WWE Battleground 2017 Live Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

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Flag Match
John Cena vs. Rusev

Result: John Cena defeats Rusev.

Rating: 1.75 out of 5 stars

A patriotic match that comes nearly three weeks after America’s most patriotic holiday. Odd timing, but when it comes to John Cena, WWE will always put him in the country-hero role.

For much of the match, Rusev dominated. The only times he struggled were going for the flag. Even when Cena left the ring, the Bulgarian Brute illogically waited around to get the flag and didn’t rush to beat out his opponent. This happens in gimmick matches, with things just not making sense, sometimes.

Rusev became the first Superstar to grab his flag but still had to go to the Bulgarian pedestal. He dropped the flag, however, when Cena hit a dropkick.

The Leader of the Cenation retrieved the American flag and even went up the stage, but failed to get to his destination.

The hardcore-ish aspect worked near the end of the match, using the No Disqualification rules. It got the action out of the ring and away from it being a standard showing.

To no surprise, Cena won by planting the American flag. There was no way he was going to lose this, right?

The match was predictable and boring. Cena’s return to PPV wasn’t going to see him lose, and led to a long, 20 minutes of waiting for the inevitable claim to victory at the Wells Fargo Center. Easily the worst match of the night and something no one will look back on in the Face That Runs the Place’s Hall of Fame speech, or 2017 retrospective.

Breezango Learns Their Attackers

Tyler Breeze and Fandango think they’ve found the people that destroyed their office. The Ascension entered and made it seem like it was them, only to reveal it wasn’t.

Afterward, the lights went out and Breeze was attacked. This was followed by Fandango, whose body was dragged out of the picture. Then, the segment ended.