WWE and TNA Power Rankings: Fifth Edition

Another week, another edition of the power rankings.

We saw a lot of surprises, returns, debuts, and upsets; that shifted the demographic of the entire top 25, which means the top half of the list has seen quite a few faces move in and replace some of the vets in the top spots.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, there are three qualities I judge for a wrestler to make it into top 15 of the list.

They are: consistency, in-ring craftsmanship, and positive momentum building in their current feuds or expected matches.

With any rankings, questions will form about why a wrestler made the list and why another one did not.

If you have any questions, or feel I might have left someone out, let me know in the comments section.

If enough people agree with you, the wrestler will have a guaranteed spot in the next week's power rankings.

With that out of the way, let The Phantom 15 begin.

Say Goodbye To: Samoa Joe

Kazarian
Matt Hardy
Jack Swagger
Brian Kendrick
Desmond Wolfe

Just Missed the Cut: CM Punk & SES

17. Abyss (TNA)

18. Team LayCool (WWE Smackdown) – Women's Champion

19. Douglas Williams (TNA) – X Division Champion

20. Vance Archer & Curt Hawkins (WWE Smackdown) x-poll debut

21. Dolph Ziggler (WWE Smackdown) x-poll debut

22. The Miz (WWE RAW) – United States Champion

23. Christian (WWE Smackdown)

24. Madison Rayne (TNA) – Knockout's Champion

25. Mr. Anderson (TNA)

No. 15 Randy Orton (WWE RAW)

Last Week: 13
Spots Moved Up/Down: -2
Status: Free Fall

Injuries aside, Orton has not looked 100 percent in any of matches or promos recently, so its a continued slippery slide down the polls for the Viper this week.

No. 14 Kane (WWE Smackdown)

Last Week: 15
Spots Moved Up/Down: +1
Status: Hot

Kane was at it again this past week on Smackdown, once again taking out Big Show, Mysterio, and CM Punk and the Straight Edge Society.

A push is in store for Kane, and it might be all the way to the top of the Smackdown ladder.

Award for Most Dominating Performance: Kane's attack on Smackdown's Fatal Four Way participants

No. 13 Kofi Kingston (WWE Smackdown) – Intercontinetal Champion

Last Week: 12
Spots Moved Up/Down: -1
Status: Moderate

Besides work on NXT, Kofi Kingston has been engaged in a rather interesting feud with Drew McIntyre as of late. On this past edition of Smackdown, Kofi was on the receiving end of a Scot Drop from McIntyre.

This Sunday at Fatal Four Way, Kofi can rewrite the wrong by defeating McIntyre and keeping a hold on the IC belt. If he can do this, expect Kofi to continue to move up on the list.

No. 12 A.J Styles (TNA)

Last Week: 10
Spots Moved Up/Down: -2
Status: Moderate

After having clearly the best match on TNA Slammiversary PPV in a loss to Jay Lethal, A.J Styles only moves down a couple of spots.

On TNA Impact, it was a quiet week for A.J Styles as we only received small details about the new 4 Horsemen stable: Fortune.

Award for Match of the Week: Jay Lethal vs. A.J Styles

No. 11 NXT Season 1 (WWE)

Last Week: 18
Spots Moved Up/Down: +8
Status: On Fire

Perhaps the hottest thing happening in wrestling, these 7 or 8 men, have been causing a storm in the WWE. They have all the right tools to become major players in the company, and are already starting to make their mark.

Expect great things from NXT.

Award for Promo of the Week: NXT and Bret Hart opening and closing RAW promo

No. 10 Kurt Angle (TNA)

Last Week: 8
Spots Moved Up/Down: -2
Status: Moderate

Despite his win against Kazarian at TNA Slammiversary, the whole Kurt Angle challenge got off to a bad start with a really predictable match against Kaz.

Hopefully, things we start to pick up when he approaches the rankings belonging to the heavy hitters in TNA.

No. 9 Edge (WWE RAW)

Last Week: 6
Spots Moved Up/Down: -3
Status: Moderate

This week, we saw Edge lay to rest his problems with Randy Orton, John Cena, and Sheamus for a night to combat the new threat of the WWE NXT.

I wanted to move Edge up in the polls, but due to some great performances from others on the list, I had to move him down some slots.

No. 8 Jeff Hardy (TNA)

Last Week: 9
Spots Moved Up/Down: +1
Status: Moderate

As most have noticed, I am not that big on the tag team of Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson. No matter my opinion, the two did win at Slammiversary and had a decent match on Impact.

So, Jeff Hardy moves up a spot and, as you have seen, Mr. Anderson is back in the top 25.

No. 7 Jay Lethal (TNA)

Last Week: 11
Spots Moved Up/Down: +4
Status: Hot

Jay Lethal had one of the greatest weeks in his career by knocking off A.J Styles at Slammiversary and then coming back and doing the same thing to Desmond Wolfe on TNA Impact.

He is starting to turn into a must-see performer week in and week out, as he, again, received the top performer award for this slide.

Award for Match of the Week: Jay Lethal vs. A.J Styles

Award for Top Performer in a Match: Jay Lethal vs. A.J Styles

No. 6 Sting (TNA)

Last Week: 2
Spots Moved Up/Down: -4
Status: Slight Decent

After having a somewhat disappointing match against RVD at Slammiversary, Sting rebounded nicely with a verbal joust back and forth with Jeff Jarrett on TNA Impact, but still a bit of a down week from the "The Icon".

No. 5 Hart Dynasty (WWE RAW) – Unified Tag Team Champions

Last Week: 4
Spots Moved Up/Down: -1
Status: On the Rise

The momentum of the Hart Dynasty might finally be drawing to an end, as they have been seen less and less on RAW.

If this continue, the "On the Rise" might lead to a freefall.

No. 4 Big Show (WWE Smackdown)

Last WeeK: 7
Spots Moved Up/Down: +3
Status: Moderate

Big Show has been the leading force behind an always unpredictable Smackdown.

This week, we saw Show and Rey Mysterio pick up a win over their Fatal Four Way opponents Jack Swagger and CM Punk.

While left in the middle of the ring after receiving a chokeslam from Kane, Big Show could have the last laugh if he can take home the World Heavyweight title at Fatal Four Way.

No. 3 Rey Mysterio (WWE Smackdown)

Last Week: 5
Spots Moved Up/Down: +2
Status: On Fire

Rey Mysterio has been moving up each and every week on the polls. This week, he works his way into the top three after a win on Smackdown against Swagger and CM Punk in a tag team match with the Big Show.

If Mysterio's roll continues to tug along on through to Sunday, we will have a new World Heavyweight Champion, as well as a contender for the top spot in the polls next week.

No. 2 RVD (TNA) – TNA World Champion

Last WeeK: 3
Spots Moved Up/Down: +1
Status: Moderate

RVD picked up the win over Sting at Slammiversary and kept the TNA World Title, but it was still not enough to get his top spot back from John Cena.

No. 1 John Cena, (WWE RAW) – WWE Champion

Last Week: 1
Spots Moved Up/Down: 0
Status: Hot

John Cena is involved in two of the biggest storylines happening in the WWE right now. The first one involves his WWE title, the second involves his run-ins with NXT.

Cena has the chance to hold on to his spot on top of the polls by beating Randy Orton, Edge, and Sheamus at Fatal Four Way this Sunday. It will prove to be a tough task, but I, for one, am interested in seeing the outcome and the aftermath that is sure to follow his encounter at the PPV.

Honorable Mentions

Outside the 25:

Eve
Ink Inc.
Beer Money
Undertaker

Match of the Week:

A.J Styles vs. Jay Lethal – TNA Slammiversary

Bleacher Report Honors

Article of the Week: WWE Fatal 4-Way Preview: Seven Reasons Why Randy Orton Can Win the WWE Title, by Dan Power

Featured Story of the Week: The 10 Worst Crimes of the Hogan/Bischoff Era by Ian Malone

Opinion of the Week: Hold On…I Thought Bryan Danielson Was Too Good for the WWE, Anyway?, by Kingly One

Slide of the Week: WWE Fatal 4Way: The 10 Most Shocking Moments In Bash History, by Big Nasty

Preview of the Week: WWE Fatal Four Way: Six Creative Ways To Save the PPV, by Iam D Real Deal yo

News of the Week: Is Bryan Danielson's Release By The WWE for Real or a Work? True Answer, by Joe Burgett

Analysis Of The Week: From Attitude to Ruthless Aggression to PG: The Top 15 Midcard Wrestlers, by Sumz

See Ya next Saturday

Power 15 Winners

5-22-2010: RVD
5-29-2010: RVD
6-05-2010: RVD
6-12-2010: John Cena
6-19-2010: John Cena