10 Last-Minute WWE Battleground 2017 Rumours You Need To Know
Battleground: the one that's not Payback.
Two weeks have gone by, and that means that it's time for another WWE Pay-Per-View event. This time, it's SmackDown's Battleground that's up, a show that hasn't made too much of an impact since its 2013 introduction and doesn't look to be changing that fact this year. In fact, it seems like both brands are in a bit of a holding pattern until the build to SummerSlam can begin in earnest.
What sets this show apart from every other B-level PPV that's bombarded fans since WrestleMania is the return of the Punjabi Prison match, a cage-inside-a-cage bout that's happening for the third time ever and the first time in 10 years. Needless to say, if the stipulation had earned a reputation like Hell in a Cell, fans would have seen it in action during the past decade, but for better or for worse, it'll be here on Sunday.
Battleground also marks the PPV return of John Cena, who took time off after WrestleMania to film a movie. He returned to SmackDown on July 4th and was immediately thrust into the tired old pro-USA, anti-USA feud with Rusev, and that will culminate in a flag match.
What else can fans expect from Battleground? Here are 10 last-minute rumors you need to know for the show, ranked from least to most plausible.
10. A Cameo Appearance From The Great Khali
It's hard to discuss the Punjabi Prison match for too long without mentioning the bout's "innovator," The Great Khali. In 2006, Khali was feuding with The Undertaker and the first-ever Punjabi Prison match was slated for The Great American Bash. That show, however, infamously saw a number of stars pulled from the card due to elevated liver enzymes, and Khali was among those shelved. Big Show took his place and lost to Undertaker.
Khali would eventually get to participate in the match - he lost to Batista in the second Punjabi Prison contest at No Mercy 2007 - but as he left WWE in 2013, he hasn't come up in the build at all for the Battleground match.
Could Khali show up and interfere in this bout? It's not impossible - while Khali is running the Continental Wrestling Entertainment promotion in India, he still makes the occasional appearance in the States. What's less likely, though, is that WWE would be interested in booking one of the worst world champions in the company's history, even for a cameo.