|Date: October 6, 2013
|Venue: First Niagara Center |City: Buffalo, New York
|Attendance: 11,700 |Buys: 114,000

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

Tonight marks the first ever Battleground pay per view and it has the second lowest amount of buys of any show in the last 17 years. Only December To Dismember did worse. The major news is that there is no WWE Champion heading into this show. Daniel Bryan beat Randy Orton for the title last month at Night Of Champions but the next night on Raw Triple H deemed that he won with a fast count. Scott Armstrong seemed to imply that he and Daniel Bryan were in it together despite Daniel Bryan looking completely innocent. A match was then made for tonight between Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton with the vacant title on the line.

The world Heavyweight Championship will be defended tonight as Alberto Del Rio puts the title on the line against Rob Van Dam in a rematch from Night Of Champions. Triple H gave Rob Van Dam the opportunity as Van Dam actually beat Del Rio at Night Of Champions by disqualification. The next week it was announced that this match would be a Battleground Hardcore match which is sure to favour RVD. Van Dam beat Fandango a week ago on Smackdown and hit him with the van terminator before giving the trash can used in the move as a present to Alberto Del Rio. Brie Bella will get a shot at the Divas Championship held by AJ Lee after she pinned AJ in a 10 diva tag team match on Raw a few weeks ago.

Cody Rhodes was fired a few weeks ago on Raw after he got on the wrong side of Triple H and Randy Orton. His brother Goldust was given the opportunity to get rehired if he could beat Randy Orton but Goldust fell short. Dusty Rhodes was the latest to be humiliated by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon which led to an attack on The Shield by Cody Rhodes and Goldust. Cody Rhodes and Goldust have the opportunity to get their jobs back tonight if they can beat Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns but if they lose then they lose their jobs for good, as will Dusty Rhodes who works in NXT.

Ryback got involved in CM Punks match with Paul Heyman last month leading to Ryback being unveiled as the newest Paul Heyman guy. Tonight CM Punk and Ryback rekindle an old rivalry as they go one on one.

A video package kicks us off, first focusing on CM Punk and Ryback and then moving on to storyline between Cody Rhodes & Goldust and The Shield and then focusing on Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. Also tonight R-Truth gets a shot at the Intercontinental Championship after he beat champion Curtis Axel in a non-title match. And Kofi Kingston goes one on one with Bray Wyatt after Wyatt seemingly targeted Kingston on Smackdown a couple of weeks ago.

On the kick-off show Dolph Ziggler defeated Damien Sandow.

Michael Cole welcomes us to WWE Battleground for the first time ever. He’s joined on commentary by Jerry “The King” Lawler and John “Bradshaw” Layfield.

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Rob Van Dam – Battleground hardcore rules match for the World Heavyweight championship

This is a second pay per view match between these two men. Rob Van Dam beat Alberto Del Rio in a non title match last month at Night Of Champions. Van Dam is accompanied by Ricardo Rodriguez. Del Rio gets the first show in with a kick to the middle section, kicks and then a suplex for a one count. Alberto then exits the ring but Van Dam hits him with a baseball slide. RVD hits an inverted atomic drop on the outside and then a moonsault off the barricade. Van Dam rolls Del Rio into the ring and then pulls a chair out from under the ring before DDTing the World Heavyweight Champion on to the chair for the first near fall of the night. Del Rio hits a backstabber for a near fall and then lays into his challenger with the chair. Del Rio gets a near fall and then applies a modified Boston crab. Alberto kicks Van Dam in the head and then sets the chair up in the corner. Van Dam hits a spinning heel kick and then chokes Del Rio with his boot.

Rob Van Dam hits a legdrop on the ring apron and then pulls a ladder out from under the ring. He jabs it into the middle section of Del Rio and then heads to the top and hits a thrust kick. Van Dam then sets the ladder up in the corner and Irish whips Del Rio into it which sends Alberto crashing all the way to the outside. Back in the ring and Van Dam gets a near fall before hitting kicks and then whipping Del Rio into the ladder and hitting a spinning heel kick. Del Rio hits an enzeguri and then stomps the ladder into Van Dam. Del Rio gets a near fall. This is Alberto Del Rio’s 15th consecutive pay per view, only Daniel Bryan has wrestled on more consecutively currently, he’ll have wrestled on 22 tonight. Del Rio grabs a trash can and leathers Van Dam with it before going up to the top rope with the trash can but Rob Van Dam sees him coming and dropkicks the trash can into him.

Del Rio and Van exchange right hands and Van Dam hits a couple of clotheslines and a thrust kick before slamming Del Rio onto a ladder. Van Dam then hits a split-legged moonsault on the ladder and pins Del Rio for a near fall. Van Dam kicks Del Rio back on to the ladder and then looks for rolling thunder but Del Rio gets out of the way. Alberto then locks on the cross-arm breaker! Ricardo Rodriguez then gets in the ring and hits him with a bucket! Del Rio gets up to his feet but RVD rolls up the World Heavyweight Champion for a two count. Del Rio gets up first and throws Van Dam out of the ring and then berates Ricardo. Rodriguez looks like he’s going to hand the bucket to his old mate but instead kicks him and hits him with the bucket again. Del Rio throws Rodriguez into the barricade but Van Dam then baseball slides the ladder into the World Heavyweight Champion.

Rob Van Dam hits a five star frog splash off the apron to the outside, landing on Del Rio who had a ladder over him. Van Dam rolls Del Rio back into the ring and pins him for a two count. Van Dam heads to the top for a Van Terminator but Del Rio rolls out of the way. Alberto gets to his feet and sets up a chair in the middle of the ring before hitting Van Dam with a drop toe hold on to it. Del Rio then hits a low superkick, wraps Van Dams arm up in the chair, stomps on it a couple of times and then lock son the cross-arm breaker! Van Dam taps out! Alberto Del Rio wins the match and retains the World Heavyweight Championship in a great opener.

Rating: 7.5/10

Zeb colter is backstage with Jack Swagger and Cesaro. Zeb Colter berates Buffalo, New York and comments on the amount of hispanic people and Canadians. Colter then makes a challenge to The Great Khali and Santino.

And apparently that match is up next!

The Great Khali & Santino vs. The Real Americans (Jack Swagger & Cesaro)

The Great Khali and Santino have Hornswoggle in their corner tonight whilst The Real Americans are accompanied by Zeb Colter. Everybody wears pink shirts tonight for Susan G Komen. Santino starts the match against Jack Swagger. Swagger starts with a headlock which Santino gets out of but Swagger knocks Santino down with a shoulder charge. Swagger hits a headlock takeover but Santino gets out of it again and again Swagger knocks Santino down with a shoulder charge. Santino fails with a kip up. Swagger locks on another headlock which Santino reverses. This time Swagger gets out of it and Santino takes Swagger down with a shoulder charge. Santino then hits a powerslam and pulls out the cobra! Santino hits a hiptoss and then puts the cobra on his hand. Swagger retreats out of the ring and Hornswoggle runs at him with a cobra. Swagger pulls it off him and rips it in half.

Swagger drops Santino on the top rope and then tags in Cesaro who hits an uppercut and tags Swagger back in. Cesaro also threw the cobra off Santino’s hand. Swagger hits some knees and Cesaro hits a weak clothesline behind the referee’s back. Swagger hits a Swagger bomb, Cesaro tags himself in and hits a stomp after leap-frogging over his tag team partner. Cesaro applies a chinlock but Santino fights out of it. Cesaro tags in Swagger who applies a modified full nelson but Santino fights out of it and hits a side suplex. Swagger tags in Cesaro and Santino tags in The Great Khali! Khali hits Cesaro with clotheslines, smashes him off a top turnbuckle and then hits elbows and chops. Khali hits the big chop and hooks the leg but Swagger saves the match up. Khali disposes of Swagger with a chop and Santino dives out at him. Cesaro hits a chop block on Khali and then swings Khali around and around! Cesaro then pins Khali and gets the three! The Real Americans win tonight! Not a good match. Chinlock city. Bonus points for the giant swing.

Rating: 3.25/10

There’s an advert for Susan G Komen.

Curtis Axel (c) vs. R-Truth – Intercontinental Championship match

This is a first time match between these two men on pay per view. Axel is joined by his manager Paul Heyman. Truth has never been Intercontinental Champion before. Truth beat Axel on Raw in a non title match last week after Axel was distracted by CM Punk’s music playing. R-Truth gets the first shot in, with right hands and a kick before hitting a reverse elbow for a one count. Truth smashes Axel off two top turnbuckles before laying in more right hands. Truth then hits ten mounted right hands in the corner and a hiptoss for a two count. Truth clotheslines Axel out of the ring and then dives off the apron with a big clothesline. He rolls the Intercontinental Champion back into the ring and pins him for a two count. Axel then rolls back out of the ring and talks with Paul Heyman. Truth goes out but Axel slides into the ring and kicks Truth away. Axel rams Truth into the barricade and then rolls him back into the ring, pinning him for a one count.

Curtis Axel hits a few elbow drops and pins his challenger for a two count. Truth fires back with some right hands but Axel hit him with a dropkick for a two count. Axel applies a chinlock but Truth gets out of it and hits a dropkick of his own. Truth hits a couple of clotheslines and then goes for the scissors kick but Axel avoids it. Truth manages to roll Axel up for a two count and then hits the scissors kick! Truth hooks the leg but Axel kicks out. Truth hits a face first sit-out suplex for a two count and then looks for a flatliner but Axel hangs on to the ropes to counter it. Axel then hotshots Truth on to the top turnbuckle and hits an inverted neckbreaker and that’s enough for the three! Curtis Axel retains the Intercontinental Championship in a pretty boring match.

Rating: 3/10

We’re shown some footage form the kick-off show with Dolph Ziggler beating Damien Sandow. Apparently Sandow injured himself which is why he didn’t cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase tonight.

AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella – WWE Divas Championship match

This is a first singles match between these two girls on pay per view. Brie is accompanied by her sister Nikki whilst AJ has Tamina in her corner. Brie slaps AJ as the bell rings and then throws her to the ground and lays in some right hands. AJ scrapers to the outside but Brie follows only to be met by Tamina. AJ runs around Tamina and back into the ring but Brie follows and takes AJ down for a pinfall. Brie then lays in some boots in the corner before ramming the Divas Champion into another corner. Brie goes up to the middle rope and hits a missile dropkick for a two count. AJ manages to ram Brie into the ringpost and then pins her for a one count. AJ smashes Brie into the mat and then works the left arm of her challenger. AJ applies a hammerlock and then bridges over. Brie fights her way out of the hammerlock and looks for a DDT but AJ counters with a facebuster.

AJ chokes Brie Bella on the middle rope and then throws her into the middle turnbuckle. AJ misses with a splash in the corner but immediately goes back to work on the left arm of Brie. AJ applies an armbar and then drops Brie on the middle rope. The Divas Champion skips around the ring but runs into a dropkick. Brie rolls AJ up for a one count and then hits a clothesline and a dropkick. Brie hits a low dropkick and then a backbreaker for a two count. Brie hits a running knee as Tamina attacks Nikki on the outside. That distracts Brie and AJ rolls her up for the three! AJ wins the match and retains her Divas Championship!

Rating: 3.5/10

There’s a video package up next showing the recent history between the Rhodes family and Triple H.

Renee Young is backstage with Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes and Goldust. Dusty says that no matter what happens tonight, they will leave with their heads held high. Goldust says that they will expose The Shield for the puppets that they are. Cody says that there is no length he will not go to protect his families future. Tonight they fight for their lives and for their family.

Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. The Shield (Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns) – Cody and Goldust get their jobs back if they win

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns go into their 7th PPV match undefeated on pay per view. They have Dean Ambrose in their corner whilst Cody and Goldust have their father Dusty Rhodes in their corner. This is a non-title match. This match has a big fight feel to it, it’s been built perfectly and has made pure babyfaces out of Cody Rhodes and Goldust. They come out to Dusty Rhodes “American Dream” music. Cody Rhodes starts the match against Seth Rollins. Rhodes ducks a right hand and lays in a few himself. Cody hits a back body drop sending Rollins sprawling to the outside. Roman Reigns then gets involved and Rhodes takes him down. Cody tags in Goldust but Rollins pulls Reigns out of the ring. The Shield eye up Dusty Rhodes but Cody and Goldust stand next to their father and there’s a showdown on the outside. Dusty wraps his belt around his knuckles and The Shield back off.

Back in the ring and Goldust hits Roman Reigns with right hands and a clothesline. Goldust tags in Cody Rhodes but Reigns catches Cody with a knee and then tags in Seth Rollins. Rollins hits some right hands and knees and then chokes Cody with his boot as Dean Ambrose shouts from the outside. Cody hits a high knee of his own on Rollins and then lays in the boots. Rollins ducks a right hand and drops Cody on the middle turnbuckle before tagging in Roman Reigns. Reigns hits a shoulder charge and then tags in Rollins who comes in off the top with a right hand. Rollins hits a neckbreaker for a two count and then applies an armbar. Cody gets out of it and tries to fight off Reigns and Rollins but the numbers become too much. Rollins ties Rhodes up in a tree of woe and lays in boots. Cody manages to boot Rollins and then hits a moonsault. Rollins tags in Reigns and Cody tags in Goldust!

The pace quickens as Goldust hits a clothesline, his trademark uppercut and an inverted atomic drop. Goldust hits ten mounted right hands in the corner and hits a cross body for a two count. Reigns hits a headbutt and then ducks a cross body which sends goldust to the outside. Rollins then rams Goldust into the ring apron before throwing him into the barricade. Goldust just about beats the count back into the ring and Rollins gets a near fall. Rollins rams Goldust into the Shield corner and then tags in Reigns who hits a snapmare and applies a chinlock. Goldust fights out of the chinlock but Reigns knocks him down with a big clothesline for a near fall. Seth Rollins tags in and hits a senton for a two count. Rollins applies a chinlock which Goldust fights out of. Goldust avoids a dropkick and then hits an elbow drop. Rollins tags Reigns who stops Goldust from making a tag. Rollins tags back in but Goldust hits him with a powerslam. Goldust tags in Cody!

Cody hits a springboard dropkick off Rollins and then knocks Reigns off the apron. Cody hits a kick to the gut and then an Alabama slam for a two count. Cody runs into an elbow but hits a muscle buster for a near fall. Reigns made the save so Goldust gets involved but Reigns clothesline Goldust out of the ring. Cody hits a disaster kick on Reigns and clotheslines him out of the ring. Dean Ambrose gets up on the apron but Cody gets rid of him too. Rollins then attacks Cody from behind. Dusty Rhodes knocks out Ambrose with the bionic elbow! Roman Reigns goes after Dusty but Goldust takes him out! Rollins rolls up Cody but Cody kicks out. Cody then hits Cross-Rhodes on Rollins for the three! Cody Rhodes and Goldust win! They get their jobs back! Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns lose on pay per view for the first time! Really fun match. The babyfaces then pour out of the back to celebrate with the Rhodes family. The Usos, Justin Gabriel, Natalya, Kaitlyn, Zack Ryder, Santino, Brodus Clay, Kofi Kingston and even the like of Mike Rotunda, Arn Anderson and Dean Malenko.

Rating: 8/10

We go to the kick-off panel which consists of Josh Mathews, The Miz, Titus O’Neil and Tensai. The Miz is buzzing about Cody Rhodes, Goldust and Dusty Rhodes. Titus can’t believe Rob Van Dam winning the World Heavyweight Championship whilst Tensai loved the giant swing on The Great Khali.

Brad Maddox is backstage on the phone presumably on the phone to Stephanie McMahon. Vickie Guerrero shows up and Brad says that he needs her help to make sure the rest of the night goes smoothly. Vickie laughs because they left Maddox in charge and it’s all on him.

Kofi Kingston vs. Bray Wyatt

This is a first PPV match between these two men. It’s only a second PPV match for Bray Wyatt who beat Kane at Summerslam. Bray has Luke Harper and Erick Rowan at ringside with him. Kofi gets a few kicks in as the bell rings. Bray Wyatt backs off and laughs before throwing Kofi to the mat. Kofi gets in a kick to the head and lays in some forearms. Wyatt counters an Irish whip but runs into another kick from Kingston. Kofi heads to the top but Wyatt crotches him and then splashes Kingston in the corner. Wyatt hits Kofi with a clubbing shot to the chest before head-butting him and pinning him but Kofi quickly kicks out. Wyatt lays in some right hands and then hits a clothesline. Bray applies a seated abdominal stretch but Kofi gets out of it. Wyatt hits a powerslam and then an elbow drop for a two count. Bray applies a chinlock but Kofi gets out of it and then hits a cross body.

Kofi looks to springboard off the apron but Wyatt catches him with a powerslam for a two count. Wyatt goes back to the chinlock and then hits some headbutts. Kofi hits a big crucifix takedown and both men are down. This match has a very slow pace to it. Kofi hits a couple of chops, dropkick and a clothesline before nailing the boom drop. Kofi then motions for trouble in paradise but Wyatt ducks and hits a huge cross body. Wyatt then walks towards Kingston upside down like a spider. Kofi backs off and then low-bridges Wyatt before diving out at all three members of the Wyatt Family. Kofi rolls Bray back into the ring and heads to the top, hitting a cross body for a near fall. Kofi looks for a sunset flip, Bray counters but Kofi hits a jaw breaker. Kingston then looks for the SOS but Wyatt counters with Sister Abigail! And that’s enough for the three. Bray Wyatt picks up another victory tonight. After the match Luke Harper and Erick Rowan lay out Kofi whilst Wyatt talks about mannequins and purity.

Rating: 3.75/10

There’s a video package next for CM Punk and Ryback.

CM Punk vs. Ryback

This is a second pay per view match between these two men. CM Punk beat Ryback at Hell In A Cell last year with help from dodgy referee Brad Maddox. Ryback is joined by his managed, the infatuated Paul Heyman. What’s interesting is that for every match so far there has been at least one person at ringside. Ryback uses his power in the early going to back Punk into the corner. Ryback then throws Punk to the mat. Ryback hits a shoulder charge but CM Punk hits some kicks forcing Ryback to retreat out of the ring. Ryback gets back into the ring but Punk hits him with kicks and knees. Again Ryback retreats. This time CM Punk hits a suicide dive to the outside and then climbs on to the barricade. He jumps off but Ryback catches him. Punk slips down and pushes Ryback into the ringpost. Back in the ring and CM Punk hits a high cross body for a two count. Punk hits more kicks and knees but Ryback sends him into a middle turnbuckle. Ryback pops CM Punk on the top rope and then gorilla press slams him to the mat. Ryback then throws CM Punk into the ringpost before hitting a snapmare and applying a chinlock.

CM Punk fights out of the chinlock but Ryback hits him with a belly to belly suplex and then a legdrop for a two count. Ryback hits a chop and then a clothesline in the corner before stomping on CM Punk’s head. Ryback hits an elbow drop and then a kick to the back of the head. CM Punk fires back with chops, right hands and kicks but then runs into a clothesline. Ryback suplexes CM Punk on to the top rope and then boots him down to the apron. Ryback clubs away at CM Punk’s chest and then hits a shoulder charge in the corner for a two count. Ryback applies a chinlock but CM Punk hammers his way out of it. Ryback runs into a boot and then misses with a shoulder charge in the corner. Punk hits some kicks and a dropkick. Punk builds momentum with a clothesline and a swinging neckbreaker before motioning for go to sleep. Paul Heyman’s voice then echoes around as he grabs a microphone and says that he’s the best in the world, he pinned CM Punk with both hands tied behind his back.

Ryback capitalises on the distraction, attacking Punk from behind with a clothesline and then a powerbomb for a near fall. Heyman screams at Ryback to powerbomb CM Punk again but this time Punk lands on his feet and kicks Ryback in the head. Punk hits a running knee in the corner and then heads to the top and hits the flying elbow for a near fall. Punk hits another running knee but Ryback looks for a powerbomb only for Punk to counter with a hurricanrana. Punk then sets up for go to sleep but Ryback counters and hits a powerslam for a near fall. Ryback hits Punk with clobbering blows as Paul Heyman screams at his former client from the outside. Ryback then distracts the referee and Heyman pulls a kendo stick from under the ring. The referee sees it and warns Heyman but behind the referees back CM Punk hits Ryback with a low blow! Punk covers Ryback and the referee counts the three! CM Punk beat Ryback tonight with a low blow!

Rating: 3.75/10

The kick-off panel link into a video package for the main event.

Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton – WWE Championship match

This is for the vacant WWE Championship. They have both beaten each other once on pay per view before so this is the rubber. Bryan hits a headlock takeover in the early going but Orton forces him into the corner to break it. Bryan and Orton along with Alberto Del Rio are the only men to have wrestled on every PPV so far in 2013. Bryan goes back to the headlock but Orton counters with one of his own. Randy hits a shoulder charge to take Bryan down. There’s been a lot of that tonight. Orton hits some kicks and a headlock takedown but Bryan gets out of it and hits a dropkick. Bryan works the left arm of Randy until Orton counters with a backbreaker. Orton stomps on the ankle of Bryan and then pins him for a one count. Orton applies an armbar but Bryan gets out of it and hits a knee before laying in some kicks and a leg whip. Bryan applies a leglock and lays in some right hands. Bryan then pops Orton on the top rope and goes up for a superplex but Orton shoves him down on to the top rope before clotheslining him off.

Randy gets a near fall and then hits a clothesline. Randy hits ten mounted right hands in the corner before choking Bryan with his boot. Orton hits a clothesline in the corner and then attempts another but Daniel Bryan gets his boot up. Bryan then runs into a powerslam for a two count. Orton goes back to the chinlock but Bryan elbows his way out of it only to run into the knee of Randy. Orton suplexes Daniel Bryan on to the top rope and pins him for a two count. Bryan hits some right hands and then leapfrogs over Orton but Randy throws him over the top rope. Bryan pulls Orton out of the ring with his legs and then dives out with a suicide dive. Bryan then Irish whips Randy into the barricade before hitting him with a running dropkick. Bryan rolls Orton back into the ring and then heads to the top but Orton sees him coming and powerbombs him onto the mat for a near fall.

Orton locks on a Boston crab which I have never seen him do before. Bryan manages to get out of the hold and rolls Orton up for a two count. Bryan then looks to lock on the yes lock but Orton quickly gets to the bottom rope. Randy exits the ring and Bryan looks for a baseball slide but Orton sidesteps and then throws Bryan into the ringsteps. Orton rams Bryan into the ringpost and then side suplexes him onto the barricade. Orton rolls Bryan back into the ring and pins him for a two count. Orton lays in some right hands and then pops Daniel Bryan on the top rope and hits him with a superplex for a near fall. The two men then slug it out with uppercuts until Bryan hits a backslide for a two count. Daniel then kicks Orton in the face for a two count. Orton rolls out to the apron and Bryan looks to suplex him back into the ring but Orton counters and suplexes Bryan to the outside. Orton then takes apart the Spanish announce table and looks to powerbomb Bryan through it but Bryan slips down the back and throws Orton into the ring steps.

Daniel Bryan climbs to the top and hits a high cross body to the outside. He then rolls Orton back into the ring and goes back to the top and hits a flying headbutt for a near fall. Bryan hits five running dropkicks in the corner and then six kicks before Orton counters a seventh with a t-bone suplex. Randy hits a hangmans DDT and then motions for an RKO but Bryan counters, pushing him away. Orton rolls Bryan up but Bryan counters, locking on the yes lock! The Big Show’s music then hits! Big Show storms to the ring and pulls out the referee. Big Show then knocks out Daniel Bryan before looking disgusted with himself. A “you sold out” chant breaks out. Brad Maddox is at the top of the entrance ramp and waves out Scott Armstrong who gets in the ring as Orton pins Daniel Bryan. Big Show then pulls out Armstrong and knocks him out! Big show gets in the ring and Orton screams at him. Big Show then knocks out Orton! Big Show music then hits. Are there no more referee’s?! This one looks like it’s over. It is. It ends a no contest and there is still no WWE Champion.

Rating: 5.5/10

And that was Battleground 2013. I’m not going to lie, this show was pretty awful. There were a couple of matches that saved the show from being a total disaster but overall it was bad. It actually started really well with Alberto Del Rio beating Rob Van Dam to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. I enjoyed this match. Two talented workers who put on a great hardcore match. I was surprised to see Del Rio beat Rob Van Dam cleanly which should put an end to this feud. After this the wheels came off. Cesaro and Jack Swagger beat Santino and The Great Khali in a fairly pointless tag team match. I can only assume they wanted Cesero’s impressive swing on pay per view and to be fair it was the spot that saved the match. Cesaro and Swagger win the match and may find themselves in the hunt for the tag team championships soon.

Curtis Axel beat R-Truth in a boring match. These two workers are capable of much better but for some reason this just did not click. I didn’t care for it much like I don’t care for Axels Intercontinental Championship run. AJ Lee beat Brie Bella with a little help from Tamina. Yeah this was another bad match. AJ has put on better matches in the past but I’m not sure Brie has. The Divas division is weak right now so I think they just need to keep the title on AJ. Cody Rhodes and Goldust then won their jobs back when they beat The Shield in a non-title match. This was a great match. So much emotion, I loved it. One of the best angles for a while. Cody and Goldust are back on the roster and why not continue their feud with The Shield? I’d like to see Cody and Goldust as tag team champions.

Bray Wyatt beat Kofi Kingston in a predictable and uneventful match. I love the Bray Wyatt gimmick but this match just didn’t click. Usually you’re always guaranteed a great match from Kofi but not tonight. Wyatt has a good streak going and speaking of streaks I’d love to see it lead to a match with Undertaker at Wrestlemania. CM Punk then beat Ryback in one of CM Punk’s weakest PPV matches to date. Their matches last year were a lot better than this. I liked the finish with CM Punk winning with a low blow. You can only assume it’s going to lead to another match at Hell In A Cell in a few weeks time. Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton then fought to a no-contest in the main event when Big Show came out and took out both men. This match was pretty bang average. I have no idea where it’s heading with The Big Show but I’m fully expecting a rematch at Hell In A Cell. Really below par for these two men.

Overall Rating: 47.8/100 (ranked 268th out of 294)

Match Of The Night: Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns
Worst Match Of The Night: Curtis Axel vs. R-Truth
Surprise Of The Night: Big Show interrupts the main event
Worst Booking Of The Night: Just how bad the whole show was
Superstar Of The Night: Cody Rhodes & Goldust
Battleground 2013 Will Be Remembered For: Cody Rhodes and Goldust winning their jobs back