Here we are, the final Superstar Power Rankings before another Premium Live Event on Peacock. As always, the rankings will likely reshuffle, with many Superstars moving up and down and in and out of the Top 20 once the dust settles from it and the Raw that follows. And it’s fitting that the event this go around is Extreme Rules, because the changes next week could very well be extreme.
There are only two titles on the line, but both of them – the Raw Women’s Championship and SmackDown Women’s Championship – have a very real chance at changing hands. Major rivalries like Riddle vs. Rollins and Edge vs. The Judgment Day look like they’re coming to an end. There’s also Karrion Kross’ first Premium Live Event match since his return to WWE against Drew McIntyre, with its result likely affecting his placement here for weeks if not longer.
And that’s not to mention the believed and hoped upon “White Rabbit” reveal (Bray Wyatt?) at the event and where that individual will find himself or herself this time next week in this very piece.
To get a sense of where we stand on how that event will play out, be sure to check out our Extreme Rules Predictions column coming soon. For now though, let’s line up the deck for its next major reshuffling and get to ranking our Top 20 WWE Superstars.
And for a further breakdown, make sure to read on beyond the table.
Change Key:
NC = No Change from last week
NR = Not Ranked last week
Plus = Moved up from last week
Minus = Moved down from last week
| Rank | Superstar | Brand | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bobby Lashley – United States Champion | Raw | NC |
| 2 | Roman Reigns – Undisputed WWE Universal Champion | SmackDown | NC |
| 3 | The Bloodline – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions | SmackDown | +1 |
| 4 | Bianca Belair – Raw Women’s Champion | Raw | -1 |
| 5 | Damage CTRL | Raw | +1 |
| 6 | Imperium – Intercontinental Champion | SmackDown | -1 |
| 7 | Liv Morgan – SmackDown Women’s Champion | SmackDown | +1 |
| 8 | Kevin Owens | Raw | -1 |
| 9 | Seth “Freakin’” Rollins | Raw | NC |
| 10 | The Judgment Day | Raw | NC |
| 11 | Ronda Rousey | SmackDown | +1 |
| 12 | Braun Strowman | SmackDown | +1 |
| 13 | Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett | SmackDown | -2 |
| 14 | Drew McIntyre | SmackDown | NC |
| 15 | Matt Riddle | Raw | NC |
| 16 | Johnny Gargano | Raw | +1 |
| 17 | The Brawling Brutes | SmackDown | -1 |
| 18 | Alpha Academy | Raw | NC |
| 19 | Edge | Raw | NC |
| 20 | Mustafa Ali | Raw | NC |
1. Bobby Lashley – United States Champion (NC)
The United States champion is still at the top of the proverbial mountain. The All-Mighty took on a determined Mustafa Ali on Raw this week with his title on the line. While Ali showed great fire and determination, Lashley dominated about 95% of the match. Ali refused to give up, but the referee ultimately called for the bell when he was no longer responsive while in the Hurt Lock. While Lashley was trying to help Ali back to his feet and give him some props, they were attacked by Seth Rollins. The Visionary left them both laying with a stomp, and Lashley will look for revenge on Raw in a US Title match. Lashley has been the most dominant and protected Superstar not named Roman Reigns, but will that continue against the likes of Rollins?
2. Roman Reigns – Undisputed WWE Universal Champion (NC)
Speaking of Reigns, the Tribal Chief remains in the No. 2 slot after getting the week off. He’ll be back on Monday for the season premiere of Monday Night Raw, though, so we’ll see if he can do anything to reclaim the top spot in the rankings.
3. The Bloodline – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions (+1)
And while Roman was out of the spotlight, The Bloodline was front and center on both SmackDown and Raw. The creative team has done a great job of seamlessly integrating Solo Sikoa into the group yet still giving him a unique identity. He’s not just blending in, and his role as the “enforcer” suits him perfectly. And he picked up a win over Angelo Dawkins on Raw. Meanwhile, Sami Zayn continues to be the best thing going in WWE right now. He’s been getting a chance to show off some of his previously underutilized in-ring skills, but it’s his work on the mic and just his overall mannerisms that steal the show week in and week out. He has crowds eating out of the palm of his hand, and instead of hearing those annoying “What” chants, they’re hanging on his every word. The Honorary Uce has turned himself into an essential part of the show, and we are most definitely here for it. If and when the inevitable breakup happens between him and the rest of The Bloodline, it’s going to be epic. And if you haven’t seen it already, do yourself a favor and check out his Stone Cold Sessions interview with Steve Austin on Peacock.
4. Bianca Belair – Raw Women’s Champion (-1)
The EST of WWE has a tough challenge ahead of her as she’ll defend her title against Bayley in a Ladder Match at Extreme Rules. It’s the first time ever that the Women’s Championship will be on the line in such a match, and it’s a good thing that the time has finally come for the match to happen. Belair and Bayley made things official with a contract signing, but it became clear that the time for talking was done as there wasn’t much juice to the segment. Alexa Bliss faced off against IYO SKY in the main event, and while Belair came out to even the odds for Bliss, Bayley was the one standing tall atop a ladder holding the belt at the end of the night. Was it a sign of what’s to come at Extreme Rules?
5. Damage CTRL (+1)
Damage CTRL had their fingerprints all over Raw on Monday night. The unit was working like a well-oiled machine as Dakota Kai handed Candice LeRae her first main roster loss after an outside distraction. Then, while Bayley was in the ring signing her contract with Bianca Belair, Kai and IYO SKY ambushed Alexa Bliss and Asuka in the back. And in the main event, IYO SKY defeated Bliss after some more interference from Bayley. All three ascended a ladder at the end of the night showing their dominance over their foes. But will they be able to ride that momentum into Extreme Rules and add more gold to their group?
6. Imperium – Intercontinental Champion (-1)
Sheamus thought he would be able to turn the tables on Imperium last Friday when he emerged with a shillalah, but it quickly turned into a 3-on-1 barrage. Intercontinental champion Gunther ripped off Sheamus’ shirt and hit him with some devastating chops to the chest before landing a powerbomb. Just when it looked like the trio were going to walk away, they returned to the ring so Gunther could hit with the shillalah Sheamus brought down to the ring. Probably not the best strategy with Ridge Holland and Butch unavailable as backup. Imperium will operate from a position of strength as Gunther defends his Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus on the season premiere of SmackDown on Friday. Regardless of the result, Saturday’s six-man tag team “Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook match” is going to be a banger.
7. Liv Morgan – SmackDown Women’s Champion (+1)
Liv Morgan moves up a spot this week coming out of SmackDown last Friday where her brawl with Ronda Rousey was a highlight of the show. It all started after Rousey scored a submission victory over Natalya and Morgan walked down the aisle to greet her with a baseball bat. This led to quite the scuffle, with Rousey sending Morgan over the barricade and security doing their best to break up the fracas. Rousey was about to walk backstage, but got attacked from behind by Morgan and led to another pull-apart by security. It was another very good segment for Morgan, who has shown an edge to her character over the past couple of weeks. While she’ll still be the underdog going into their Extreme Rules match on Saturday, her credibility as champion is on the rise.
8. Kevin Owens (-1)
It feels a bit unfair to move Kevin Owens down a spot, as he continues to make the most with whatever he’s being given. He teamed with Johnny Gargano and Drew McIntyre last Friday to score a win over Alpha Academy and Austin Theory. The climax of the match happened outside of the ring, as Owens and Gargano had a little “Superkick Party” on Otis and K.O. delivered a stunner to Chad Gable on the announce table. This chaos gave Drew McIntyre the opening he needed to hit a Claymore Kick on Theory for the victory. Owens wasn’t on Raw this week and will not be part of Extreme Rules on Saturday, so there’s a chance he falls further in these rankings next week. Still, it’s just a matter of how he’s being used (or not used) at the moment.
9. Seth “Freakin’” Rollins (NC)
Rollins was quite active on Raw this week, not only having a face-to-face meeting with Matt Riddle in the ring but also executing a sneak attack on Bobby Lashley after “The All Mighty” retained his United States Championship against Mustafa Ali. Lashley was incensed enough by the attack to challenge Rollins to a championship match on the season premiere of Monday Night Raw next week. Of course, it’s anybody’s guess what condition Rollins will be in following his confrontation with Riddle in the Fight Pit at Extreme Rules on Saturday. If “The Visionary” can score wins over Riddle and Lashley in the span of three days, he will have a strong case to climb near the top of next week’s list.
10. The Judgment Day (NC)
The Judgment Day hold firm following another week where had a strong presence on Raw. They actually kicked off the show this week, with Finn Bálor and Damian Priest defeating Rey Mysterio and A.J. Styles in a tag team match. Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley distracted Rey outside of the ring, which set the stage for Bálor to take advantage with a Coup de Grace on Styles for the win. Styles was clearly frustrated with Rey, but that dissension ultimately led to a 4-on-1 attack on “The Phenomenal One,” who until now has refused to take Bálor up on his offer to join the Judgment Day. Of course, Bálor has other things on his mind right now, as he’s set to face Edge in an “I Quit” match on Saturday at Extreme Rules. This group has their fingers in many pots right now, some more interesting than others.
11. Ronda Rousey (+1)
You may have noticed that Liv Morgan moved up a spot after her showing on SmackDown last Friday, but so does Rousey. “The Baddest Woman on the Planet” first managed to get Natalya to tap out with an ankle lock before being confronted by Morgan, who was wielding a baseball bat as she walked down the aisle to the ring. This led to a confrontation where Rousey largely got the better of her opponent at Extreme Rules, though Morgan did get a pretty good shot when it looked like order was being restored. Both talents looked good here and continue to add fire to this feud. Where will Rousey find herself in our ranks if she walks away with the title on Saturday?
12. Braun Strowman (+1)
Whether you’re into the return of Strowman or not, it’s hard to deny that he’s been very impressive. The latest example was on Raw this week, where “The Monster of All Monsters” broke up a beatdown of Johnny Gargano, including a shoulder-tackle of Otis, before an entertaining back-and-forth match against Chad Gable. Strowman’s strength eventually won out, as he finished Gable off with a devastating powerbomb. A collision with Omos is inevitable and could launch him into the picture for individual gold.
13. Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett (-2)
Karrion Kross falls in our ranks because all we got of him on SmackDown this past week was another video promo. This isn’t to say that the promos are bad. Far from it. In fact, in the latest one conveyed his motivations for targeting McIntyre and clearing the path for making a run at the WWE Universal Championship. These promos have gone a long way toward reestablishing Kross as a legitimate threat, but we’re ready to see him in the ring in a match with real stakes. Thankfully, his Strap Match against McIntyre at Extreme Rules is only a few days away.
14. Drew McIntyre (NC)
Drew McIntyre has been difficult to rank since Clash at the Castle, as he’s had to wait to settle his simmering feud with Karrion Kross. Still, “The Scottish Warrior” was featured prominently on SmackDown last week, as he teamed with Kevin Owens and Johnny Gargano against Alpha Academy and Austin Theory in the main event. McIntyre scored the pinfall victory after delivering a Claymore Kick to Theory before sending a message to Kross by hitting “The Youngest Mr. Money in the Bank” with a leather strap. For better or worse, we should have more clarity about his direction after Saturday’s showdown.
15. Matt Riddle (NC)
As mentioned earlier, Matt Riddle and Seth “Freakin’” Rollins had a face-to-face meeting in the ring on Monday, though they weren’t allowed to throw hands due to a “No Contact Clause.” They traded some personal barbs instead, most of them in a similar vein to some of the smack talk we have seen in recent weeks. Riddle also threatened to not just beat Rollins in their Fight Pit match on Saturday, but to literally take his life. That’s probably against the rules, we’ll let that go. The heated exchange was interrupted by Daniel Cormier, who will serve as the special guest referee at Extreme Rules. If anything, this rivalry has allowed Riddle to shed some of his laid back and silly persona, which could be what he needs to take the next step in his singles career.
16. Johnny Gargano (+1)
Johnny Gargano may have lost on Monday night against Otis, but it wasn’t clean. It took former protégé Austin Theory and the Money in the Bank briefcase to ensure that. And Gargano was golden the rest of the week outside of the L, including a victory on SmackDown alongside Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre. We also got treated to some fantastic promo work showing off Gargano’s range on Raw, with his amusing side-part in this week’s edition of the Miz/Dexter Lumis rivalry where you could see him mentally reminiscing about his time with Lumis in NXT and giving a charmed “Oh, Dexter” as the camera went to black. He later turned it up and we got a piece of the fiery uber babyface Gargano that propelled him to the NXT Championship when he announced that next week, in the same place where “Johnny Wrestling” won that title, we’ll be getting Gargano vs. Theory on Raw. Sign us up for that one.
17. The Brawling Brutes (-1)
Sheamus and The Brutes were bested again by Imperium this week when Sheamus tried to give his rivals some shillelagh justice last Friday and it backfired. But we won’t knock the trio too far down, since Sheamus is getting another crack at the Intercontinental Championship and becoming WWE’s first-ever Ultimate Grand Slam Champion this Saturday when he brings back the Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match. Weird name aside, Sheamus’ first bout in this format with Drew McIntyre was an entertaining one and given the war we had between he and Gunther at Clash at the Castle, this one has show stealer written all over it.
18. Alpha Academy (NC)
Alpha Academy got a win! Granted, it was just Otis and under nefarious means, but it’s a win for the oft entertaining duo. It was then followed up right after by a loss, but Chad Gable had a few moments of shine and didn’t immediately get destroyed by Braun Strowman. It shows that WWE creative recognizes the value they have here in these two and hints that they may have a more significant future in the tag division that just being Austin Theory’s bumbling grunts.
19. Edge (NC)
No in-ring action from Edge this week, but we instead got treated to a masterclass in promo work on Raw. Set in a vacant ring (which looked to be at the WWE Archives in Connecticut, maybe?), Edge recalled his retirement and triumphant return, but also lamented that it hasn’t been all he thought it’d be. In particular, he went on about the toll it’s taken on his daughters and his wife, Beth Phoenix. Anyone who dreams of having a chance of being a successful wrestler or make it to WWE should watch this work of art from one of the greatest to ever do it as he seamlessly weaved from frankness, to concern, to sadness, to doubt and then to full blown rage, passion and determination.
And though Edge swore that he’d refuse to quit so he can return to his family victorious and in one piece, we think this may have been foreshadowing about just how The Judgment Day are going to make “The Rated-R Superstar” utter the words “I quit” on Saturday.
20. Mustafa Ali (NR)
Mustafa Ali made a return to television on Monday in the unenviable position of trying to stop the locomotive of momentum that is United States Champion Bobby Lashley. And while Ali ultimately failed in the task, he did shine and reminded everyone why he was on his way to a WWE Championship match years ago were it not for an unfortunately timed injury. Hopefully this is the start something good for Ali, who was done so dirty by the Retribution storyline, and he’ll still be here in the Top 20 of our Power Rankings for a while.
On the Cusp: Logan Paul, A.J. Styles, Austin Theory, Omos, Hit Row, The Miz, Dexter Lumis, Alexa Bliss, Candice LeRae
Who’s NXT: Bron Breakker, Toxic Attraction (including Mandy Rose), Ilja Dragunov, JD McDonaugh, Pretty Deadly, Creed Brothers, Alba Fyre, Cora Jade, Carmelo Hayes, Joe Gacy
