BattleGround - Full Results

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Aiden English def. Tye Dillinger (Kickoff Match)



PHILADELPHIA — Maestro, a curtain call if you please. Aiden English, the artistically-inclined Superstar, finally defeated Tye Dillinger at WWE Battleground Kickoff.

It was a signature performance from “The Shakespeare of Song” as he began the night by serenading the WWE Universe, despite their deafening jeers, before The Perfect 10 made his own entrance.

English controlled the early goings of the match, at least until Dillinger turned the tide with a whip-fast sequence that ended with The Drama King getting flung into the corner and 10 fingers being flashed in his face.

English rallied with a headbutt to the beloved Superstar and unleashed a symphony of pain, wearing Dillinger down with blunt-force knees to the spine and a constrictor-like chinlock that brought The Perfect 10 to the brink of la-la land.

Dillinger had enough in him to roar back, very nearly bringing English to tears once again.

But The Artiste composed himself and unleashed his masterstroke, knocking Dillinger off the turnbuckle in the midst of a series of raining blows and executing a full-nelson release suplex that put The Perfect 10 down for the count.

Even English seemed somewhat surprised he’d managed to pull off the win, but he quickly recovered to bask in the moment.

And why should he not? The spotlight, at last, is on him, and one conducts oneself accordingly when one’s moment comes.

The New Day def. The Usos to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions



PHILADELPHIA — Break out those Booty-O’s, light up the unicorn horns and swivel your hips accordingly: The New Day are Tag Team Champions for the third time.

As has become their custom, The New Day made history in their SmackDown Tag Team Title win over The Usos at WWE Battleground, as they’re the first-ever team to hold the tag titles of both brands.

The feat is even more amazing given that it didn’t look like it would happen, as ya boys opted for an unusual combination — Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods — that didn’t pay early dividends.

Much to New Day’s chagrin, Woods was isolated from Kofi and subjected to an interminable, two-on-one mugging straight out of The Uso Penitentiary.

The Boom Squad General eventually managed to tag his way into the match and was all but unstoppable — until the brothers snatched him out of the sky mid-Trust Fall and powerbombed him onto the arena floor.

With Kofi out of commission and Woods on wobbly legs, The Usos punished their foe once again with a two-on-one attack.

Woods was first subjected to a double-team Samoan Drop.
Then, when he tried to rally, he was superkicked straight out of the sky by Jimmy Uso and wrapped up with a Tequila Sunrise.

Woods refused to stay down, but The Usos proved equally as difficult to put away.
When Kofi finally stirred to life, The Usos nearly put him away with a splash that notched a two-and-nine-tenths count.

Looking to finally end things, The Usos placed Kofi in the middle of the squared circle and set up for splashes on either corner of the ring.

Woods saved the day, though, shoving Jey Uso to the outside and giving Kofi enough of a reprieve to avoid Jimmy’s splash in the confusion.

The New Day pounced quickly with a one-two punch of Trouble in Paradise and a tightrope elbow drop from Woods that literally took him across the ring and the finish line for the 1-2-3.

In other words? Don’t you dare be sour, clap for your three-time champs and feel the power! Say hello to your W. W. E. Smack. Down. Tag. Team. Champions.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Baron Corbin via Disqualification



PHILADELPHIA — Shinsuke Nakamura notched a win against Baron Corbin in their long-brewing debut singles clash following weeks of sneak attacks on Mr. Money in the Bank’s part, but Nakamura was the one writhing on the canvas when the final bell rang.

It was clear from the onset that the bout was not going to be as simple as offense-finisher-1-2-3. The two strikers were nose-to-nose the second the bell rang and were out to not just compete, but hurt each other.

Corbin treated Nakamura like hell’s chiropractor with a ruthless bear hug, and The King of Strong Style replied with a gnarly triangle hold that threatened to turn Corbin’s arm into linguini.

The Lone Wolf responded by driving Nakamura spine-first into the barricade and going back to the bear hug, attempting to take away the core strength from which The King of Strong Style derives the power in his infamous kicks.

It seemed to do the job, as even after Nakamura escaped Corbin’s clutches to hit him with a series of increasingly horrifying knees and kicks, the big man was still able to rally with a clothesline that flipped The Artist, literally, end-over-end.

When Nakamura looked to respond with a Kinshasa, he ended up getting hit with Deep Six.

Whatever grace was left went out of the match moments later.
The two rivals resorted to slugging each other as though they were fighting behind the Wells Fargo Arena rather than in the middle of it.

Nakamura got the better of the exchange when he seemingly knocked Corbin unconscious with a strike to the back of the head, but The Lone Wolf was merely playing possum.

When The King of Strong Style went to investigate, Corbin mule-kicked him below the belt, bringing the bout to an immediate disqualification halt in Nakamura’s favor.

Mr. Money in the Bank didn’t seem all that bothered by the outcome.
Not only did he smile, he jabbed his briefcase into Nakamura’s gut and hit the End of Days after the bell, leaving Philly with a million-dollar grin across his face and raising his hand in triumph.

Hard to blame him.
Nakamura may have won the match, but Corbin won the fight.

Natalya won a Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match to earn the right to challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi at SummerSlam



PHILADELPHIA — The Queen of Harts is coming for the throne.

Veteran Superstar Natalya outwitted and outlasted four of SmackDown’s most talented females in her 38th pay-per-view match (one shy of Trish Stratus’ record), teeing her up for a fateful battle with SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi at SummerSlam in Brooklyn.

Initially, however, the alliance between Tamina and Lana seemed as though it would be difficult to beat.
Not only did the duo run roughshod over the competition, but Tamina saved Lana from not one, but two Dis-arm-hers from Becky Lynch.

The Irish Lass Kicker singlehandedly took care of that fearsome duo, however, submitting Tamina with the Dis-arm-her and then doing the same to The Ravishing Russian in short order.

Ironically, and cruelly, Maiden Ireland’s night ended just seconds later when Natalya rolled Lynch up with a handful of tights and dispatched her from the contest, bringing the bout down to the heiresses of the Hart and Flair dynasties.

In a rematch of the confrontation that provided one of the first sparks of the Women’s Revolution, both prodigies unleashed the full scope of their arsenals.

Natalya focused on submissions, locking Flair in a mangling armbar, while Charlotte Flair opted for finesse, hoisting The Queen of Harts into the air and powerbombing her way out of the hold.

The rough-and-tumble lessons of the Hart Dungeon ultimately brought Natalya the win; when The Queen went up high for a moonsault, Natalya raised her knees to block the move and roll Charlotte headfirst into the turnbuckle, putting her down to punch her ticket to Brooklyn.

Naomi, who observed the bout from the commentary table, was quick to offer a handshake to her new challenger, but The Queen of Harts turned her back instead.

The Women’s Revolution may have been all about mutual respect, but Natalya has clearly had enough of ceremonial victories.
This time, she’s out for a definitive one.

Kevin Owens def. AJ Styles to become the new United States Champion



PHILADELPHIA — The New Face of America has the hardware to prove his moniker once again, as Kevin Owens defeated AJ Styles at WWE Battleground to earn his third United States Championship.

Fittingly enough for a rivalry that has hinged on heartbreakers and shockers in equal measure, KO and Styles seemed to be one minute away from a full-on fistfight from the second the bell rang.

Owens was particularly rabid, looking to avenge his honor after losing the title in a stunning upset to The Phenomenal One at a WWE Live Event in Madison Square Garden three weeks ago.

The proud champion swooped on The New Face of America like a Georgia-born bird of prey.
Owens employed a ground-and-pound strategy to counter, muscling Styles down to Chinlock City.

Even when Styles rallied to hit some of his more breathtaking maneuvers, KO hung tough, kicking out and countering almost everything the champion threw at him, including a springboard 450 and a Torture Rack-powerbomb hybrid.

His most genius counter, however, was sliding out of the ring right as Styles prepared to hit the Phenomenal Forearm, at which point KO clotheslined Styles’ leg out from under him and caused The Phenomenal One to land painfully on his right shoulder.

When the champion attempted to hit the Styles Clash, Owens hoisted his foe on his shoulders and threw him — literally threw him — into the ref.

Champion and challenger traded crossfaces while the groggy official slowly roused from his slumber, and the ref came to just as Owens managed to roll The Phenomenal One onto his back for the three.

For what it’s worth, both Superstars proved themselves worthy to hold the “workhorse” championship.
That said, there’s only one man who can.

John Cena def. Rusev (Flag Match)



PHILADELPHIA — The American flag flew high at WWE Battleground — fittingly enough in The Birthplace of America — after John Cena defeated his longtime rival Rusev in a Flag Match, earning a win for both himself and the country he calls home.

The old-school rules of the match were simple: Grab your own flag, carry it to the top of the entrance ramp and plant it on your home country’s pedestal.

With Cena representing America and Rusev his native Bulgaria, the stakes were especially high, and both patriots found themselves locked in a dead heat defending the honor of their nations.

Rusev initially seemed to be the fresher of the two, or at least the hungrier.
Looking to prove that he was as deserving of the spotlight — and, just maybe, that his WrestleMania loss to Cena was a fluke — The Bulgarian Brute was the first to grab a flag, seizing his colors after reversing a top-rope legdrop from Cena into a powerbomb.

Cena responded by nearly taking Rusev out of the match, trapping him in the STF until the two-time United States Champion passed out in the hold.

Cena grabbed hold of the American flag and a grueling stop-and-start ensued, with each Superstar inching their colors halfway up the ramp.

Eventually, the fight spilled to the top of the entryway, where Rusev set up a pair of tables next to the American podium for the ultimate statement maneuver — an Attitude Adjustment of his own through the tables.

He had to settle for an Accolade that put Cena to sleep, but before The Super Athlete could plant his flag, Cena came to and blocked it with his bare hands.

Rusev then attempted another Accolade, but Cena administered an ultimate statement of his own, hoisting Rusev on his shoulders, marching up the American podium and Attitude Adjusting Rusev through the tables.

With The Super Athlete felled, Cena finally put the match away, planting his flag atop the pedestal and saluting it as he made his exit.

Breezango’s attackers strike again at WWE Battleground



PHILADELPHIA — The truth is still out there.

The conclusion of Breezango’s “Fashion X-Files” seemed to promise a long-awaited confrontation between The Fashion Police and their mysterious attackers.

And, at first, it appeared that Fandango & Tyler Breeze had finally come face-to-face with their attackers when they once again ran into long-running suspects Konnor & Viktor of The Ascension, who basically copped to the attack by saying they just felt like it.

Breezango was sorely disappointed at the revelation of the “series finale,” but there was one plot twist left to be unveiled.

While Fandango & Breeze grumbled about the outcome, they had an epiphany that The Ascension couldn’t have been their attackers, as they had taken up Breezango’s offer of Eddie Money tickets the night that Fandango’s toy horse, Tully, was abducted and mangled.

Unfortunately, they were unable to follow up on this break in the case, as the lights went out and Breeze was taken down by an unseen attacker.

Fandango was similarly felled moments later and dragged away by the light of his fallen flashlight.
To be continued …

Sami Zayn def. Mike Kanellis



PHILADELPHIA — Mike Kanellis has felt the power — but not of love.
Following an ill-gotten victory over Sami Zayn in his SmackDown LIVE debut, the love-struck Superstar felt the power of a kick to the face at WWE Battleground, suffering his first loss as a result.

The victory gives Zayn a much-needed measure of payback against Kanellis, while also proving that the lovebirds’ strategy — Maria Kanellis distracts; Mike capitalizes — is not without its weak points.

Maria did, in fact, intervene in the match, saving her husband from a Sami tope and distracting Zayn long enough for Mike to clock him with a haymaker.

The punch put Kanellis so firmly in the driver’s seat he was able to pause for a particularly gratuitous bit of PDA with his wife.

Sami, as is his proclivity, rallied, booting Mike in the sternum and finally executing the over-the-ropes dive that was disrupted earlier.

The former NXT Champion encountered a brief roadblock when Maria used herself as a human shield for an exploder, but once the ref broke up the encounter, Zayn followed through on that move, too.

The final heartbreak for Kanellis followed soon after as Zayn nailed him with a Helluva Kick for the win.
Maria & Mike may chalk it up as a loss for love itself, but in some ways, it’s fitting with what we’ve known for years about the power of love: It makes one man weep, and another man sing.

WWE Champion Jinder Mahal def. Randy Orton (Punjabi Prison Match)



PHILADELPHIA — Jinder Mahal left Randy Orton in ruins inside the Punjabi Prison at WWE Battleground to retain the WWE Championship, and he had some big help in achieving the task.
No, it wasn’t The Singh Brothers who enabled Mahal to escape the Prison to achieve the victory.

The Modern-Day Maharaja’s trusted lieutenants were initially barred from entering the champion’s chosen battleground, and they met a grisly fate when they defied that mandate.

Mahal’s help came in the form of his “personal hero” and the originator of the Punjabi Prison itself — former World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali.

The Punjabi Giant’s return didn’t come a moment too soon, either.
Orton’s prediction that Mahal had blundered by locking himself in a cage with The Viper had proven to be incredibly prescient.

Orton used every inch of the steel-enforced bamboo to accentuate his cruel intentions, and the best thing Mahal could say about failing to walk through three of the inner cage’s four doors in the allotted 60-second increments was that Orton had failed to do so as well.

The Modern-Day Maharaja only made it through Door No. 4 after The Singh Brothers emerged from under the ring and helped haul him, half-unconscious from an RKO, through the door.

What followed was a literal race to the end, as a groggy Mahal attempted to climb the outer structure while Orton effortlessly scaled the inner cage and stepped over to the outside one, landing right next to the champion and instantly resuming the punishment.

The Apex Predator managed to get Mahal off the cage by slamming his head into it, and The Singh Brothers struck again, yanking the 13-time World Champion off the cage and feeding him into a knee from Mahal.

The Viper once again dismantled Sunil & Samir, even punching the latter off the side of the structure and through the commentary table when Samir wormed his way through the holes of the cage and attempted to counter Orton’s ascent.

With Mahal down to one foot-soldier, a battered and bruised Orton went to work with a steel chair, lacing into The Maharaja and Sunil Singh with impunity.

Now with a clear path to the outside, Orton began his exit — and then The Great Khali made his entrance.

The 7-foot-1 titan shook the entire structure with bare hands, causing Orton to nearly fall from the top.
Khali then wrapped his massive hand around The Viper’s neck and refused to let go.

Mahal paused only to sneer in the ensnared Orton’s face before continuing his descent down the structure to the floor for the win.

With his championship in hand, his country behind him and a giant at his side, Mahal came to Battleground with a prison to his name.
Before this is all over, he may well end up with an empire.