The 2017 instalment of WWE Battleground is this Sunday and it’s a card loaded with talent. AJ Styles, John Cena, Kevin Owens, and a host of other wrestlers are going to do everything in their power to steal the show, and they just might do it. Even Jinder Mahal vs Randy Orton inside a Punjabi Prison could shock the world and become the next star rating scale-breaking affair.
Perhaps that’s being a tad too optimistic, but you just never know what match could go down as one of the all-time greats in Battleground history.
For an event that’s only been around since 2013, there’s been a host of fantastic matches in the four previous instalments. From the Rhodes Family fighting for their jobs to the final instalment in Kevin Owens’ stellar rivalry against John Cena - every year there’s one or two that win over all of the critics.
This was also the event that showcased the first ever triple threat encounter between former stablemates Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose. That historic showdown also happens to be one of the greatest matches from any Battleground.
While the final preparations are being made for Jinder Mahal’s third WWE Championship encounter with Randy Orton, let’s revisit the best matches from this typically above average B pay-per-view.
#5 Dean Ambrose vs Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins (2016)
Last year’s Battleground was on the precipice of the modern brand split that’s currently the norm for WWE. The main event had huge implications as the winner of this contest would take the then-sole major title to either Raw or SmackDown. This was also the first and only Shield triple threat, a showdown fans salivated for since the group’s demise.
Notably, this WWE Championship match served as Roman Reigns’ return to action after serving a 30-day suspension for a Wellness Policy Violation. This contest felt like it was a continuation of his punishment because it was a rare moment when he was both booked as a heel and received as such by the fans.
This is in contrast to his normal treatment of getting booed in spite of his booking. The crowd popped huge when Dean and Seth temporarily worked together to take out Reigns. They even Powerbombed him in classic Shield-style through an announce table, which got a good reaction.
In the end, Dean Ambrose was able to retain the title he carried into Battleground 2016 after hitting Roman Reigns with a Dirty Deeds. He also pinned Seth Rollins to win the belt one month prior, so this was an exceptionally strong stretch of booking in The Lunatic Fringe’s career. This was also an exceptionally strong match – fingers are crossed they do it again some day.
#4 The Usos vs Erick Rowan & Luke Harper (2014)
It’s a shame that Erick Rowan and Luke Harper never captured tag team gold. In the original inception of The Wyatt Family, they showed so much chemistry together. Sadly, they never got their time to shine, but they did put on some great matches. In 2014, these two put on their finest performance as a duo when they challenged The Usos, who were WWE Tag Team Champions at the time.
Both of the first two falls of this two out of three Falls Match came in about eight minutes. The quick pins made it seem like the match wasn’t going to be lengthy, which helped boost the drama for the subsequent nearfalls. From then on, these four men had this Tampa Bay crowd eating out of the palms of their hands as they went a full 10 more minutes until the final fall.
JBL said on commentary after The Usos retained their titles that both teams had stolen the show. He was right. This was a low-key match of the year contender for WWE in 2014, likely popping up in most critics’ ‘Best of’ lists for that time frame. This contest showed how far Rowan & Harper could have gone in the tag division, which is a bummer to then think about how little they’re being used today.
#3 John Cena vs Kevin Owens (2015)
You only get one chance to make a great first impression. When Kevin Owens defeated John Cena in his first ever main roster match at Elimination Chamber 2015, he did exactly that. Cena then got his win back at Money In The Bank, which prompted this third match in their series at Battleground 2015. Cena even put his United States Championship on the line, so the stakes were high.
Cena and Owens put on a match similar to their two previous efforts, so that’s a slight knock in that regard. Even so, they paced the contest wonderfully. They traded big move after big move near the end, trying to find something in their bag of tricks that might put the other guy away.
Owens ultimately lost by tapout, which likely made some people mad in the moment. To be fair, he did kick out of quite a lot before getting to that point. KO even survived a pinfall after a Super AA. He still walked away looking tough.
Owens’ loss here at this Battleground was a big defeat but it didn’t ultimately harm him. He went on to carry RAW’s Universal Championship for a while and then generally feuded with top talent. Anytime he needs to rattle off his resume to remind people of his credentials, he can point out that he beat John Cena on his first night. Not surprisingly, he isn’t quite as quick to point out the finish of this excellent match.
#2 Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins (2013)
During the height of the Authority Era, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon became huge thorns in the sides of the Rhodes family. After Cody’s firing and a couple of failed attempts by him and his brother to win their jobs back, the whole family was given one final chance to either stand victorious or join the unemployment line. Patriarch Dusty stood in his boys' corner to balance out Dean Ambrose, who backed his Shield brothers at ringside.
These two teams put on an emotional tag team match that didn’t feature Roman and Seth’s Tag Titles on the line. Even The American Dream got involved when he took off his belt to assist a punch to Ambrose on the outside. This led to the big climax as Cody gave one of the best Cross Rhodes of his career against Seth Rollins.
That was enough for the pin, garnering a huge ovation from the crowd. All three Rhodes men embraced in the ring post-match in a heartwarming celebration. They won back their jobs and kick started a fun tag run between the brothers.
#1 Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn (2016)
The rivalry between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens got to the point that it had become an obsession. To end their feud once and for all, the two competed in one final match together at Battleground 2016. In hindsight, it was silly that WWE hyped this particular match as the end of their feud so much.
They have met several times after this (this one being the 13th singles match that included house shows too), but since these two have off-the-charts chemistry, nobody should get too disgruntled in the follow through.
There were many memorable moments from this bout, including Sami’s botched moonsault off the top rope, Kevin Owens’ brainbuster on the apron, and the Superkick that stopped Zayn from performing his DDT through the corner on the outside of the ring.
There was even a point during this contest in which the entire arena erupted in “Yes!” chants after Sami failed to pin Kevin after two half and half suplexes. In the end, it was Sami Zayn who was victorious.
Despite the loss, Owens got the opportunity to get his win back in a singles match about a month and a half after this on RAW. At that point, Owens was fresh off his capture of the WWE Universal Championship. He went on to have quality matches against the likes of Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns during his reign, but none quite measured up to this singles match against Sami Zayn. It was the best contest in WWE Battleground history.
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