WWE Battleground 2017 Predictions

credit: wwe.com

Shinsuke Nakamura vs Baron Corbin

As mentioned in the opener, the Nakamura/Corbin match at Battleground is a new, exciting program for Smackdown Live, even if it is just a one and done situation.  “The Lonewolf” is definitely stepping up in competition but hey, these are the type of guys he needs to get used to facing if he’s going to be a world champion, which is statistically almost automatic when owning that briefcase.

Unfortunately for Corbin, the WWE has a history of booking MITB briefcase holders to lose.  Look no further than the past few years.  Obviously you can remove Dean Ambrose from that equation because he cashed-in the same night he won the ladder match, but former case holders Seth Rollins, Damien Sandow, and Dolph Ziggler couldn’t have bought a win during their times with the contract.  That’s not a good sign for Corbin especially since he’s taking on arguably the best wrestler on earth.

With all that being said, a Nakamura win makes the most sense, briefcase or no briefcase.  Corbin is seen as a future superstar but Shinsuke already is.  A loss here would a be a massive hit to a guy of his caliber while a loss for Corbin just means that he lost to a former NXT and IWGP world champion and as such, doesn’t hurt him in the least.  Plus, he’ll still have his world title shot when ever he wants it.  Nakamura wins clean.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura