This is the Fightful.com live coverage for WWE Battleground! Tonight we an action packed event as we have two matches that are arguably main event worthy. Jinder Mahal will defend his WWE World Championship against Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison match and AJ Styles will defend his WWE United States Championship against Kevin Owens! We also have Shinsuke Nakamura taking on Baron Corbin and much more so be sure to come back here 8PM EST for all of the action!
Also, make sure to join in after the show for the Fightful.com post-show podcast!
Preshow
-We get an interview with AJ Styles about this title defense tonight before we see Kevin Owens looking on in the locker room in disgust before he's interviewed about their match. We then have Maria and Mike Kanellis being interviewed about their joining the Smackdown! brand and their feuding with Sami Zayn.
Aiden English vs Tye Dillinger
They lock up to start the match before Tye gets knocked down by English who mocks him and plays to the crowd with a bow. Tye takes Aiden down repeatedly with arm drags before mocking him and doing his ten fingers pose before Aiden whips him across the ring only for Tye to drop him with a clothesline. Tye then stomps Aiden in the corner ten times before Aiden headbutts him and sends him into the middle turnbuckle before stomping on him. Aiden then whips him into the corner again and plays to the crowd as we go to commercial.
Aiden gets a near fall as we come back from commercial, then drives his knee into the back of Tye repeatedly before putting him in a sleeper hold. Tye comes back with a dropkick and a series of chops before dropping him repeatedly. Tye then goes for the Tye Breaker, but Aiden gets out of the ring before he can before Aiden rolls him back into the ring. Tye hits a spinebuster for a near fall once they're back in the ring, then Aiden hits a variation of a flat liner for a near fall. Aiden plays to the crowd and mocks Tye before he goes for a Tye Breaker of his own, then they exchange pin attempts before English hits a release dragon suplex for the pin and the win.
Winner: Aiden English via pinfall
Main Show
The Usos vs New Day WWE Smackdown! Tag Team Championship Match
Kofi dropkicks Jey to start the match for a quick two count, then tags in Xavier who hits a diving elbow drop for another quick two count. Jimmy gets the blind tag before the Usos start teaming up on Xavier, Jimmy getting a quick two count of his own off of it. The Usos start tagging in and out, keeping Xavier isolated from his corner, either staying near their corner or towards the center of the ring. Xavier comes back with a series of strikes before Jimmy drops him with a spinning kick for a quick two count. Jey then stomps on Xavier in the corner before hitting a running hip attack for a quick two count before choking him in the ropes.
The Usos keep double teaming Xavier before Jimmy goes for a superplex, but Xavier fights him off and hits a missile dropkick. Kofi gets tagged in and takes out both Usos before hitting a leg drop to Jimmy, Kofi sending them both out of the ring. The Usos then powerbomb Kofi onto the floor when they catch him coming off of the top rope, dropping Xavier with a European uppercut in mid-air as well. Jimmy rolls Xavier back into the ring and misses a splash before Xavier hits a facebuster for a near fall. Jimmy hits a death valley driver into the corner before the Usos hit a 3D for a near fall. Xavier goes for a diving elbow drop onto Jey, but he rolls out of the ring, then Jimmy superkicks him in mid-air for a very close near fall.
Jimmy then puts Xavier in a single leg Boston crab, Xavier nearly tapping before he gets to the ropes at the last second for the break. New Day then hit the Midnight Hour for a near fall of their own before Jimmy superkicks Kofi and Jey hits a splash off of the top rope for another very close near fall that shocks everyone in the arena. Jimmy misses a splash before Kofi hits Trouble in Paradise, then Xavier hits a springboard elbow across the ring for the pin and the win.
Winner: New Day via pinfall
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Baron Corbin
Shinsuke hits Corbin with a series of forearms and knees before Corbin smashes him in the corner, Shinsuke coming back and sending Corbin out of the ring. Shinsuke tells Corbin to get back in the ring and bring it, but as soon as he does Shinsuke gets out and Corbin gets upset, Shinsuke using Corbin's mind games against him. Corbin drops Shinsuke with a right hand once he's back in the ring, following up with stomps before picking him up and putting him in a bear hug. Shinsuke fights out of it and locks in a triangle choke, but Corbin powers out of it and turns him inside out with a boot for a quick two count. Corbin then tosses Shinsuke out of the ring before backing him into the barricade repeatedly and tossing him back into the ring.
Corbin beats on Shinsuke in between playing to the crowd before putting him in a bear hug, Shinsuke coming back with a series of kicks and a dropkick. Shinsuke hits his signature double knees in the corner for a near fall, then Corbin comes back with a lariat that turns Shinsuke inside out for a near fall. Shinsuke comes back with a series of knees that drops Corbin before he goes for the Kinshasa, but Corbin catches him coming in and hits the Deep Six for a near fall. They exchange strikes before Shinsuke hits a backstabber and a spinning kick, following up with an ax kick. Corbin then low blows Shinsuke when he goes for a reverse exploder suplex for the disqualification and the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura via disqualification
-After the match Corbin attacks Shinsuke with his briefcase before hitting the End of Days and leaving.
Women's Fatal Five Way Elimination Match
Tamina and Lana double team Charlotte after taking out Natalya and Becky before she and Becky come back and hit a double fall away suplex that sends them out of the ring. Becky hits a series of arm drags before Charlotte catches her coming in in the corner, then Becky hits a neckbreaker. Natalya comes in and hits a PK to Charlotte for a quick two count, then gets a quick two count off of Becky. Becky hits Natalya with a series of strikes before hitting an exploder suplex to both Natalya and Charlotte, sending Charlotte out of the ring. Tamina comes in and drops Becky with a superkick before hitting a Samoan drop to Natalya, then Charlotte takes her out before getting a quick two count on Natalya.
Natalya clotheslines Charlotte before locking in a sharpshooter, but Lana comes in and breaks it up before getting a near fall, Becky locking in the Disarmer out of nowhere. Tamina then comes in and saves Lana by hitting a Samoan drop to Becky and spearing Charlotte through the ropes. Lana then gets a near fall on Becky before Becky locks the Disarmer in again, but Tamina stops her again. Becky then locks it in on Tamina and forces her to tap for the elimination. Becky then eliminates Lana before Charlotte powers out of a triangle by Natalya into a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Natalya then picks up the pin and eliminates Charlotte for the win.
Winner: Natalya via pinfall
-After the match Naomi and Natalya face off before Natalya leaves as we go to commercial.
AJ Styles vs Kevin Owens United States Championship Match
Kevin puts AJ in a headlock before he gets out of it and hits an arm drag that sends Kevin out of the ring. Kevin gets back in the ring before AJ sends him right back out of it once again. Kevin gets back in and AJ dropkicks him before Kevin gets back out of the ring for the third time. AJ decides to go after him this time and sends him into the announce table before whipping him into the barricade. AJ misses a running forearm into the barricade before Kevin crotches him on the ring post and rolls him back into the ring.
Kevin then hits a senton for a quick two count before putting him in a headlock, AJ getting out of it and getting his knees up when Kevin goes for another senton. AJ comes back with a series of strikes only for Kevin to DDT him for a near fall before putting him back in yet another headlock. AJ comes back with another flurry of strikes before dropping Kevin with a clothesline, following up with a running clothesline in the corner. AJ then hits a sit-out facebuster for a near fall before Kevin sends AJ into the top rope when he goes for the Styles Clash. AJ comes back with an ushigaroshi before he goes for a springboard 450 splash, but Kevin gets his knees up for a near fall.
Kevin hits a cannonball in the corner for a near fall before countering a Phenomenal Forearm and hitting an armbreaker. AJ then goes for the Styles Clash, but Kevin tosses him away into the referee, then Kevin hits a superkick before AJ locks in the Calf Killer. Kevin counters the Calf Killer into a cross face, AJ countering with one of his own before Kevin rolls him up for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens via pinfall
John Cena vs Rusev Flag Match
Rusev goes for the Bulgarian flag, but Cena stops him, then Rusev backs him in the corner. Rusev goes for it again, but Cena hits a back suplex off of the top rope before going for his own flag. Rusev hits an electric chair drop before hitting a snap suplex, Rusev going after his flag once more, but Cena tries to pull him down and drag him to the mat. Rusev beats on Cena before dropping him with a clothesline, Rusev kicking Cena before splashing him in the corner. Cena keeps Rusev away once again before they exchange right hands, Cena coming back with a Five Knuckle Shuffle before he goes for the AA, but Rusev counters with a spinebuster.
Rusev then tosses Cena out of the ring before going to the top rope to grab his flag. Cena gets back up and sends Rusev back across the ring, going for a leg drop off of the top rope, but Rusev catches him and hits a powerbomb before grabbing the Bulgarian flag. Cena dropkicks Rusev once he comes down with his flag, then hits an AA after Rusev misses a splash in the corner. Cena climbs the turnbuckle and goes to get the United States flag, but Rusev grabs him and goes to powerbomb him, but Cena counters into the STF. Rusev then seemingly passes out before Cena breaks the hold and gets back up to the top rope to grab his flag.
Cena grabs the flag and brings it back down before Rusev drops him with a kick out of nowhere. Rusev is sent into the steps before Cena makes his way up the ramp to put his flag in the pedestal, but Rusev is quickly back up and attacks Cena from behind before hitting him with the ring steps. Rusev makes his way up the ramp, but Cena comes back and sends him face first into the screen on the stage before heading back down to grab his flag. Rusev then catches Cena coming off of the pedestal before hitting a fall away slam onto the stage. Rusev grabs two tables and sets them up on the stage beside the United States pedestal, then mocks Cena before trying to hit an AA to Cena through the tables, but he's pushed away.
Cena grabs his flag and tries to head up the ramp, but Rusev is right there and they exchange strikes before hitting a double clothesline. Rusev hits Cena with the flag holder before locking in the Accolade, then goes to get his flag before bringing it back up the ramp. Rusev then goes to put his flag in the holder, but Cena is right there and stops him, Cena getting up on the pedestal before going for the AA. Rusev counters with a roundhouse kick, then goes for the Accolade again, but Cena hits an AA through the tables before putting his flag in for the win.
Winner: John Cena
-Next we get a Fashion Police segment with the theme of X Files before they confronted by The Ascension who say that they weren't the ones behind the crime before leaving. The lights then go out before they're attacked in the dark by an unknown assailant and Fandango is drug off by someone just off of the screen.
Mike Kanellis vs Sami Zayn
Sami takes Mike down to start the match, beating on him with right hands before hits a huricanrrana that sends him across the ring. Sami follows Mike around the ring from corner to corner, hitting him every few moments before clotheslining him over the top rope and to the floor. Maria pushes Mike out of the way when Sami goes to hits a tope to the outside, then Mike drops Sami with a right hand before they kiss. Mike rolls Sami back into the ring and drops him for a quick two count before stomping on him and smashing his face into the top turnbuckle. Mike drops Sami with a right hand for a quick two count before Sami comes back with a series of chops, only for Mike to clothesline him in two different corners and finish with a boot for another quick two count.
Sami comes back with a back drop before sending Mike out of the ring, Sami hitting a flipping senton over the top rope onto Mike onto the floor. Sami puts Mike back in the ring and hits a diving cross body for a near fall before they counter each other and Sami hits a tornado DDT. Sami goes for an exploder suplex, but Maria gets in the way and distracts him only for the referee to make her leave. Sami then goes for it again and hits an exploder in the corner before hitting the Helluva Kick in the corner for the pin and the win.
Winner: Sami Zayn via pinfall
Jinder Mahal vs Randy Orton WWE Championship Punjabi Prison Match
Randy is all over Jinder before he tries to escape the door, but Randy stops him and tries to do it himself. They stop each other repeatedly before Randy sends Jinder face first into the bamboo, Randy nearly crawling out of the door, but Jinder holds onto his leg and drags him back in, the timer ending and the door being locked for the remainder of the match. Jinder hits an armbreaker before wrapping Randy's arm around the bamboo, then puts him in a straight armbar. Jinder stays focused on the arm of Randy before he calls for another door to open, Jinder poking Randy in the eye before Randy hits a fall away slam. They both try to get out of the door, but cannot, Randy opting to mount and beat on Jinder once the time expires on the second door.
Jinder tries to climb over the inner wall, but Randy stops him before trapping him between the ropes and the bamboo. Randy goes for a draping DDT, but Jinder counters and tosses him into the bamboo wall before splashing him repeatedly. Randy suplexes Jinder into the bamboo wall before snapping his throat over the top rope. Randy calls for a door and tries to get out, but cannot as the second to last door locks. Randy hits a powerslam and a draping DDT before he teases an RKO, but he just ends up calling for the final door instead.
Randy changes his mind and goes for an RKO, but Jinder counters and drops him with a high knee before Randy counters the Khallas into an RKO. The Singhs come out of nowhere and drag Jinder out of the door as it locks, leaving Randy left in the inner structure. Randy climbs out of the inner structure before he and Jinder exchange strikes on the outer wall. Randy sends Jinder off of the wall, but the Singhs do the same to Randy before Randy fights them off and drops Jinder off of it. Randy then beats on all three of them with a stick before he tries to get over the wall, but one of the Singh's stops him.
Randy then sends him off of the wall and through the announce table before Jinder drags him back down into the inner structure. Jinder backs Randy into the wall repeatedly before Randy hits a draping DDT onto the floor when Jinder gets his foot caught. Randy then gets out a chair and beats on Jinder with it before he tries to climb the wall again, but the other Singh tries to pull him down. Just as Randy tries to get over the wall The Great Khali comes out shakes the cage before he holds Randy by the throat as Jinder gets over the top of the wall for the win.
Winner: Jinder Mahal
