Top 5 WWE Performers of the Week (29th June to 5th July, 2019)

The wrestling world was rocked by the news last week that former ECW head, Paul Heyman and former WCW Executive Vice President, Eric Bischoff had been appointed as the Executive Producers of Raw (Heyman) and Smackdown Live (Bischoff).

With WWE serving up a largely sterile product since Wrestlemania, this news was a welcome shot in the arm for both brands. This is the case even if the influence of Heyman and Bischoff is unlikely to be fully felt until post-Extreme Rules, with many of the matches already signed for that show.

It will be interesting to see if the performers who have been featuring on this list will continue to do so under the new regimes.

So, without further delay, let's delve into the last week's television and see which WWE performers earned some vital momentum ahead of the Extreme Rules pay per view, set to take place on July 14, 2019.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments below!

#5 Becky Lynch

"The Man" defeated a man on Raw on July 1, 2019.

In a rare Raw appearance, 205 Live superstar, Mike Kanellis competed against Becky Lynch in an inter-gender contest tag team contest, which came about when the Kanellis's interrupted a backstage interview with Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins.

In the subsequent match, Lynch made a beeline for Maria, only for Mrs Kanellis to avoid a pasting by shockingly declaring she was pregnant.

In a truly incredible moment, Mr Kanellis appeared to be shocked by the news and fell victim to Lynch's Disarmer finishing move. In a bonkers post-match, Maria stated she regretted her pregnancy and that Lynch was more of a man than her husband was!

For Lynch, this was another stature enhancing performance for her as she heads towards Extreme Rules with a boatload of momentum and completely overshadowing her real-life boyfriend and Universal Champion, Seth Rollins.

#4 Shane McMahon

Shane McMahon has drawn the ire of the Undertaker once again

Shane O'Mac mania continues to run wild, brother!

McMahon was all over WWE television once again this week as WWE continues the promotion for the McMahon/Drew McIntyre tag team collision with Roman Reigns and The Undertaker at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view, on this week's Raw and Smackdown Live.

McMahon and McIntyre boasted about how Roman Reigns was running scared of them. So much so, that he had to invoke the help of the Deadman himself, The Undertaker.

This brought out the Phenom who said McMahon had his respect following their Hell in a Cell collision at Wrestlemania 32, but no more as McMahon Jr. had succumbed to his ego.

McMahon then appeared on Smackdown as a guest on the Kevin Owens show. He belittled Owens and announced the tag-team Extreme Rules contest would be No Holds Barred.

Can McMahon continue his successful winning streak? He is becoming a regular fixture on this list so who can bet against him?

#3 Kofi Kingston

Kofi Kingston addresses Samoa Joe on Smackdown Live

Kofi Kingston lost his first match since winning the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 35 in an impromptu six-man tag team match which took place after Samoa Joe attacked Kingston at ringside during a traditional tag team encounter between The New Day twosome of Xavier Woods and Big E versus The Viking Raiders.

Although Joe got the upper hand in that contest, choking out Kingston to earn the victory for his team, Kingston earned a measure of revenge on the July 2, 2019 episode of Smackdown Live. He did so by schooling Joe on the microphone before levelling his challenger with a Trouble In Paradise.

Can Kingston regain his momentum and his stunning recent winning ways, with victory over Joe when it counts most at Extreme Rules later this month?

If he does, then he may find himself at the top of this list in two week's time.

#2 Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe is set to challenge Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules

Samoa Joe earned a huge victory on the July 1st Raw when he put WWE Champion, Kofi Kingston to sleep with his patented Coquina Clutch sleeper hold finisher. Incidentally, as already mentioned, that was Kingston's first loss since winning the WWE Title.

This came in a dynamic six-man tag team match in which Joe partnered with The Viking Raiders to take on The New Day.

Joe's recent momentum post-Stomping Grounds continued as he blasted Kingston with stiff blows before earning his morale enhancing victory.

Then came Smackdown Live, where the two men came face to face in a non-wrestling segment. Joe threatened Kingston's family and insisted that the champion shakes his hand. Kingston was to get the upper hand on this occasion, hitting his challenger with a Trouble In Paradise. But the implication is clear, Joe is not going to go away quietly.

The big question is then, whether Joe can upend Kingston when it really matters at Extreme Rules. That remains to be seen but as of right now, Joe is on a hotter streak than the WWE Champion.

#1 AJ Styles

AJ Styles turns heel on Ricochet to close out Raw

The Club is back together. After several weeks teasing a reunion, WWE finally pulled the trigger on AJ Styles teaming once more with his old running buddies, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows at the conclusion of the July 1, 2019 Raw.

Styles has meandered ever since his year long reign as WWE Champion ended versus Daniel Bryan in November. His face run not exactly setting the world alight.

His greatest recent successes as a character have come as a heel which made the shocking climax that much more satisfying.

It remains to be seen if this was a Paul Heyman decision, but Styles's heel turn on United States Champion, Ricochet was unexpected and well executed. This came after a dynamic five minute sprint of a match in which Ricochet cleanly pinned the former WWE Champion in a US Championship match.

This is likely going to give us more Styles versus Ricochet. The whole world has to be all in for that, right?