If last week was huge in changing the landscape of WWE, this week was monumental. Not only did we have several title defences and big matches on Raw and SmackDown, but the “Superstar shake-up” also changed things drastically for both brands.
With the shake-up causing such a stir, our Power Rankings took on quite a shake-up themselves. Let’s take a look at some of the superstars or tag teams that just missed out on making our Rankings and superstars or teams that fell out of the Rankings from last week.
Honourable Mentions:
The Usos – Since defeating American Alpha a few weeks ago for the SmackDown Tag Titles, the Usos have become the premier tag team on the blue brand. This week, Jimmy and Jey defended their tag titles in a rematch with Alpha on SmackDown LIVE and picked up the win after a fantastic match. With New Day coming over to SmackDown LIVE, the blue brand’s tag division looks as promising as ever.
Naomi – After winning the SmackDown Women’s Title back at WrestleMania 33, Naomi may be the most popular women’s superstar currently on the WWE roster. Her in-ring skills and performance on the mic have improved dramatically since returning from an ankle injury back in July of last year, and she has been the most improved women’s star, along with Alexa Bliss, since the brand split. Now that Charlotte has made her way to SmackDown, expect this division to be a highlight of the show.
Bray Wyatt – Although he was #1 in our Rankings for several weeks after Elimination Chamber, “The Eater of Worlds” has fallen out of our Power Rankings. After losing the WWE Title to Orton at WrestleMania and losing in a tag match the following week, Wyatt was inexplicably moved to Raw. However, Wyatt will still get his rematch with Orton at Payback in a “House of Horrors” match for the WWE Title, but don’t expect Bray to take that title over with him to Raw.
Finn Bálor – After showing up in our Rankings at #10 last week after his return from injury, Bálor falls just outside of our top ten this week. With the roster shake-up and a couple of new additions to the Rankings, Bálor didn’t do enough this week to stay in the top ten. However, Bálor seems destined for a huge push moving forward, so he shouldn’t stay out of our Power Rankings for long.
Shinsuke Nakamura – Nakamura debuted on SmackDown LIVE last week, and while his debut wasn’t very impactful, it was evident that Shinsuke was here to make an impact sooner rather than later. After interrupting Dolph Ziggler during his promo this past week, “The King of Strong Style” and “The Show-Off” seem to be heading towards a match next week or at SmackDown’s next exclusive PPV, Backlash.
#10 The Revival (Not Ranked)
After just missing out last week when they debuted on Raw and beat the longest reigning tag team champions in WWE history, The Revival make their debut in our Power Rankings this week at #10. Dash and Dawson defeated The New Day again this week in a match that ended up being the final match on Raw for The New Day, who were moved to SmackDown the following night.
In only two weeks on the main roster, “The Top Guys” have made quite a name for themselves and look primed to make a huge impact in the tag division on Monday nights moving forward.
#9 Seth Rollins (No Change)
After teasing a bit last week that he may be moved to SmackDown LIVE, Seth Rollins came out this week fully prepared to be transferred to the blue brand. However, Raw General Manager Kurt Angle made his way to the ring to assure Rollins that he wasn’t going anywhere. As Angle was explaining why he chose to hang on to Rollins, even with his problems with the McMahon-Helmsley family, Seth was attacked by Samoa Joe.
It seems that we are heading for a Rollins-Joe matchup at Payback, which has been a couple of months in the making after Joe injured Rollins during “The Destroyer”’s debut several weeks ago.
#8 Roman Reigns (-4 Spots)
Not only did “The Big Dog” take one heck of a beating on Raw this past week at the hands of Braun Strowman, but he also took a huge tumble in our Power Rankings, dropping 4 spots to number 8. While participating in an interview with Michael Cole backstage, Reigns was brutally assaulted by “The Monster Among Men” several times, including being flipped off a loading dock while strapped to a stretcher and being stuck in an ambulance that was flipped over on its side by Braun Strowman.
WWE has since reported that Reigns suffered a separated shoulder during the attack, meaning he may be off of our TV screens for a week or two, seeing as the injury is kayfabe.
#7 Braun Strowman (Not Ranked)
Speaking of “The Monster Among Men”, Braun Strowman was the MVP of the Raw this past Monday night. If you haven’t seen the path of destruction he unleashed on Roman Reigns, please do yourself a favour and watch the video below because words just do not do it justice.
After getting in the face of current Universal Champ, Brock Lesnar, last week and now savagely attacking Reigns, Strowman seems to be heading for a humongous 2017.
#6 Hardy Boyz (Raw Tag Team Champions) (+2 Spots)
The Hardy Boyz return at WrestleMania was one of the coolest moments from the show a few weeks ago; since then, Jeff and Matt have climbed to the top of the tag team division in two short weeks. This past week on Raw, they teamed with their Payback opponents, Cesaro and Sheamus, to take on The Club and The Shining Stars. After displaying some classic offence mixed in with some innovative offence from Cesaro and Sheamus, The Hardyz and the #1 contender’s for the Raw tag team titles picked up the victory.
Their impending matchup against Cesaro and Sheamus is an exciting one and could steal the show at Payback. With New Day now on SmackDown LIVE, The Hardy Boyz have been positioned as the top team on the show moving forward.
#5 Dean Ambrose (Intercontinental Champion) (+2 Spots)
After one heck of a run on the blue brand, Dean Ambrose quickly made his impact felt on Raw when he showed up to interrupt another new superstar to Raw, The Miz. Later in the evening, Ambrose squared off against Kevin Owens in a Champion vs. Champion matchup (that oddly enough didn’t have either title on the line). After a pretty solid match, Ambrose picked up the victory over Kevin Owens, who also would have a new home the next night on SmackDown LIVE.
Also read: Analyzing which brand benefited more from the Superstar Shake-up
It seems like WWE was teasing The Miz being Ambrose’s first opponent for the Intercontinental Title on Raw, which is weird seeing as Ambrose and Miz have already feuded over this title. However, it should be interesting to see how Ambrose fits in with the red brand, not to mention he has two former “brothers” on Raw that could potentially lead to some really fun stuff down the road.
#4 Kevin Owens (United States Champion) (+2 Spots)
Nobody on the main roster deserved a shake-up more than Kevin Owens after the past couple months that he has had. After carrying Raw and the Universal Title after Finn Bálor was injured for an extended period, Owens was forced to drop the title to Goldberg and was removed from the Universal Title scene immediately and inexplicably.
When KO’s music hit Tuesday night to start the show, and he walked out with a clean look, you could tell Owens was using this as a fresh start and a chance to re-prove himself in “The Land of Opportunity”, SmackDown LIVE.
#3 AJ Styles (No Change)
Last week, AJ Styles demanded that he be kept on SmackDown LIVE, the show he claimed (and was correct in doing so) he built, and that’s exactly what happened. Styles will stay on the blue brand, and if Tuesday night was any indication, more big things are in store for “The Phenomenal One”.
Styles defeated Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin in a triple threat match to become the #1 contender to KO’s United States Championship and is also still guaranteed a one-on-one rematch for the WWE Title he lost a few months ago at Royal Rumble.
#2 Brock Lesnar (WWE Universal Champion) (No Change)
Well, I guess it’s time for the Universal Title to disappear for a while. Reports indicate that Lesnar will not have a match at Raw’s upcoming PPV, Payback, so there is truly no telling when we will see “The Beast Incarnate” again. However, when we do see him again, WWE has teased that he will face either Roman Reigns or Braun Strowman.
While most fans would love to see “The Monster Among Men” take down Lesnar, it will be “The Big Dog” who dethrones “The Beast”, possibly at Summerslam or next year’s WrestleMania.
#1 Randy Orton (WWE Champion) (No Change)
Even though Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt spent months and months in one of the better feuds in wrestling history, WWE moved “The Eater of Worlds” to Raw before the climax of the feud between the two men. However, the duo will still attempt to put an end to their feud at Payback, in a “House of Horrors” match for Orton’s WWE Title. This past week, Orton took on one of Wyatt’s disciples, Erick Rowan, and picked up the win after Rowan attacked “The Viper” with the steel stairs after a creepy promo from Bray interrupted the match.
Also read: Bray Wyatt was always scheduled to go to Raw
Needless to say, their match at Mania and now them being separated has put somewhat of a damper on the feud between Orton and Wyatt. Now that Bray is on Raw, expect the “House of Horrors” match to end the feud and Orton to retain his title
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