WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 9/15/2014: Pre-WWE Night of Champions Edition

WWE Night of Champions 2014 is less than one week away, and the WWE Superstar Power Rankings could see upheaval next week after every single championship is defended this Sunday.  This week, though, the rankings will look familiar to regular readers.

While there were a few changes in position, the top 10 are the same as last week.  The Watch List is a bit different this week, though.  You'll find out who made the Watch List and where various Superstars ranked in the following slides.  Before we get into all that, though, please read how these rankings work.

Holding a championship, being a No. 1 contender or holding a Money in the Bank briefcase counts for much of a wrestler's ranking and are therefore the most heavily weighted components in these rankings.  If a wrestler is tied with another wrestler, holding a title will be a tiebreaker.

Wins and losses account for the bulk of the week-to-week movement—wins and losses are, after championships, the most important component of the rankings.  The quality of a wrestler's opponents and whether they are ranked is considered in the week-to-week movement.  

"Getting the better" of someone—like beating someone down—as well as "getting got" also counts, though not as much as wins and losses.  Being "over" with the fans is considered but not heavily weighted in the ranking decisions.  Pay-per-view performances take on added importance.  

Only the top 10 wrestlers are ranked.  Wrestlers on the Watch List were considered for top-10 status but were ultimately nixed.  They are unranked, and their listing is in no particular order.  

Generally speaking, these rankings do not break kayfabe, though any major non-storyline information (serious injury, WWE Wellness Policy violations, legitimate hirings, firings, contract information, "sabbaticals," etc.) may be taken into consideration, especially if WWE confirms them publicly.  Nothing that could be explicitly considered a spoiler is included unless WWE acknowledges it as well.

All WWE shows, televised or digitally distributed, as well as anything from WWE.com, the WWE App, the WWE Network and any WWE or Superstar social media accounts that don't break kayfabe may be taken into consideration for these rankings.  This includes but is not limited to WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown, WWE Main Event, WWE Superstars, NXT and any WWE pay-per-view.

Watch List

The Wyatt Family

Bray Wyatt got a potentially career-saving win over Chris Jericho inside a steel cage on Raw, but Erick Rowan and Luke Harper followed that up with a team loss in eight-man tag team action on SmackDown, though.  What's next for the Wyatts at or after Night of Champions?

AJ Lee

AJ Lee picked up a win in tag team action on Raw while teaming with Paige against Natalya and Rosa Mendes.  Now she'll be in a Triple Threat match for the Divas Championship this Sunday.  Can she continue to get inside the head of Paige this week?  And will she take back the title?

Cesaro

Cesaro picked up a submission win over Zack Ryder on Main Event this past week after beating down Sheamus the night before on Raw.  Now he'll get a shot at the United States Championship on Sunday.  Can Cesaro win gold for the first time since the supposedly career-making win in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal?

Chris Jericho

Y2J was apparently not interested in the beating Rowan and Harper were going to give him, because he had the Cage match won before he climbed back into the cage when Rowan and Harper threatened him.  He ultimately lost, but not before delivering a huge crossbody off the top of the cage onto Bray Wyatt.  

On SmackDown, he pinned Randy Orton in a tag match and will now face Orton at Night of Champions.   Can he get a win over a tough opponent?

10. Rusev

Previous Rank: 8

Movement: Down 2

Rusev didn't have any matches this week unless you count International Arm Wrestling matches.  While it won't count as an actual "match" in these rankings, it was an appearance.  

On SmackDown, he arm wrestled Mark Henry.  Henry won with both competitors using their right hands.  Rusev then demanded a left-handed rematch, which he was losing until Lana threw chalk into Henry's face.  Rusev then beat him down.  

We'll call that segment a wash, and Rusev drops two spots after others jumped over him.  Can re regain his momentum at Night of Champions against Mark Henry?

9. Sheamus

Previous Rank: 7

Movement: Down 2

Sheamus hasn't been on TV lately nearly as much he had been in the past.  And this week, he only had one match.  He lost.

He faced Seth Rollins, one of his toughest and highest-ranked opponents in quite some time.  Rollins should give the assist to Cesaro for distracting Sheamus, but The Celtic Warrior lost nevertheless.  Cesaro then put a beating on him afterwards.

Now he'll get Cesaro at Night of Champions with the United States Championship on the line.  Can Sheamus retain?

8. The Usos

Previous Rank: 10

Movement: Up 2

The Usos have had a rough go of it lately, but they got back on track this week while getting healthy for their Night of Champions match against Goldust and Stardust.  They got the better of Goldust and Stardust twice last week and looked to build on that success this week.  

On Raw, they attacked and ran off Goldust and Stardust.  Then on SmackDown, they got a win in eight-man tag action when Jey Uso pinned Stardust.  They may have turned the tables on their Night of Champions opponents, who will look to continue their cosmic journey by winning the Tag Team Championships.  Can The Usos thwart that plan?

7. Paige

Previous Rank: 9

Movement: Up 2

Paige picked up two wins this week and jumps two spots as a result.  On Raw, she teamed with her "frenemy" AJ Lee, who tagged herself in and forced Rosa Mendes to tap out, much to the chagrin of Paige.

Then on SmackDown, Paige defeated Summer Raw via submission.  AJ Lee then beat down Layla right in front of Page, sending a message to the champion.  Can Paige keep winning this week?  And most importantly, can she fend off both AJ and Nikki Bella this Sunday at Night of Champions?

6. Big Show and Mark Henry

Previous Rank: 6

Movement: None

Big Show and Mark Henry had a slow week, but they kept their spot in the rankings.  They had their only appearance on SmackDown, and it was mostly good.

They teamed with The Usos in a win over Stardust, Goldust, Rowan and Harper.  They won after Jey Uso pinned Stardust.  Then, Mark Henry faced Rusev in the International Arm Wrestling match, and as mentioned in a previous slide, it didn't go well in the end for Henry.  

Henry now has Rusev at Night of Champions.  Can he get the win?

5. Dolph Ziggler

Previous Rank: 4

Movement: Down 1

Dolph Ziggler didn't have a bad week, but he dropped a spot anyways.  On Raw, he revealed the pictures of The Miz that apparently were "hacked" or some such thing from Miz's cell phone.  It wasn't pretty, but he did get a few shots in on Damien "Mizdow" before Miz fled the scene.

On SmackDown, Ziggler got his own stunt double, "R-Ziggler," and they teamed up for a win over Miz and Mizdow.  Now Ziggler will face Miz at Night of Champions.  Can he keep his title this Sunday?

4. Seth Rollins

Previous Rank: 5

Movement: Up 1

Seth Rollins had a very busy week, and most of it was good.  On Raw, he defeated Sheamus and then assisted in the beatdown on Roman Reigns.  Then he defeated Jack Swagger on main Event.  

On SmackDown, he wasn't so fortunate, though.  He teamed with Randy Orton against Roman Reigns and Chris Jericho.  He and Reigns brawled into the stands, and Jericho pinned Orton for the team win.  

With his match against Roman Reigns at Night of Champions looming, can he get the win?

3. John Cena

Previous Rank: 3

Movement: None

John Cena clung to No. 3 this week after having no matches.  But he did cut one of, if not the best promo of his career.  He was challenged by Paul Heyman to just "give up the act," so to speak.  Cena was having none of it.

He said that he loved being who and what he is.  He loves meeting sick kids and war heroes.  He is honored to be that man for WWE.  He then said he's looking for a fight, and if Lesnar doesn't show up on Monday's Raw, he'll fight Heyman.  

Will Lesnar answer that challenge?  Or will Heyman face the full wrath of Cena?

2. Roman Reigns

Previous Rank: 2

Movement: None

Roman Reigns had a good week, despite the beating he took on Raw.  He first faced Randy Orton and won via DQ.  He then took a beating from Kane, Orton and Seth Rollins.  

On SmackDown, he picked up a team win in tag team action, though he had brawled into the stands with Rollins, so he wasn't involved in the decision.  But it added yet another win to his impressive run lately.  

This Sunday, he'll face Rollins in a match.  Can he defeat yet another top-tier opponent at a pay-per-view?

1. Brock Lesnar

Previous Rank: 1

Movement: None

Brock Lesnar is poised to put an end to John Cena's run at the top of WWE.  If he can destroy Cena again, Cena might be out of the title picture for some time.  But first he'll have to decide whether to answer Cena's challenge tonight on Raw.  

In Lesnar's mind, the choice might be whether to destroy Cena on Raw or at Night of Champions.  With Cena not willing to admit defeat, Lesnar may have to beat him into submission.  And if SummerSlam was any indication, there may be nothing Cena can do to stop Lesnar.