It’s been a rough few months for us wrestling sharps.
There has only been one upset since WrestleMania: Seth Rollins defeating Roman Reigns at Money in the Bank. Everything else has been boring and vanilla. Luckily, Battleground doesn’t seem to have the same problem – there are just two big favorites.
Of course, I said the same thing last month.
You know the drill: I am betting imaginary jellybeans for each match (based on Paddy Power’s odds) and keeping track of my “winnings.” I’m dividing my picks into three categories: 🔒Locks™, Solid Picks and Stay Aways. I will bet 10 jellybeans on the 🔒Locks™, five on the Solid Picks, and none on the Stay Aways.
Here are my WWE Battleground picks. Remember that I’m not necessarily picking the winner, but the one that I feel is the best bet.
🔒Locks™
None.
Solid Picks
Singles match
Becky Lynch: 1/6 (-600)
Natalya: 4/1 (+400)
Odds from 5Dimes
Pick: Natalya
This is a matchup between the top two women on SmackDown, so I expect the feud to go past this PPV. Natalya will win in a dirty, underhanded way and continue the feud. Hopefully SmackDown will also have at least one more women’s storyline moving forward.
Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Darren Young: 8/15 (-188)
The Miz (c): 5/4 (+125)
Pick: The Miz
This is a tossup, but as I said on Wrestledelphia Radio, I don’t see WWE putting both secondary belts on the same show. Hopefully Darren Young does not come off like a chump, because I like what he’s been doing and think it has a lot of potential.
Singles match
Sami Zayn: 4/6 (-150)
Kevin Owens: 11/10 (+110)
Pick: Kevin Owens
Hopefully we see this matchup many more times, but this appears to be it for now. I think Owens needs the win more, and that will set up the future feud better – with Zayn chasing Owens for a rematch. Zayn should be built up as the most sympathetic babyface in the company if this is done properly.
Stay Aways
Tag team match
Sasha Banks & TBA
Charlotte & Dana Brooke
Pick: Sasha Banks & TBA
There are no odds for this match because we don’t know who the mystery partner is, but regardless, Banks will get the win for her team.
Tag-team match
The Usos
Breezango
Pick: Breezango
There are no odds for this match because no one knew it was happening. It makes sense to establish Breezango as a bigger threat.
Six-man tag team match
The Wyatt Family: 4/7 (-175)
The New Day: 5/4 (+125)
Pick: The New Day
I can’t imagine the Wyatts beating anyone, let alone the New Day. The Wyatts are just waiting for the divorce to be finalized and appear to all be going into singles competition. If they were staying together, they’d get the win here.
Singles match for the WWE United States Championship
Rusev (c): 1/7 (-700)
Zack Ryder: 4/1 (+400)
Pick: Rusev
I am a Ryder fan, but it doesn’t make any sense for him to beat Rusev. Rusev has top-of-the-card potential and should not lose the belt until someone with a higher profile challenges him.
Six-man tag team match
John Cena, Enzo Amore & Big Cass: 1/5 (-500)
The Club: 3/1 (+300)
Pick: John Cena, Enzo Amore & Big Cass
It seems likely Cena will get his first PPV win in 2016 here. It’s not totally unlikely that the Club will win, but neither Cena nor Cass will be taking a pin, and Amore has already taken the pin a few times for his teammates. This feud can branch off after the show, with Cena and Styles headlining SmackDown and Enzo & Cass fighting Gallows and Anderson on Raw.
Triple threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Dean Ambrose (c): 8/15 (-188)
Seth Rollins: 13/8 (+163)
Roman Reigns: 10/3 (+333)
Pick: Dean Ambrose
Again, as I said on Wrestledelphia Radio, I think Ambrose pins Reigns and Rollins uses that to try and get the Raw title. That said, this match is pretty much a tossup in my mind. Anyone could pin anyone, which is exactly what you want in a main event – but it’s not great for betting.
Overall record to date: 79-55-6
Jellybeans won to date: 15.66 on a 37-34-6 record
Biggest win: 45 jellybeans (Ryback def. Sheamus, Mark Henry, King Barrett, Dolph Ziggler & R-Truth at Elimination Chamber 2015)
Wrestledelphia.com columnist Evan Cross can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter .
Evan Cross
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