I’m starting something new in regards to our WWE articles on The Sports Chief. I’m going to make power rankings each week after the conclusion of both RAW and SmackDown and hopefully you guys will find more enjoyment reading a power ranking rather than recaps of the show. I have some more things cooked up for the Royal Rumble and I am super excited for that PPV. The Rumble is my favorite PPV of all the shows that the WWE does. My power rankings will consist of the top 10 male and female competitors total throughout that particular week. The Power Rankings will be a continuation from week-to-week and will be changing as the shows conclude. The rankings may seem a little out of whack at the start, but it will become more fluid as each week passes. I hope you guys enjoy this going forward. Without further ado, let’s get started with The Sports Chief’s inaugural WWE Power Rankings.

- 10. A.J. Styles

A.J. Styles did not compete this week, but his presence was felt after Daniel Bryan’s match with R-Truth at the start of SmackDown Live. He attacked the WWE Champion after being trashed in a promo to kick off the show. Styles is adopting a new persona, he is now the “Real” A.J. Styles and he appears to have a more aggressive mindset in his matches. If this were last week, I would have the Phenomenal One a little higher, but this week he is at 10. Look for the Styles and Bryan heat to build more tension next week, but honestly, I don’t know if the rivalry goes past the Rumble.

- 9. Carmella

Carmella sort of found her way into the title picture after winning the Mixed Match Challenge with R-Truth and to be honest, she deserves to be there. She has been getting better with each performance she puts in and she really could’ve been higher on the list. Tuesday night, she was in a triple threat match with Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch to determine the Number One Contender for Asuka’s SmackDown Women’s Championship. Automatically if she is in a match with those two, she will look better regardless of her outcome. She tapped out to the Dis-Arm-Her from Becky Lynch, but she turned in an excellent performance, or should I say she was money despite losing. I would like to see her in more opportunities like Tuesday night.

- 8: Seth Rollins

The King Slayer is very valuable to the RAW brand these days and it looks like he will be getting a further push for the next little while. He was in two matches Monday Night, I guess that’s why they call him Monday Night Rollins. I hope they don’t overuse him, but his value is the highest it’s been in a while. Rollins secured the pin against Dean Ambrose in the 6-man tag match to kick off RAW, but lost the Falls Count Anywhere match for the Intercontinental Championship, thanks to Bobby Lashley. I still don’t understand that feud, but that’s what we are getting. Look for Rollins to be higher in the Power Rankings in the coming weeks.

- 7: Dean Ambrose

I personally think since Ambrose has been back, he has not been that great of a performer. This week changed things. Like I mentioned earlier, he took the fall in the 6-man tag match, but later won the title defense for his Intercontinental Championship. Bobby Lashley was the reason why he won the match largely, but he put in a solid performance before Lashley appeared. This looks like the beginning of the end of the Ambrose-Rollins feud, thank goodness, but as time moves forward, he’ll have to prove his worth, which I think he will do.

- 6: Charlotte Flair

The reason that I rated Charlotte Flair so high in this week’s power rankings is simply because she is at the top of her game. She is arguably the best female wrestler in the world and her feud with Becky Lynch is making her an even better competitor. Like I mentioned earlier, she was in a match with Lynch and Carmella Tuesday night to determine the number one contender for Asuka’s title. She did not win, but she didn’t take the fall either. Her promos have been very solid and her in-ring ability has improved over the last few months. I don’t see Charlotte moving away from the top 10 for a while and look for the WWE to capitalize on her superiority.

- 5: Ronda Rousey

Rousey did not compete this week, however, she was interviewed in the debut of A Moment of Bliss. She called out Sasha Banks to challenge her for her RAW Women’s Championship and the moment was just enough for her to be in the top 5. Some of you may not like that she is above competitors that competed this week, but she is the champ and she deserves to be recognized as a key player in the women’s division today. Easily she draws comparisons to a female Brock Lesnar, but the fact is she has a role in almost, if not every, RAW episode. She has the determination to become a better performer and every week she is learning something new. I think Rousey is doing a tremendous job, despite being a fairly new performer. Don’t look for things to change within the near future.

- 4: Andrade “Cien” Almas

This one is sort of a surprise entry in the top 5. Almas teamed up with Samoa Joe to face Rey Mysterio and Mustafa Ali on SmackDown, Tuesday night. The match was a solid showing from all involved, but Almas and his pinfall victory was the biggest takeaway from the match. He pinned Mysterio after some good back and forth action between the two competitors. Maybe he is just a bit higher than anticipated in the rankings, but personally, I think he deserves it. Look for Almas to have a bigger role moving forward and maybe a future title shot in 2019.

- 3: Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks has not really been relevant in the RAW Women’s title picture in over a year. It’s not because of her talent, creatively there just hasn’t been much for her. In this week’s episode of RAW, she was called out by the RAW Women’s Champion and made Nia Jax tap out for the number one contender’s spot. She is going to face Ronda Rousey at the Rumble and she deserves every bit of it. I don’t expect her to win the match, because I fully expect Banks and Bayley to become the first ever Women’s tag team champs, but stranger things have happened. I think Ronda will finally lose by the time WrestleMania is here, but the clock is ticking. Banks is number 3 this week after a very strong performance and if things go well over the next couple of weeks, she could be towards the top for a little while.

- 2: Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan could’ve arguably been number one in this week’s power rankings, but for now the new version of himself will have to settle for second place. Bryan’s evolution into the WWE’s top heel has been amazing. The promo he delivered to kick off SmackDown is one that I feel like will be a historic one for sure. Bryan cares about the earth and the harsh degradation that he has shown fans over the past couple of months has been some of the best villain work the WWE has seen in years. This goes to show how valuable Bryan is to the company and the SmackDown brand. The fact that the company’s best face can suddenly become the company’s top heel is remarkable. Bryan is a once-in-a-generation talent and he is currently in his prime. Enjoy it while it lasts.

- 1: Becky Lynch

The Man is the man. Lynch has been the best performer in the WWE for months and has put the women’s division on another planet. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, but I’m going to say it anyway. The current women’s division has striking similarities to the Attitude Era. The women today are obviously restricted more than competitors were in the late 90’s, but as far as in-ring action and storytelling goes, it has similarities for sure. Becky Lynch has been the biggest proponent of the movement and is gaining more popularity each time she appears. Every time she makes an appearance, it is television gold and this week, she secured the number one contender spot for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. She will face Asuka for a shot at the title she just recently lost at TLC. Every week, it’s looking like a women’s match will headline WrestleMania and honestly, the WWE would be stupid not to make it happen. The direction taken will become clearer after the Rumble, but I don’t expect Asuka to give the title up after just a month.

Yacs

WWE Power Rankings - Week of January 10th-15th