With WWE Battleground taking place July 19th, 2016, VAVEL looks back at three previous events. This author reviews Battleground 2013, headlined by Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship.
The show began with the usual opening video, focusing on the Ryback and Paul Heyman/C.M. Punk and the Authority/Daniel Bryan/Rhodes Brothers feuds. This writer forgot how much he didn’t care for the veiled insider talk the Helmsley’s used. Pyro followed the video package.
Rob Van Dam made his entrance to a decent reaction as Michael Cole, John “Bradshaw” Layfield and Jerry “The King” Lawler checked in on commentary. Alberto Del Rio entered to decent heat as Cole introduced the Spanish announce team. Rodriguez introduced Van Dam while Lillian Garcia introduced the champion in Spanish.
Rob Van Dam (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) vs. Alberto Del Rio © in a “Battleground” Hardcore Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Del Rio kicked Van Dam in the gut immediately after the bell as the announce team wondered whether Damien Sandow would cash in his Money in the Bank contract after this match. Headbutts, right hands, and a vertical suplex lead to a count of one for Del Rio. Van Dam hit a baseball slide through the ropes as Del Rio looked for a weapon. Van Dam then hit a standing moonsault off the barricade, waking the crowd up with “RVD” chants. Van Dam pulled out steel chair to the resounding approval of the audience.
Van Dam hit a slingshot DDT on the chair for the first near fall or the match. Del Rio took control of the match when he pushed Van Dam into the corner and caught him on the rebound with a backstabber for a near fall. Del Rio teed off on Van Dam’s back for another near fall. Del Rio wedged the chair into the corner, turning around into a spin kick from Van Dam. The challenger hit a leg drop on the apron. Rodriguez held the apron open for Van Dam to grab a ladder to a big pop. JBL said, “out come the toys”. Ugh. Hearing dangerous weapons referred to as toys is as groan-inducing now as it was then. Del Rio lost the tug of war for the “toy” and ate a springboard kick.
Van Dam Irish whipped the champion into the ladder previously set up in the corner. Van Dam tossed Del Rio into the ladder again and sandwiched his head between his foot and the steel. RVD went for a monkey flip, but the World Heavyweight Champion dodged it. Vam Dam landed on the ropes, but Del Rio nailed him with his step up enziguri, causing the former ECW Champion to fall with his leg trapped in the ladder. Del Rio squished the ladder on Van Dam with a double foot stomp, leading to another near fall. Del Rio mocked the “RVD” pose using “ADR”, repeated trash can shots to RVD’s back followed. Del Rio went to the top rope with the trash can but ate a Van Dam dropkick instead. They did the boo-yay exchange of strikes before Van Dam began his comeback.
Split legged moonsault onto the ladder gets a two-count for "Mr. Monday Night". Moments later, Van Dam missed a rolling thunder and landed on the ladder. Del Rio applied The Cross Armbreaker. Rodriguez got his bucket Del Rio beat him up with weeks prior and hit the champion in the shoulder to break the hold. The distraction allowed Van Dam to schoolboy Del Rio for a near fall. Del Rio threw Van Dam to the outside onto the trash can and stared down his former ring announcer. Rodriguez hesitated for a moment before kicking Del Rio and swinging the bucket at him. Del Rio recovered, pushed Rodriguez into the barricade and roundhouse kicked him in the face. Van Dam recovered and hit another baseball slide on the ladder onto Del Rio. Van Dam hit a Five-star Frog Splash onto the ladder and Del Rio from the apron to the floor. Van Dam brought the champion back into the ring for another near fall. Van Dam went for the Van Terminator but Del Rio rolled out of the way. Del Rio hit a drop toe hold on the unfolded chair, hit his basement superkick, stomped multiple times on the chair with Van Dam’s arm wedged between. Del Rio applied the Cross Armbreaker with Van Dam’s arm in the chair. Van Dam struggled, but eventually tapped out. Alberto Del Rio defeated Rob Van Dam via submission in 16:04, retaining the World Heavyweight Championship
Analysis: This was a good match that did not rely too heavily on hardcore spots. The crowd was into the match throughout and Rodriguez’s involvement was minimal but effective considering the storyline. Del Rio looked especially impressive, and the finish made him look like a credible vicious champion. Rating (7/10)
Backstage, Zeb Colter stood in front of Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro and cut a promo heeling on the growing Hispanic population and Canadian population of Buffalo, New York, and the Real Americans opponents, Santino Marella and The Great Khali. Colter and his charges ended with the “We the People” line.
The Great Khali (w/Hornswoggle) and Santino Marella - The Real Americans (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro) [w/Zeb Colter]
Cole brought up the offensive snake charming bit Khali, Marella, and Jinder Mahal participated in on a SmackDown prior to this match (because they’re Indian), a moment this writer thought he'd successfully erased from my memory. Sigh. Swagger controlled the early portion of the match over Marella. Santino came back with a shoulder block and a body slam, applied the cobra sock and hit a hip toss on Swagger. Swagger dropped off the apron before taking the cobra. Hornswoggle approached the “Real American” with his own cobra sock, further exacerbating my headache. Thankfully, Swagger took off the sock and ripped it in two. Swagger’s slingshot on Marella started the heat segment. Santino tried to fight out of the corner, but Swagger drove him back in. With Santino prone, a Swagger bomb and Cesaro’s double foot stomp led to a rest hold by the Swiss Superman.
Swagger tagged in and continued to ground and pound Santino. "Randy Savage" chants as Khali tagged in for the slowest hot tag in history. Khali chop led to a nearfall as Swagger broke up the pin. Khali chopped Swagger off the apron and Santino hit a crossbody on the Oklahoman on the outside. In the ring, Cesaro took out the leg of Khali and set up for the Cesaro Swing to a big pop. After eleven rotations, Cesaro stacked up the seven footer for the pin. The Real Americans defeated Santino Marella and The Great Khali in 7:11.
Analysis: This match went about five minutes too long. The crowd was dead for the majority of the Real Americans’ heat segment and Khali as the hot tag did not help matters. The crowd was clearly waiting for the swing. It says something about Cesaro’s talent that he got the giant swing over in 2013. At least the right team went over. (3.75/10)
A WWE Susan G. Komen PSA aired. Cole said wrestlers will wear pink throughout breast cancer awareness month. Curtis Axel made his entrance with Paul Heyman to a tepid reaction. WWE showed footage of Axel losing to R-Truth on RAW, thanks to the trusty entrance music as a distraction by Punk, leading to the next match. Truth rapped his way to the ring as they replayed Axel’s attack on the former U.S. Champion on SmackDown.
R-Truth vs. Curtis Axel (w/Paul Heyman) © for the Intercontinental Championship
Collar and elbow tie-up to start. Truth took control with strikes and tossing Axel to the outside before hitting a running clothesline off the ring apron. As Axel tried to reenter the ring, Truth grabbed his legs. Axel used his leg strength to send Truth into the barricade. Axel drove Truth back first into the barricade to take control and then hit a dropkick for a near fall. Truth hit a calf kick to get back into the match, the former U.S. champion missed his scissors kick but executed a victory roll for a good near fall. Audible "JBL" chants rang through the arena as Truth hit a scissors kick for a near fall. Truth followed up with a sitout gourdbuster for another near fall. Truth went for Little Jimmy near the corner, but Axel held onto the ropes as Heyman bellowed out “capitalize” while wearing out the ring apron with his hand. Truth charged into the corner, but the champion was ready, flapjacking the challenger onto the top turnbuckle as there was a faint "Walrus" chant in the background. Axel hit the Axehole for the pin. Curtis Axel defeated R-Truth by pinfall in 7:36.
Analysis: Like the tag match, this suffered from a lack of crowd support, as Axel clearly wasn’t over and Truth was defined as a glorified jobber to the stars at this point. The action was fine, but would have been better served with more of a build instead of being thrown together at the last minute to fill out the card. (4/10)
The announcers recapped the pre-show match, which featured Dolph Ziggler pinning Mr. Money in the Bank Damien Sandow clean, continuing the tradition of making the contract holder look weak so their cash in is more of a surprise (which does not work often).
The Bella Twins made their way to the ring to another lukewarm reaction. The Divas Champion A.J Lee and her muscle Tamina Snuka made their entrance to a slightly better reaction.
A.J. Lee © (w/Tamina Snuka) vs. Brie Bella (w/Nikki Bella) for the Divas Championship
Almost immediately after the bell rang, the challenger delivered an open hand slap to Lee, gaining the early advantage, forearms and mounted punches followed. The champion retreated to the outside, as Brie went after Lee, Snuka shielded the Union City native from harm. Back in the ring, a jackknife pin by Brie scores a two count. The former Divas champ later hit a second rope missile dropkick for another near fall. As Brie stood on the apron, Lee kicked her leg and sent her headfirst into the ring post as Cole mentioned that Lee wanted to take out every member of the Total Divas cast. Remind me why Lee was the heel in this storyline?
Lee largely focused on the arm, hitting a jumping armbreaker for a one count. Later, the champion threw the challenger into the ringpost. Lee channeled Kevin Owens, taunting the crowd saying “That’s why I’m the champ” before missing her charge in the corner as Brie moved out of the way. Brie went for a bulldog, but the champ cut her off, sent her to the mat and delivered vicious elbows to the arm. Lee cut off another Brie comeback attempt and skipped to the delight of the crowd. The champ’s showboating allowed the challenger to hit a dropkick on A.J. Brie hit two more dropkicks and a backbreaker for a near fall. As Brie hit her running knee, Snuka applied a choke on Nikki outside the ring. Snuka threw Nikki into the ring apron and as Brie went outside to check on her sister, the champ rolled her up and hooked the tights for the pin. Brie checked on her sister after the match. A.J. Lee defeated Brie Bella to retain the Divas Championship in 6:37.
Analysis: Another RAW match in front of a largely dead crowd. The crowd was into the champion throughout the match and it never felt like the result was in question. The story of the match never played into the finish, with the champion working on the arm and the distraction and rollup finish, although Lee's concussion likely cut the match short. The heel/face roles should have been reversed. Most crowds did not want to boo Lee and her worked shoot rant on the Total Divas cast hit a little too close to home. This would have been more compelling if Natalya or Naomi stepped up to contest A.J.’s claims about the cast instead of shoving Nikki and Brie down people’s throats. (3.75/10)
Cole transitioned into a Shield/Rhodes brothers video package. It’s weird seeing Goldust in a suit with his face paint. Renee Young interviewed the Rhodes family. Dusty Rhodes said no matter what, they would leave Buffalo with their heads held high. Goldust said they will expose the Shield for the puppets of the Authority that they are. He said they will remember the American Dream, they will be reminded of Cody and they will never forget the name of Goldust. Cody said tonight, they fight for their lives and for their family. A short and sweet promo to add a little more juice to the match. The Shield enter through the crowd to easily the biggest reaction of the night. The Rhodes enter to Dusty’s music.
Cody Rhodes and Goldust (w/Dusty Rhodes) vs. The Shield © (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) (w/United States Champion Dean Ambrose) non-title match, if the Rhodes win, they are re-hired; if the Shield win, Dusty Rhodes is fired
Cody starts off with strikes to Rollins. A back body drop sends Rollins out of the ring then Rhodes whipped Reigns, but Rollins pulls his tag team title partner out of harm's way. All six men stood off outside the ring to a good reaction, the eldest Rhodes arming himself with his belt. Rollins tagged in and beat down Cody in the corner as "Cody" chants began. Rhodes came back with a Harley Race knee lift similar to the one Triple H uses, telling Rollins to “suck it” while crotch chopping. The tag team champions regained control with Rollins’ flatliner into the middle turnbuckle. Reigns tagged in and ran through Cody for a one count. Rollins hit a neck breaker for a near fall. Rhodes tried to fight out of the corner, but Rollins cut him off. The future Money in the Bank winner charged at Rhodes while Cody was in the tree of woe, but Rhodes used his free leg to kick Rollins. Rhodes nailed a standing moonsault on Rollins.
Hot tag made to Goldust and he runs wild, the complete opposite of Khali’s “hot tag” earlier in the night. Kneeling slap followed by an inverted atomic drop to Reigns. "The Bizarre One" connected with a crossbody off the top rope on Reigns for a near fall. Goldust tried a standing crossbody, but Reigns ducked, sending the elder Rhodes brother to the floor. Goldust struggled and barely made back in before the ten count. Rollins immediately covered and got two and a half. Rollins and Reigns continued to get the heat on Goldust. Rollins took a sweet power slam and tagged in Cody to a great reaction.
Springboard dropkick to Rollins, clothesline, Hardcore Holly’s rope hung kick and Alabama slam for a near fall. Cody charged to the corner and ate an elbow from Rollins. The Architect went to the top, but Rhodes cut him off and drove Rollins to the mat with a muscle buster, but Reigns broke up the pin. Reigns drills Goldust with a shot to the gut but eats Rhodes' boot after a Disaster Kick. Cody clotheslines Reigns out of the ring and knocks Ambrose off the apron. The U.S. Champion taunted Rhodes on the outside, allowing Rollins to attack from behind. Dusty cut off Ambrose, threw his cowboy hat at him, struck him with the buckle of his belt and hit the Bionic Elbow to a very good pop. Goldust took out and brawled with Reigns shortly as Ambrose backed away from Dusty. In the ring, Rollins rolled up Cody for a nearfall. Rollins charged, but Cody hooked Rollins, and with all the emotion he could muster, hit CrossRhodes, leaping in the air and turning 90 degrees in the process and scored the pin to the biggest pop of the night. Whew! The Rhodes brothers hugged as Dusty wept outside the ring. All three embraced in the ring. Various WWE mid-carders and agents came out to celebrate with the Rhodes. Cody Rhodes and Goldust defeated the Shield in a non-title match in 13:51. Per the stipulations, both Rhodes brothers are reinstated by WWE.
Analysis: The best thing on the show by a wide margin. The announcers did a nice job putting over the Rhodes as underdogs, explaining that they never teamed together against a well-oiled machine in the Shield and had a 68-year-old grandfather in their corner opposite the younger Ambrose. The two heat segments and the hot tag were extremely well done and unlike everything else on the card up to this point, the audience was into the action from start to finish. This is what happens when good workers are over and get storyline support. My typing likely does not do this match justice, it was pro wrestling at its finest. (8/10)
Cole sent it to the pre-show panel of Josh Matthews, The Miz, Titus O’Neil and Tensai as they discussed the pay-per-view. Miz provided more reasons why he made an awful babyface during this time.
Backstage, Brad Maddox spoke to presumably Stephanie McMahon on the phone. Maddox told McMahon the Rhodes won, so apparently, the Authority were not watching a show they expected people to pay $50-60 for. Maddox said the rest of the night would go smoothly despite the Rhodes’ win (isn’t having good wrestlers on the roster best for business) as Vickie Guerrero walked in. As Maddox asked Guerrero for help, she said the Helmsley’s left the show on him, cackled like a B-movie villain, and left.
Kofi Kingston made his entrance to a modest reaction. The Wyatt Family followed the Boston College graduate as the crowd clapped and snapped in unison with their entrance music. Cole said the Helmsley’s were at the show but went to an “emergency meeting” before it started.
Bray Wyatt (w/Luke Harper, Erik Rowan) - Kofi Kingston
The crowd popped for the Wyatts as the lights came on. Kingston hit a couple of kicks as Wyatt laughed them off. Wyatt caught one of Kingston’s kicks, choked and threw him down. “You wanna make a fool out of me?”, Wyatt asked rhetorically. Kingston fought back and hit his pendulum kick. As Kingston went up top, but Wyatt crotched him and charged in with a splash to the former Intercontinental Champion’s back. Wyatt took control of the match. Kofi tried to fight back, but the Eater of Worlds came back with a body slam and an elbow drop for a nearfall. Kofi turned around a slam into a crossbody. Wyatt then caught Kingston off the ropes with a powerslam for a nearfall.
Kingston came back with a crucifix and made his comeback, punctuated with a boom drop. Kingston went for Trouble in Paradise, but Wyatt ducked out of the way, picked up a head of steam and collided with Kingston with his crossbody. Wyatt did his spider walk to the awe of the crowd. Kingston recovered, sent Wyatt out to the feet of Harper and Rowan. Kingston then hit a dive on all three Wyatts. Back in the ring, Kingston hit a top rope crossbody for a nearfall. Kofi went for the S.O.S., but Wyatt countered into Sister Abigail for the pin. After the match, Rowan picked Kingston up and carried him like a newborn. Rowan bent Kinston’s back with his knee and tossed him into a Harper lariat. The big men dragged Kingston’s carcass to the middle of the ring. Wyatt cut a promo, saying there is no right or wrong, just mannequins feeding their ideas of purity. Wyatt promised they would fall. Wyatt told the fans to follow the buzzards. Bray Wyatt defeated Kofi Kingston in 8:27
Analysis: Good action while it lasted. Wyatt’s offense looked crisp and benefited from working with Kingston, who bumps and sells well. The post-match attack looked vicious but wasn’t effective in getting heat on Harper and Rowan as Kingston was pretty stale at this point. Wyatt’s promo had the same lack of focus it tends to have now, but it was fine here as the character was just introduced to the main roster a couple months ago. (5/10)
A video aired for the Triple H’s “Thy Kingdom Come” DVD. The announcers recapped the Kingston/Wyatt match, and the Cesaro swing on Khali.
They went to a video package for the Ryback/Punk feud.
Ryback made his way to the ring with Heyman. Punk followed to a great reaction and proclaimed it was “clobberin' time”.
C.M. Punk vs. Ryback (w/Paul Heyman)
Collar and elbow tie-up to start. Punk used his quickness and strikes to get Ryback off balanced. Ryback retreated to the outside as Heyman urged him to stand up to the “bully” (Punk). As “The Big Guy” slipped out again, Punk followed him out with a suicide dive.
Punk hit a top rope crossbody for the first near fall of the match. Punk continued to use kicks and knees to keep Ryback down. Ryback used his power to drive Punk’s head into the middle turnbuckle. Ryback tossed Punk rib first into the ringpost and proceeded to slow the match down. Punk fought out of a headlock, but Ryback came back with an overhead belly to belly suplex. A Ryback leg drop led to a near fall as Heyman said to “make that bully pay”. Ryback continued to use his size and strength advantage. Punk fought out of the body scissors with forearms and elbows. Punk hit a series of kicks and strikes to gain momentum. Punk hit a leg lariat, a clothesline, and his neckbreaker. As Punk signaled for the GTS, Heyman got on the microphone and said he was the best in the world and he pinned Punk with both hands tied behind his back.
Ryback hit Punk from behind with a Meathook clothesline and then drove Punk through the mat with a powerbomb but only scored a near fall three times. An enraged Heyman urged Ryback to powerbomb him again. Punk slipped out of the second attempt and scored a roundhouse kick. Punk hit his high knee in the corner and his follow up clothesline. Punk went for the Savage elbow drop and connected for a near fall. Punk hit another high knee. Ryback countered the third, but Punk turned the powerbomb attempt into a hurricanrana. Ryback elbowed his way out of the GTS and slammed Punk to the mat for a two count. Ryback delivered strikes to a seated Punk in the ropes. As the referee backed Ryback up, Heyman grabbed a kendo stick. The ref caught Heyman and Punk hit a low blow with the referee distracted. Punk hooked the leg and picked up the pin. Punk smiled as he got one over on Ryback and Heyman. C.M. Punk defeated Ryback in 14:48
Analysis: Considering this feud went on another month it would have made more sense for Ryback to go over here and give Heyman more to crow about. Ryback’s offense and heat segment was too lethargic with too many rest holds and the match suffered because of it. I’m guessing the point of the finish was to show that Punk outsmarted Heyman, but a clean win with the GTS would have been better if Punk was going over anyway. (4.5/10)
After a “Don’t try this at home” video, the pre-show panel returned to make their picks for the main event. The all babyface panel picked Daniel Bryan to win. A Bryan/Randy Orton video package played, recapping this convoluted storyline.
"Voices" brought out the Viper as he sauntered to the ring. "Flight of the Valkyries" brought out Bryan, leading “Yes” chants on his way to the ring. Justin Roberts handled ring intros.
Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship
Both men locked up to start. Cole said, “believe whatever story you want, but tonight we’re gonna get a champ.” Bryan worked the arm to start the match before Orton grabbed a handful of hair and hit his signature backbreaker. Orton worked over Bryan methodically, raking Bryan’s face with his knee pads. Bryan came back with strikes and a dragon screw leg whip, which Cole called a “takedown”. I guess he was technically right.
Bryan set Orton up on the top turnbuckle and followed him up, but Orton crotched Bryan on the ropes and clotheslined him to the mat. Bryan fought out of the corner, but the Legend Killer caught a charging Bryan with a lovely powerslam for a near fall. Orton hit a high knee moments later and draped Bryan over the ropes with a gourdbuster. Bryan fought back with punches and his backflip from the corner. Orton averted the running forearm and tried to send the former World champ out, but Bryan skinned the cat, sending Orton to the outside, followed by a suicide dive. After more kicks, Bryan whipped Orton into the barricade and dropkicked him. Back in the ring, Bryan went for a missile dropkick, but Orton caught him with a powerbomb. Orton stacked Bryan up but only got two. Orton then applied a Boston crab.
Bryan escaped and cradled Orton for a near fall. Bryan went for the Yes Lock, but Orton reached the ropes. Orton avoided the baseball slide on the outside and drove Bryan into the ring steps. Orton then grabbed Bryan by the arms and smashed his shoulder into the post. A back suplex onto the apron and a head first post shot from Orton led to another near fall. Orton attempted a superplex. Bryan blocked, but Orton cut him off again and hit the superplex. Daniel Bryan chants preceded the exchange of European Uppercuts, yes for Bryan, no for Orton. Bryan turned Orton’s last uppercut attempt into a backslide for two. Roundhouse kick earns Bryan another near fall. Orton later suplexed Bryan from the ring apron to the floor right beside the pedestal of the WWE title. Orton began defacing the Spanish announce table to the delight of the crowd and tried to powerbomb Bryan on it. Bryan slipped out and sent Orton into the steps. Bryan ascended the top rope and dove onto Orton on the outside.
Diving headbutt scored a two count for Bryan. The American Dragon hit his series of dropkicks in the corner to the approval of the crowd. More kicks to the chest but Orton caught Bryan and hit an exploder suplex as Bryan landed on his shoulder. Orton hit his rope-hung DDT and set up for the RKO, but Bryan fought out. Orton schoolboyed Bryan, but the Aberdeen, Washington native countered into the Yes Lock. As Orton writhed in pain, Big Show’s music hit. Show ran down and yanked the referee out of the ring. Bryan asked what Show was doing, which the giant answered with a K.O. punch. Show sold confliction as he sat on the ring steps. “You sold out” chants rained through the building as Maddox brought out the supposedly fired Scott Armstrong. Armstrong came down to count three, but Show yanked him out and KO punched him! Orton called Show “stupid” multiple times which was met with a KO punch. Show’s music played as he stared down the RAW General Manager to end the show. Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton ended in an apparent no contest at 23:49; WWE Championship is still vacant.
Analysis: I’d like to think Orton’s “stupid” comments were directed at the creative team. The match was setting up to be a great one as Bryan and Orton had great chemistry going back to their matches in the summer. Then the finish happened. This is where the Authority storyline holes leaked again. If Show was always supposed to interfere, why didn’t he come out sooner than he did? Why didn’t the Helmsley's or Maddox appoint Armstrong as the original ref all along? If Armstrong’s supposed to be a heel ref, why did he count regularly during the pinfall? Much like last month (and the next month), overbooking to fit the tired heel authority figure cliche placed a black cloud on an otherwise very good main event. (6.5/10 Mostly for the groan-inducing finish).
Final thoughts; This show “won” Wrestling Observer’s worst show of the year award and it is not hard to see why. Heatless television matches with stale and/or underdeveloped characters filled the undercard and the crowd reacted accordingly. The only bright spot was the Rhodes/Shield match, but it wasn’t good enough to save this show. The main event could have, but creative felt it was more important to get Big Show over than to deliver a clean finish after giving fans a screwy finish last month.
Match of the Night: Easily the Rhodes/Shield match. As I said earlier, pro wrestling at its finest. Great Work by all parties.
MVP(s): The Rhodes Brothers. This was the start of their run where the Brotherhood had great tag match almost weekly on RAW during some rough shows.
Final Rating: 3.5/10 Watch the tag match and the main event up until Big Show’s music hit but skip the rest.
Thanks for reading my review. Look for reviews of Battleground 2014 and 2015 in the coming weeks.