WWE Battleground 2017 Recap

By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978

WWE Battleground finally arrived on the WWE Network and I'm here with your official WWE Battleground recap from the show! WWE Battleground was live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wells Fargo Center. All the major championships were on the line and a few stipulated matches were included as well. Who walked out victorious in this Smackdown Live pay per view?

*** WWE Battleground Card ***

- WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jinder Mahal defended his title against Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison Match.
- WWE United States Champion AJ Styles defended his title against Kevin Owens.
- WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Champions The Usos defended their titles against The New Day.
- John Cena battled Rusev in a Flag Match.
- Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Lana, Nattie Neidhart and Tamina battled it out in a Fatal Five Way Elimination Match, to determine a new #1 Contender to the WWE Smackdown Live Women's Championship.
- Shinsuke Nakamura battled WWE Money In The Bank Winner Baron Corbin.
- Mike Kanellis battled Sami Zayn.
- Tye Dillinger battled Aiden English.

- Breezango looks to finally get to the bottom of who's been trashing their office and sending them threatening messages. 

** WWE Battleground Pre-Show **

- Social Media Lounge Interview With Mike and Maria Kanellis: Maria is asked when she'll be back in the ring. Maria says she's always in the ring with her man, showing the power of love. Mike is asked about his strategy tonight. Mike says it's simple, he's going to punch Sami Zayn as hard as he can in the head. Mike and Maria are both asked if they have advice for everyone looking for true love. Maria says it won't happen because there's only one Mike and Maria Kanellis. Mike is wished good luck, but he says he doesn't need it because he has love.

- Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English: The match closes out with English grounding Dillinger and taking control of the match. English taunts Dillinger by singing a song while keeping him grounded. Dillinger fights back with a drop kick, unloads on English and goes for the Tye Breaker. English escapes outside and then lands a cheap shot on Dillinger as Dillanger chased English. Back in the ring, Dillinger hits a spine buster on English and gets a near fall. Both men battle to the top rope, where English counters a superplex and head butts Dillinger to the mat. English hits a flying cross body, but Dillinger rolls through on the catch and gets a near fall on English. English counters another Tye Breaker, plants Dillinger into the mat face first and gets a near fall. English starts to have a temper tantrum before trading shots with Dillinger. Dillinger and English trade more offensive moves until English catches Dillinger with the Director's Cut and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Aiden English, by pinfall.

** WWE Battleground **

- "WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Championship Match": The Usos (c) vs. The New Day: The match closes out with Jimmy missing the Uso Splash and Woods getting a near fall. Jimmy counters the Honor Roll as Jey tags in and hits a Samoan Drop on Woods for a near fall. The Usos double team Woods on the apron until Woods connects with an enziguri on Jey. Woods goes for an elbow drop off the ropes, but eats an Uso Kick from Jimmy for a near fall. Jimmy traps Woods in the crab submission and locks it tight. Woods fights for the ropes and finally escapes as Jimmy argues with the referee. Kofi tags in and he and Woods hit Midnight Hour on Jimmy, but it's a surprising near fall. Kofi springboards, but eats an Uso Kick from Jimmy and then Jey hits the Uso Splash off the ropes, but its another near fall. Both Usos climb the ropes, but Woods takes out Jey. Jimmy leaps and misses Kofi. Kofi hits Jimmy with Trouble in Paradise and Woods follows with a flying elbow drop to score the pinfall and win the titles.
Winners: The New Day, by pinfall, to win the WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Championship.

- Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin: The match closes out with Nakamura hitting a high knee on Corbin and follows with another for a near fall. Corbin hits a running clothesline on Nakamura and gets a near fall. Corbin unloads on Nakamura until Nakamura blocks a suplex attempt with a knee on Corbin. Nakamura delivers knees to Corbin's shoulder area, slams Corbin and measures for Kinshasa. Corbin counters Kinshasa, drills Nakamura with Deep Six and gets a near fall, leaving both men laid out. Both men are up as Corbin lands some shots on Nakamura. Nakamura fights back, counters a choke slam and hits a backstabber on Corbin. Nakamura takes offensive control and goes for the Exploder suplex on Corbin. Corbin purposely back kicks Nakamura below the belt and gets himself DQ'ed. 
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura, by DQ.

- After the match, Corbin smiles at his DQ loss and grabs his Money In The Bank briefcase. Corbin leaves, but comes back and lands a gut shot on Nakamura with the briefcase. Corbin hits End of Days and leaves Nakamura laid out.

- "Fatal Five Way, Elimination Match": Charlotte vs. Lana vs. Becky Lynch vs. Nattie Neidhart vs. Tamina:

** First Elimination: Lana drops Nattie and gets a near fall on Charlotte. Lana shows frustration and doesn't see Becky coming from behind. Becky traps Lana in the Dis Arm Her submission, but Tamina lands a kick, breaking the submission. Tamina plants Becky with a Samoan Drop and then spears Charlotte off the apron. Lana tries to steal the pinfall on Becky, but again gets trapped in the Dis Arm Her submission. Tamina again breaks the submission. Becky grabs Tamina and traps her in the Dis Arm Her submission and forces her to tap out.

** Second Elimination: Becky releases Tamina, immediately grabs Lana and forces her to tap out to the Dis Arm Her submission.

** Third Elimination: Nattie quickly grabs Becky after the submission and gets the surprise rollup pinfall.

** Final Elimination: We're down to Charlotte vs. Nattie Neidhart. Charlotte goes for the Figure Four leg lock submission, but Nattie counters into an arm breaker submission. Charlotte powers out and plants Nattie with a power bomb for a near fall. Charlotte goes for the moonsault off the ropes, but Nattie gets her knees up for the block. Nattie sends Charlotte head first into the turnbuckle and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Nattie Neidhart, to become the new #1 Contender.

- After the match, WWE Smackdown Live Women's Champion Naomi gets in the ring and extends her hand to Nattie. Nattie stares down Naomi and walks off, blowing off the handshake.

- "WWE United States Championship Match": AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens: The match closes out with Styles getting crotched on the ropes. Owens attempts a superplex, but Styles blocks it. Owens lands a shot to the face of Styles, but Styles slips free and sends Owens into the turnbuckle. Styles goes for a springboard, but Owens rolls outside. Owens takes out Styles, sends him into the ring post and then hits an arm breaker. Styles hits the Pele Kick and goes for the Styles Clash, but Styles' shoulder is bothering him and can't hit it. Owens sends Styles into the referee and all three men go down. Styles is up first, but eats a super kick from Owens. Styles counters out of the Pop Up Power Bomb and traps Owens in the Calf Crusher submission. The referee begins to wake up as Owens counters Styles' submission into one of his own. Styles counters out and traps Owens in a crossface submission. Owens counters the crossface into a pin and scores the pinfall to win the title.
Winner: Kevin Owens, by pinfall, to win the WWE United States Championship.

- Backstage, The Singh Brothers inform Jinder Mahal that they are not going to be at ringside for his Punjabi Prison Match. Mahal says he's not worried because he'll take out Randy Orton alone and make the Punjabi Prison Orton's final resting place.

- "Flag Match": John Cena vs. Rusev: The match closes out with Cena going for the American Flag posted at the ramp. Rusev cuts him off and they both trade shots. Cena grabs the American Flag and tries to place it in the flag stand for the win, but Rusev grabs the flag stand and hits Cena with it. Rusev hits a stomp on Cena and locks on The Accolade submission. Rusev releases the hold and goes for the Bulgarian Flag. Rusev grabs the flag and heads toward the flag stand. Cena cuts off Rusev and they trade shots on the podium by the flag stand. Rusev counters an AA and hits Cena with the thrust kick. Rusev stomps on Cena's back and reapplies The Accolade submission. Cena powers out with Rusev on his back, walks up to the podium and AA's Rusev off the podium and through double stacked tables below. Cena grabs the American Flag and places it in the flag stand to win the match.
Winner: John Cena.

- We get a Fashion Files video with Breezango trying to figure out who's been threatening them. The Ascension try to take credit for everything that's been happening. The lights suddenly go out and when they come back on both Tyler Breeze and Fandango are laid out and dragged away by unknown men.

- Mike Kanellis vs. Sami Zayn: The match closes out with Zayn hitting a clothesline on Kanellis and follows with a back body drop. Zayn tosses Kanellis outside and then hits a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Zayn goes to the top rope and gets a near fall cross body on Kanellis. Kanellis counters a Blue Thunder Bomb from Zayn, but Zayn is able to hit a DDT. Zayn goes for the Exploder suplex, but Maria Kanellis gets in the ring and acts as a shield for Mike. Maria yells at the referee and Zayn, distracting both. The referee orders Maria out as Mike tries to cheap shot Zayn. Zayn counters and hits the Exploder suplex on Mike into the corner. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick on Mike and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Sami Zayn, by pinfall.

- "WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Punjabi Prison Match": Jinder Mahal (c) vs. Randy Orton: Jinder immediately calls for the first door of the inner cage to be opened. Mahal and Orton trade offense, send each other into the bamboo walls and stop each other from getting out of door number one as the 60 seconds expires, locking door number one permanently. We get back and forth offense as door number two is asked to be opened. Orton tries to escape after kicking Mahal away, but Mahal cuts off and stops Orton, as the 60 seconds expire, locking door number two permanently. More back and forth offense, which sees Mahal try to climb out of the inner structure, Orton suplexing Mahal into the bamboo cell and then trying to escape door number three. Both men stop each other from getting through door number three as the 60 seconds expire, closing it permanently. Orton hits the draping DDT on Mahal and asks for the last door to be opened. Mahal counters an RKO and knees Orton in the face. Mahal goes for the Cobra Clutch Slam, but Orton counters and hits the RKO.

The Singh Brothers suddenly hit the ring and get inside the Prison. The Singh Brothers pull Mahal out of the final door into the outer structure right as the 60 seconds expire, trapping Orton with no unlockable doors in the inner structure. Orton climbs out of the inner structure and stops Mahal from climbing out of the outer structure, but gets caught in a 3 on 1 beat down. The match closes out with Orton unloading steel chair shots and kendo stick shots on The Singh Brothers and Mahal. Orton starts climbing out of the outer structure as Sunil Singh tries to stop Orton. Orton kicks Sunil away when suddenly The Great Khali's music hits and out comes Khali. Khali shakes the outside structure stopping Orton from escaping. Khali climbs the structure and grabs Orton by the throat. Orton gets choked out while dangling from the cell wall as Mahal climbs out from the other side of the cell and wins the match to retain his title. Mahal celebrates with Khali to end the show.
Winner: Jinder Mahal, to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.