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WWE Battleground took place from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show was headlined by Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton who fought inside the Punjabi Prison for the WWE Championship.
The US Championship and SmackDown Tag-Team Championships were also on the line as AJ Styles and The Usos defended their titles against Kevin Owens and New Day.
Elsewhere on the card, 5 of SmackDown's top women fought each other in a Fatal-5-Way Elimination match to see who would be #1 contender at SummerSlam. We also had Mike Kanellis make his PPV debut against Sami Zayn.
To round of the card, Shinsuke Nakamura faced Baron Corbin and John Cena faced Rusev in a Flag match.
Kick-Off Show
Aiden English vs Tye Dillinger
Aiden English and Tye Dillinger met once again in the pre-show and this match was the best of their encounters so far. The two men went back and forth throughout the match and Dillinger tried multiple times to hit the Tye Breaker and finish English off.
English escaped every time and eventually hit Dillinger with a modified Full Nelson for the win.
Aiden English def. Tye Dillinger
The Usos vs The New Day (for the SmackDown Tag-Team Championships)
We had Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods wrestling for New Day. Kofi and Jey Uso started us off and Uso got hit by an immediate dropkick and followed it up with a pinning attempt. Woods then tagged himself in but soon got overwhelmed by The Usos.
The Usos took control and traded tags as they beat down Woods as they double-teamed him and ground him down. Jey poised Woods on the top corner and went for a superplex, only for Woods to desperately hit him with right hands and headbutts. As Jey crashed to the mat and got back to his feet, Woods hit a dropkick as both men went down.
Both men made tags as Kofi came in on the hot tag and took down Jimmy Uso. Kofi sent Jimmy crashing over the top rope before diving onto both Usos from the top rope. They caught him in midair before hitting him with a double powerbomb. The twins then rolled Woods into the ring as Jimmy headed to the top rope and hit the Frog Splash.
Woods dodged it and Jimmy landed on his feet before Woods hit him with a modified Facebuster. Jimmy Uso then sent Woods crashing headfirst into the turnbuckle before the Usos double-teamed Woods with a pop-up Samoan Drop.
Woods fought back just as the Usos made a tag. He knocked Jimmy off the apron and looked to his a springboard elbow on Jey. Jey moved out of the way and Jimmy caught him with a nasty Superkick while he was still in midair. Jimmy Uso went for the cover but Woods somehow kicked out.
Jimmy Uso responded by locking in a single leg Boston Crab as Big E fired up the crowd. Woods fought through the pain and somehow reached the ropes. Kofi was finally back on his feet now and he tagged himself in and hit the Midnight Hour to Jimmy Uso for a nearfall.
Kofi then went for a springboard splash on Jimmy Uso but the latter dodged the move and hit a Superkick before diving and tagging in Jey Uso. Jey hit the Frog Splash from the top tope for another nearfall.
The Usos then looked for a double Frog Splash but Woods pushed Jey Uso off the turnbuckle. Jimmy Uso went for the Frog Splash anyway but Kofi rolled out of the way. Kofi then hit Jimmy Uso with a Trouble In Paradise and Xavier Woods followed it up with his trademark rope walk Diving Elbow and covered Jimmy Uso for the 3-count. The New Day become the first tag-team to be both RAW and SmackDown Tag-Team Champions.
The New Day def. The Usos
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Baron Corbin
The two men went nose to nose as Corbin trash-talked Nakamura. Nakamura was unimpressed and replied with a slew of low side kicks which forced Corbin to roll out of the ring. Corbin bided his time outside, taking the breath out of the arena with him, before returning to the ring and locking in a bear hug.
Nakamura elbowed Corbin on the side of his head before transitioning into a triangle hold. Corbin managed to break the hold and he hit Nakamura with a running big boot before tossing Nakamura out of the ring and sending him back-first into the barricade.
Back inside the ring, Corbin looked to hit Nakamura with some sort of chokeslam when he countered and connected with an enzeguiri. Nakamura then hit a flurry of kicks before hitting a one-legged running dropkick followed by the Good Vibrations in the corner. Nakamura then lit Corbin with a couple of running knees two the gut as Corbin was hung up on the top rope.
Corbin rolled out of the ring followed an Irish Whip attempt into the corner and he ran back in quickly and hit the clothesline. A 2-count followed off the cover as Corbin looked to capitalized with a vertical suplex. Nakamura caught Corbin with a knee in midair to free himself and then planted Corbin onto the mat with a reverse vertical suplex.
Nakamura then went for the Kinshasa but Corbin hit him with a Deep Six for a nearfall. The two men then traded punches before Nakamura hit a Backstabber followed by a legdrop. Nakamura then looked to set up the Kinshasa but Corbin wouldn’t get back to his feet. When Nakamura finally pulled him to his feet Corbin hit a low blow in desperation as the referee DQ-ed him.
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Baron Corbin (by DQ)
Nakamura attacked Corbin after the match and hit the End of Days.
Becky Lynch vs Tamina vs Lana vs Natalya vs Charlotte (Fatal-5-Way Elimination Match)
The match started at a frantic pace as the women went at each other. It ended up with Lana, Tamina and Charlotte in the ring as Charlotte looked to fight both women at the same time. She got overpowered as Tamina bodyslammed her before Lana drove the boot into her.
Tamina went for another bodyslam but Charlotte maneuvered out of it and took her down. As Charlotte look to take out Lana, Tamina grabbed Charlotte’s leg as Lana took her down with a boot. The two women then booted Charlotte in the corner as Becky Lynch came on for the save. They hit stereo Exploder Suplexes to Tamina and Lana before the two women took one each other.
Natalya came in just as Charlotte had gotten the better of Becky. Natalya took out Charlotte after which Becky came in and hit exploder suplexes. Back in the ring, Becky locked in a Dis-Arm-Her. Tamina came in and hit Becky with a Superkick. Becky locked in her Dis-Arm-Her and Tamina tapped.
Tamina is eliminated
Becky caught Lana in a Dis-Arm-Her and pinner her.
Lana is eliminated
Natalya came in and rolled Becky up for the elimination
Becky Lynch is eliminated
Charlotte headed to the top to hit Nattie with a moonsault but she got her knees up. Natalya followed up by sending Charlotte face-first into the turnbuckle before pinning her.
Charlotte is eliminated
Natalya is the new #1 contender for the SmackDown Live Women’s Champion
AJ Styles (C) vs Kevin Owens (for the WWE Us Championship)
AJ Styles started off strong as he forced Owens to leave the ring after early offence. Owens rolled back in and pulled Styles' leg out from under him. Styles replies with a head scissors from the prone position.
He followed it up with a massive dropkick to Owens which sent the former champion scurrying out of the ring once again. Styles followed him out and looked for a running forearm but he missed as Owens sidestepped him. Owens then smashed Styles into the ringpost before rolling Styles back into the ring and locking in a headlock.
Owens looked to follow up with a Senton but Styles got the knees up in time. He tried to follow it up with a combo of strikes but Owens hit him with a snap DDT before locking in another headlock.
Styles made his way back to his feet and hit Owens with a series of right hands before taking him down with a short-armed clothesline. He followed it up with a running elbow strike to Owens. Owens looked to hit back with a backbody drop but Owens reversed it planted Owens face-first into the mat.
Styles blocked an attempted Superkick and signaled for the Styles Clash. Owens broke free and Styles hit him with an Ushi Goroshi as both men went down.
Styles made his way back to his feet first and attempted a Springboard 450 Splash. Unfortunately for AJ, KO got his knees up and followed it up with a cannonball. Styles kicked out of the ensuing cover as Owens looked more frustrated.
Owens perched Styles on the top rope and looked for a superplex. Styles broke out and landed on his feet before locking Owens in a Torture Rack before planting him into the mat. Styles headed back up to the top rope but Owens ran into the rope and disbalanced Styles who landed awkwardly on the turnbuckle.
Owens joined Styles on the top turnbuckle and looked for another superplex. Styles maneuvered out of it once again and he looked to set up a Phenomenal Forearm. Owens saw it coming and rolled out of the ring before sweeping Styles’ feet out from under him. Styles replied with a Pelle kick as both men went down.
As both men got to their feet, Owens inadvertently tossed Styles into the referee. Owens hit Styles with a Superkick before attempting a pop-up Powerbomb. Styles countered the Powerbomb and locked in a Calf Crusher but Owens reversed it into a Crossface as the referee stirred. Styles broke free and locked in a Crossface of his own.
Owens turned over and Styles had his back planted on the mat as the referee counted the 3-count. Owens won the match as Styles looked on in disbelief.
Kevin Owens def. AJ Styles
John Cena vs Rusev (Flag Match)
Rusev and Cena’s match actually started off slow than expected. Cena took down Rusev and went to get the flag down. Rusev hit him with an electric chair drop before hitting him with clubbing right hands.
Rusev looked to climb for the Bulgarian Flag but Cena grabbed onto his foot. Rusev threw a couple of careless kicks at Cena before throwing a running shoulder charge in the corner.
Rusev went to climb for the Bulgarian flag once again but Cena stopped Rusev in his tracks. Rusev replied with a vicious DDT. Cena soon replied with a Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena then attempted an AA but Rusev took him down with a spinebuster before tossing him out of the ring.
Rusev was inches away from the Bulgarian flag when Cena knocked him down. Cena then leaped off the top rope at Rusev who caught him in a seamless powerbomb before climbing up once again and finally reaching the Bulgarian Flag and getting it off.
Cena hit him with a dropkick as soon as he turned around and followed it up with an AA for good measure. Cena then reached for the American Flag once again but Rusev knocked him off the turnbuckle Cena replied by locking in an STF and Rusev tapped – not that it was worth anything in a flag match.
As Cena climbed down with the Amercian flag, Rusev him with a superkick as both men went down. Rusev took the flag and headed for the entrance ramp but Cena cut him off and sent him crashing into the steel steps.
Cena then grabbed the American flag and headed up the ramp but Rusev took him out from behind. Rusev followed it up with a stiff shot with the steel chairs before grabbing the Bulgarian flag once again.
As Rusev headed up the ramp, Cena caught him by the foot before getting up and sending him into the LED boards. Rusev replied with a Fallaway Slam on the stage. Rusev then set up two tables on the entrance ramp.
Rusev stopped Cena in his tracks as he tried to plant the American flag before locking in an Accolade on Cena. Rusev looked to have won as he was about to plant the Bulgarian flag but Cena stopped him at the last moment. Cena then hit Rusev with an AA through the tables before pinning Cena for the win.
John Cena def. Rusev
Mike Kanellis vs Sami Zayn
Mike Kanellis made his in-ring WWE PPV debut tonight against Sami Zayn.
Maria Kanellis proved to a distraction from the moment the match started. Sami and Mike kept going back and forth in the opening stages before Kanellis took control following a running boot. With Sami down, Mike Kanellis crawled over to kiss Maria before driving his knee into Sami’s back.
Sami took Mike down with a clothesline before tossing him over the rope and hitting a suicide dive over the top rope. Zayn rolled Mike back into the ring before hitting a crossbody over the top rope for the nearfall.
Mike Kanellis looked to hit some sort of offence but Sami hit him with his trademark tornado DDT from the top rope. As Zayn looked for the exploder suplex, Maria got into the ring to create a distraction.
Mike Kanellis looked to hit Zayn with the Samoan Driver but Zayn broke out of it and hit the Exploder Suplex into the corner. Zayn then hit the Helluva Kick to pin Mike Kanellis.
Sami Zayn def. Mike Kanellis
Jinder Mahal (c) vs Randy Orton (Punjabi Prison match for the WWE Championship)
Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton faced off in what could be the last encounter of their feud. Mahal took Orton down early and looked to escape the first structure but Orton was on his heels. Orton tried to escape himself before it was brought to a halt.
The two men failed to escape the door in the allotted 60 seconds as the referee shut it down for good. The two men traded right hands before Mahal hit an armbreaker. He followed it up with kneedrops around Orton's shoulder area before working his arm against the top rope.
Mahal called for another one of the doors to open but Orton stopped him from escaping and hit a Fallaway Slam. Neither man managed to escape the second door in the allotted time and now we had two doors remaining.
Mahal tried to climb out of the inner structure itself but Orton pulled Mahal down and the champion had a nasty landing.Orton looked to hit the draping DDT but Mahal sent him crashing into the steel reinforced bamboo.
With Mahal down, Orton called for the 3rd door. However, Mahal stopped Orton in his track. Mahal tried to escape through the third door but Orton cancelled him out again. Orton hit Mahal with a beautiful powerslam and followed it up with a draping DDT.
Orton then called for the final door to be opened before signalling an RKO. Orton went for the RKO but Jinder caught him with a knee strike. Mahal then went for the Khallas but Orton hit the RKO out of nowhere.
The Singh Brothers interfered at this point and pulled Mahal out of the inner structure as Randy got trapped inside. Orton was forced to climb out of the inner structure and Jinder climbed the outer structure.
Randy climbed from the inner structure straight to the outer structure and both men battle perched on the bamboo. Orton kicked Mahal off the structure and the Singh Brothers intervened again as they pulled Orton down and beat him up.
Mahal was back on his feet by now and he hit Orton with a huge high kick. As Mahal started to climb again, Orton took out the Singh Brothers before climbing after Jinder and grabbing his foot.
Mahal attacked Orton with a kendo stick at this point. Mahal then went for the Khallas but Orton knocked Mahal against the outer structure before taking out his own kendo stick. Jinder begged for mercy as Orton started to cane him.
Orton started to climb again as Samir Singh slipped through the Punjabi Prison and climbed out from outside to stop Orton. Orton hit Singh with a few right hands as he crashed through the announcer's table at ringside.
Jinder had recovered by now as he climbed up to meet Randy Orton. Mahal pulled Orton back down but Orton hit him with a draping DDT off the Prison structure. Orton then took a steel chair and went to town with it on Mahal.
Orton started to climb the Punjabi Prison structure once again as one of the Singh Brothers grabbed his foot again but Orton knocked him off. At this point, The Great Khali came out and caught Orton by the throat and choked him out.
As Khali had his vice-grip locked on Randy Orton's throat, Mahal climbed out of the Punjabi Prison to win the match and retain the WWE Championship.
Jinder Mahal def. Randy Orton
