Bingo’s Breakdown: WWE Battleground Predictions

bg

 


 

Greeting jabronis,

Battleground is a bit of an uninspiring name for a PPV, dontcha think? For me, it envokes thoughts of Dungeons & Dragons style board games that pencil-necked geeks play with a weird 56 sided dice. But hey, I’m sure WWE conducted an insane amount of market research before settling on the name, so why should my opinion on it matter? Answer: It shouldn’t.

This period of the year is always a funny, old time for WWE, when they decide to crowbar 3 PPV events into just 6 weeks. Stories are rushed (or in some cases, just completely non-existent – isn’t that right Ziggler and Sandow?), matches are recycled and the product seems insipid as a result.

With that said, you can always count on Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton to weave a wonderful wrestling tale in the ring, and the Rhodes family storyline is providing some entertaining TV – so the PPV should at least deliver on a couple of fronts.

Many expect Bray Wyatt v Kofi Kingston to be added to the card (it may well have be set in stone by the time you’re reading this) which, if it is the case, is an odd match not to promote. The WWE obviously has big plans for the unbeaten hipster (he’s the star of the Survivor Series promo poster) so quite why his matches aren’t being pushed as meaningful is a little dumb. But as a ficticious, dumb gentleman once said: Stupid is as stupid does.

Here be my predictions, boys and girly girls…

PRE-SHOW BOUT
Dolph Ziggler v Damien Sandow

Damien Sandow has being staring at the lights for anyone and everyone over the last few weeks. The Miz, R-Truth, Santino Marella… A genuine who’s who of WWE’s midcard babyfaces. Consequently, I think it would be rather unfair for Dolph Ziggler to not also be handed a victory over our Intellectual Saviour.

Quite whose corn-flakes Ziggler has pissed in to deserve his severe demotion remains somewhat of a mystery, but I’m sure the story will surface in time… The internet reveals all sooner or later. It’s sad to think he was arguably the most over guy on the card just 6 months ago in the post-Wrestlemania RAW. Now he’s on “jobber to the stars” duty on pretty much a weekly basis.

I generally pick the babyface to win the pre-show bouts as a key reason for their existence is to amp up the crowd before the event hits our TV screens. So for that reason alone, I’ll side with Ziggler for the win. That should put some smiles on their soppy faces.

Pick: Dolph Ziggler

zig


DIVAS TITLE
AJ Lee v Natural Boobs Bella

The worrying lack of AJ in the build-up to her own title defence has me feeling the worse about this one (keeping in mind I haven’t seen/read spoilers for this week’s Smackdown).

As I wrote last month in my Night of Champions predictions – I truly believe WWE should book AJ to hold the Divas title for a year. She has a genuine connection with wrestling audiences and can demonstrate more personality with one facial gesture then the rest of the diva roster could muster between them in a 12 hour talent contest.

But being the fiancé of the company’s number one babyface (in Cena’s absence at least) should not be without its perks, and I feel a bit of bling around Miss Bella’s increasingly skinny waist could well be a perk on the way to her.

I really hope I’m wrong. But let’s gaze at this picture of her anyway,,,

Pick: Natural Boobs Bella

brie


IC TITLE MATCH
Curtis Axel v R-Truth

I’m sure these two chaps will put on an entertaining show, but I don’t perceive R-Truth as a serious threat to the IC title – especially after pinning the champ already on RAW this week. Win on TV = Lose on PPV, so the formula goes.

It’s Curtis Axel to retain for me in a pretty straightforward fashion.

I haven’t seen or heard much about Little Jimmy on TV of late. Was he wished the best in his future endeavours by WWE?

Pick: Curtis Axel retains

 rt


CM Punk v Ryback

I wrote about this bout in depth HERE

In a nutshell, I think WWE has resurrected this feud way too soon, and despite the heel/face switch, it still has a huge whiff of yesterday about it.

CM Punk will of course emerge from the feud victorious, but I’m gonna pick Ryback to win Round 1 here (giving the almight Punk 3 PPV losses in a row) – but revenge will be waiting for Punk just around the corner at the Hell in a Cell PPV.

Just how much longer can WWE put off CM Punk getting his hands on Paul Heyman?! It feels like it’s been 3 months already. Because it has.

Pick: Ryback

ry


Goldust and Cody Rhodes v The Shield

I’m looking forward to this one more than any other match on the card. I’ve always been a fan of Goldust (who easily must have had more comebacks than even Marty Jannetty by now) and the retro buzz that comes with him, Cody Rhodes is a headline star in the making and Seth Rollins is one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch on the roster right now. Oh… And Roman Reigns is quite tall.

There’s a great story going into this one, and one would have to think that Cody and Goldust win themselves WWE contracts. Everyone enjoys seeing Steph getting her comeuppance, you see… just please don’t facepalm her.

It would have been fun to see Dusty Rhodes get involved in this one and make it a 6 man tag with Dean Ambrose evening up the sides – but I get why WWE wouldn’t be willing to do that since Jerry Lawler’s very unfortunate heart attack. Men in their 60s simply don’t belong in the ring when modern wrestling is such a high-octane product.

But I still see Dusty having a hand in the finish of this one, and an atomic elbow to Seth Rollins whilst the referee is distracted (perhaps by Reigns’ impressive tallness) should ensure his sons pick up the victory. I gather this match isn’t for the tag team titles, but a couple of contracts will suit those Rhodes boys just fine.

Pick: Goldust and Cody Rhodes 

dust


WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE, HARDCORE MATCH

Alberto Del Rio v RVD

This feud just isn’t exciting me… And I can’t blame RVD for that. Alberto Del Rio hasn’t done anything remotely exciting (apart from legitimately stomp the crap out of Sin Cara) since his feud with Dolph Ziggler came to an end.

It’s not completely ADR’s fault that audiences are currently so blasé towards him however. There’s no denying he’s a total workhorse, but he’s a bit lacking in television exposure considering he’s a top champion, his character gets more 2-dimensional every week and his RAW appearances are usually limited to predictable wins over midcard talents in the opening hour. Not cool.

Sadly, I don’t see ADR’s reign of boredom ending here. Internet reports suggest RVD is about to take a few weeks off as per the deal in his part-time contract… Which pretty much puts the prospects of him ever holding another title in the WWE to death.

There’s always the possibility of Sandow cashing in his MITB briefcase in the aftermath of this one, but his aforementioned losing streak would make the title look like a joke if he were to bag it now… Although stranger things have happened I guess. The Gobbledy-Gooker for starters.

So it’s ADR to retain for me (possibly with Ricardo turning on RVD for being too reliant on one catchphrase), and then let us all hope and pray that whatever feud comes next for ADR, it has a modicum of excitement about it.

Pick: Alberto Del Rio retains

far


WWE TITLE
Daniel Bryan v Randy Orton

The newly reinvigorated Randy Orton smashing the living sh*t out of Daniel Bryan on RAW this week served as a hint that Bryan will emerge victorious once again on Sunday… So that’s what I’m going with.

I see the story unfolding thusly: Daniel Bryan wins the title, but once again the win occurs under shady circumstances (The Big Show would seemingly have a big part to play in the feud – so my jaw wouldn’t hit the floor if he were to get involved)

Come the next night on RAW, Bryan is once again unceremoniously stripped of the title and is told he will face Orton again at Hell in a Cell where there cannot possibly be any chance of outside interference or offbeat shenanigans.

I guess there’s always the possibility that Orton wins via cheating also… But as cheaters never prosper he too will be stripped of the title – once again setting up a final battle between the two at the Hell in a Cell PPV.

Either way, my spidey sense is telling me that come the end of RAW on October 7th, the WWE Title will once again be vacated.

Pick: Daniel Bryan

beard
Those are my picks, jabronis. Please add your own below – I love it when you do.

It’s difficult to get incredibly giddy about Battleground as there isn’t hell of a lot on offer. But as the PPV is free here in the UK (well… free if you’re a Sky Sports subscriber) I will be of course be watching it . I’d be clinically mental not to.

Let’s hope WWE can deliver a killer PPV from the blindside. Or something. I’m not particularly adept with American sport-isms.

Over and out.

Related Articles

Latest Articles

Videos