WWE made yet another step towards Royal Rumble this past week. As usual, it was SmackDown live that got the love from WWE Universe for their crisp storytelling and excellent booking decisions.
On Raw, the return of Goldberg proved to be the major segment whereas the main event combinations involving Chris Jericho, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens continued. Bayley being crowned as the new number one contender was also a highlight.
SmackDown showcased the contract signing of AJ Styles and John Cena along with pushing forward the La Luchadora angle.
Dean Ambrose clinching the Intercontinental championship from Miz and Baron Corbin making a statement were other major talking points. All this action had a huge impact on the Power Rankings and here is how they shaped up.
#10 Baron Corbin (NR)
Baron Corbin was part of the Triple threat match that headlined SmackDown a couple of weeks back. He got his taste of competing in a WWE championship match and Corbin made it clear that SmackDown defeated Raw on ratings with the show that he headlined.
This week, Corbin got the better of Dolph Ziggler and despite the recent struggles of Ziggler; he still is a former WWE World Heavyweight champion.
But what gets Corbin into the Power Rankings is the confrontation that he had with John Cena. Corbin now has a date with the Cenation leader on SmackDown this week and getting a win on Tuesday night could see him make a huge jump in the rankings.
#9 Bayley (NR)
After being screwed over by Dana Brooke and Charlotte, Bayley finally got the title shot that she deserves this Monday Night. Bayley went up against Nia Jax in a number one contender’s match and with some help from Sasha Banks, managed to get the win and a guaranteed shot at Charlotte.
Considering the history that Sasha and Charlotte have, making Sasha a plot point to let Bayley get the title shot was a good move from WWE.
By doing so, WWE has also set up Nia Jax vs. Sasha Banks for the future. The Bayley – Charlotte feud looks set to headline the division for the coming months and they are going to steal the show for sure.
#8 Wyatt Family (-1)
Wyatt Family had a week of inactivity as the Tag team division focused on the newly crowned tag team champions, American Alpha.
American Alpha got a win over Breezango this week in a fun match but Wyatt Family will be out to get their titles back next week on SmackDown. The title match is booked and it could headline the show as well.
But the real talking point for Wyatt Family will be the friction between Randy Orton and Luke Harper. During their promo this past week, Orton and Harper had an awkward moment. This could be a subplot for the upcoming title defence on SmackDown.
#7 American Alpha (+2)
After being crowned the new tag team champions, American Alpha tasted some action against Breezango this week.
The win was an impressive one and sets them up perfectly for the upcoming title defense against the Wyatt Family on Tuesday night. American Alpha’s title win was a big surprise to most of the fans but now that WWE is teasing a spit within the Wyatt Family, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan head into the title defense as favorites.
Getting a win against Wyatt Family could be huge for the tag team and they could position themselves on top of the division perfectly ahead of the WrestleMania season.
#6 Kevin Owens (-1)
Kevin Owens suffered yet another setback this week on Raw when he suffered a loss to Seth Rollins via disqualification.
The cowardly heel booking of Owens continued and once again, it did no good for Owens. Another loss ahead of his title defence at Royal Rumble makes Owens slip down one place in the Power Rankings.
Letting Owens close the show with Goldberg as his guest on the Kevin Owens Show was a nice touch.
But just as always, Owens was overshadowed by the people who came to crash his show. Owens needs something strong before he heads to Rumble and winning the United States title from Reigns this week will be apt.
#5 Dean Ambrose (NR)
Dean Ambrose makes a triumphant return to the Power Rankings by winning the Intercontinental championship.
WWE had been brewing the feud between Ambrose and Miz for the past few weeks and it came to an excellent plateau when they crowned Ambrose as the new champion. With how the match ended and how Miz reacted during Talking Smack, it’s safe to say that the feud has only started.
The Miz – Maryse vs. Ambrose – Renee Young storyline has also been a fun outing for the fans and the biggest highlight has been Renee taking up the new role. There is huge potential here and considering how SmackDown is going, we are in for some exciting segments.
#4 Charlotte (NC)
Charlotte might’ve gotten a new challenger this week, but apart from that, it was an uneventful week for the reigning Raw Women’s champion.
After her long-running feud with Sasha Banks that redefined the term “women’s wrestling” in WWE, Charlotte has the chance to take things to a different level when she goes up against Bayley next.
Charlotte could be getting some help from Dana Brooke so as to stack the odds against Bayley, but then again, the centre of attention will be Charlotte herself. The win against Sasha Banks is what puts her in an excellent position and she could continue her pay-per-view streak in this upcoming feud as well.
#3 The Miz (NC)
Miz might’ve lost his Intercontinental championship to Dean Ambrose on SmackDown, but he remains one of the best superstars on the SmackDown roster.
Miz’s run as the Intercontinental champion was an excellent one and it’s a shame that it ended so quickly. But at the same time, an angry Miz will be more entertaining to watch and the latest Talking Smack episode proved this.
Miz will be looking to get his title back from Ambrose in the coming weeks and now that the roles have reversed, this means that Miz will get a better platform to showcase his skills.
#2 AJ Styles (-1)
AJ Styles is all set to face John Cena for the WWE championship at Royal Rumble. Both Styles and Cena signed the contract on SmackDown and it had a big match feel as it should.
The way in which Styles delivered his promo was intense and the comparison that he made between Rock and Cena was an impressive one.
The stakes have already been set for this match and with weeks still left for the buildup, the only direction for this feud is for it to go up. For AJ Styles, he will be looking to get another one over Cena this upcoming week when the Cenation leader goes up against Baron Corbin on SmackDown.
#1 Roman Reigns (+1)
Roman Reigns added yet another successful title defense to his name this week on Monday Night Raw. Reigns defeated Chris Jericho to keep the title around his waist and it was good to see the United States championship getting some limelight.
The title, just like Seth Rollins, has been second fiddle to Roman Reigns’ pursuit of the WWE Universal championship.
The title has taken a hit considerably, and with Reigns set to defend it in a handicap match against Jericho and Owens and it would be better if WWE takes away the title from Reigns during the match because Jericho and Owens could be better champions considering that Reigns is behind the bigger gold.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
