Ahead of Sunday’s WWE Extreme Rules show at the Verion Center in Washington, here are some predictions on what to expect from the action.
Dean Ambrose to retain the WWE World Heavyweight title in a triple threat with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns
The build-up to the first ever triple threat showdown between the members of The Shield has been hampered by the suspension of Reigns for breaking the WWE’s Wellness Policy.
There are many fascinating elements and questions to be answered in this match. How will the WWE treat Reigns, who had been treated as the No 1 guy before failing a drugs test? With Ambrose on SmackDown and Rollins and Reigns on Raw now that the draft split has happened, which brand is going to go into next week without the WWE World Heavyweight champion on their brand?
This will be a great match and the atmosphere should be electric when all three men are in the ring at the start. This is one of the few dream matches in the WWE right now and it will not disappoint in terms of ring action.
Given the need to give SmackDown a push in its new role of a live TV programme, it needs to feel important as a show, and having the WWE title on there will help achieve that.
So Ambrose will take this, probably pinning Reigns in a way that builds him up, while giving Reigns a little punishment for his transgression.
Rollins and Reigns can then continue their feud on Raw, while Ambrose gets ready to take on challengers on SmackDown.
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John Cena and Enzo and Cass to defeat The Club in a 3x3 tag match
This, given the guys in the ring here, has a lot of promise.
Cena lost to AJ Styles last month, so I do not expect to see Cena lose again, or be on the losing side.
The faces need the win here, and given The Club have looked dominant in the weeks building up to Battleground, expect Luke Gallows or Karl Anderson to take the pin fall, setting up Cena v Styles II at SummerSlam and Enzo and Cass v Gallows and Anderson.
Kevin Owens to beat Sami Zayn
This is a very hard match to call. This has been an on-off feud, that began on the main roster at the Royal Rumble in January, and has gone on since then.
Both men are excellent in the ring, but with a lack of decent main event heels in the ranks right now, the WWE could do with keeping Owens very strong.
Zayn is so popular with the crowd that he can absorb the loss here. That is not to say that Owens is not over either, but he needs some big wins if he is to be a creditable contender for the world title, which is where he should be looking now, and a win here will help achieve that.
Sasha Banks and a mystery partner to beat Charlotte and Dana Brooke in a tag match
The intrigue here is over who will partner with Banks. Given the current roster depth in the women’s division the most likely candidate is Paige, although it could be a surprise debut for Bayley, the former NXT champion.
Banks and her partner will prevail here, with Brooke almost certainly taking the pin, to set up Banks getting her first one-on-one title match with Charlotte at SummerSlam next month.
The Wyatt Family to beat New Day in a 3x3 tag match
Given the lack of stables in the WWE at the moment, the lack of real heat in this quickly put together feud has been disappointing.
The showdown at the Wyatt’s home two weeks ago was something different, but seemed out of place with what had gone before or since.
The Wyatts badly need some momentum and need a win here much more than New Day, whose tag titles are not on the line here.
For that reason expect Bray Wyatt’s faction to go over here as the WWE try to give fresh impetus to them, even if they appear to be splitting them up in their current guise with Wyatt going to SmackDown along with Erick Rowan, while Braun Strowman heads ti
Rusev to defeat Zack Ryder to retain the United States title
Rusev has been brilliant in recent months, and is recapturing the form that made his first run with the US belt so impressive in 2014-15.
It is good to see Ryder being given something to do again after dropping the Intercontential title so quickly after WrestleMania, but no way does he go over Rusev here.
Miz to beat Darren Young to retain the Intercontinental title
This could have done with more time to beat some momentum as Young has looked good, both on the microphone and in the ring, since he won a Battle Royal to set up this showdown with Miz.
There is a lot of potential in Young, but this is too soon for him to win a title, and it should certainly not be at the expense of the Miz’s current title reign as he has been a great champion.
Expect Miz to prevail, either through nefarious means, or even a disqualification finish, to try to protect Young.
Becky Lynch to beat Natalya
This match is happening after Natalya turned on Becky last month.
What this has lacked in build-up, largely due to Natalya’s poor microphone skills, will be made up for in the ring as both women can fight well.
If they are given time then this could be good. Becky has the more promise for the future as this stage so she should get the win.
WWE Battleground will be televised on the WWE Network, which is available through OSN, on Monday morning in the UAE from 3am
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