WWE SmackDown Live Rankings Before WWE Battleground

Smackdown. Photo by WWE.com

The SmackDown Live World Title Picture

Highlights of the Division

Jinder Mahal’s championship run has had a lot of downs but a few positives and his performance at Battleground will be key in changing the perception of the WWE Champion. The modern-day Maharaja has had many receptive promos about his country and distaste of American populism but never divulged any further than that. As the face of the company, Mahal will need to show everyone that he isn’t a one-trick pony and the Punjabi Prison Match must show a different side of the Indian superstar.

Randy Orton has clearly stepped up his game since Money in the Bank and he’ll need to maintain it during Battleground and after it concludes. The Viper won’t win back his gold but he’ll need to show everybody that his predator persona won’t fade away after his eventual loss. He must use that anger to punish anybody who he thinks stands in his way to the top of the mountain. He doesn’t have to be a heel again but he also doesn’t need to smile for the fans either. Many people will back a man who was screwed out of the championship and root for his sadistic journey of RKOs to everyone on his way to the title picture. 

John Cena delivered the same old patriotic promo he has normally delivered for years and he’ll win his flag match at Battleground. His feud with Rusev seems like a foregone conclusion and everyone knows that Rusev doesn’t have a shot to beat the 16-time WWE Champion. It clearly looks like it’ll be a future Summerslam showdown between John Cena and Jinder Mahal based on how both men represent their country with pride and conviction. Also both men will likely be the only winners in Battleground where it makes sense that they’ll face each other next month at Summerslam.

Let’s see the rankings for the division this week.

WWE World Champion: Jinder Mahal (12 Wins – 10 Losses)

Contenders

• Top Contender: Randy Orton (10 Wins – 7 Losses)
• Contender No. 2: John Cena (7 Wins – 4 Losses)

Pretenders

• Pretender No. 1: Shinsuke Nakamura (6 Wins – 2 Losses)

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What are your thoughts on this week’s Smackdown Rankings?