Charlotte, Paige and the WWE Divas Power Rankings for Week of Sept. 30
In 2015, WWE has placed a greater emphasis on women's wrestling.
After decades of ignoring the art form or focusing on it only for periods of time before growing bored and burying it again, Vince McMahon's company appears to be more interested in presenting it as more than just a bathroom break for the attention-challenged fanbase.
Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley altered the perception that fans had of women in wrestling during their time in NXT, delivering numerous Match of the Year candidates while lending credibility and legitimacy to that brand's women's championship.
Nikki Bella improved her in-ring work and held the WWE Divas Championship longer than any of her peers ever did, ensuring her place in history. Paige, meanwhile, has spent the year chasing after the title that she had held on two separate occasions.
Now, Bleacher Report will track the happenings in the Divas divisions on both WWE and NXT with power rankings dedicated to determining which of the women can claim dominance over the rest of roster.
The Divas will be ranked according to wins and losses, television appearances, in-ring segments and promos, and relevance in relation to the ongoing storylines.
In the event of a tie, the top spot will go to the champion, where applicable.
Which woman will rank No. 1 in the inaugural Divas power rankings?
Find out now.
10. Emma
1 of 10
A return to NXT has helped rejuvenate Emma, who was completely lost in the WWE shuffle. An attitude change and heel turn has helped the Aussie return to relevance.
With Dana Brooke by her side, Emma has become one of the top contenders to Bayley's NXT Women's Championship and, more recently, was part of the welcoming committee for Japanese newcomer Asuka.
In the coming weeks, the Lance Storm-trained competitor will have the opportunity to showcase her talents against the talented international newcomer.
While she is likely to find herself on the losing end of those matches, the increased exposure and the opportunity to remind fans of just how fantastic she is between the ropes will only heighten awareness and elevate her stock.
The coming months will be interesting to watch in relation to Emma, whose status as one of the best workers in NXT's Divas division may help her earn the confidence of management and, thus, a high-profile program with Bayley.
9. Becky Lynch
2 of 10
No one has been hurt more by the so-called "Divas Revolution" than Becky Lynch.
After a Match of the Year candidate against Sasha Banks at a TakeOver special, Lynch has arrived on the main roster and found herself lost in the shuffle, taking a backseat to everyone from Paige to Charlotte to The Bella Twins.
She rarely has the opportunity to talk, her character is nonexistent, and her in-ring work has been largely limited to tag team action.
It is a shame because Lynch is one of the best workers on the Divas roster. To see her completely disregarded by management, left to play sidekick to Charlotte, is a travesty.
That she has remained on television and has seen ring time allows her to remain in these rankings, but if she is not allowed the opportunity to branch out and develop into her own character, it could be that the Divas Revolution passes her by.
8. Asuka
3 of 10
The September 23 episode of NXT saw the arrival of Asuka, formerly known to fans of women's wrestling as Kana. Joining general manager William Regal in the ring and addressing the audience with great joy and energy, she was clearly excited about the chance she has to compete and make a name for herself in front of a whole new fanbase.
Of course, her introduction was interrupted by Emma and Dana Brooke, who wasted little time verbally bullying the newcomer.
Asuka sulked up the ramp and toward the exit, only to turn back and greet NXT's resident mean girls with a somewhat diabolical smile that visibly scared the heels.
It was an effective debut for Asuka, one that translated much better to television than it did live, thanks to the close-up of the camera.
Expected to help replenish the Divas roster with the recent departures of Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, Asuka will have every opportunity to rise rapidly through the ranks.
That is, if her style meshes well enough with what WWE expects of its in-ring competitors.
When she finally does take to the ring, though, expect to see her ascend these rankings in short order.
7. Eva Marie
4 of 10
Say what you will about Eva Marie, and there is a lot to say, but the star of Total Divas has improved from her days as a clueless rookie thrust into in-ring competition on Raw and SmackDown for reasons that defy logic.
Now a much more confident worker who is improving with every passing match, she is arguably the most hated character in NXT, thanks to the perception of her as a model who sees wrestling as a springboard to bigger and better things.
Whether that is the case or not is irrelevant. She has worked hard to improve her game, putting in the hours of training with Brian Kendrick out in California, and that dedication is starting to pay off.
The September 23 episode of NXT saw her work her finest match to date against Carmella.
For the second straight time, she benefited from what can only be considered questionable officiating to score the win. The refereeing and how the All-Red Diva plays on the potential infatuation the officials have with her have provided her with a storyline worth watching going forward.
Eva Marie will one day wear gold in NXT. It is bound to happen because WWE has sunk too much effort into getting her in the ring and getting her over with the audience. It is just a matter of how long it takes to get her to that point.
6. Natalya
5 of 10
It took a while, but Natalya has returned to relevance in WWE, finally making her presence felt in the Divas Revolution.
A backstage confrontation with Paige, who had just unleashed a scathing promo directed at Charlotte and The Bella Twins, ignited a rivalry between the two that should result in some outstanding matches and the opportunity for Natalya to re-establish herself as one of the premiere Divas on the roster.
Sidelined from the minute her husband Tyson Kidd suffered a near debilitating neck injury earlier this year, she has waited for the chance to jump back into the fray, and now she has it.
While it may not be the Divas Championship program so many believe she deserves, a rivalry with Paige gives her the chance to work with the most over character in the division and prove that it is not only the young NXT women who are capable of stealing shows with tremendous in-ring performances.
Though she has not had the opportunity to work yet, Natalya ranks highly here thanks to the higher-profile nature of her appearances compared to the others farther down the list.
5. Sasha Banks
6 of 10
The Boss has been keeping a low profile on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, but that does not mean she has been left off television altogether.
The September 24 episode of Main Event saw Sasha partner with Naomi and Tamina Snuka to defeat Team Bella in a huge six-woman tag team match. Factor in the announcement that she will challenge Bayley for the NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver: Respect on October 7, and you have a woman who is on the hottest streak of her career.
And rightfully so.
Thus far throughout 2015, Sasha ranks as one of the best wrestlers of the year, regardless of gender.
She has been consistently fantastic, delivering legitimate Match of the Year candidates against Bayley, Becky Lynch and Charlotte. She has repeatedly performed up to the situation and, in the process, has earned the respect of every one of her peers.
With so much attention paid to Charlotte and The Bella Twins on the company's two main broadcasts, Sasha has had to take a backseat. When she wraps up her program with Bayley and can finally focus on the main roster competition, expect to see The Boss make a giant leap up these rankings.
4. Paige
7 of 10
Two weeks ago, Paige was in danger of falling into irrelevancy, overshadowed by Charlotte and her chase of the Divas Championship. A well-timed "Paigebomb," though, turned her fortunes around and has helped the British-born competitor become the hottest star in WWE's Divas division once again.
Paige unleashed a venomous rant on The Bella Twins, bringing up their personal lives and suggesting that their love interests had everything to do with where they are today. From there, she told Charlotte that the only reason she has a job is because of her father, the legendary "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.
Paige echoed the sentiments of the frustrated fanbase and earned a loud ovation from the WWE Universe in doing so.
She may have been unsuccessful in her six-woman tag team match with Team PCB against Team Bella this past Monday night, but she did not take the fall. More importantly, she maintained the momentum she built a week earlier thanks to her actions throughout the bout.
Paige has the rare opportunity to be the "tweener" character that is always over, thanks to the shades of gray they represent. If the reaction the fans have had to her recent attitude change are any indication, she could well be the breakout star of the Divas Revolution and add to her championship resume, when all is said and done.
3. Charlotte
8 of 10
At Night of Champions, Charlotte defeated Nikki Bella to win the Divas Championship, ending a historic run by the twin and proving Charlotte's so-called genetic superiority in the process.
So why is the new titleholder not atop these rankings?
The answer is simple.
Since winning the gold, Charlotte has found herself completely overshadowed by her peers. Paige broke out of her shell and cut an emotion-filled promo that made her the talk of the wrestling world last week. The Bella Twins remain the biggest stars in the Divas division, while Charlotte's character inexplicably remains so one-note.
Did you know she is Ric Flair's daughter?
Chances are that is the only thing you know about the Diva, especially since WWE Creative has not exactly gone out of its way to expand on her persona any more than that.
A loss to Nikki in a six-woman tag team match on the September 28 episode of Raw, in which she was pinned cleanly, did her no favors.
WWE clearly sees Charlotte as the future of the Divas division, but it cannot allow the champion to be so overshadowed and undercut by her peers, or the WWE Universe will not buy into her as a titleholder.
Charlotte has the determination and skill to rise to the top of these rankings, but her questionable use since winning the Divas title leaves her on the outside of the top two looking in.
2. Bayley
9 of 10
Bayley's victory over Sasha Banks at last month's TakeOver: Brooklyn show was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. It was the payoff to her story—that of a young wrestling fan living her dream while battling some of the most talented competitors in the world.
Since that night, she has put in the time that is expected of all great champions, headlining live events as one of the marquee stars on the NXT roster. She has beaten Dana Brooke up and down the Florida coast and even into Texas.
But it was an impressive victory over a game Sara Dobson and the announcement that, on October 7, she will defend the NXT Women's Championship against Sasha Banks in the first-ever women's Iron Man match at TakeOver: Respect that have solidified Bayley's spot at No. 2 in these rankings.
The Diva has been on the roll of a lifetime. Now she will have the opportunity not only to compete in the first match of its kind, but she will also be one of the two women to ever main event a live-event special on the WWE Network.
That is a tremendous honor and a testament to the trust that Triple H has in her to deliver the goods under the most pressure and brightest lights imaginable.
1. Nikki Bella
10 of 10
This may be a controversial pick, but Nikki Bella is certainly deserving of the No. 1 spot in these inaugural Divas power rankings.
Yes, she lost the WWE Divas Championship to Charlotte at Night of Champions, but she did so in the best performance of her career. She made history, becoming the longest-reigning champion in the history of the title and rebounded from her pay-per-view loss with a clean victory over Charlotte on the September 28 episode of Raw.
The lead villain of the Divas division, Nikki has been the biggest star in women's wrestling for a year now.
While her hard work and continuous improvement will not sway fans from commenting on her personal life and any relationships that exist away from the ring, there is no denying what she has accomplished between the ropes to this point.
Barring another run with the Divas title, it is unlikely Nikki will remain atop these rankings. But for now, she is the top Diva in WWE and worthy of the No. 1 spot.
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