5 of the best matches in WWE Battleground history
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.