Seth Rollins def. Dean Ambrose by forfeit

The WWE Universe might not have gotten the match they wanted between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins at WWE Battleground, but if you were expecting an all-out brawl between these two bitter rivals, it was impossible to be disappointed.

Early in the night, the always-unpredictable Ambrose ambushed Rollins during the Shield turncoat’s pre-match interview. The sudden attack — halted by a small army of referees, officials and security personnel — prompted Triple H to eject The Lunatic Fringe from the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Because Ambrose was barred from the building before his scheduled bout with Rollins, the vindictive Mr. Money in the Bank demanded that he be announced the winner of the match by forfeit and have his hand raised in victory.

 

However, Rollins had little opportunity to savor his “victory.” As he strode up the entrance ramp, Ambrose appeared out of nowhere and assaulted his one-time ally again, repeatedly throwing Rollins into the barricade and taking the fight into the crowd. After Ambrose grabbed Rollins by the hair and hurled him onto the Spanish announce table, a host of security personnel, WWE officials and even The Game himself intervened and pried apart the embattled former Shield brethren. Ambrose was dragged kicking and screaming from the arena a second time, while Rollins was taken to the locker room area by the incensed WWE COO.

WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos def. The Wyatt Family (2-out-of-3 Falls Match)

One of the greatest tag team rivalries of the modern era raised the bar  at WWE Battleground in a 2-out-of-3 falls confrontation. Both The Usos and The Wyatt Family are intimately familiar with one another, but the teamwork and chemistry between the twin sons of Rikishi claimed victory once again in two consecutive falls.
The Usos and The Wyatts have squared off many times, but whenever the WWE Tag Team Championships have been on the line, The Usos persevere. Many of their meetings have resulted in The Usos narrowly escaping the overwhelming power of Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. Thus, their bout at WWE Battleground raised the stakes by giving The Wyatts more than once chance to capture the titles in a 2 out-of-3 falls match.

However, The Wyatts were far from finished and the pendulum of momentum swung back and forth with all four competitors throwing everything they had  at one another. The Usos were left in utter disbelief when Harper and Rowan continually kicked out of every manuever they attempted including a top rope splash. At one point you could hear every jaw of the WWE Universe in Tampa hit the floor when Erick Rowan superplexed both Usos from the top rope and they still remained in the fight.
It took a flurry of superkicks from The Usos – keeping Rowan on the outside of the ring and finally keeping Luke Harper off his feet – followed by a double splash off the top for the twin sons of Rikishi to win the third fall and retain the WWE Tag Team Championships.
An incredible match leaving the WWE Universe on the edge of their seats reinforced the resiliency and teamwork of The Usos and  continued to build their tag team legacy.

John Cena won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4-Way Match

TAMPA, Fla. — Note to The Authority: Don’t bother to stack the deck against John Cena. The Champ likes being outnumbered. He enjoys it when the odds are against him. It’s when he’s at his best.

Little surprise then that the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4-Way Match — a stipulation which could have seen Cena lose his title without being pinned or submitted — lit a fire under the Cenation leader. You want to take the most prestigious prize in sports-entertainment from the biggest Superstar of his generation? You’re going to have to pry it out of the man’s hands with a crowbar.
Of course, Roman Reigns, Kane and Randy Orton were prepared to do just that, but none of these Superstars could wrestle the title from Cena at WWE Battleground — although each man came within an eyelash of victory.

Who was closest to being the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion? That’s harder to call. The Viper seemed to be the favorite in the early goings of the bout as The Authority’s plan to have Kane block so Orton could run the ball for a touchdown was actually working. Although the two had bickered in the weeks leading up to WWE Battleground — and even appeared to be at odds earlier in the evening — The Demon was battering Cena and Reigns and stepping aside as The Viper went for cover after cover.

WWE Battleground 2014 Matches

WWE Battleground is just a few days away, and that means it's time to make predictions. We have a packed card this year with some matches that do not have as predictable an outcome as the average pay-per-view bout.

This is going to be a stacked show from top to bottom. We have four title matches, three of which have specific stipulations, and a few big feuds in non-title bouts.

This will also be the second PPV in a row with two Divas matches, something that rarely ever happens. The Divas division is growing in both size and talent, which is why they can run so many programs at once.

WWE has had a string of good PPVs, and Battleground looks to keep that trend going with some great matchups and at least one new champion.

WWE Battleground Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins

On July 20, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins will wage war, as the two former Shield teammates will meet head-on in singles competition at WWE Battleground, WWE.com has learned. The match has been in the making ever since Rollins turned on his Shield brethren on June 2.

That betrayal sent shockwaves throughout WWE. The look of hurt in Ambrose’s eyes moments after Rollins swung a chair to the back of the third Hound of Justice, Roman Reigns, was soul-crushing. The reverberations of what it meant to his psyche broke Ambrose down long before the first strike of steel even connected with his flesh.
Yet, he wouldn’t stay down for long. As Rollins began his new life of privilege alongside The Authority, Ambrose was beginning the process of transforming his fractured spirit into an unrelenting rage — a rage targeted squarely at Rollins.

That betrayal sent shockwaves throughout WWE. The look of hurt in Ambrose’s eyes moments after Rollins swung a chair to the back of the third Hound of Justice, Roman Reigns, was soul-crushing. The reverberations of what it meant to his psyche broke Ambrose down long before the first strike of steel even connected with his flesh.
Yet, he wouldn’t stay down for long. As Rollins began his new life of privilege alongside The Authority, Ambrose was beginning the process of transforming his fractured spirit into an unrelenting rage — a rage targeted squarely at Rollins.

So with the stage for battle finally set, will Seth Rollins be able to eliminate Dean Ambrose as he continues his ongoing evolution or will Ambrose’s wrath trump all else and allow him to do what he has been craving for months — smash Mr. Money in the Bank’s face in?  Find out at WWE Battleground, live on WWE Network and pay-per-view on Sunday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Cameron vs. Naomi (Kickoff Match)

Even funk, it turns out, has a breaking point. After weeks of dissension led to the dissolution of their partnership, former Funkadactyls Naomi and Cameron will turn their frustration into fisticuffs and compete against each other for the first time on the WWE Battleground Kickoff.
The Kickoff airs live this Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, immediately before WWE Battleground’s debut on WWE Network. It will be available on WWE Network, WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Pheed. In addition to the match, the WWE Battleground Kickoff will feature analysis from a panel feautring Renee Young, Alex Riley, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T and Christian.

Tag team and dance partners since January 2012, Naomi and Cameron have spent plenty of time competing side-by-side, but this Sunday’s free Kickoff will give both Divas a chance to prove which “Total Diva” is superior.
When Naomi began racking up singles wins and gaining support from WWE fans in recent months, Cameron drew attention by becoming more outspoken, attacking opponents after the bell and trash-talking anyone who disagreed with her approach. What once appeared to just be rough waters with the potential to be smoothed over now looks all but unfixable, leaving Naomi and Cameron to forge paths on their own. For one of them, the arduous journey to becoming the No. 1 contender in a stacked Divas division could begin with a win this Sunday.
Can Naomi show her problematic ex-partner the “Rear View” or will the renegade of funk known as Cameron show the WWE Universe exactly why she considers herself TheBomb.com? See which Diva prevails on the WWE Battleground Kickoff this Sunday!

Jack Swagger vs. Rusev

Can Rusev crush a Real American? That will be the question on the minds of the WWE Universe when former World Champion Jack Swagger and the undefeated Rusev throw hands in a super-heavyweight American-Russian showdown at WWE Battleground.

It’s a collision that WWE fans have anticipated ever since Lana and the Bulgarian-born Hero of the Russian Federation began trash-talking the stars-and-stripes many months ago. Patriotic to the core, Swagger and outspoken propagator Zeb Colter haven’t always endeared themselves to audiences with their polarizing messages. Yet, by confronting Rusev and Lana on the June 30 edition of Raw and pointing out that it’s the freedom of speech that allows them to spew their anti-American sentiments, Swagger and Colter immediately became unlikely heroes, leading perhaps the most resounding “We the People!” chant in history.
Swagger and Colter also spent weeks challenging Rusev, and on July 14, the powerhouse finally accepted after a Russia Détente broke down on Raw.

Swagger has done more than just garner the support of the WWE Universe; the 6-foot-7 former University of Oklahoma All-American has also taken the 305-pound Super Athlete off his feet — a rare sight thus far in Rusev’s blossoming WWE career.
Now that he’s leading the charge in a fight that much of the WWE Universe can get behind, will Swagger be able to stop Lana’s monstrous newcomer? Or will The Real American’s night on July 20 come to an unceremonious end with Lana's command of “Crush!” and Rusev locking in the Accolade?
National pride will be at stake when these two tanks — both unflinching in their beliefs and unwilling to back down — meet head-on. Don’t miss the brawl when WWE Battleground airs live on WWE Network and pay-per-view Sunday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Brad Maddox found ... not in a cave

Former Raw General Manager Brad Maddox has been found and he's not in a cave.
Weeks ago, Maddox's post-firing "vacation" went awry when he "got lost in a cave" and documented it all on YouTube. WWE fans quickly discovered and buzzed about Maddox's increasingly strange videos, supposedly posted from a dark, cavernous pit in Mexico.
Watch: Maddox's strange YouTube videos | Brad's last appearance (and firing) on Raw
In his latest, possibly weirdest installment, the former Raw shot-caller revealed it all as a ruse that'll only further rile the WWE Universe, who were already doubtful of his claims. Get those pitchforks ready because, now, Brad wants you to come find him if you can ... assuming you'd want to at this point. Watch his newest video and see what we mean.