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The flagbearer for sports entertainment for nearly a decade, Free Agent John Cena will battle his old nemesis, The Bulgarian Brute, Rusev, once again at WWE Battleground. This time, it will be in a flag match where both men will compete for the glory of their respective countries.
What this means is that the flags will be suspended on turnbuckles on the opposite sides of the ring. Whoever climbs the turnbuckle and waves his country's flag will be declared as the winner of the match. We can think of five ways that the match in question will come to an end and we list them here, down below. Let us know what you think of our assessment.
#5 Rusev wins clean
Never rule out the Bulgarian Brute. Sure, he may not have the same kind of momentum that he did when he first debuted and went on a rampage, but he is still one of SmackDown Live's most coveted names and definitely someone that the brand really believes in. It would not surprise us to see Rusev win this big match, and we'll tell you why that is the case.
Even though this is an unlikely result, Rusev has a more promising future in WWE than Cena does at the moment, who already has one foot in Hollywood. Cena is a company man and would want to put over a talented star like Rusev, on his way out.
What better way to cement Rusev as a top heel and a vicious threat than to have him CRUSH Cena in this contest and have the Bulgarian flag flying high at the conclusion of this hard-hitting match?
#4 Shane McMahon helps Cena win
Shane McMahon may not be a regular wrestler for the blue brand, but we all know that when the bigger pay-per-views arrive, he is one of the first men to step into the ring and deliver. Even though he is way past his prime, he is still a familiar face and a top draw.
Most importantly, he is a McMahon and therefore in many ways, his word is the final say. We wouldn't be surprised to see a Shane McMahon vs. Rusev program for Summerslam in Brooklyn. Battleground may be the first step in that direction.
The seeds for this feud were first laid out when Rusev first demanded that Shane McMahon gives him a championship match at Money in the Bank, through a video aired on SmackDown Live.
Shane McMahon survived an accident this week when his helicopter had to make an emergency landing, and Rusev made fun of McMahon through a rather savage tweet.
There is money in a feud between the two men and Battleground could be the stage to set up their big angle for Summerslam coming this August.
#3 A Raw Superstar helps Rusev win
John Cena was recently advertised as a free agent, but so far, ever since the Brand Split, he's only shown up on SmackDown Live. The whole premise for the gimmick does not make sense unless he appears on both brands.
We wonder if this match could be the premise for a superstar from Raw to attack Cena and entice him to show up on the red brand for some retribution. A few likely contenders could be Big Cass or maybe even Jason Jordan if WWE has such plans for him.
#2 Cena wins, and Shelton Benjamin saves him!
In 2002, certain promising superstars came up to WWE from OVW — their official developmental territory — and changed the business for good. This class included names such as Batista, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, John Cena and Shelton Benjamin. Each of them achieved a great deal of success in the company.
Benjamin has not been associated with WWE for a while now, but shortly after the brand split, he was due for a return again. An injury put those plans on hold, but Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet recently revealed that he was due for a return to the company very soon indeed.
Let's imagine that Cena wins the said match at the pay-per-view but Rusev attacks him with a flag from behind, beating him down. Then suddenly, Shelton Benjamin makes his much-awaited return to the ring, helping his friend and thereby entering a program with Rusev. This would create a new and meaningful program for both these men who can have wonderful matches with each other and elevate both men in the process.
#1 John Cena defeats Rusev absolutely clean
As we head into the biggest show of the summer, John Cena needs to look strong. The very purpose of this match is to build him up for the grand stage, where he'll possibly have a big match.
Cena is the most important superstar of the modern era for WWE, and it will come as absolutely no surprise if he defeats Rusev, beating him to a pulp, and raises the American Flag, waving it high and proud. After all, WWE lives for feel good moments and there haven't been too many of those of late.
That concludes our speculation for this big match and must confess that we are just as excited as you are, as we count down the hours to the big pay-per-view. Join us for the Live Results and the 'Best and Worst' recap immediately following the massive event. Unlike John Cena, you can see us, quite regularly indeed!
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