Welcome to the Mastermind Analysis review of WWE Battleground 2016. The thoughts and opinions expressed below are those of The Mastermind only, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of the entire F4R team. Let us know what you think in the comments, or by getting involved on Facebook! But for now, on with the show...
Pre-PPV Thoughts
Ok, I’ll start off by admitting that WWE has been a bit of a non-factor in my life the past few weeks. In all honesty, TNA has managed to drag me back on board, largely down to the Hardy feud and the Final Deletion match. I still read the reports from RAW, and I still watch the 1 hour catch up show on a Sunday morning, but my mind has definitely been elsewhere in the wrestling world. I think this is the tricky part of the year for the WWE. The gap between Wrestlemania and Summerslam is the biggest gap between any of the ‘Big Four’; combine that with the fact that Money In The Bank was won and cashing in on the same night, and there was very little carry-over into the following weeks. That said, I’m still looking forward to the show, even if my predictions may be a little lacklustre this time round. So, in Wikipedia order, here are my predictions:
Pre-Show
The Usos vs Breezango
Prediction: Ok, so the match was announced after I released my predictions. I'm not aware of any real feud between the 2 teams, so this kind of feels like a throwaway match to warm the crowd up a little bit. After the awful angle Breezango were saddled with last month, I hope they are given the win here to try and give them some credibility back.
Match Analysis: Was it just me or was the crowd slightly booing the Usos and cheering for Breezango?? I think very highly of Tyler Breeze after watching his journey through NXT, so seeing him get a win over a team with as many accolades as the Usos is very refreshing. As a charachter, Breeze brings something to the table which feels fresh and new; The Usos on the other hand have been doing the same thing for quite some time now, and in truth have nose-dived ever since their brief run alongside Roman Reigns as The Bloodline. The match was fine, and to me it acted as proof that the WWE Universe are ready for something new in the midcard.
[**1/2]
Main Show
Charlotte & Dana Brooke vs Sasha Banks & TBD
Prediction: The mystery partner just has to be Bayley, right? I’ve read some funny predictions of Ric Flair being the mystery partner, or past legends like Lita… but that doesn’t make sense. Bayley no longer has the NXT Womens Title, and is arguably the best female wrestler the WWE have got on their roster that wasn’t drafted. You’re not telling me that Nia Jax, Carmella, and Alexa Bliss get called up, but Bayley doesn’t…? The match itself, I hope to see the Boss come out on top. Maybe Bayley hits a B2B but Sasha blind-tags herself in to claim the win via Bank Statement. Either way, I don’t like Charlotte and I really don’t like Dana Brooke!
Match Analysis: While I was more than happy to see Bayley get a mega pop, the match felt a little clunky which was unfortunate. Sasha had a few obvious hiccups, which meant the match felt a little derailed at times. That said, WWE can't ignore the popularity of Bayley and if she does get a full time call up, it will only be a matter of time until she is as popular worldwide as she is in NXT. I'd suggest this is the tip of the iceberg for what these 4 women can do in the WWE though. Room for improvement.
[**]
The New Day vs The Wyatt Family
Prediction: So with the draft split, could this be the last hurrah for the Wyatt family as we know them. I don’t like the idea, but we’ll see how they run with it. Maybe now is the time for Bray Wyatt to really break away and become the star everyone knows he could be? It’s a non-title match (presumably) so I’d guess at the Wyatt family taking the win to keep the feud going for a little while longer.
Match Analysis: This was a brilliant piece of storytelling in the ring. Going into the feud, there was a lot of chatter about risking the clash of styles - comedy vs dark cult. I think they got the mix perfectly, with Xavier showing fear, but Kofi & Big E sticking to their comedy guns. I think the result went the right way, and in all honesty both teams beat all my expectations for the match.
[***]
Rusev © vs Zack Ryder
Prediction: I don’t think there was anyone more confused than me when Zack Ryder won the IC title at Wrestlemania. And I don’t think there was anyone who laughed harder than me when he lost it the very next night. It’s a booking decision I did not understand at the time, and apparently there was no real follow-on plan post-Wrestlemania for Zack. They appear to be doing the right thing with Rusev, and building him back up to be the man to beat. Over the past few years, the US title only feels like it’s belonged to 2 people – Cena and Rusev. Now Rusev is back on top of the division, I can see his title reign lasting a long time. Rusev to win, in potentially the shortest match on the card.
Match Analysis: Pretty standard midcard title match, with pretty everything I expected. Rusev continues to look strong, and Zack Ryder continues to lose all his matches. I actually didn't mind the introduction of Mojo Rawley post match either. I get the feeling he'll do better on the main roster than on NXT.
[**]
Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Prediction: I don’t care how many times I see these guys in a match, I will always be excited for it. This feud is such a safe bet for WWE because on literally every occasion they put these 2 together, they will deliver. I am certain of it. I’ve said it before so many times, nobody looks better in defeat than Sami Zayn. I’m almost upset when he gets the win because I want to see him as the underdog, with his victories being far and few, but having real meaning to them. That said, it feels like Sami needs to win this one, as it feels easier for KO to continue to chomp at the bit and demand more matches from Sami. So this time, I’ll predict a Zayn win.
Match Analysis: Jeez! I've stopped placing bets on WWE PPVs because I wasn't winning any money. So far I've called each match perfectly! I was expecting a slobberknocker and that is exactly what we received! Fun fact, Battleground is the 5th PPV in a row where Sami & KO have been involved in the same match. And somehow, they always manage to steal the show. There was a number of subtle callbacks to their other matches together, even from the opening bell where Sami went for the Helluva kick straight out of the gates as he did in their previous Fatal 4 Way match; except this time KO ducked out of the way. The ending of the match had a very important feel to it, up there with HBK/Undertaker. Obviously on a smaller scale but the emotions were still very real. I'll be suprised if anything tops this tonight...
[****]
Becky Lynch vs Natalya
Prediction: Wow, a womens feud that is nowhere near the title belt! I must say, this is exciting for me. When the emphasis was put back onto the women, I was hoping for an NXT style booking system where storylines could feel organic, rather than just a handful of women fighting over the title. Both Natty & Becky have felt like undercard jobbers, with Becky always being turned on by her friends, and Natty constantly losing to Charlotte. Both women need a win, but with Becky being the younger of the two, I’m going with youth over experience and having the Lass Kicker walk out victorious.
Match Analysis: After her recent comments at ComicCon, I loved Becky's look of intensity heading into the match. I completely agree with everything she said, and I would urge you to find the footage if you haven't seen it already. The match itself was probably the best we've seen from either woman on a PPV this year. I was pleasantly suprised, and pleased for Becky as this match will only strengthen her argument. I'd say out of the 2 womens matches, this was probably the better of the two. I'm really happy that we had a strong womens match that had a bit of back story. I actually hope this isn't the end of the story...
[***]
The Miz © vs Darren Young
Prediction: If the internet rumour pages are to be believed, WWE are already giving up on the Darren Young push. Personally, I fail to believe that one. The Miz has been on a rather entertaining run of late, finding his stride with his wife by his side. And truth be told, Darren Young feels like he’s becoming more relevant again. His battle royal win felt a little lacklustre, although it’s an ending to that type of match that I personally haven’t seen before so I’ll tip my cap to creative on that one. While pairing Young with Bob Backlund may prove to be a good foil to Maryse being in Miz’s corner, I don’t feel that WWE have ever put much stock in Backlund (which is a massive mistake IMHO). While I’d personally love to see Young & Backlund given the win here, I get the feeling Miz will continue to roll on as the champ.
Match Analysis: This was all ticking along nicely... until the ending. I have no idea what the hell happened, or why the ref called for the bell. There was no count out; no reason for a DQ... Darren Young's music closed out the match, so does that mean he won?! If so, why?! This had potential to be a decent match until the ending blew it. I still have no idea what the call was. Ugh.
[*1/2]
John Cena, Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs The Club
Prediction: With all the draft happenings, the Club are another team that feel potentially shaken up by the mix. Personally, as someone who’s never watched NJPW, I have zero knowledge of the Bullet Club. While I can fully see Gallows and Anderson paired together, for me AJ felt a little out of place in the trio. I am very intrigued to see what will happen with Finn on Raw with G&A, leaving AJ on Smackdown. I’ve never liked AJ as a heel, so maybe this could be the start of his return to babyface-dom? That said, my money is on either Enzo or Anderson taking the fall for their team… I’m going to say… Cena, Enzo & Cass for the win.
Match Analysis: A very entertaining match. For the majority of the match, John Cena seemed like the awkward single Uncle at a wedding. He just stood there and watched with a really awkward look on his face. Enzo & Cass are ridiculously over, and proof that you don't need championship belts if you've got the charisma. Their pre-match promos are getting stronger and stronger, and with that improvement, their popularity will only continue to grow. The Club did a fine job in the match too. It will be interesting to see where they go once they get seperated.
[***1/2]
Dean Ambrose © vs Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns
Prediction: Whilst the prospect of a Shield triple threat may look good on paper, there’s just something about it I’m not buzzing for. It could be the fact that I’m not massively over on the Dean Ambrose character. For so long now, he hasn’t really been taken seriously by the WWE. And I think for that reason, I don’t feel emotionally invested in him as a character. As a worker, he has my upmost respect, but the Lunatic Fringe just doesn’t feel like the big dog. My main predication is that he loses the belt – especially after Raw being given the lions share in the draft. I’m not convinced Vince would let the B-show home the champ. In fact, knowing Vince, I wouldn’t be surprised if he put the title back on Roman! If only that meant we could have a heel turn from him…
Match Analysis: My first incorrect pick all night and I am so glad it happened in the main event. I always say i'd much rather be proved wrong than not be suprised by outcomes. As a whole I hate the triple-threat play of 'get one guy out of the ring, have a standard 1 on 1 match, then cycle round'. Triple threat matches should be used as a playground for innovation. Take AJ Styles/Christoper Daniels/Samoa Joe from TNA in 2005. The reason that match stands out as one of the best of all time is that they used the chance to innovate and make the most of having an extra man in the ring. Whenever any combination of these 3 men are in the ring together there will be a faint whiff of Shield. The fire may have gone out but the embers will glow for years to come. The powerbomb spot was cool, as was the chair spot, and the more of this they can inject into matches, the better. Nostalgia is a great tool for these guys to use. I also love how the DC crowd let themselves be heard, and WWE made no attempt to mute any cheers. Roman was booed more than ever before and if he had any supporters, they couldn't be heard. Lets hope that WWE use this as proof that nobody wants to cheer Roman. Perfect time to turn him imho. Lastly, Luke-O-Mac recently had a little rant on Facebook about how Raw had been given more than the lions share of the draft. The fact that Dean Ambrose remains the champion shows me that WWE aren't content to bury the former B-show. This shows they are giving them a fighting chance in the ratings war that seems a little silly as they are on the same on-demand network. I can't wait to see how things play out...
[****]
Ok, I’ll start off by admitting that WWE has been a bit of a non-factor in my life the past few weeks. In all honesty, TNA has managed to drag me back on board, largely down to the Hardy feud and the Final Deletion match. I still read the reports from RAW, and I still watch the 1 hour catch up show on a Sunday morning, but my mind has definitely been elsewhere in the wrestling world. I think this is the tricky part of the year for the WWE. The gap between Wrestlemania and Summerslam is the biggest gap between any of the ‘Big Four’; combine that with the fact that Money In The Bank was won and cashing in on the same night, and there was very little carry-over into the following weeks. That said, I’m still looking forward to the show, even if my predictions may be a little lacklustre this time round. So, in Wikipedia order, here are my predictions:
Pre-Show
The Usos vs Breezango
Prediction: Ok, so the match was announced after I released my predictions. I'm not aware of any real feud between the 2 teams, so this kind of feels like a throwaway match to warm the crowd up a little bit. After the awful angle Breezango were saddled with last month, I hope they are given the win here to try and give them some credibility back.
Match Analysis: Was it just me or was the crowd slightly booing the Usos and cheering for Breezango?? I think very highly of Tyler Breeze after watching his journey through NXT, so seeing him get a win over a team with as many accolades as the Usos is very refreshing. As a charachter, Breeze brings something to the table which feels fresh and new; The Usos on the other hand have been doing the same thing for quite some time now, and in truth have nose-dived ever since their brief run alongside Roman Reigns as The Bloodline. The match was fine, and to me it acted as proof that the WWE Universe are ready for something new in the midcard.
[**1/2]
Main Show
Charlotte & Dana Brooke vs Sasha Banks & TBD
Prediction: The mystery partner just has to be Bayley, right? I’ve read some funny predictions of Ric Flair being the mystery partner, or past legends like Lita… but that doesn’t make sense. Bayley no longer has the NXT Womens Title, and is arguably the best female wrestler the WWE have got on their roster that wasn’t drafted. You’re not telling me that Nia Jax, Carmella, and Alexa Bliss get called up, but Bayley doesn’t…? The match itself, I hope to see the Boss come out on top. Maybe Bayley hits a B2B but Sasha blind-tags herself in to claim the win via Bank Statement. Either way, I don’t like Charlotte and I really don’t like Dana Brooke!
Match Analysis: While I was more than happy to see Bayley get a mega pop, the match felt a little clunky which was unfortunate. Sasha had a few obvious hiccups, which meant the match felt a little derailed at times. That said, WWE can't ignore the popularity of Bayley and if she does get a full time call up, it will only be a matter of time until she is as popular worldwide as she is in NXT. I'd suggest this is the tip of the iceberg for what these 4 women can do in the WWE though. Room for improvement.
[**]
The New Day vs The Wyatt Family
Prediction: So with the draft split, could this be the last hurrah for the Wyatt family as we know them. I don’t like the idea, but we’ll see how they run with it. Maybe now is the time for Bray Wyatt to really break away and become the star everyone knows he could be? It’s a non-title match (presumably) so I’d guess at the Wyatt family taking the win to keep the feud going for a little while longer.
Match Analysis: This was a brilliant piece of storytelling in the ring. Going into the feud, there was a lot of chatter about risking the clash of styles - comedy vs dark cult. I think they got the mix perfectly, with Xavier showing fear, but Kofi & Big E sticking to their comedy guns. I think the result went the right way, and in all honesty both teams beat all my expectations for the match.
[***]
Rusev © vs Zack Ryder
Prediction: I don’t think there was anyone more confused than me when Zack Ryder won the IC title at Wrestlemania. And I don’t think there was anyone who laughed harder than me when he lost it the very next night. It’s a booking decision I did not understand at the time, and apparently there was no real follow-on plan post-Wrestlemania for Zack. They appear to be doing the right thing with Rusev, and building him back up to be the man to beat. Over the past few years, the US title only feels like it’s belonged to 2 people – Cena and Rusev. Now Rusev is back on top of the division, I can see his title reign lasting a long time. Rusev to win, in potentially the shortest match on the card.
Match Analysis: Pretty standard midcard title match, with pretty everything I expected. Rusev continues to look strong, and Zack Ryder continues to lose all his matches. I actually didn't mind the introduction of Mojo Rawley post match either. I get the feeling he'll do better on the main roster than on NXT.
[**]
Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Prediction: I don’t care how many times I see these guys in a match, I will always be excited for it. This feud is such a safe bet for WWE because on literally every occasion they put these 2 together, they will deliver. I am certain of it. I’ve said it before so many times, nobody looks better in defeat than Sami Zayn. I’m almost upset when he gets the win because I want to see him as the underdog, with his victories being far and few, but having real meaning to them. That said, it feels like Sami needs to win this one, as it feels easier for KO to continue to chomp at the bit and demand more matches from Sami. So this time, I’ll predict a Zayn win.
Match Analysis: Jeez! I've stopped placing bets on WWE PPVs because I wasn't winning any money. So far I've called each match perfectly! I was expecting a slobberknocker and that is exactly what we received! Fun fact, Battleground is the 5th PPV in a row where Sami & KO have been involved in the same match. And somehow, they always manage to steal the show. There was a number of subtle callbacks to their other matches together, even from the opening bell where Sami went for the Helluva kick straight out of the gates as he did in their previous Fatal 4 Way match; except this time KO ducked out of the way. The ending of the match had a very important feel to it, up there with HBK/Undertaker. Obviously on a smaller scale but the emotions were still very real. I'll be suprised if anything tops this tonight...
[****]
Becky Lynch vs Natalya
Prediction: Wow, a womens feud that is nowhere near the title belt! I must say, this is exciting for me. When the emphasis was put back onto the women, I was hoping for an NXT style booking system where storylines could feel organic, rather than just a handful of women fighting over the title. Both Natty & Becky have felt like undercard jobbers, with Becky always being turned on by her friends, and Natty constantly losing to Charlotte. Both women need a win, but with Becky being the younger of the two, I’m going with youth over experience and having the Lass Kicker walk out victorious.
Match Analysis: After her recent comments at ComicCon, I loved Becky's look of intensity heading into the match. I completely agree with everything she said, and I would urge you to find the footage if you haven't seen it already. The match itself was probably the best we've seen from either woman on a PPV this year. I was pleasantly suprised, and pleased for Becky as this match will only strengthen her argument. I'd say out of the 2 womens matches, this was probably the better of the two. I'm really happy that we had a strong womens match that had a bit of back story. I actually hope this isn't the end of the story...
[***]
The Miz © vs Darren Young
Prediction: If the internet rumour pages are to be believed, WWE are already giving up on the Darren Young push. Personally, I fail to believe that one. The Miz has been on a rather entertaining run of late, finding his stride with his wife by his side. And truth be told, Darren Young feels like he’s becoming more relevant again. His battle royal win felt a little lacklustre, although it’s an ending to that type of match that I personally haven’t seen before so I’ll tip my cap to creative on that one. While pairing Young with Bob Backlund may prove to be a good foil to Maryse being in Miz’s corner, I don’t feel that WWE have ever put much stock in Backlund (which is a massive mistake IMHO). While I’d personally love to see Young & Backlund given the win here, I get the feeling Miz will continue to roll on as the champ.
Match Analysis: This was all ticking along nicely... until the ending. I have no idea what the hell happened, or why the ref called for the bell. There was no count out; no reason for a DQ... Darren Young's music closed out the match, so does that mean he won?! If so, why?! This had potential to be a decent match until the ending blew it. I still have no idea what the call was. Ugh.
[*1/2]
John Cena, Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs The Club
Prediction: With all the draft happenings, the Club are another team that feel potentially shaken up by the mix. Personally, as someone who’s never watched NJPW, I have zero knowledge of the Bullet Club. While I can fully see Gallows and Anderson paired together, for me AJ felt a little out of place in the trio. I am very intrigued to see what will happen with Finn on Raw with G&A, leaving AJ on Smackdown. I’ve never liked AJ as a heel, so maybe this could be the start of his return to babyface-dom? That said, my money is on either Enzo or Anderson taking the fall for their team… I’m going to say… Cena, Enzo & Cass for the win.
Match Analysis: A very entertaining match. For the majority of the match, John Cena seemed like the awkward single Uncle at a wedding. He just stood there and watched with a really awkward look on his face. Enzo & Cass are ridiculously over, and proof that you don't need championship belts if you've got the charisma. Their pre-match promos are getting stronger and stronger, and with that improvement, their popularity will only continue to grow. The Club did a fine job in the match too. It will be interesting to see where they go once they get seperated.
[***1/2]
Dean Ambrose © vs Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns
Prediction: Whilst the prospect of a Shield triple threat may look good on paper, there’s just something about it I’m not buzzing for. It could be the fact that I’m not massively over on the Dean Ambrose character. For so long now, he hasn’t really been taken seriously by the WWE. And I think for that reason, I don’t feel emotionally invested in him as a character. As a worker, he has my upmost respect, but the Lunatic Fringe just doesn’t feel like the big dog. My main predication is that he loses the belt – especially after Raw being given the lions share in the draft. I’m not convinced Vince would let the B-show home the champ. In fact, knowing Vince, I wouldn’t be surprised if he put the title back on Roman! If only that meant we could have a heel turn from him…
Match Analysis: My first incorrect pick all night and I am so glad it happened in the main event. I always say i'd much rather be proved wrong than not be suprised by outcomes. As a whole I hate the triple-threat play of 'get one guy out of the ring, have a standard 1 on 1 match, then cycle round'. Triple threat matches should be used as a playground for innovation. Take AJ Styles/Christoper Daniels/Samoa Joe from TNA in 2005. The reason that match stands out as one of the best of all time is that they used the chance to innovate and make the most of having an extra man in the ring. Whenever any combination of these 3 men are in the ring together there will be a faint whiff of Shield. The fire may have gone out but the embers will glow for years to come. The powerbomb spot was cool, as was the chair spot, and the more of this they can inject into matches, the better. Nostalgia is a great tool for these guys to use. I also love how the DC crowd let themselves be heard, and WWE made no attempt to mute any cheers. Roman was booed more than ever before and if he had any supporters, they couldn't be heard. Lets hope that WWE use this as proof that nobody wants to cheer Roman. Perfect time to turn him imho. Lastly, Luke-O-Mac recently had a little rant on Facebook about how Raw had been given more than the lions share of the draft. The fact that Dean Ambrose remains the champion shows me that WWE aren't content to bury the former B-show. This shows they are giving them a fighting chance in the ratings war that seems a little silly as they are on the same on-demand network. I can't wait to see how things play out...
[****]