi and she may be groomed for a Divas Championship run soon, so she'll probably get the nod here.
The Pick: Naomi.
WWE Tag Team Championships-The Usos (c) vs. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan:
This would make a great choice for the opening match as all four men tore down the house to get last month's Money in the Bank started off on the right foot and could do so here in the two-out-of-three falls match. The battle royal may also open the show. It has been previously reported that The Usos would hang onto the belts until The Ascension debuts from NXT to dethrone them as champions, but that remains to be seen.
Despite this knowledge, I picked against The Usos last month and was wrong and this program has bled into Battleground. This match should be a solid one and I expect each team to take a fall apiece in order for the match to come down to final deciding fall.
Even though I was spurned last month, I maintain the fact that gold could really help keep The Wyatt Family over and Harper and Rowan will leave Tampa Bay with the titles.
The Pick: Harper and Rowan.
Singles Match-"The All American American" Jack Swagger w/ Zeb Colter vs. Rusev w/ Lana:
This feud seemed like a no-brainer due to Colter and Swagger's strong patriotic characters and Rusev and Lana despising all things American. It will probably be the most interesting match Rusev has had since he made his WWE debut. Swagger could conceivably finally hand Rusev a loss in the WWE by standing tall as an American patriot, but it is likely that a win would do more for Rusev and that the WWE isn't done building up Rusev and Lana as a real threat.
The Pick: Rusev.
20-Man Intercontinental Championship Battle Royal-Alberto Del Rio vs. Big E vs. Bo Dallas vs. Cesaro vs. Curtis Axel vs. Diego vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Fandango vs. Heath Slater vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Rob Van Dam vs. R-Truth vs. Ryback vs. Sheamus vs. Sin Cara vs. The Great Khali vs. The Miz vs. Titus O'Neil vs. Xavier Woods vs. Zack Ryder:
While most of these guys are used simply as a way to fill the battle royal field, the WWE would be wise to use this battle royal as a way to spark new feuds and continue current rivalries, such as the one building between Sheamus and The Miz.
Out of all the participants, Del Rio, Big E, Cesaro, Ziggler, Fandango, Rob Van Dam, The Miz and Sheamus make the most sense as winners.
Del Rio isn't put over that often, Big E had his run with the belt already and has been placed on the back burner, Fandango is stuck in that love triangle storyline with Summer Rae and Layla, Van Dam is used mainly to put over younger talent and Sheamus is already the United States Champion, so those options remain doubtful.
The Miz could use the rub to go along with his Hollywood gimmick where he doesn't want to get hit in the face while if the WWE seriously wants to continue Cesaro's big push, winning his second battle royal of the year after the Andre the Giant memorial match at WrestleMania XXX and having a nice run with the IC Championship could go a long way.
Cesaro was the reported favorite to win the match despite his current losing streak on WWE television. Cesaro has split with Heyman and is slated to become a babyface sometime later in the year once Roman Reigns' push pans out, and in between it is likely that he will have a run with the Intercontinental Championship.
The Pick: Cesaro
Singles Match-Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho:
Jericho shocked the world by returning at the end of June and reputedly really wanted to work with Wyatt earlier this year but wasn't able to do so due to Wyatt's program with John Cena at WrestleMania XXX. This should be a great feud and a highly entertaining match that will likely spill into another match at SummerSlam.
There could be some sort of screwy finish that leads to a rematch in August, whether it be Rowan and Harper interfering or something else. Wyatt will likely get the nod here as Jericho is only back to help elevate him.
The Pick: Bray Wyatt.
Singles Match-Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose:
Both men had an injury scare on RAW but everything is all right and they will do battle in what should be a solid grudge match Sunday night. This feud has been brewing ever since Rollins turned on Ambrose and Reigns last month by attacking them with a steel chairs on RAW last month.
This match could potentially steal the show and it could go either way as Rollins could use momentum since he is "Mr. Money in the Bank" and Ambrose could go over as a way of getting revenge. Either way, it's likely this feud will be far from over when Sunday night is said and done. As for a winner, Rollins probably needs it more to continue his MITB momentum and heel turn.
The Pick: Seth Rollins
WWE Divas Championship-AJ Lee (c) vs. Paige:
Paige defeated Lee on the April 7 edition of RAW on the night after WrestleMania XXX as a way for Lee to be written off of WWE television in order to move in with and marry CM Punk. Lee returned on June 30 and defeated Paige for the title on RAW amid reports that Vince McMahon was down on Paige.
The two will meet one-on-one once again and it is doubtful that the WWE will keep switching the title, so Lee is the likely candidate to get the nod on Sunday.
The Pick: AJ Lee.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4 Way-John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns vs. Kane:
The night boils down to the main event, and before I make a full on prediction, let's evaluate each Superstars chances of winning the main event.
Cena is the likely candidate to leave Tampa Bay with the gold as he is reportedly slated to face Brock Lesnar in the main event at SummerSlam next month. Cena is slated to miss two of the next three episodes of RAW to film a movie, so there is a chance the WWE could transfer the gold, but it seems highly unlikely.
Orton has a slight chance to walk away with the title due to the fact that The Authority could always screw Cena to give Orton the gold, but with the SummerSlam main event seeming like a lock, Orton will likely not leave Florida with the gold, and he'll likely face Reigns at SummerSlam.
Reigns is in the midst of his monster babyface push and main events his second consecutive pay-per-view since the split of The Shield. While Reigns is in the midst of a big push, it is too soon for the company to put the belt on him and putting the gold on him too early could hinder his long-term progress in the company. He'll have a strong showing and likely build toward his match with Orton next month, but he won't win the gold.
It's still a bit dumb that Reigns isn't at all concerned with the Ambrose and Rollins match since Rollins also hit him with a steel chair multiple times. It's also hard to buy Triple H's "best for business" line in regards to awarding Reigns with a title match. Storyline nonsense aside, it should be a solid bout.
Kane, just like last month, is only in the match to pose a threat, but has virtually zero chances of walking out with the gold. The WWE played up the angle that Kane and Orton aren't on the same page, but the "Big Red Machine" will likely be looking to help Orton win the match for The Authority.
There is always the "Plan B" of Rollins possibly cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase, but with the rest of the summer mapped out, it is unlikely that the company will have him do it here.
As for "Plan C" and Brock Lesnar, it is conceivable that after Cena wins, Lesnar comes out fresh off of ending The Streak of The Undertaker at WrestleMania and attacks him to set up SummerSlam. The WWE may save the Lesnar return for Monday's RAW, but there is always a chance "The Beast" makes his presence felt on Sunday.
As for a winner, Cena seems like the obvious choice.
The Pick: John Cena.
WWE presents Battleground on Sunday night in what is the final bridge to SummerSlam next month. Battleground emanates live from the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Florida Sunday at 8 p.m.
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