WWE Battleground: Last Minuet Predictions

Hello everyone and welcome back to Talk Wrestling World! I hope you are all well and good and have had a good week! As we approach the end of yet another week we edge closer to the second biggest pay per view of the year, and my personal favourite, SummerSlam. However,  before we get there have one more stop left, Battleground and as the men and women of Smackdown LIVE look to make an impact on PPV one last time before the biggest event of the Summer we have an interesting card which while it doesn't promise many match of the year candidates it should give us a good idea as to what to expect from the blue brand heading into Summer Slam next month. I do have plenty of posts centered around that show coming up but for today we are going to be focusing on Battleground and as the show is set to take place this weekend we have a lot to touch on before Sunday roles around. Now, this time last year I probably would have bombard you with prediction posts this week for each individual match on the card, however, what I've been doing more recently is last minuet predictions where instead of running through the entire card I will instead take a look at the biggest talking points heading into the pay per view and have a big discussion there as I clearly make my final last minuet predictions. I am going to be making these posts a more regular thing here, particularly for the bigger pay per views including SummerSlam but hopefully I will have plenty of content for that regardless. These are quick and simple and seem to go down pretty well so it looks as though its sticking. As always, I will be live tweeting throughout Battleground this weekend and a review/highlights post will be uploaded to my blog on Monday afternoon/evening depending on what my schedule looks like! Of course, any recent blog posts will be linked bellow including this weeks RAW and Smackdown LIVE highlights. Finally, you can let me know what your predictions are for Battleground by leaving a comment bellow or by dropping me a tweet over at @TezangiVictoria. 

Potential  Match of the Night?

When I took a look back at the previous last minuet prediction posts I have written I seem to always comment on the match I believe will be the best of the night and so sticking to tradition I'm going to kick start today's blog post off by doing the exact same. So the card for Sunday's pay per view isn't one that has me desperate to book the show and it certainty hasn't got me super excited. Don't get me wrong, there are a number of matches that could be amazing and I'm confident that if the whole show is booked right and each match is given enough time to shine and develop and improve storylines then this could so easily be a real solid show, I mean, to be honest I wasn't high on the build up of the Great Balls of Fire pay per view but in the end I actually really really enjoyed the whole thing and so I'm going to remain positive. Taking a look at the card now its complete there are a few matches that stand out in particular and I have to admit I'm pretty excited for. Those matches include the women's fatal five way elimination match, John Cena VS Rusev, and the match I'm going to be talking about in more detail today, AJ Styles VS Kevin Owens. Honestly, I really do believe this is going to be the standout match of the night and could so so easily result in being one of the standout matches of twenty seventeen. Already this year both men have been apart of some brilliant matches and I don't doubt for a single second that when they collide this weekend they will create pure wrestling magic in that ring. We've seen these two go one on one in the past and work as part of tag team action against one another and just by taking a look at their little history we know that the pair are more than capable of stealing the show and every other superstar/match is going to have to live up to this. Here we have two huge names with big followings who just happen to be two of the best wrestlers in the world today. Both Owens and Styles have been highlighted as two of the greatest WWE superstars today and their feud is something hardcore fans have been dreaming of for years. Now, it was at a recent house show that AJ Styles defeated Owens for the United States championship and as I have already mentioned I loved the idea that the title changed hands at a house show instead of typically on a pay per view or rare episode of Smackdown LIVE. It's made the feud feel ten times more intense and has only had me even more excited for their future matches. When predicting the end result of this match I have to go with AJ Styles. He's only been champion for a couple of weeks and I don't see this feud ending any time soon. This is bound to be one to carry on over to next months SummerSlam pay per view and so to do that I do believe that the right move would be to keep the title on Styles. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see the title once again change hands. Keeping all that in mind I don't believe this is one of the more predicable matches on the card and I can honestly say I'm very excited.

Brand New Number One Contender

In Wednesdays post I once again went on a rant about the RAW women's divison, don't worry I'm not going to go into that again (just yet) but what I am going to say again is that I continue to really really enjoy the work from the Smackdown LIVE women's divison. While there is still work to be done and longer matches here and there are still something I want to see the WWE work on you can really see a difference between the two shows and how the female talent is used. Over on Monday Night RAW week in and week out we are seeing Sasha Banks,Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, and Bayley thrown on our TV screens and that is it despite the fact they have roster that includes the of likes of Mickie James, Alicia Fox, and Emma also. When we take a look at Smackdown LIVE and what they are doing with its female talent there is a huge clear difference. Here we have every single women being used in a storyline, being booked and having the opportunity to get their hands on the Women's championship while over on RAW we are constantly seeing the same women in the championship picture. Now, there's clear perfect example of the difference in treatment in the two shows as this weekend Lana, Tamina, Natalya, Charlotte and Becky Lynch will all compete in a fatal five elimination match where the winner will go on to face Naomi at SummerSlam in a Smackdown LIVE women's championship match. Okay, so I can see the positive differences. On raw we are likely to see Alexa Bliss vs Sasha Banks at SummerSlam for the title and there's more of a story there and therefore more emotional investment in the match and of an interest. While on Smackdown they don't have that exactly. However, what they do have is an equal opportunity and divison that shows just how badly they all want to be champion. The women all feel equal and are all getting a fair opportunity to chase after gold. In the future I would really like to see more intense deep storytelling/storylines but I have to say that I am looking forward to this match this weekend. We know these women can deliver and honestly, if they are given the time they could so easily have one of the best matches of the night. What I love about this so much is the unpredictability. In fact that does seem to be the theme running through this pay per view. It's really difficult to predict clear winners for each match and I like that. It keeps me watching has me far more interested. Now, as far as who I personally would like to see get the win I've got to say that again there is a valid argument for each women. There's a part of me that would love to see Natalya given the opportunity to at least compete on a big stage in one on one action for the title. However, I also would love to see Charlotte and Naomi go one on one for twenty plus minuets or so. Those two could without a doubt put on a fantastic singles match at SummerSlam. The we have Becky Lynch who I believe is the true through and through baby face of the Smackdown LIVE women's divison. Not to mention there's a story to be told. If Becky defeated Naomi (plus there's a story there between them already) and Carmella then cashes in at SummerSlam it sets up a good story to be told between Lynch and Carmella which again has already had the seeds planted for. And finally Lana, who to be honest is probably the women I want to see get the win. I'm loving her strange alliance with Tamina (by the way, I don't believe Tamina would get the win but I wouldn't be disappointed nor surprised if she did) and I do want to see this develop into something even bigger. I do think there is a lot of potential there and I would love to see Lana as champion despite the fact that I may be a little alone with that opinion. I'm interested in seeing how the dynamic works and how both women work together against one another during this match. Honestly, I'm really excited to see whats going to go down and who will get the win.

Who Walks into SummerSlam as WWE Champion?

This Sunday's main event is one I'm again conflicted on. Honestly, I have no idea how I really feel about this match. First of all, I have to say that I don't believe this match should be happening. As I mentioned in my Money in the Bank Highlights post I felt as though this feud should have ended on that night at that pay per view event. There didn't feel as though there was a need for this feud to continue and the longer it does go on for the more I feel as though Jinder will negatively benefit. However, on the other hand I do like the fact that he has a personal feud going right now that has allowed him to compete and defend his WWE Championship inside the Punjabi Prison. Okay, so this is a match that hasn't gone down the best in its history but I am right now far more interested in this match and the fact still remains the same, the unpredictability and the fact this is Jinder Mahal competing in this match means that I have an interest and I'm really excited for what I'm about to see. I don't have as much to say. I feel as though when it comes to this story and these two superstars I've said all I need to say. I know I've said I'm bored of Orton's work and I do feel the feud should have ended last month but after this weeks episode of Smackdown LIVE I'm a lot more interested. I felt as though the opening segment was really good and I believed Orton for the first time. I felt his passion, I felt as though he was interested and into the feud and by the end of the whole thing I was a lot more excited leaving a little change in opinion. Who do I personally think should walk into SummerSlam as WWE champion? I have to go with Jinder Mahal for the obvious reasons and I really do believe he is the right man for the job this year.

Can Mr Money in the Bank keep his Momentum Up?

By this point the entire world knows I'm in love with Baron Corbin... It's public knowledge by now and so when became the two thousand and seventeen Mr Money in the Bank last month I was over the moon. You most probably all knew that I was backing the lone wolf and honestly when I was taking a look at the names competing in the match he and Zayn were the two that stood out as favourites but in the end it was so so clear that Corbin needed it far more. It was on that night that Corbin kick started a new feud. After attacking Shinsuke Nakamura during his entrance fans wondered weather or not the former NXT champion would be able to compete in the Money in the bank ladder match. In the end he was able to do so. Returning mid way through the match Nakamura made a huge impact getting himself involved and competing to become Mr money in the bank. The nights events did of course lead to the twos one on one feud which I honestly have no issue with. Nakamura is far more skilled in the ring and experienced than Corbin but theres a good story to be told. Shinsuke is everything Baron hates in a WWE superstar however sees as a total threat. Corbin is constantly looking to get a sneak attack in benefiting from the early advantage. Throughout their feud so far we've seen how intense and barbaric both men can be but I do feel as though it could be pushed more and the feud could get a lot more personal and therefore stronger if a touch more time was

invested. Now, looking at the card this weekend this is the match I'm most conflicted on. Honestly, I'm really not sure as to who I think should walk away with the win. I'm such a fan of both men and I do feel as though they both could do with the win this weekend. Okay, so first of all, I am expecting this match to go over to SummerSlam. I feel as though Nakamura does deserve a stronger match but right now I don't think there's anything else for him unless he's thrown into the US Championship picture but again there is a huge door open for the WWE Championship picture also which I'll go into more detail with in a minuet. I do feel for once that Corbin could bounce back from a loss this weekend while it does take something away from Shinsuke if he loses. That is unless there is a disqualification ending which seems to be likely. If I was booking this match however I would move away from that idea. It's an option and something to seriously consider but if Corbin loses clean to Nakamura it really opens the door for this feud to develop and grow more intense and more personal. It adds to Corbins fury and I'm sure I'd have a lot more interest in their rivalry moving forward. I don't believe this will be the match of the night but I do think it will be a good one and had great potential. Nakamura could so easily give Corbin his best match to date.

Final predictions

Overall I'm not super excited for this pay per view but I'm looking forward to it and I think that as long as the booking is right and the superstars in each match are given enough time this could be a decent pay per view. I am looking forward to a number of matches on the card and I feel as though there is great potential. John Cena VS Rusev is a match I haven't spoken about today but one I'm really looking forward to watching. They have a great history and in the past have put on some brilliant matches. I don't think this feud will go on for long, it really doesn't need to and I think there is a possibility of Cena chasing after the WWE Championship if Jinder retains. As far as who wins this weekend? Again its more unpredictable than expected and I think for me personally I have to back Rusev for the obvious reason being that I bloody love the guy! Do I think this show will be better than Great Ball of Fire? Honestly I think they will be pretty equal there. As always, I will be live tweeting throughout Battleground this weekend and a review/highlights post will be uploaded to my blog on Monday afternoon/evening depending on what my schedule looks like! Of course, any recent blog posts will be linked bellow including this weeks RAW and Smackdown LIVE highlights. Finally, you can let me know what your predictions are for Battleground by leaving a comment bellow or by dropping me a tweet over at @TezangiVictoria


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