WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 1/26/2015: WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Edition

It was one heck of a week in WWE this past week, culminating in the WWE Royal Rumble 2015 pay-per-view, and the WWE Superstar Power Rankings have been shaken up.  We saw Brock Lesnar retain his WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the return of Bubba Ray Dudley (among others) in the Royal Rumble match, the return of The Rock, and of course, Roman Reigns' Royal Rumble win.

The three Superstars who had been fired by The Authority (Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan and Ryback) have been rehired, thanks to John Cena defeating Seth Rollins, Kane and Big Show.  And that win was due to the distraction caused by Sting, who made his first-ever appearance on WWE Raw this past Monday.

We also saw reunions of The Kliq, The APA and the NWO, appearances by Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan and the New Age Outlaws.  What a week it was.

We'll get into all this past week's action and intrigue, including the Royal Rumble, in the following slides. But before we do, please read how these rankings work.  

Note: These rankings are not a popularity contest and are not designed to determine who has the best matches, the most ability, etc.  They are strictly storyline rankings.

These rankings consider all active WWE Superstars and Divas on the main roster and exclude talent that primarily or exclusively wrestles on NXT.  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 these honors are therefore the most heavily weighted components in the rankings. 

If a wrestler is deemed to be tied in the rankings with another wrestler, holding a title will be the primary tiebreaker used.  However, holding a championship, being a No. 1 contender or holding a Money in the Bank briefcase in no way guarantees a spot in the top 10.

Wins and losses account for the bulk of the week-to-week movement and, after championships, are 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—also counts, though not nearly as much as wins or losses.  Being over with the fans (read: extremely popular) 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; however, any major non-storyline information (serious injury, WWE Wellness Policy violations, suspensions, legitimate hirings, firings, contract information, "sabbaticals," etc.) may be taken into consideration but generally only if WWE confirms it publicly.

Domestic and international WWE live events are not included in these rankings unless WWE incorporates them into television storylines.  Nothing that could be explicitly considered a spoiler is included unless WWE acknowledges it as well.

In short, 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 accounts on social media that don't break kayfabe, may be taken into consideration for these rankings.

This may include, but is not limited to, WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown, WWE Main Event, WWE Superstars, NXT, WWE pay-per-views and any storyline-driven content from the WWE Network.

Watch List

Bad News Barrett

It was a bad week for the Intercontinental champion.  He lost to Dean Ambrose on Raw and then to Dolph Ziggler on SmackDown.  He was the 27th entrant in the Royal Rumble and was the 21st elimination, being tossed out by Ziggler.  Can he bounce back this week?

Nikki Bella w/Brie

Nikki and Brie Bella teamed up at the Royal Rumble to face Paige and Natalya.  They not only won the match, but they also looked dominant doing so.  The Bellas are showing they're more than just pretty faces.  These two Divas are getting better in the ring, which is scary because they already control the Divas Championship. Can anyone take the title off Nikki anytime soon?

Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler got his job back, thanks to Cena and Sting and then qualified for the Royal Rumble on SmackDown by defeating Bad News Barrett.  But when the Royal Rumble came around, Ziggler underwhelmed.  He entered the match 30th, but he eliminated only two Superstars.  He was finally unceremoniously dumped over the top rope by Kane and Big Show as the 23rd elimination.  What's next for Ziggler?

No. 10: Ryback

Previous Rank: unranked

Movement: outta nowhere!

Ryback just edged out Ziggler for No. 10 this week.  After being rehired, he faced Rusev on SmackDown in a Royal Rumble qualifying match.  He won via count-out over the then-No. 3 Superstar, giving him the edge based on quality of victory.

In the Royal Rumble match, though, he garnered zero eliminations.  He entered 23rd and was the 19th elimination.  Now that Cena and Rusev seem poised to feud, where does Rusev go from here?

No. 9: Daniel Bryan

Previous Rank: 10

Movement: up 1

Daniel Bryan had a mixed week.  On Raw, he faced Bray Wyatt and lost when Kane involved himself in the match, costing Bryan the win.  Then on SmackDown, he faced Kane in a No Disqualifications match.  He defeated Kane, despite interference from J&J Security.  In the aftermath of the match, a massive brawl ensued, but Bryan, Reigns, Ambrose, Ziggler and Ryback cleared the ring and stood tall.

At the Royal Rumble, Bryan entered the match at No. 10 and was the 11th elimination.  It was a surprisingly disappointing effort, as he lasted only 10 minutes.  He was eliminated by his archrival Bray Wyatt, which could set up a renewed rivalry between the two.

No. 8: Dean Ambrose

Previous Rank: 8

Movement: none

Ambrose got off to a good start this past week, defeating Intercontinental champion Bad News Barrett on Raw via pin.  He then helped clear out the ring on SmackDown when the massive brawl occurred after Bryan defeated Kane.  

At the Royal Rumble, Ambrose entered the match 25th and was the 25th elimination.  He picked up one elimination, Titus O'Neil, in which he and Reigns both flipped O'Neil over the ropes in just four seconds.  

He was one of the final four remaining Superstars in the match, though that's as much a product of his entry number (which he stole from Fandango on SmackDown, and, oddly, Fandango didn't even seem to notice or care) as it was his in-ring acumen.  Moving on from Rusev, what's next for The Lunatic Fringe?

No. 7: Seth Rollins

Previous Rank: 5

Movement: down 2

It was a rough week for Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins.  He faced Cena on Raw in a match that would either earn back the jobs of Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan or it would cost Cena his WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.  

The match was basically seven on one, with J&J Security, Kane, Big Show, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H ringside.  But thanks to The Vigilante Sting (aka "That Painted Up Goof"), Cena won.  Then on SmackDown, Rollins was on the losing end of the large, post-Bryan vs. Kane brawl.  

At the Royal Rumble, though, all could be forgotten.  And for a while, it looked like he might actually win the WWE World heavyweight Championship.  Cena and Rollins had left Lesnar in a heap, and the two battled for the win.  But despite J&J Security's interference, Rollins could not win.  Lesnar, thought down and out, came roaring back, destroying Cena and Rollins.  

Lesnar pinned Rollins to retain his title.  Afterward, there was no cash-in attempt.  So now, unless Rollins catches Lesnar at the right moment, Rollins will have to wait for another shot at gold.

No. 6: Bray Wyatt

Previous Rank: 7

Movement: up 1

Bray Wyatt quietly had a great week.  On Main Event (which, no matter where you live, you'll now have to watch on Hulu Plus or other platforms and NOT on the WWE Network due to a contractual dispute with Sky Sports in the UK), he defeated Jack Swagger.  

Then at the Royal Rumble, he turned in a great performance.  Entering sixth, he was one of three men to tie for the most eliminations with six.  In addition, he lasted 46 minutes and 58 seconds, making his performance the 19th-longest ever in Royal Rumble history.  He was finally eliminated 24th by Kane and Big Show.

Now that he's shown once again he can be a force in WWE, what's next for him?

No. 5: The Usos

Credit: WWE.com

Previous Rank: 4

Movement: down 1

The Usos had a good week and only moved down because they were passed up by Lesnar (they aren't the only ones).  On Raw, Jey Uso defeated The Miz.  That was a warm-up for the Royal Rumble, where they defended their titles against The Miz and Damien Mizdow.

They successfully retained their titles at the Royal Rumble.  Now, they might have to look forward to facing their closest competition Cesaro and Tyson Kidd, who tentatively have the nickname "The Masters of the WWE Universe," among other self-granted nicknames.  Or are The Ascension going to power its way into The Usos' sights?

No. 4: Rusev

Previous Rank: 3

Movement: Down 1

It was an up-and-down week for United States Champion Rusev.  On Raw, he made quick work of R-Truth. Then on SmackDown, he lost via count-out to Ryback, who qualified for the Royal Rumble with the win.

At the Royal Rumble, Rusev had a chance to make some waves. He entered the match 15th, right in the middle of the pack.  He lasted over 35 minutes and eliminated six Superstars, which tied him for most this year.  He was the final elimination, having hidden outside the ring for a few minutes, while Reigns thought he had won.  The surprise attack didn't work, and he was chucked out of the ring.

After the pay-per-view ended, he interrupted a backstage segment with Cena, and now the two have beef. Rusev has his sights set on one of the most decorated champions ever.  Can he defeat Cena and get the biggest win of his life?  When will they face off?

No. 3: John Cena

Credit: WWE.com

Previous Rank: 2

Movement: down 1

Cena's week began well, with him defeating Rollins (with an assist from Sting) to win back jobs for Rowan, Ziggler and Ryback.  His next appearance would be at the Royal Rumble.

Cena faced Rollins and Lesnar in a Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  He lost.  Lesnar came back from what appeared to be debilitating injuries and destroyed Cena and Rollins, pinning Rollins for the win.

With Reigns taking center stage, Cena appears to be heading toward a feud with Rusev, who looks ready to test his mettle against the best WWE has to offer.  Can Cena get back on track with a win over the dominant Rusev, or will he fall like all the rest have?

No. 2: Roman Reigns

Credit: Screencap of network.wwe.com via Alex Musso

Previous Rank: 1

Movement: down 1

It's not every day you drop a spot after winning the Royal Rumble.  But just like Lesnar has caused major problems for the WWE roster, so, too, does he wreak havoc on the rankings.  Reigns was just edged out of the No. 1 spot.

Reigns only had one match this week, while getting into fights on both Raw and SmackDown.  In the Royal Rumble match, he entered 19th.  He added six more eliminations to his career total, bringing him to 18.  At this rate, he'll shatter Kane's record of 43 eliminations in a few years.  

But most importantly, he won the Royal Rumble match.  Now, barring a successful cash-in by Rollins, he'll face Lesnar at WrestleMania XXXI in just a few months.  He was helped along by his relative, The Rock, who made sure Kane and Big Show, who had just been eliminated by Reigns, didn't take him out.

With The Rock's aide, Big Show and Kane were driven off, and Reigns eliminated Rusev to become the 23rd man to ever win the Rumble.  Of all the men declared Royal Rumble winners at the end of the match and rewarded with a world championship match, 13 out of 21 men (or 61.9 percent) have gone on to win their world-title match.  

That bodes well for Reigns statistically, but he'll be running into perhaps the toughest opponent he'll ever face in Lesnar.

Can Reigns keep the momentum going?  How does he plan on defeating The Beast Incarnate?  Will he add to the legacy of past Royal Rumble winners and win his first world championship?  Or will he fall to a stupendously tough opponent?

No. 1: Brock Lesnar

Credit: WWE.com

Previous Rank: 6

Movement: up 5

Lesnar reclaims the No. 1 spot after finally competing after more than four months without a match and more than five since winning a match at all.  He faced Cena and Rollins, who were ranked No. 2 and No. 5, respectively, last week.  

Lesnar took a ton of punishment.  He was AAed and Curb-Stomped numerous times, driven head-first into steel steps and crushed through a table.  He was told by EMTs he had a broken rib.  He appeared to be completely out of it.  And yet, he came back in the match and annihilated his competitors.  

His impressive win now almost guarantees that he'll carry the WWE World Heavyweight Championship into WrestleMania XXXI to face Reigns.  He need only be cautious of Rollins, who could still take the title at an opportune moment.  Otherwise, the man who beat The Streak last year will have his name in the bright lights on the marquee, headlining pro wrestling's biggest event.

Will we be seeing Lesnar on a more frequent basis now that WrestleMania is only two months away? Or will he again disappear for long stretches?