WWE BATTLEGROUND - July 20th, 2014

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WWE World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4-Way Match

One night after triumphing in a brutal Ladder Match with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship hanging in the balance, John Cena came face-to-face with Authority. And he paid the price. Because The Champ refused to acquiesce to Triple H's demands to fall in line, at WWE Battleground on July 20, Cena will defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Randy Orton, Kane and Roman Reigns in a Fatal 4-Way Match.

It's a particularly unfair stipulation for the entering titleholder, as he can theoretically lose the match without ever being pinned. And the competition Cena will face doesn't get any stiffer than The Viper (no stranger to the World Title), the demon (The Authority's unofficial muscle) and Roman Reigns (the fastest-rising Superstar in all of WWE). But Cena is used to having the odds stacked against him, and there's no doubt The Champ will come out swinging as he's always done.

Find out who will emerge from the Fatal 4-Way with titles in tow when WWE Battleground airs live on WWE Network and pay-per-view on Sunday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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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.

Since then, the eccentric Ambrose has smothered his former Shield cohort, pouncing on him any chance he gets, not allowing him to breathe. Rollins and The Authority have done their best to stop Ambrose in his tracks, but seemingly no matter how bad the beating, nothing will cease him in his mission to ruin Rollins. And now, with The Lunatic Fringe making it clear that his new objective is to make sure Rollins never successfully cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase, the cataclysmic conflict between these two has reached yet another tipping point.

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.

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Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt

It didn’t take the returning Chris Jericho long to attract the attention of WWE’s sinister sermonizer, Bray Wyatt. At WWE Battleground, the legendary Y2J will be pitted against The Man of 1,000 Truths, and despite the reign of terror that Wyatt’s unleashed in WWE during Jericho’s absence from the ring, the first Undisputed WWE Champion in history isn’t intimidated by his new rival.

Wyatt, on the other hand, has questioned whether Jericho will even be able to save himself when he comes up against The Eater of Worlds. And, almost as if addressing a false prophet, Wyatt insists he’ll hold Jericho accountable for every word he’s uttered.

Alongside Luke Harper & Erick Rowan, Wyatt ruined Jericho’s celebratory homecoming on the June 30 edition of Raw, pulverizing the outnumbered Jericho. The ambush prompted a response days later from the ever-outspoken former World Champion, who thanked the Wyatts for reminding him that WWE is all about survival but was quick to state that he can “be a little dangerous,” too.

Wyatt’s motives for targeting Jericho are characteristically cryptic, but The Eater of Worlds has alluded to The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla’s cult of personality, which sparks comparisons to Wyatt’s own movement. Upon returning to WWE in 2007, Jericho embarked on a campaign whose message was ultimately decoded as “SAVE_US.Y2J,” a popular sentiment that’s carried on through the years. More recently, it’s Wyatt who has employed the persuasive tactics of a self-professed savior. And whereas millions of adoring Jerichoholics support Y2J in whatever outlet he chooses, Wyatt has quickly cultivated a mass of followers who sing the chorus, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.”

Is Jericho truly a competitor unlike any other that Wyatt’s faced, as he claims? Or will the ascendant Wyatt add the fearless six-time World Champion to his already impressive list of conquests? See which hierarch comes out on top when Chris Jericho tries Bray Wyatt in singles action at WWE Battleground, live on WWE Network and pay-per-view on Sunday, July 20.

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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.

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Divas Champion AJ Lee vs. Paige

In an escalating and high-stakes game of retaliation, Divas Champion AJ Lee will defend her title against Paige at WWE Battleground. Though Paige has appeared humbled, if not wholly respectful toward AJ, since losing the butterfly-emblazoned championship, the short history of this rivalry suggests serious tension is brewing just below the surface.

The Diva of Tomorrow stole AJ’s spotlight, and her title, the night after WrestleMania in an impromptu match that began with Paige congratulating The Black Widow on being the longest-reigning Divas Champion in history. After the victory, the 21-year-old strung together a series of wins against top competition, despite other Divas’ claims that Paige was in over her head and simply enjoying a lucky streak.

Her luck ran out on June 30 when AJ returned unannounced and, in a scene oddly reminiscent of the night after WrestleMania, offered her congratulations to the champion. Skeptical, Paige insisted she wouldn’t be goaded into a title match, only to do just that and, within moments, lose the title.

Whether she was a victim of AJ’s manipulation or her own hubris, Paige will have a dangerous and determined champion standing across the ring from her on July 20. Will the battle be won through strategy, with victory belonging to the woman who’s best able to navigate her opponent’s subterfuge, or will the match be just plain vicious? And how will it end, with a fast rollup or surprise attack, as both previous AJ-Paige encounters have ended so far, or will either AJ or Paige be forced to submit to the other’s painful maneuvers?

Watch this highly anticipated Divas Championship Match when it airs live on WWE Battleground, available on WWE Network and pay-per-view Sunday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT!

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

WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and Luke Harper & Erick Rowan of The Wyatt Family will write another chapter to their ongoing rivalry on July 20 at WWE Battleground. In fact, they will write several.

The two tag teams have gone back and forth over the past couple of months in both tag and singles competition, with each tandem gaining significant victories against the other along the way. Jimmy & Jey Uso defeated Harper & Rowan at Money in the Bank to retain their titles, but the followers of Bray Wyatt came right back with an impressive, albeit controversial, non-title victory over The Usos on the July 7 edition of Raw. Jimmy & Jey claimed that the Uso brother who was pinned was not the legal man. Because of this, though, Harper & Rowan have been granted a championship rematch at WWE Battleground, this time in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match, granting each team the opportunity to finally prove who is firmly superior.

The Usos have verified their mettle as champions over the past several months while engaging with the far more imposing Harper & Rowan. Every single match the two sides have partaken in have been brutal and aggressive, yet The Usos have persevered throughout each encounter and seemingly become more resilient as a result. By that same token, however, Harper & Rowan have refused to stop in their quest of the championships and have established again and again that they not only can hang with The Usos but defeat them on any given night.

Will WWE Battleground finally be the night Harper & Rowan capture the WWE Tag Team Championship and drop the titles at the feet of their leader, The Man of 1,000 Truths? Or will Jimmy & Jey go “Uso Crazy” on the pairing and once again show the WWE Universe that they are the definition of fighting champions? Find out at WWE Battleground on Sunday, July 20, available on WWE Network and pay-per-view at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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Intercontinental Championship Battleground Battle Royal

On Sunday, July 20, a Battleground Battle Royal will be held to determine the next in the long line of proud Intercontinental Champions.

The prestigious title was left vacant after the latest champion, Bad News Barrett, was put out of commission by a shoulder injury suffered on the June 24 SmackDown television taping. With the brawling Brit unable to compete, it was announced on the June 30 Raw that the Intercontinental Championship would be put up in an over-the-top-rope Battle Royal at WWE Battleground.

The participants announced for the match are as follows:

Cesaro
Kofi Kingston
The Great Khali
Rob Van Dam
Dolph Ziggler
Big E
Ryback
Curtis Axel
Alberto Del Rio
Bo Dallas
Sheamus
Fandango
Sin Cara
Zack Ryder
The Miz
Diego
R-Truth
Xavier Woods
Heath Slater
Titus O'Neil

With more Superstars expected to be named in coming weeks, the WWE Universe is abuzz over who the next champion could be, and the possibilities seem endless. Yet, to capture the coveted Intercontinental Title, which dates back to 1979, the winner will ultimately have to survive the mass of humanity that is a Battle Royal. Every man fights for himself, and with bodies flying every which way, Battle Royals have rightly earned a reputation as one of WWE’s most dangerous matches.

After a victor is determined, Bad News Barrett will be on hand to deliver the Intercontental Title to the winner, according to a tweet from the former champion:

I'll be heading to #WWEBattleground to present the new IC-Champ with his title. My money's on @HeathSlaterOMRB. #BringBackTheCorre

Find out who will stand tall when WWE Battleground airs live on WWE Network and pay-per-view on Sunday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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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!

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