Rasslin’ Roundtable for WWE Battleground 2015 PPV: Full Staff Predictions (Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins, John Cena vs. Kevin Owens)

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WWE’s July PPV is Battleground 2015, tonight July 19, 2015. Here is a rundown of the announced card with full staff predictions.

Inside Pulse will have full coverage of Battleground all day and into the PPV, with live match by match coverage.

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WWE World Heavyweight Title
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Brock Lesnar

CB: Brock Lesnar really should win back the championship, and then The Undertaker’s bell tolls to set up their SummerSlam match.
Winner: Brock Lesnar

Paltrowitz – We are all want Brock Lesnar to win, but this is a secondary PPV, so that won’t happen. Instead, we’ll have
a build-up to a big Summerslam rematch of some sort.

Pat Metalhead: It is still a little strange to me that they are throwing away this one on what is a B-PPV. Then again a lot of the things that WWE does seem strange to me. I was concerned that WWE could not resist putting the title back on Lesnar, which would have accomplished little in my opinion. However, insistent rumors concerning the return of a certain Phenom has changed the stakes a bit. A DQ via interference or Rollins win via distraction is becoming a distinct possibility. While WWE has done quite a few of those already this year, in this case I can live with it. Put the part-timers against each-other and give Rollins a real, challenging feud without the shadow of Lesnar looming over him. That was what killed the Ambrose feud for me, there was never a possibility of Dean actually winning. Later, they can easily push Lesnar back in the title picture if they really have too. Unless, of course, Rollins’ next feud is against Kane. Then me and the cats start watching Impact again.
Winner: Rollins

JT – Brock will throw Seth around like a rag doll, but the champ will retain with help from Kane/J&J/The Authority.
Winner: Brock Lesnar

Douces Wild: If this was Summerslam……..Lesnar would win 100%. The original feeling from me was that they were going to have this match at Summerslam but then I forgot that we had 25 freakin’ PPVs during the summer so we didn’t quite get there. Honestly, I don’t see a Lesnar WWE Title win here, not here at some B-show like Battleground. I think there will be some shenanigans (maybe Undertaker related) but by hook, crook or DQ, Seth will retain the title.
Winner: Seth Rollins retains.

Michael Buckley: This seemed like the logical main event for Summerslam. When it was announced for Battleground, I assumed they’s use this match to get the belt off of Rollins and go with Reigns/ Lesnar at SummerSlam. But then the Undertaker rumors started popping up. My prediction is that Taker’s presence during the bout is enough to distract Lesnar so Rollins can retain.
Winner: Seth Rollins

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Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns

CB: Anyone but you Roman. Anyone. But. You.
Winner: Bray Wyatt

Paltrowitz – Neither wrestler has looked strong in a while, and this is a mid-card feud at best. Fingers crossed that Bray Wyatt’s next feud isn’t another “you are a false idol” set-up.
Winner: Roman Reigns

Pat Metalhead: I’m sorry, but I have zero interest for this one. Wyatt’s booking since Wrestlemania has done nothing for me and WWE’s attempt at rectify the Reigns situation are becoming risible. I don’t blame the wrestlers who are trying to work with what they’re given, but wrong guys, wrong place, wrong timing.
Winner: Reigns… I guess…

JT – Bray Wyatt knows how to work, but his character has become stale lately. Reigns is getting better in the ring but still needs to be carried to a good match, so we should see Wyatt working hard to put the chosen one over.
Winner: Roman Reigns

Douces Wild: I haven’t really cared for this feud. It just feels like it’s there to give Roman something to do so that the WWE can say “SEE, WE PUT HIM IN THE MID-CARD NOW IT’S TIME TO BUILD HIM BACK UP!!!” Plus, the bloom has fallen off the rose for Wyatt, coming off horrible big match losses to John Cena and the Undertaker. I think Bray’s just going to end up being like Kane in the long run……..someone who is always there to put on solid matches but hardly ever be considered somebody noteworthy. The only question is will this be one and done or do they keep it going till Summerslam? I think they end it here.
Winner: Roman Reigns

Michael Buckley: I don’t expect this to be pretty. I do expect Wyatt to be the crowd favorite– overwhelmingly so.
Winner: Roman Reigns

Art

WWE United States Title
John Cena (c) vs. Kevin Owens

CB: Now that he is no longer the NXT Champion, I expect Owens to get the nod here.
Winner: Kevin Owens

Paltrowitz – I look forward to John Cena’s victory only for the massive boos that will follow it from the Brooklyn crowd. Even if Kevin Owens loses, he has still won by joining the main roster in such a high-profile spot.
Winner: John Cena

Pat Metalhead: Another one I would rather have seen at Summerslam, unless they, somehow, plan to extend the feud until then. If that’s the case some sort of DQ finish would be preferable over a Cena win. Because if John wins and they still extend the feud, then it becomes a Rusev repeat, with Owens in the role of the wannabe who can’t cut it. And that would be a senseless waste. It’s simple, win or lose, it doesn’t make a damn difference to Cena. For Owens, however, it makes all the difference in the world. If he wins, he becomes definitely established as a, or maybe THE, force to be reckoned with. If they have him lose this one, Owens loses most of his momentum at the same time. I equally anticipate and dread this one depending on the result, I can only hope WWE won’t screw up one of their few success stories of 2015.
Winner: Owens

JT – Cena has been giving a good rub to the indie guys lately, and Owens has stepped up and become the hard hitting dickish heel that he plays so well. We might see some interference from Cesaro or Rusev, but I can see KO getting the win after a nasty beating.
Winner: Kevin Owens

Douces Wild: This is the hardest match to pick but you could see it going multiple ways: do they just have Cena win here and he moves on with Owens being forgotten? Do they have Owens knock off Cena here? Do they do a DQ to set up a 4th match at Summerslam or to set up a potential triple threat or Fatal 4 Way? Maybe Owens wins and they do the Four Way? So many possibilities………I just don’t know to be honest. Once again, if this was Summerslam, I’d pick Owens all the way but this PPV is very tricky……I’m going to go Owens winning to set up something bigger for Summerslam.
Winner and NEW US champ: Kevin Owens

Michael Buckley: I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t do the decisive match in this feud at Summerslam. If for no other reason, I can’t think of anybody on the roster ready to be a plausible opponent for Cena at Summerslam. If executed correctly, an exciting, wild, out-of-control brawl could still be satisfying even without a clear winner. And these two guys have the chemistry to pull it off.
Winner: No contest

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WWE Tag Team Titles
Prime Time Players (c) vs. New Day

CB: I think the POWER OF POSITIVITY propels New Day back to the top of the tag division.
Winner: New Day Rocks!

Paltrowitz – I’m a big fan of the PTP, but New Day deserve to be at the top of the division. Their promos are great.
Winner: New Day

Pat Metalhead: WWE’s booking of their tag team division has again been inconsistent lately. While PTP has managed to been entertaining (mostly), New Day has suffered loss after loss and even been the recipient of a Lesnar Destruction Spot. Another loss might just push them back into anonymity. In my opinion it wouldn’t hurt to have New Day pick up the win here, especially since they have that 3 on 2 advantage again. PTP then can spend the weeks between now and the inevitable re-match at Summerslam to figure out how to counter that.
Winner: New Day

JT – The Players have been on a bit of a roll lately, but New Day may use the numbers game to their advantage.
Winners: The New Day

Douces Wild: You know………it’s amazing that these two guys are top main event players and former World champions…….but nobody gives two shits about them. Sheamus has just done nothing of pure interest outside of winning the MITB and even that was more of a swerve decision than a good one. Orton has just been dead in the water all year…….that time away to go film some stupid movie really screwed him over. Since MITB holders have horrible track records, I’m picking Orton.
Winner: Randy Orton

Michael Buckley: New Day has genuine heel heat. They’ve made a shitty gimmick work and operate well together as a unit. Titus’ Best Dad of All Time in the Whole Universe mainstream sizzle has died down. There is no reason not to switch the belt back to the guys that people actually give a shit about.
Winner: New Day

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Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

CB: “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!” Not really Sheamus.
Winner: Randy Orton

Paltrowitz – This angle hasn’t been built up well, yet because Sheamus has the Money In The Bank, the winner of this one is a no-brainer. If Randy Orton gets an RKO into the match, that alone is a victory.
Winner: Sheamus

Pat Metalhead: Another one I can’t really say I’m interested in, this time because we’ve seen those two clash several times before, and the only thing those matches proven is that they have little chemistry inside that ring. Given the way MitB winner has been booked lately I predict an Orton win, not because I want randy to win, I actually think Sheamus would need it most, but because WWE seems incapable of pushing anyone winning a special event (see below for another example).
Winner: Orton

JT – This match will be good if you can record it and watch it at double speed.
Winner: Randy Orton

Douces Wild: Um…….I like the New Day as a gimmick……I think there is more longevity with them but I don’t think the WWE cares. I’ll say PTP retains the belts.
Winners and still champs: Prime Time Players

Michael Buckley: This match is the reason why I start watching the event from the beginning ten minutes after it’s started. I will be fast forwarding through this.
Winner: Sheamus

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King Barrett vs. R-Truth

CB: Barrett should win and then denounce the crown. That thing is just a career killer.
Winner: Barrett

Paltrowitz – Not only does this feud make little sense — even by WWE standards — but it minimizes the believability of Barrett while also reducing the importance of the King Of The Ring tournament. Good going, WWE.
Winner: King Barrett

Pat Metalhead: Does anyone really care? I’ll say Barrett because surely they didn’t make him King just for the hell of it… Did they?
Winner: Barrett

JT – The worst king since Henry VIII, Barrett should go over Truth in the essential bathroom break for the evening.
Winner: King Barrett

Douces Wild: How many times have we seen this match since Barrett won KOTR? You want an example of how the WWE does not give two shits about the mid-card, watch this feud! Truth is basically the Hacksaw Jim Duggan of his generation and Barrett is just stuck in this wasteland of horrible feuds. Ever since he came back, it’s like someone had a vendetta against him to look like the weakest little bitch ever. I honestly want Barrett to leave and go somewhere else where his talents will be appreciated and R-Truth can go feud with Hornswaggle. However, I think this is Barrett’s to win because nobody cares about this feud.
Winner: Wade Barrett (please remove the King)

Michael Buckley: Remember that time the Nexus staged a hostile takeover on Raw? Remember how we all accepted Barrett as their leader and as a potential main eventer? Remember when the Bad News Barrett gimmick got over and Barrett got one of the biggest reactions at the 2014 Hall of Fame ceremony? Remember when WWE Network devoted an entire block of programming to the 2015 King of the Ring Tournament and Barrett won, clearly elevating him to potential main event status? The fact that this match is taking place is mind bogglingly frustrating. Barrett has been here before– poised to jump to that next level– only to be hamstrung by booking that does nothing for him. No offense to R-Truth, who is a solid hand in the ring, but it does nothing for Barrett to feud with a guy whose most memorable WWE moment was when he smoked a cigarette on Raw (and he main evented a PPV against the returning Rock!)
Winner: Barrett

Jonathan Widro is the owner and founder of Inside Pulse. Over a decade ago he burst onto the scene with a pro-WCW reporting style that earned him the nickname WCWidro. Check him out on Twitter for mostly inane non sequiturs