Plugging the Gaps
Battleground featured two mid card championship matches that not many people would have guessed would take place. Darren Young and Zack Ryder too their shots at the Intercontinental and United States Championships against The Miz and Rusev. While both matches were average, I do think WWE did as best as they could to make these two challengers look strong and important. Depth is so critical right now with the shows splitting up. With Ryder, the addition to Mojo Rawley can help him get back to a pretty good tag team. I doubt they become champions anytime soon, but there are opportunities for them to thrive on a show with not many main level tag teams.
For Darren Young, I liked the aggression at the end of the match after The Miz shoved down Backlund. It is still a random feud and a random pairing with Young and Backlund, but I can see it possibly working. You have to keep him important and getting him over could be a good way for The Miz to stay heated in a heel mode. I just question if WWE will go with Young again or if a new and fresh face will be feuding with Darren. Either way, not a bad outing for either, but could be forgetting in 2-3 months.
Match of the Night
Speed and timing. Sami and Kevin are just so good at feeling each other out. Sami hits a brainbuster on the apron for a big pop. They trade shots and then Sami tries the DDT through the ropes. Owens hits a Superkick instead. He follows up with a corner cannonball and a frog splash. Only a two count, so both men crawl back up to their feet. Sami blocks the pop-up powerbomb and connects with a big suplex onto Owens’ head but Owens comes back at him and gets another. KO hits hit finisher but Sami does not stay down for three. Owens slaps Sami twice. Sami tells him to bring it, but Kevin Owens runs into a big exploder suplex. Zayn hits a Helluva Kick, followed by another and picks up the dramatic win.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens STOLE THE SHOW at Battleground. If you were unable to watch it, stop reading and check it out right now. What can you say, though, about these two guys who have completely dominated a feud that was so easy to put together, but also easy to dismiss. I spoke about how this would be a perfect night for both men to fight, given their history and given the fact that this show had many question marks outside of this. I can rate this at the same level of Shinsuke vs. Zayn at NXT Takeover. You have so much drama, so much power and speed. Both guys showed you do not need all the mic work in the world to make a match memorable. You can sell professional wrestling and this was stellar performances from both men tonight. The win solidifies Sami Zayn as a top contender and could catapult him into a potential world championship feud.
