WWE Battleground is live tonight from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. This is the fifth ever Battleground event. The SmackDown brand exclusive pay-per-view show will kickoff with a match between The Perfect 10 Tye Dillinger and Aiden English, a rematch from The Money In the Bank kickoff show last month.
Tye Dillinger vs Aiden English
As action begins, English is already in the ring with a microphone, declaring himself the Shakespeare of Song, the Mozart of Melody, the Beethoven of Baritone, the Drama King. He is roundly booed as he sings “the greatest thing you’ll ever see right here in WWE.”
The crowd turns quickly, cheering and flashing 10 signs to Tye Dillinger as he makes his entrance.
English starts off with a side headlock and does a bow after hitting Dillinger with a shoulder tackle off the ropes. He also blows a kiss at Dillinger. English gets back to work with a wristlock, but Dillinger reverses out of it with a snapmare. As he gets English down in the corner, he flashes 10s at English as the crowd chants “Ten” repeatedly. Dillinger then starts stomping English in the corner as the crowd continues to chant “Ten.”
English regains momentum with a fierce shoulder to the chin between the ropes before throwing Dillinger face-first into the turnbuckle. English gets him down on the mat and hits a series of stomps and punches before whipping him into the corner and hitting him with a splash.
As we return from break, Dillinger kicks out of a pinning predicament at two. English continues driving his knees into the back of The Perfect 10. English keeps up the assault with a side headlock as he begins to sing to the crowd. The WWE Universe chants “Ten” repeatedly to try to will the babyface back from desperation.
Dillinger fights out of the headlock and rams English into the corner. English elbows him to the back. The Drama King tries a top-rope maneuver but Dillinger kicks him out of mid-air. Dillinger then fights his way back with stomps, punches and a monster clothesline. Dillinger was looking for the “Tye Breaker,” but English slid out of the ring.
As English makes his way back, Dillinger picks up the Drama King and hits a huge spinebuster before putting him on the top rope in the corner and chopping him on the chest. Dillinger loads up for a superplex on the top rope, but English headbutts Dillinger off of him. English then hits a top-rope crossbody. Dillinger tries for the Tye Breaker again, but English reverses out of it with a facebuster.
English starts flashing 10s to the crowd with Dillinger down on the mat. English tries to mock Dillinger by hitting a Tye Breaker of his own. They both sunset flip each other for nearfalls, but in a final scramble English hits a flapjack off the ropes to get the three count in a big surprise victory.
Winner: Aiden English
As the main show opens, we pan out to get a look at the massive Punjabi Prison structure hanging over the ring.
New Day vs. SmackDown Tag Champs The Usos
Big E roars “Philadelphia, don’t you dare be sour” as New Day makes it way to the ring in patriotic stars and stripes ring gear in the City of Brotherly Love.
The heel champs come out in their black and white Day One hoodies and camo pants. Footage of the rap battle three weeks ago on SmackDown airs as the two tag teams point and stare each other down in the middle of the ring while the ref holds up the belts for the crowd.
Kofi Kingston opens right up with a huge dropkick to Jey Uso’s face. Kofi tags in Woods, who hits a big elbow off the ropes. Woods tries to continue the assault, but Jimmy holds Woods so Jey can land a leaping elbow to the jaw. Jimmy Uso then mugs Woods with a series of punches while the ref’s back is turned.
Jimmy then hits a spinning kick to Woods’ jaw before tagging Jey, who hits Woods with a few right hands before stomping him in the corner. With Woods down in the corner, Jey hits an Umaga rear splash to the face of Woods. Jimmy then kicks Woods in the face with the ref’s back turned.
Jimmy tags in and teams up for a backbreaker with Jey off the top rope. Jimmy then sits Woods on the top rope and hits vicious chops to the chest. Jimmy loads up for a superplex, but Woods punches and headbutts Jimmy to the mat. Woods then lands a missile dropkick off the top rope to Jimmy’s chin. Kingston and Jey tag, and Kofi hammers Jey with a series of right hands before landing a knee off the ropes.
Kingston then kicks Jimmy, who tries to interfere, in the face and throws Jey out of the ring. As Kingston tags Woods, Kingston goes for a trust fall outside the ring, but the Usos catch him and land a massive powerbomb on Kofi.
Woods and Jimmy take the action back to the ring. Woods then gets in trouble as Jimmy rams him neck first into the turnbuckle before Jey tags and the Usos team up for a Samoan Drop. Jey drills Woods on the ring apron with a big right hand before tagging Jimmy.
Woods then drops both Usos with Enziguiri kicks. As Woods tries to go off the top rope to hit Jey, he slides out of the ring and Jimmy kicks Woods in the face while he is in mid air.
Jimmy then gets a knee lock submission move on Woods in the middle of the ring. Woods crawls his way to a rope break.
As Jimmy complains to the ref, Woods surprises him with a kick before tagging Kofi, who had just gotten off the floor outside the ring, to hit the Midnight Hour. Jimmy kicks out at two.
As Kofi went for Trouble In Paradise, Jimmy Superkicks Kofi, tags Jey and Jey hits a huge top-rope splash, but Kingston kicks out at two.
After Jey shakes his head in disbelief, Jey tags Jimmy. Both Usos went to the top rope to try to put away Kofi, but Woods knocks Jey off the top rope. Woods then tags in after Jimmy misses a top rope splash. Kingston then hits Trouble In Paradise on Jimmy before Woods leaps off the top rope halfway across the ring for a Big Elbow to make New Day 3-time tag team champs. They are the first team ever to become Raw and SmackDown tag champs.
Winner: New Day Becomes SmackDown Tag Champs
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Mr. Money In The Bank Baron Corbin
The Artist is out first in red and black tiger striped leather as the crowd cheers along with his music. Chants of “Nakamura” echo throughout the Wells Fargo Center before The Lone Wolf’s music blasts out and the lights fade to black.
Corbin holds The Money In The Bank briefcase high in the air for the fans to see as he makes his entrance.
Nakamura gets the first kick in as the opening bell rings, but Corbin rams Shinsuke head-first into a few turnbuckles before The Artist rapid-fire kicks Corbin out of the ring.
Corbin slides back in the ring, but Nakamura is now on the outside. As Nakamura tries to get back in the ring, Corbin kicks him back out along the ring apron. Corbin then drops Nakamura back inside the ring with a big right hand before stomping him when he’s down on the mat.
Mr. Money In The Bank then whips Nakamura in the corner before locking him in a bear hug in the middle of the ring. Nakamura elbows his way out of it, but Corbin answers with a knee to the midsection. Shinsuke fights out by locking Corbin in a triangle, but The Lone Wolf powers out of it before throwing Nakamura back out of the ring.
Corbin then rams Nakamura twice into the barricade, working on The Artist’s lower back. Corbin pushes Nakamura back in the ring and then elbows him in the ribs off the ropes. The Lone Wolf then locks in a second bear hug as Nakamura writhes in pain.
Nakamura finally elbows his way out. Corbin goes for a chokeslam, but doesn’t quite get a hold of Shinsuke. Nakamura then hits an overhead kick before a series of kicks. Shinsuke continues the offensive with a dropkick off the ropes. Shinsuke then rams a series of knees into Corbin’s gut before choking him with his foot on his throat. Nakamura then sprawls Corbin prone on the top rope and rams his knee into his midsection. Corbin fights his way out of the corner, but Nakamura kicks him back into a another corner.
Nakamura goes to whip Corbin into another corner, but The Lone Wolf slides out of the ring, slides back in and drills The Artist with a massive clothesline. Corbin goes to work with more jabs to the face as Nakamura falls to the mat. Corbin went for a suplex, but Nakamura gets out of it and hits three knees to Corbin’s ribs on the mat.
Nakamura lines Corbin up for Kinchasa, but Corbin picks him up and nails a Deep Six Slam. Nakamura kicks out at two. Both men can barely get to their feet. Corbin then hits a few right hands, Nakamura hits a few rights and then Corbin elbows. Nakamura reverses the momentum with a backstabber before drilling him with a spinning kick and another kick to the back of Corbin’s neck.
Nakamura is trying to line up Kinchasa again, but Corbin can’t get up off the mat. Nakamura pulls Corbin off the mat by his hair. As The Artist was setting up for an exploder, Corbin whipped his foot up for a low blow to Nakamura’s groin to lose by disqualification.
Nakamura remains undefeated in singles matches.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura By Disqualification
After the match, Corbin retrieves The Money In the Bank briefcase with Nakamura still down on the mat. Corbin starts to head backstage, but then doubles back, rams the briefcase into Shinsuke’s stomach and picks up The Artist to ambush him with End of Days.
Women’s Fatal 5-Way Elimination No. 1 Contender Match
Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch vs Natalya vs Tamina vs Lana
The winner of the match will get a shot at SmackDown Women’s Champ Naomi at SummerSlam next month in Brooklyn.
Before the match starts, Naomi comes out and does her glow dance before going to her ringside seat with the announce team. Inaugural SmackDown champ Becky Lynch is out next, drawing a round of cheers, before the crowd goes silent as Tamina comes out. Natalya, in her 38th career pay-per-view match which puts her only one behind all-time leader Trish Stratus, drew some cheers from the crowd. The Ravishing Russian comes out next to little fanfare. The crowd goes berserk when Charlotte Flair is announced with the crowd raining “Woos” on her.
Charlotte opens up with some knife-edged chops on Lana in the corner. Tamina ambushes Becky Lynch in the other corner as Natalya tries to lock Charlotte in the Sharpshooter. Tamina then whips Becky Lynch off the ropes before Lana drags her out of the ring and rams Becky face-first into the announce table. Lana then rips Natalya out of the ring and grounds her on the floor.
Tamina and Lana then work together to attack Charlotte. Lana stomps on her before Tamina slams Charlotte to the mat. After Lana stomps on Charlotte some more, Tamina holds Flair for Lana to kick her in the chest. Tamina goes for another slam, but Charlotte slips out of it, pulls Tamina down by the hair and throws Tamina out of the ring. Charlotte glares at Lana and looks to go on attack, but Tamina slides back in the ring and takes Charlotte’s knees out. Lana and Tamina then start teaming up again, chopping and kicking Charlotte before simultaneously kicking Charlotte in the corner.
Lynch gets back in the ring and evens the odds as Lynch and Flair hit exploders on Lana and Tamina, respectively, to toss them out of the ring. Lynch then tosses Flair around the ring with a few arm drags. Lynch then gets hit with a spinning neckbreaker by Flair, but Natalya runs up Flair’s back as she reenters and double dropkicks Charlotte out of the ring.
Lynch then hits a few Becksploders to Natalya before hitting Lana with another one. Lynch tries to hit Tamina with another Becksploder, but Tamina reverses out of it and hits a Samoan Drop. Flair gets back in the ring and clears Lynch and Tamina. Natalya then surprise attacks Flair and nearly pins her, but Lana comes from out of nowhere and hits a facebuster on Natalya to knock her out of the ring and go for the pin herself.
Lynch locks in the Disarmer, but Tamina saves Lana from behind. Tamina hits a Samoan Drop before getting knocked out of the ring. Lynch locks Lana in a second Disarmer, and Tamina makes a second save. Lynch fights back and then gets both Lana and Tamina to tap out in the Disarmer.
Natalya hits a sneak attack on Lynch and manages to eliminate Lynch with a pin. Flair tries to finish the match by locking in a Figure Four, but Natalya gets out of it. Flair then picks up Natalya, who was trying to choke Flair with her legs, up for a massive powerbomb.
Charlotte then goes to the top rope with Natalya on the mat, but Natalya got her knees up to drive them into Flair as she was in the air for a moonsault.
Natalya then throws Flair into the bottom turnbuckle neck-first and rolls up Flair to become the No. 1 contender.
Winner: Natalya becomes SmackDown Women’s No. 1 Contender
After the match, Naomi goes to the ring to shake Natalya’s hand, but the No. 1 contender turns her back on the champ and walks away. The two glare at each other as Natalya backs up the ramp.
Kevin Owens vs United States Champ AJ Styles
Owens mugs Styles after the opening bell, landing a big strike to Styles’ back and kneeing him in the midsection. KO gets a side headlock and then hits a shoulder tackle off the ropes. Owens tries for another shoulder tackle, but Styles flips him out of the ring with an arm drag.
Owens climbs back in the ring and both he and the champ jockey for position before Owens pulls Styles’ leg out from under him. Styles then gets a single-leg takedown and Owens slides out of the ring again for a break.
The Prizefighter goes for a big right when he gets back in the ring, but Styles kicks him in the hand. Owens drives a big right elbow into Styles’ face, but as he goes for a shoulder tackle off the ropes Styles nails him with a dropkick.
Both go out of the ring and Styles throws KO into the Spanish announce table and the barricade. Owens fights back by throwing Styles into the ring post. Owens rolls Styles into the ring and hits a running Senton Bomb before grinding a forearm into the face of Styles.
The New Face of America then drives a few kicks into Styles’ back before going for a cover, but Styles kicks out. Owens then grounds The Phenomenal One on the mat with a side headlock. Styles tries to fight his way up to a standing position but Owens flips him back down on the mat and leans all his weight on him. Styles fights his way free, but gets dropped to the mat again. KO goes for another running Senton Bomb, but Styles got his knees up.
Styles began hitting a series of spinning clotheslines, but KO drops him again with a suplex. Owens gets Styles in a headlock again, but Styles fights free and this time drops the challenger with a series of clotheslines. Styles then gets in a flying forearm with Owens on the mat, and hits another leaping forearm with Owens in the corner.
After each man reverses each other, Styles finally hits the suplex he was loading up. Styles tries to get Owens on his shoulders again, but KO elbows him out of it. Owens misses a superkick, but Styles can’t capitalize, missing on a Styles Clash.
KO tries to hit a move off the ropes, but Styles gets the big man up on his shoulders for a Fireman’s Carry Neck Drop. Styles springboards off the rope for a 450 splash, but Owens got his knees up. KO went for the pin, but Styles kicked out. The former champ then hits a cannonball with Styles down in the corner. Styles kicks out of another pinning predicament.
Owens then pushes Styles up to a sitting position on a top turnbuckle. He loads up for a superplex, but Styles headbutts his way out of it. Styles tries to rollover into a sunset flip powerbomb, but Owens didn’t budge. Styles then picks up Owens off the ropes and puts KO into a brief torture rack before trying to turn it into a spinning powerbomb. Owens kicks out. Styles goes up to the top rope, but Owens knocks him off balance and the champ lands groin-first onto the top turnbuckle.
The Prizefighter clubs Styles and tries to load up a Superplex, but Styles slips out and pulls out Owens’ legs from him so he lands head-first into the turnbuckle. Styles tries to springboard for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Owens slides out of the ring, pulls Owens’ legs out from under him and Styles hits his shoulder on the ring apron. Owens then throws him shoulder-first into a turnbuckle. Owens then nails the champ with an armbreaker.
Styles fights back with a Pele kick. The champ tries for the Styles clash, but Owens picks him up and throws him into the ref, dropping the official to the mat.
Styles checks on the official and winds up walking into a Superkick. Owens tries to whip Styles into a Pop-Up Powerbomb, but Styles leapfrogs out of it. Styles then locks Owens in a Calf Crusher, but the official was still out of it. Owens then locks Styles in a crossface as the ref starts to snap out of it. Styles locks in his own crossface, but the ref still hadn’t regained full consciousness. Owens then reverses the crossface to roll Styles on his back, and the ref finally regathers and gives the three count to Owens. KO regains the US title for the third time.
Winner: Kevin Owens Earns Third United States title
Flag Match
John Cena (United States) vs Rusev (Bulgaria)
The crowd boos Rusev as he comes out proudly waving the Bulgarian flag. The official hoists the Bulgarian flag on top of the pole in Rusev’s corner. Cena comes out to his usual alternating chants of “Let’s Go, Cena” and “Cena sucks.” Cena grabs Old Glory of his United States pedestal at the top of the stage and holds it high for the crowd. The official then positions the US flag on the pole in Cena’s corner.
It’s a no pin, disqualification or submission match. The winner must take his flag to his pedestal at the top of the entrance stage.
Rusev immediately bolts for his flag, but Cena stops him with a headlock. Rusev gets free, knocks Cena away, goes for his flag and Cena gets another headlock. Rusev then elbows his way free and gut-punches Cena to drop him to the mat. Rusev climbs to the top rope to get the Bulgarian flag, but Cena nails the heel with a top-rope Bulldog.
With Rusev on the mat, Cena gets to his top rope. Rusev then catches Cena with an Electric Chair Drop. The Bulgarian then hits a number of strikes, alternating punches, kicks and stomps on Cena. The Bulgarian continues the attack with a suplex before bolting for his corner again. Cena crawls to Rusev and tries to take Rusev’s legs out from under him. Rusev fights back by punching, stomping and clotheslining Cena in a physical beatdown.
He then starts kicking Cena in the shoulder and shoves his head sideways a Cena can’t get off the mat. Rusev then positions Cena in the corner and hits a huge splash. Rusev gets to the second rope in his corner before Cena grabs him. Rusev slips out and kicks Cena to the mat. Cena lands a few punches, but Rusev answers with a DDT to grind Cena to the mat again.
Cena tries to drag himself along the mat to his corner as Rusev stalks him. Rusev picks him up, lands a punch, but Cena fights back with a few shoulder tackles and a spinebuster. Cena then connects with a Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena tries to load up the Attitude Adjustment, but Rusev reverses out of it and whips Cena out of the ring.
Rusev gets to the top rope in his corner, but Cena punches him in the gut as he’s reaching for the flag. Cena punches Rusev to the mat and tries to hit a top-rope leg drop, but Rusev catches him and turns it into a powerbomb. With Cena down on the mat, Rusev climbs to the top rope and nabs the Bulgarian flag off his pole.
As Rusev climbs off the turnbuckle, Cena lowers the boom with a double dropkick. Rusev then runs face-first into the ring post and Cena capitalizes by hammering him with the AA.
With Rusev down, Cena climbs to the top rope. Rusev tries to pick him up for a powerbomb, but Cena reverses out of it and locks in the STF. Rusev starts tapping. With Rusev grounded, Cena retrieves the American flag. Rusev then drops Cena, picks up the Bulgarian flag and marches to the front of the ring. Cena lands a crossbody off the ring apron and throws Rusev into the ring steps.
Cena gets the US flag and makes it halfway up the entrance ramp before Rusev ambushes him from behind and bounces Cena’s head off the steps. Cena tries to walk back toward the flag and Rusev picks up the steps and fires them at Cena’s head.
Cena is down on the ramp and Rusev gets the Bulgarian flag. Cena grabs him by the legs, Rusev drops the flag and tries to attack Cena, but the American patriot runs Rusev up the ramp and slams him into the LED lights on the stage. Rusev answers by driving Cena back-first onto a steel grate at the side of the stage.
Rusev looks bewildered as he tries to find his flag again. Instead, he gets two tables from the side of the stage and sets up the tables. Rusev then rams Cena’s head twice into the American podium. Rusev then walks up the steps of the pedestal with Cena on his back. Rusev tries to hit the AA onto the tables, but Cena throws him off the podium. As each man goes for his flag, they wind up clotheslining each other back-first to the ramp.
Cena gets up first, gets the US flag and crawls to the podium. Just as it looks like Cena will win, Rusev picks up the flag stand and hits Cena in the head with it. Rusev then locks in the Accolade between the two podiums. Rusev appears to make Cena lose consciousness. He drops Cena and retrieves his flag. Cena rolls behind the Bulgarian podium. Rusev climbs the stairs to his podium and as he goes to put the flag in the stand, Cena grabs the bottom of the flag and prevents Rusev from putting it in the stand.
Rusev drops Cena and yells “Rusev Crush” but Cena rallies as Rusev goes for the attack. Cena then picks Rusev up on his back and AAs Rusev through the tables before planting the US flag in his stand for the victory.
Winner: John Cena AAs Rusev Through Two Tables To Win Flag Match
After the match, Cena salutes the American flag before retreating to the locker room as we go to commercial.
Breezango Ambushed In The Dark
Tyler Breeze and Fandango, dressed as Agents Mulder and Scully from the X Files, try to solve the case of who trashed their locker room before The Ascension come up and admit they were the ones who did it all along. Breezango pokes a hole in their confession, confronts them with a decapitated stuffed horse’s head and chases them off.
The lights go out briefly. Fandango yells for Breeze as he waves a flashlight around before finding Breeze knocked out on the floor. The lights blink off again and Fandango is out on the floor. Someone off screen starts dragging Fandango off screen as TO BE CONTINUED wraps up the segment.
Mike Kanellis With Maria Kanellis vs Sami Zayn
Sami takes down Kanellis and buries a few right hands into his face before coming off the ropes and flipping him across the ring with a hurricanrana.
Zayn continues the attack with a few kicks before clotheslining Kanellis out of the ring. Mike lands face-first off the ring apron. Zayn tries to go for a suicide dive, but Maria drags Mike out of the way. Zayn goes out of the ring and Maria gets in his face, yelling “you can’t do that to him,” before Mike ambushes Zayn with a big uppercut. Kanellis continues drilling Zayn with some right hands before going for the pin, but Zayn kicks out.
The Underdog From the Underground fights back with a few chops, but Kanellis presses his advantage with a few clotheslines and a big boot to the face. Zayn kicks out of another pinning predicament. Mike and Maria then eskimo kiss each other’s noses as Zayn is down on the mat.
Mike then drives a knee into Zayn’s back as he holds Zayn’s arms behind him. Zayn fights out of it and then rocks Mike with a few clotheslines and a back body drop. Zayn then whips Mike out of the ring. This time, Zayn successfully hits a somersault suicide dive. Zayn drags Mike back into the ring before connecting on a top-rope crossbody. Kanellis kicks out.
Mike then gets a side headlock as Zayn whiffs loading up a Blue Thunderbomb. Mike gets a wristlock, but Zayn walks him into a running bulldog off the ropes. Zayn loads up or an exploder, but Maria gets in the ring to block the move. The official stops the match to get Maria out of the ring.
Mike whiffs on a move, and Zayn responds by hitting an exploder that whips Mike back-first into the turnbuckle. Sami then finishes off The Lovers with a Helluva Kick to avenge his loss to Mike on SmackDown.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Punjabi Prison Match
Randy Orton vs WWE Champion Jinder Mahal
The Punjabi Prison structure features a 16-foot, steel-reinforced bamboo inside barrier with four doors, and a 20-foot bamboo outside barrier with no doors, which can only be escaped by climbing out of it. The four doors can only be opened for 60 seconds, and if the competitors fail to escape that door remains closed the remainder of the match.
The Modern Day Maharajah comes out first, and makes his way to the ring with boos and thumbs-down from the crowd. The Viper comes out last and does his trademark poses from the second rope before the start of the third Punjabi Prison Match in WWE history.
The ring announcer announces there are no pinfalls, no disqualifications, no submissions and the only way to win is by climbing out of the Punjabi Prison structure.
Mahal is the first to try to escape the inner structure, but Orton prevents the champ from getting out of the first opened door. Orton sends Mahal face-first into the steel-reinforced bamboo. Orton tries to escape, but Mahal has a firm hold on his feet. Both men fail to escape the first door, and the official manning it chains and locks it for good.
Orton fires three straight rights into Mahal’s face, but the Pride of India fights back with an armbreaker. Mahal then fires a series of knee drops on Orton along the ropes before choking Orton with his knee.
Mahal continues the assault, bending The Apex Predator’s arm around the bamboo cage. Mahal continues to work on Orton’s injured arm with an armlock. Mahal continues to grind Orton down to the mat before stomping on him. Mahal calls for the second door to be opened, but The Viper grabs him from behind. Mahal jabs Orton in the eye, but the former champ hits a fallaway slam to get some breathing room. Orton tries to escape, but Jinder suplexes him to the mat. Mahal tries a last-second dash for the door with the crowd counting down, but neither man escapes the second door.
Orton takes control by throwing Mahal face-first into the bamboo cage. He tries to throw Mahal off the cage again, but Mahal gets a grip on the cage and tries to climb out. Orton catches him and drops him off the top rope. Orton then starts ramming Mahal repeatedly off the cage. Orton goes for a DDT, but Mahal reverses out of it and throws Orton off the cage. Mahal splashes Orton against the cage as The Viper is trapped between the ropes and the cage. Mahal tries another splash, but Orton gets an elbow to Mahal’s ribs. Orton then suplexes the champ twice into the cage before snapping Mahal’s head off the top rope.
Orton calls for the third door. He crawls his way to the door, gets one foot through the ropes, but Mahal stops him. The champ punches and stomps Orton to the mat and tries to escape, but Mahal is then choked along the ropes by Orton. The Viper makes one more try to get out, but Mahal drags him back into the ring and the third door is closed for good.
Orton and Mahal are both down on the mat, staring at each other from across the ring. Mahal tries a running shoulder tackle, but Orton sidesteps him and then hits a big powerslam off the ropes. Orton follows up with a DDT to drive the champ face-first into the mat.
Orton calls for the fourth and final door of the inner structure, but instead of escaping he goes for an RKO. Orton whiffs on his finisher as Mahal drives a running knee into Orton’s face. Mahal goes for the Khallas, but Orton turns it into an RKO.
With both men down, the Singh brothers come out from backstage and drag Mahal out of the door. The fourth door is closed and locked with Orton in the inner cage. Orton begins climbing the inner structure while Mahal is halfway up the outer one. Orton climbs out of the inner structure and immediately steps over to the top of the outer structure. Mahal tries to slow Orton, but The Viper throws him off the cage.
Just as it looks like Orton will win, the Singh brothers ambush Orton and drag him off the cage. The Singhs then hold Orton for Mahal to land a superkick. Mahal climbs to the top of the outer structure with the Singhs holding Orton back. The Viper then suplexes both Singhs, drags Mahal off the cage and suplexes the champ.
Jinder fights back by pulling a kendo stick out from the bottom of the ring and smacks Orton with it. Mahal then goes for the Khallas again, but Orton rams the champ back-first into the cage. Orton gets a kendo stick of his own and wallops Mahal and the Singhs with it. Welts are forming on both Orton’s and Mahal’s back.
Orton favors his injured left arm as he tries to climb out. Samir Singh is small enough to squeeze out of the outer structure and he climbs up the outside of it to lock Orton in a headlock near the top of the cage to slow him. Orton fires back with right hands against Singh, knocking him 15 feet in the air from the top of the cage through an announce table.
Mahal rallies to reach the same level of the cage where Orton has climbed. Mahal drags Orton back to the floor between structures. Mahal then rams Orton back-first into the cage. Mahal whiffs on a kick, tangling his leg up in the outer structure and Orton drops him with a DDT.
Orton begins to bleed from the kendo stick marks on his back. With Mahal writhing around on the floor, Orton grabs a steel chair from under the ring. The Viper then delivers a chair shot to Sunil Singh and then another two shots to Mahal’s back. With Mahal sprawled against the cage, Orton rams the chair into Mahal’s chest.
Orton begins to scale the outer structure again, favoring his left arm again. Sunil Singh grabs him by his left calf, but Orton kicks Sunil down to the floor. Mahal’s music starts playing again as The Great Khali makes his way to the ring from backstage. As Orton reaches the top of the cage, The Great Khali shakes the cage to the point where Orton nearly falls off from the top. The Great Khali climbs the outside of the cage and puts Orton in a chokehold through the structure.
With The Great Khali with his hand wrapped around Orton’s neck, Mahal is able to climb up and out of the outer structure to retain the title. Mahal earns his third straight pay-per-view victory over Orton, defeating him at Backlash, Money In The Bank and Battleground.
Winner: Jinder Mahal Retains WWE Championship With Help From The Singh Brothers and The Great Khali