WWE Battleground (July 2016)

Original Airdate: July 24, 2016

From Washington, D.C; Your Hosts are Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and John Bradshaw Layfield

Opening Match: Charlotte and Dana Brooke v Sasha Banks and Bayley: This is Bayley's main roster debut. Charlotte and Dana attack before the bell, and beat them both out on the floor. The dust settles on Charlotte chopping the crap out of Bayley in the corner, but she gets caught with a 2^nd rope flying backelbow, and Banks gets the tag. She unloads on Charlotte, and executes a sloppy 2^nd rope flying rana, but walks into the wrong corner, and gets pounded. Over to Dana, as the blondes cut the ring in half on Banks. She manages to fight off Brooke long enough to tag, and Bayley is a house of arson! She goes to work, but a distraction from Charlotte allows Dana to cream her in the corner, and slap on a bow-and-arrow. That was a nasty little bump there. They briefly cut the ring in half on their new victim, but Dana eats a lariat, and Sasha gets the tag - Roseanne Barr the door, we've got a kettle on! Charlotte tries the Figure Eight but gets countered into the Bank Statement, but Dana promptly saves. Bayley fights her off and occupies her, however, allowing Sasha to get the hold back on for the submission at 7:47. Meh. *

Six-Man Tag Team Match: The New Day v The Wyatt Family: The opening match was less than eight minutes long, but the bell for this one doesn't ring until some thirty minutes into the shows runtime. That's a lot of downtime - a major problem with their pay per view cards lately. Kofi Kingston starts with Bray Wyatt, and uses his speed to control, but runs into a big boot from Braun Strowman that quickly takes the pep out of his step. Avalanche follows, and Erick Rowan tags in with a bodyslam and an elbowdrop for two. Chinlock, but Kofi escapes, so Rowan clobbers him with a clothesline, as the Wyatt's continue to cut the ring in half. Even though it's Kofi taking the beating, I have to single out Xavier Woods for praise as well, because he's just doing an incredible job of selling his fear of Bray Wyatt out on the apron. Kingston manages to dodge two separate charges from Bray to allow the tag to Big E, and he's a brick house of fire! Watching him casually toss big guys like the Wyatt's around with superplexes is just awesome - he's right up there with vintage Scott Steiner! Anyway, a brawl quickly breaks out, and Roseanne Barr the door, we've got a kettle on! Sister Abigail looks to polish off Kofi, but Woods confronts his fears to save - only to eat it himself at 8:53. Solid action here, with everyone working hard, and no big dead spots. **

WWE United States Title Match: Rusev v Zack Ryder: I like Double M's suggestion that Ryder should have a match with Charlotte, with the winner losing the rights to 'woo' anymore. Come on guys, it writes itself! Rusev's actually got 'US Champ' printed on his tights now, ala WCW era Steve Austin. And, speaking of the mid-90s, Ryder looks like he raided Lex Luger's closet in preparation for this one. Rusev dominates him on the mat to start, so Ryder tries sticking and moving, but Rusev dodges a 2^nd rope missile dropkick. Rusev kicks him in the head and punches him in the brain multiple times to get his point across, and a spinheel kick gets him two. Waistlock, but Zack slugs free, and counters a vertical suplex into a neckbreaker. Broski Boot gets two, but Rusev rams him into the guardrail as they spill to the outside, then drops him across it for good measure. Charge into the rail misses, however, and Ryder capitalizes with a missile dropkick off the rail. Inside, Zack keeps attacking with the Rough Ryder, but the Elbro Drop doesn't work out, and Rusev superkicks him - the Accolade retaining at 7:01. Watchable. **

Kevin Owens v Sami Zayn: Sami charges with the Helluva Kick right away, but Kevin manages to bail before he gets knocked out. Zayn gives chase for a slugfest on the outside, and they take turns whipping each other into the rail - Sami getting the better of the exchange, and clotheslining him. Zayn with a leg lariat for two on the way back in, but an attempt to springboard gets him crotched on the top rope, and Owens hits a somersault bodyblock in the corner for two. Series of chops get two, and he forward suplexes Sami across the top rope, then senton splashes him for two. Snapmare sets up a chinlock, but Sami manages to escape, and clothesline Owens down to catch a breather. Kevin charges into a Michinoku driver and bails, so Zayn tries going after him with a slingshot moonsault, but ends up botching it, and landing badly on his shoulder. Owens immediately capitalizes by ramming it into the post a couple of times, but Sami still manages the Blue Thunder Bomb for two on the way back in! He goes up, but Owens dodges a dive, and superkicks him for two. Crossface punishes the arm some more, but Sami gets into the ropes to avoid submitting. Kevin responds with a pair of cross corner clotheslines, but takes an exploder suplex into the turnbuckles. That sets up the Helluva Kick, but Kevin bails, so Sami punishes him with a nasty brainbuster ON THE APRON! That's just all kind of ridiculous! Spots like that only existed with action figures when I was a kid. Back in, a slow slugfest turns increasingly feisty, with Zayn able to knock him back out of the ring for the tornado DDT through the buckles, but Kevin counters with a superkick (though the camera totally misses it). You know, THAT would have been a good time for an instant replay. So, of course, that's the one time we don't get one. Somersault bodyblock in the corner sets up a flying frogsplash for two, as we finally get that replay. Someone was asleep at the wheel there. Pop-Up Powerbomb, but Zayn counters with a springboard tornado DDT - only to have the Helluva countered with the super. Pop-Up, but Sami counters with a pair of half and half suplexes for two. That entire sequence was just mesmerizing, and gets a well earned 'YES' chant from the crowd. Helluva, but Owens counters with the Pop-Up for two! Sami manages another exploder into the buckles and another half and half to finally pull off the Helluva, and Owens is out! Knowing his man, however, Sami decides to give him another just to be sure, and that's enough at 18:27. Terrific match! Excellent quality of work here, not just for the ingenious spots, but for the crisp way they were delivered and sold. The chemistry between these two guys is unbelievable. **** ¼

Natalya v Becky Lynch: Becky throws her around a bunch to start, so Natalya hides in the ropes, then bails to stall. Becky gets frustrated, allowing Natalya to sweep the leg on the apron, and she goes to work on the part. Nattie trying to work heel feels so forced. Becky counters a leglock to the Dis-Arm-Her, but Natalya blocks, so Lynch throws an enzuigiri and a pair of clotheslines. Can anyone make a comeback these days without a pair of clotheslines? Like, I'm legitimately wondering. Exploder suplex gets two, and she tries to Dis-arm-her, but Nattie counters to a schoolgirl for two, then right into the Sharpshooter - only for Becky to get the ropes. Lynch tries a flying dropkick for two, and seems to have forgotten about the knee, so Natalya reminds her with a swift kick to it before finishing with the Sharpshooter at 9:00. Technically fine, just on the boring side. * ½

WWE Intercontinental Title Match: The Miz v Darren Young: Young tries shooting at the leg to start, but Miz hides out in the ropes, so Darren wrestles him down in a side-headlock. Miz counters to a hammerlock, so Young schoolboys him for two, and goes back to the headlock. They keep trading basic holds, until Young catches the champ with a swinging neckbreaker for two, but ends up getting shoved all the way to the floor while trying to climb. Miz follows to abuse him with the rail and apron out there, and inside that's worth two. Neckbreaker, but Young counters to a backslide for two, after controlling a reversal sequence. Darren throws a metric ton of clotheslines until Miz bails to the apron, but Young is on him with a side suplex onto it for two. Crossface chickenwing looks to finish, but Miz gets into the ropes before it's properly applied. He tries bailing, but Bob Backlund blocks his path, so Maryse slaps him - then promptly falls to the ground and pretends Bob attacked her. Not helping your case by ripping your shirt off and straining your neck muscles to the point of almost tearing there, Bob. Just FYI. So, anyway, Miz goes to the outside to bitch at Bob about the alleged shoving, and a brawl breaks out that results in a double disqualification at 8:40. This wasn't a particularly strong showing before the atrocious finish, let alone with it. *

Six-Man Tag Team Match: The Club v John Cena and Enzo & Cass: AJ Styles starts with Enzo Amore, and after a stutter start, catches Amore with a nice dropkick out of a criss cross. Tag to Big Cass, but AJ wants no part of him, and passes to Karl Anderson - Cass quickly putting him on the floor, then throwing Enzo out onto him! That brings AJ in, but Cass simply throws HIM out of the ring as well, then brings Anderson back in for a bodyslam. Tag to Enzo, and Cass slams him onto Anderson for two, but Karl quickly plants a right on him, and passes out to Luke Gallows. The Club cut the ring in half on Amore in tenacious fashion, but he dodges Gallows long enough to get the hot tag to John. Cena immediately fires off his comeback routine on AJ, and the Five Knuckle Shuffle sets up the FU, but Styles counters with the pele kick. Clash, but Enzo saves with a tornado DDT, and Roseanne Barr the door, we've got a kettle on! The sequence ends with Cena hitting the FU on AJ, but Anderson pulling him out of the ring at two, then dumping him onto an announce table with a spinebuster - only for Enzo to come flying off the steps with a DDT on him! That leaves everyone down around ringside, but legal man AJ is still in the ring - Cena taking the count! John barely beats it in, but AJ is ready and waiting with the Clash - Cass pulling him out at two. That leads to Cass taking the Magic Killer, leaving Enzo to try and standup to both Gallows and Anderson. That doesn't work out well for him. Cena saves, however, and an FU off the top finishes AJ at 14:29. Good action here, with the traditional tag match building heat on Enzo, before turning into a wild extended brawl. ** ¾

Main Event: WWE Title Triple Threat Match: Dean Ambrose v Seth Rollins v Roman Reigns: First fall wins. I'm not sure about that full beard on Reigns. Seth tries making peace with both guys at the bell, but Reigns responds by creaming him with a shoulderblock, then destroying him on the floor. That allows Ambrose to sneak up with a schoolboy on Roman for two, but Roman returns the favor as Dean deals with an incoming Rollins. Ambrose responds with the Dirty Deeds, but Reigns blocks, and dominates a slugfest - only to get jumped by Seth, and stomped in the corner. Sling blade sends Roman to the outside, and Dean eats a backbreaker. Reverse STO into the turnbuckles follows, but it puts Seth right in position for Reigns to pop in with the Drive-By! He pulls Rollins out for a beating, but Dean flies in with a plancha, and Seth thanks him with a flying high knee. He charges Reigns and ends up getting backdropped over the rail, and Dean dives off the announce table onto both of them as they brawl in the timekeeper's crevice. Back in, Ambrose nails Reigns with a flying dropkick, and a bulldog sets up a flying elbowsmash for two - Seth coming out of nowhere with a flying splash on Dean for two! He looks for the Pedigree on Reigns, but Roman backdrops out of it, and destroys him in the corner. Tilt-a-whirl slam sends Seth out for a breather, and he tries flying back in with a springboard, but gets punched out of the sky by Reigns. Roman tries a double-Superman Punch, but gets blocked, and everyone ends up down for the count. Triple slugfest as they stagger to their feet, and everyone ends up on the floor in a dog pile. Seth and Dean decide to work together to put Reigns through a table with a powerbomb, but then Rollins quickly turns on him with a chairshot. You'd think Ambrose would know better than to turn his back on Seth, after everything. I mean, we're past 'fool me once, fool me twice' at this point, you know? Inside, Rollins tries the turnbuckle powerbomb on the champion, but gets countered with a rana. Dean goes up, but Seth brings him down with a floatover superplex into a falcon arrow for two. Pedigree, but Dean counters with a slingshot into the corner - only for Seth to land on the top rope. Ambrose quickly tries bringing him down with a superplex of his own, but Reigns stops it with a powerbomb, then gives Seth a sitout version so that he doesn't feel left out. Superman Punch on Ambrose is countered to the Dirty Deeds, but Reigns counters back to a crucifix powerbomb - countered by Ambrose with a backslide for two. Rebound clothesline is countered with the Superman, but Rollins cuts in before he can cover, hitting a Pedigree on Reigns for two. Another Pedigree, but Reigns blocks, so Seth gives him a turnbuckle powerbomb instead - only for Reigns to rebound out with the Superman! Spear looks to finish, but now Ambrose cuts in with a Dirty Deeds on Roman to retain at 18:02. This was pretty consistent throughout, though it never really went above and beyond the usual stuff. ***

BUExperience: A solid show that was bogged down by too much filler, which is becoming an unfortunate trend for the WWE as of late. I didn’t even think there was any in-ring filler tonight (the card was well booked), but everything from extended commercials, to skits, to a long Highlight Reel segment made the show feel a lot more bloated than it needed to.

Still, the awesome Owens/Zayn match and solid performances throughout the rest of the card are enough to outweigh the filler stuff, especially in the world of FF buttons.

**