WWE Superstar Power Rankings Ahead of Dec. 12 Raw

As the end of 2016 draws near, the top Superstars in WWE continue to jockey for position on the road to the Royal Rumble, but which star was able to channel their momentum into the top spot on this week's WWE power rankings?

AJ Styles is still the WWE world champion, but he is hampered by an injury that may keep him out of action. Kevin Owens has a target on his back—a universal champion earning the wrath of more than one Superstar around him.

The New Day has the opportunity to make history as the longest-reigning tag champions in WWE history, and The Wyatt Family continues to pick up impressive victories as the most dangerous trio on SmackDown Live.

Sasha Banks is rolling as the new Raw women's champion, and The Miz always finds a way to hang on to his intercontinental title.

All of those Superstars appear in this week's rankings, but where did they wind up? Who tops the list?

Take a look for yourself ahead of Monday's Dec. 12 episode of Raw.

10. The Wyatt Family

The SmackDown tag team champions have now beaten American Alpha and Heath Slater and Rhyno in recent weeks, staking their claim to the top spot in the blue brand's tag division.

The in-ring chemistry between the titleholders is evolving with every week, including the development of a finisher that sees Bray Wyatt feed his opponent from Sister Abigail position into an RKO from Randy Orton.

With little in the way of believable competition, it should be interesting to see if the duo dominates for the foreseeable future or if there is some underhanded plan on the part of Orton to derail The Wyatt Family from the inside, potentially leading to a split and the renewal of the intense rivalry between him and The Eater of Worlds.

For now, though, the tandem remains dangerous and a major threat to move up these rankings.

9. Dean Ambrose

The Lunatic Fringe has had a miserable week, beginning at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs and continuing into SmackDown Live.

After a shocking betrayal from James Ellsworth, Ambrose looked for revenge Tuesday night. He got it, dropping the chinless wonder with Dirty Deeds before joining The Miz for an edition of Miz TV. After being verbally lambasted and presented a humiliating participation award, the former WWE world champion found himself in a match with the current intercontinental champion.

Ellsworth again reared his ugly head.

The result? Another loss for Ambrose and a plummet down these power rankings.

The Ellsworth storyline, while fun originally, has begun to show signs of becoming stale. Dragging Ambrose along for the ride does neither him nor SmackDown any favors, given that he is the face of the brand from a babyface perspective.

8. The New Day

The Raw tag team champions will break a decades-old record Monday night if they can get past Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Sheamus and Cesaro in a Triple Threat match.

The New Day's historic reign has been a revelation and proof that an act that is over with fans can hold on to titles for well over a year and never feel tired or boring.

Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods' ability to take a miserable, failing motivational-speaker gimmick and turn it into one of the most profitable acts in sports entertainment has allowed them to achieve success few could have prognosticated.

Now, just one win away from demolishing Demolition's record, which dates back to the late 1980s, one can only hope they are allowed to realize the accomplishment and etch their names in the record books.

7. Sasha Banks

The Boss may have been left lying on the mat to close out last Monday's show, but as the Dec. 12 episode of Raw arrives, Sasha Banks figures to play a key role in at least one of the night's most significant segments.

Six days away from a 30-minute Iron Man match, she and Charlotte Flair will come face-to-face to plant the final seeds for their historic bout.

As the Raw women's champion, expect Banks to be on a mission to avenge the beatdown she endured the previous week, not to mention the indignity suffered by Ric Flair, who had endorsed her as champion.

Now, Banks will have to reassert herself as the top star in the women's division, even if it means taking Flair out before Sunday's year-ending pay-per-view extravaganza.

6. The Miz

The intercontinental champion continues to find ways to eek out victories.

At TLC, he successfully retained his title in a ladder match, defeating Dolph Ziggler with a well-timed shot below the belt. Two days later, he knocked off former WWE world champion Dean Ambrose, capitalizing on interference from both Maryse and James Ellsworth to pin him following a Skull-Crushing Finale.

One of the best heels in the company, The Miz is an essential piece of the SmackDown puzzle.

That he is embroiled in a consistently intensifying feud with general manager Daniel Bryan only suggests he will be a bigger star as 2017 approaches. If that is the case, the longtime Superstar could compete in his most significant WrestleMania program in years come April.

5. Seth Rollins

The Architect's only contribution to the company this past week was a nonsensical match against Big Show and a big Pedigree to universal champion Kevin Owens.

While he was red-hot upon his return, the halfhearted babyface turn and WWE Creative's inability to follow it up with anything even remotely compelling have hurt Rollins significantly in recent weeks. That it took three months to revisit Rollins' hatred for Triple H and the betrayal that set the turn in motion tells fans all they need to know about how horribly mishandled his run as a top good guy on Monday nights has been.

Entering the Dec. 12 episode of Raw, he will interact with Roadblock opponent Chris Jericho, but the bigger question is this: Will there be further hints at the return of Triple H and the start of a WrestleMania program between the two of them?

4. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho may have lost to Roman Reigns last Monday night, but as he prepares for the Dec. 12 episode of Raw, he does so as one of the most compelling characters on the entire roster.

Not only is he embroiled in a feud with Seth Rollins that will culminate with a match Sunday at Roadblock, but there is also the case of his disintegrating friendship with Kevin Owens.

Jericho has grown increasingly frustrated with Owens, particularly because he feels like the friendship is not quite as reciprocated as he once thought it was. He has always been there for Owens, ensuring his success, but the champion is never there for Y2J, enhancing the feeling that the future Hall of Famer is being used.

How he reacts to Owens and how WWE Creative scripts their story going forward could decide whether this current run from Jericho is considered one of his best ever or just another superb entry on his resume.

3. Kevin Owens

The WWE universal champion may have a date with Roman Reigns Sunday at Roadblock, but he should be keeping his eyes on both Seth Rollins and Chris Jericho as well—two Superstars eyeing up his precious title.

Not only does Owens have to deal with Reigns at the upcoming pay-per-view, but he also has not exorcised the demon from his closet that is Rollins, whose Pedigree of the champion suggests the issues between them are far from over.

Then there is Jericho, the veteran Superstar who has watched with increasing frustration as his win-loss record suffers while he loyally supports Owens. At some point, the ego of the all-time great will get in the way of the friendship and put the Superstars on a collision course.

Owens is still the star who Raw is being built around. He is a main event bad guy whose booking may not be strong but whose place at the top of the card is not in question. Whether he can continue holding onto the championship that has come to define him in recent months, though, is the big question—especially as he continues to enrage those around him.

2. AJ Styles

The WWE world champion successfully retained his title against Dean Ambrose at Tables, Ladders & Chairs in a TLC match, but an ankle injury and inactivity Tuesday night hurt his argument for the top spot on this week's countdown.

Styles is a rarity in WWE—a champion without any logical or obvious competition to his crown. He has become such a strong champion over the last four months that the SmackDown brand does not have a babyface outside of Dean Ambrose able to step up and conceivably take the title from him at this point.

Some will evoke the name of The Undertaker or toss John Cena's name into contention, but Styles is so credible in his status that finding someone who can engage him in a long-running rivalry is inconceivable.

The best wrestler of 2016 remains the face of the brand.

1. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns may be the United States champion, but he is continuing to perform at a main event level, delivering another strong performance in a match against Chris Jericho. Not only did he successfully defend his title against Y2J, but he also did so while gaining momentum ahead of his Universal Championship match against Kevin Owens at Roadblock.

Reigns, for all his detractors, has been one of the bright spots for WWE in 2016. A heavyweight hitter whose matches feel more important because of his inclusion and whose pay-per-view bouts are almost always among the best on the entire card, he has become as reliable as any Superstar on Monday nights.

Sunday, he will likely steal the show with Owens, delivering a bout worthy of the title he will compete for.

And as 2017 approaches, he figures to be at the top of the card—the lead babyface on Raw, regardless of what the perception of his U.S. title may be.

Like John Cena before him, Reigns will one day be a Superstar whose polarizing nature will give way to respect and admiration from fans and critics who appreciate his contributions and realize how good he actually was.