Raw Superstars Quarterly Report Card - 2018

Wrestling is a difficult sport to rate objectively because it is a scripted athletic drama.

However, there are ways by which the overall success of any given wrestler can be judged with a measure of objectivity. By breaking down the elements of what constitutes a 'good run,' we can arrive at a conclusion about the overall status of the said wrestler with a good degree of clarity and accuracy.

Quarterly reports are important in many business ventures, as they are a good indicator of the overall success or failure of the business. That can apply to pro wrestling as well, where you can see the full data from four months and draw a conclusion about where the wrestler is at and where they are likely to go from here.

Wrestlers from Raw will be judged on the following criteria. (Note: Wrestlers who were injured for most of 2018 (Ambrose and McIntyre) or worked for a different company, like Lashley, will not be graded. 205 Live stars and the women wrestlers will get their own report cards soon.)

Wins/losses (booking.): Even in a scripted sport, wins and losses matter. A wrestler's win/loss rate is a good indicator of their success over the quarter.

Popularity: In the case of babyface or 'good guy' wrestlers, this is how much the crowd cheers. In the case of a heel or 'bad guy,' it's how much they are booed. Whichever side of the fence the wrestler belongs on, this criteria relates to how over they are with the crowd.

Championships: Like a good win record, championships indicate the amount of success a wrestler is having by virtue of how much the company invests in him.

Crossover Appeal: Are people outside of wrestling fandom likely to know the wrestler? Also relevant is how much of a presence/following the wrestler has on social media sites like Twitter.

Without further ado, let's grade the Raw superstars on their first quarter.

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Apollo Crews

Apollo Crews

The chiselled, high flying Crews was a standout in NXT, but how has he done in the first quarter of 2018?

Win/Loss Record: Crews has been in nineteen televised matches this quarter, and has lost all but five, and also has one draw to his credit. Grade: D

Popularity: Apollo inspires mostly indifference from fans. Associating with Titus Worldwide has done little to get fans to invest in him emotionally. Grade: D

Championships: Apollo held no titles for the first quarter of 2018 but did receive four title shots at the RAW tag team championships. Grade: D

Crossover Appeal: Crews isn't exactly a cult of personality, and has little chance of being recognized outside wrestling fandom. Grade: F

Overall Grade: D While Crews is quite athletic and can work a decent match, he has so far failed to resonate with the fans in 2018 and management doesn't seem too high on pushing him out of the lower card.

Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin

The former boxer and NFL star recently made the transition to RAW during the Superstar Shakeup.

Win/Loss Record: With five wins and eight losses, Baron Corbin came to Raw with a slightly less than average record. Grade: C

Popularity: Baron Corbin gets a good, solid amount of boos--exactly what a heel is supposed to get. However, he's not especially engaging with the fans. Grade: C

Championships: Corbin held no titles for the first quarter of 2018, but he did get a PPV title shot at the Smackdown world championship. Grade: C

Crossover Appeal: Recently Corbin started trying to work his social media muscles, calling all of his matches #dreammatch and giving them five stars. So far it hasn't shown many results, but he is trying to expand his game in this arena. Some NFL fans might recognize Corbin from his gridiron days. Grade: C

Grade: C Corbin has a chance to make a fresh start on Raw and continues to expand his game, but he has had a mostly average 2018 so far.

Bo Dallas

Bo Dallas

Second generation star Bo Dallas was a sensation in NXT but has so far failed to do much on the main roster.

Win/Loss Record: With 12 losses and no wins, Bo fails to get a passing grade here. Grade: F

Popularity: Bo Dallas is on his third or fourth gimmick at this stage of his career, and is met largely with indifference by the fans in spite of these changes. Grade: D

Championships: Bo did not hold or challenge for any titles yet in 2018. Grade: F

Crossover appeal: In spite of an attempt at using social media (remember Bo Lieve?) he hasn't made much impact in this regard. Grade: D

Overall Grade: D- Bo Dallas needs a change or some help from management to get his career back on track in 2018's first quarter.

Bobby Roode

Glorious Bobby Roode

Ring general Roode has found a new lease on life with his "Glorious" gimmick, finally getting over with fans for more than just his admittedly fantastic wrestling ability. But how has he fared in the first quarter of 2018?

Win/Loss Record: With ten wins and seven losses, Roode is above average for the first quarter. Grade: B

Popularity: Roode is more over with the fans than ever before in his career, especially among the 'smart' fan crowd. Grade: A

Championships: Roode enjoyed a reign as United States Champion and had four title shots during first quarter 2018. Grade: A

Crossover Appeal: Roode makes little use of social media, and that outside wrestling fandom probably haven't heard of him. Grade: F

Overall Grade: B Roode is entering the Raw phase of his career with a lot of momentum gathered during first quarter 2018.

Braun Strowman

The Monster among Men has been impressive of late, shedding his Wyatt family roots in favour of his own path.

Win/Loss Record: With 14 wins and four losses, Braun earns top marks in this category. Grade: A

Popularity: The fans have truly begun to embrace Braun, and he is quite over as a surprising babyface. Grade: B

Championships: Braun held the Raw tag team titles briefly, and challenged for the Universal title against Brock Lesnar. Grade: C

Crossover Appeal: Braun has a small but significant social media presence, and his appearance in strongman competitions and other media make him somewhat more recognizable than your average wrestler. Grade: C

Overall Grade: B Braun is right about where he needs to be at this stage of his career, and has had an impressive first quarter of 2018.

Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt

The charismatic cult leader missed a step or two due to a battle with illness but seems to have recovered recently.

Win/Loss Record: Eight wins, five losses. Still more wins, earning him a good grade. Grade: B

Popularity: Wyatt's feud with Matt Hardy and the subsequent Ultimate Deletion drew high praise and ratings. He remains one of the most compelling characters not just in wrestling, but in all of entertainment. Grade: A

Championships: Wyatt won the Raw tag titles with Matt Hardy right at the end of the quarter. Other than that, he did not challenge for or hold title belts. Grade: C

Crossover Appeal: Wyatt's social media game was already strong, but now that he has Woken Matt Hardy to play off of, he is positively on fire. Not too many would recognize him outside of wrestling fandom, however. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B Things are going well for Bray Wyatt in the first quarter of 2018.

Brock Lesnar

The Beast Incarnate is one of the most polarizing figures in all of the sports, but how has he fared in 2018?

Win/Loss Record: Lesnar only had five matches in the first quarter, but they were all victories. Grade: A

Popularity: Love him or hate him, you can't ignore Brock Lesnar. Grade: A

Championships: Brock defended his title for the entirety of the first quarter. Grade: A

Crossover Appeal: At this stage, pretty much everyone has heard of Brock Lesnar. He has next to no social media presence, as he is quite a private man, but does he really need one? Grade: A

Overall Grade: A the Champion SHOULD be having a stellar go of it, and Lesnar delivers.

Chad Gable

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The tag team standout was recently transferred to Raw. How did he fare for the first quarter of the year?

Win/Loss Record: With four wins and seven losses, Chad hasn't been doing awful but he's below average. Grade: D+

Popularity: Despite his career missteps, Gable still gets a good reaction from the crowd as a babyface. Grade: B

Championships: Gable had two shots at the Smackdown tag titles, but failed on both occasions. Grade: D

Crossover Appeal: He doesn't have a powerful social media presence, and those outside wrestling fandoms most likely won't know him. Grade: F

Overall Grade: D+ Gable is in a rut and needs to get some momentum going. His recent victory over Jinde Mahal may give him that needed boost.

Curt Hawkins

Well-travelled ring veteran Hawkins has been on a losing streak for some time since his return to the WWE. While the company is building heat for his eventual end to the streak, the storyline seems to have stalled recently.

Win/Loss Record: Hawkins has yet to win in 2018, continuing his losing streak. Grade: F

Popularity: Hawkins has never resonated with fans very well, but he has garnered their sympathy with his long losing streak, and fans pop when they think the end to his losses might be near. Grade: C

Championships: He has not even challenged for any titles, nor is he considered a contender. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: Hawkins has posted a video of himself trying to pin friends and family to end his losing streak. He seems to be building momentum on social media but is still unknown to non-wrestling fans. Grade: C

Overall Grade: D Hawkins's losing streak has about run its course, and WWE needs to do something else with him if his stock is going to rise in the rest of the year.

Curtis Axel

The son of Mr Perfect seems to have stalled recently. How did he fare in the first quarter of 2018?

Win/Loss Record: With 12 losses and zero wins, there's only one way we can rate his performance in this category. Grade: F

Popularity: As the wannabe Hulkster, Axel was over, but the end of that gimmick seems to have killed his momentum. Grade: D

Championships: No titles, and no title shots. Ouch. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: He tries to utilize social media, but doesn't make much of an impact. He is also completely unknown to anyone outside of wrestling fandom. Grade: F

Overall Grade: F Curtis Axel has not had a good first quarter of 2018.

The Revival

Dash and Dawson may be self-professed 'top guys,' but how did they fare in 2018's first quarter?

Win/Loss Record: Dash and Dawson picked up ten wins this quarter with only four losses. A stellar record by wrestling standards. Grade: A

Popularity: The Revival have their very vocal supporters, despite being technically heel wrestlers. Grade: B

Championships: No titles held, and no title shots mean we can only give them a bad grade. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: While they sometimes utilize social media, they are not on the level of Matt Hardy or John Cena. Fans outside of wrestling are not likely to know either of them. Grade: C

Overall Grade: B- Dash and Dawson are doing well, but things could certainly be better for them.

Dolph Ziggler

The Showoff inexplicably walked away from WWE for awhile but returned early in the first quarter of 2018.

Win/Loss Record: Four wins and six losses mean a roughly average score. Grade: C

Popularity: Wrestling fans appreciate Ziggler's hard work ethic and entertaining match style, even if management does not. Grade: A

Championships: Ziggler only had one unsuccessful title shot, but it was a PPV match for the big belt. Grade: C

Crossover Appeal: Fans on social media just adore Ziggler, who many say is one of the best wrestling talents working today. His connections to famous people like Amy Schumer have given him a bit of recognition outside the wrestling world. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B Ziggler is having a better first quarter than many, but considering his ability this might actually be a low grade for him.

The Fashion Police

Tyler Breeze and Fandango recently joined the Raw roster, but how have they fared in the first quarter of the year?

Win/Loss Record: Four wins and only two losses make them one of the more successful statistically speaking teams, though they are used rarely on TV. Grade: A

Popularity: Fans seem to enjoy the Fashion Police's antics and skits, even though they are technically heels. Grade: B

Championships: The duo received no title shots, and held no championships for the first quarter. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: Their skits are shared on social media, and they have some presence as well. Still not likely to be known outside of wrestling fandom. Grade: C

Overall Grade: C- The Fashion Police need a good title run or long feud to get them to the next level.

Elias Samson

The Drifter has been turning heads with his improving ring work and unique gimmick, but how has he fared in 2018's first quarter?

Win/Loss Record: Six wins and eight losses is about average for a wrestler. Grade: C

Popularity: Elias is certainly over with his musical gimmick, though excitement seems to fade once the bell actually rings and the match begins. Grade: B

Championships: No title reigns and he is not considered a contender. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: Not much social media presence, but the fans who use those applications are quite fond of him. Not known outside of wrestling. Grade: D

Overall Grade: D+ Elias needs a title reign to really get to the next level.

Finn Balor

The well-travelled international ring technician has had his ups and downs on the main roster, but how has 2018 treated him so far?

Win/Loss Record: With fifteen wins and only nine losses, Balor has one of the best records in the WWE right now. Grade: A

Popularity: The fans adore Finn Balor even when he's being heelish. Grade: A

Championships: Balor has had title shots at both the IC strap and the tag titles. Grade: C

Crossover Appeal: While Balor doesn't spend a great deal of time on his social media platform, his fans certainly do. Mostly unknown outside of wrestling.Grade: C

Overall Grade: B Not a bad grade at all, but Finn should be at the top of the card by this stage of his career.

Golddust

The ring general Goldust continues to impress even thirty years into his illustrious career. How has he fared in the first quarter?

Win/Loss Record: Though he appears sparingly on television, Goldust still managed to rack up an impressive seven wins and four losses. Definitely above par for a superstar his age. Grade: B

Popularity: If you stop to consider it, you realize that Dustin Runnels has been portraying Goldust for some wrestling fan's ENTIRE LIVES. They literally grew up watching him in his various iterations. Goldust has become one of the most beloved presences by the WWE universe. Grade A

Championships: Goldust received no title shots and held no titles in the first quarter. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: Goldust does his due diligence on social media, and has plenty of supporters online. His appearances with such celebrities as Conan O'brien has given him some name recognition outside the wrestling world. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B+ Goldust is doing good in 2018, but the sands of time are running out for him. One thing he could never claim was a world title with a major promotion, and until he achieves that feat he will never quite escape father Dusty's shadow.

Heath Slater and Rhyno

Wrestling's odd couple has been an unlikely success, being the first Smackdown tag team champions.

Win/Loss Record: Nine losses and three victories put them at a low score. Grade: D

Popularity: The fans love the strange byplay between the mismatched Slater and Rhyno, and Slater's redneck gimmick comes off smoothly. Grade: B

Championships: No title reigns and no title shots. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: Neither man is a social media whiz, and few outside fandoms would know of them. Grade: D

Overall Grade: D+ Heath Slater and Rhyno have lost all of their early momenta and need to turn things around in the rest of 2018.

Jinder Mahal

The Modern Day Maharajah had a stellar 2017, but how is 2018's first quarter treating him?

Win/Loss Record: Five wins and nine losses is sub-par for a former world champion. Grade: D

Popularity: Jinder continues to get wall-to-wall boos, which is exactly what the WWE wants from a heel wrestler. Grade: A

Championships: Jinder either held or was in contention for the US title for most of the first quarter. Grade: A

Crossover Appeal: Jinder has an adequate social media presence, but also many online detractors. He isn't well known outside of wrestling circles, either. Grade: D

Overall Grade: C+ Above middling, but not a grade worthy of a former big belt holder.

John Cena

The Doctor of Thuganomics remains a television staple in spite of his long tenure in the business.

Win/Loss Record: Seven wins and six losses earn a good score. Grade: B

Popularity: Love him, hate him, cheer him, boo him, you can never, ever ignore him. Grade: A

Championships: John only had one title shot, but it was for the Universal Championship. Grade: B

Crossover Appeal: From movie roles to appearances on the Kid's Choice Awards, Cena is a household name. Grade: A

Overall Grade: B+ Cena and his fans certainly can't complain about his performance this quarter.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

The ever-laughing bosom buddies recently made the jump to the Raw roster, where they've run afoul of Kurt Angle.

Win/Loss Record: Between them and as a team, they racked up six wins with fifteen losses. Grade: D

Popularity: Certain factions within the WWE universe will always adore their indie circuit heroes, while the rest of the audience enjoys their funny back and forth. Grade: B

Championships: Both were in contention for the World Championship. Grade: B

Crossover Appeal: The internet loves them, but they are unknowns in the wider world outside wrestling. Grade: C

Overall Grade: C- Both of the wily veterans should be achieving more at this stage of their careers.

Woken Matt Hardy

Never in the history of pro wrestling has there been a greater redemption story than that of Matt Hardy. He became relevant again on his own terms by his own hand. How has he fared in the first quarter of 2018?

Win/Loss Record: 11 wins and 4 losses, an incredible record. Grade: A

Popularity: Just listen to the fans chanting 'delete' in unison with Hardy. Grade: A

Championships: Matt Hardy closed out the quarter with a reign as Tag team champion with Bray Wyatt, but challenged for no other belts. Grade: C

Crossover Appeal: The man who has redefined the way wrestling is presented has been savvy with his use of social media from day one. That being said, not many know of the Matt Hardy brand outside of wrestling fandom. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B+ Hardy is doing great, but he should be challenging for the Universal title at this stage of the game.

Mojo Rawley

The former NFL pro won the Andre the Giant battle royal but hasn't done much since. How has 2018 been treating him?

Win/Loss record: Mojo has racked up three wins but has six losses. Not bad, but not good either.Grade: C

Popularity: Mojo has largely failed to resonate with the fans. Grade: D

Championships: He had one untelevised match for the US title, which he lost. Grade: D

Crossover Appeal: Some from his football days, but his presence on social media is light. Grade: D

Overall Grade: D+ Mojo is either not living up to his potential or there's a lot he needs to improve.

The Authors of Pain

Akem and Rezar have been a dominant force from the get-go. How has 2018 been for them?

Win/Loss Record: The Authors racked up fourteen wins with eleven losses. Grade: B

Popularity: The Authors are over as an unstoppable force, but they don't seem to resonate well with fans yet. Grade: C

Championships: The Authors had three NXT tag title shots, but failed to capture the gold. Grade: D

Crossover Appeal: Barely a blip in this category. Grade: F

Overall Grade: D+ The Authors need title wins and a way to get fans emotionally involved in their matches to rise on the ladder.

Roman Reigns

The Roman Samoan continues to be the talk of the wrestling world for good or ill. How has he fared in the first quarter of this year?

Win/Loss Record: Roman splits it down the middle with seven televised losses versus that many defeats. Grade: C

Popularity: A polarizing figure much akin to John Cena, Roman Reigns always gets a response from the crowd. However, when fans chant 'this is awful' during your Wrestlemania match you might have problems. Grade: C

Championships: Reigns began the year with an Intercontinental title run and ended the quarter with back to back (unsuccessful) Universal title shots. Grade: B

Crossover Appeal: Reigns has a strong social media dialogue going about him at all times, but much of it is negative. Still, there's no such thing as bad press, even if the non-wrestling world is unlikely to know who he is. Grade: B

Overall Grade: C+ Reigns really needs to get a title reign or change direction with his character if he wants to move forward.

Seth Rollins

The Crossfit Jesus is always out to impress. Was he able to do so in the first quarter of 2018?

Win/Loss Record: 14 wins and 6 losses is an excellent record. Grade: A

Popularity: Seth Rollins is well liked by the casual fans and the internet die-hards, Grade: B

Championships: Rollins started the year as a tag team champion before winning the IC strap by the end of the quarter. It's hard to argue with success. Grade: A

Crossover Appeal: The Architect doesn't have a strong presence in social media, partially because of some bad experiences with it. He's not likely to be known by those outside the wrestling fandom except in scandalous ways. Grade: D

Overall Grade: B Rollins is the top midcarder in WWE, without question, but he could still improve his standing.

Zack Ryder

The internet fandom's beloved poster child, Ryder has been with the WWE for over a decade but has yet to attain the highest peaks. How has 2018 been for him so far?

Win/Loss Record: Ryder has three televised wins and three televised losses. He hasn't been used much on the program of late, but at least he's even up. Grade: C

Popularity: The crowd is always behind Zack Ryder, but they don't believe in him. Years of false starts and derailments will do that to even the most diehard fans. Grade: C

Championships: 0 title matches and 0 title reigns. Grade: F

Crossover Appeal: Ryder's loyal internet following and strong social media game are probably what has kept him employed this long. Grade: B

Overall Grade: C Ryder is nearing the end of his prime, and may want to consider making some changes if he wants to rise to the top.

Conclusion: Who had the best quarter?

Without a shadow of a doubt, the wrestler who has performed the best on Raw in 2018 is Brock Lesnar.

While some may decry his part-time status, the fact is his dominance is made all the more impressive by it. After all, if Brock Lesnar can stir up this much controversy and interest with so few appearances, then he must be a compelling man indeed.

Brock's perfect record, championship dominance, and celebrity status cement his top of the class status.

And as for the lowest scoring wrestler, Apollo Crews...don't give up yet, because 2018 is only 1/4 over!

Please comment and let us know what you think of our grades.

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