WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 2/23/2015: WWE Fastlane 2015 Edition
WWE Fastlane 2015 is in the books, and as we go full speed ahead toward WrestleMania XXXI, the WWE Superstar Power Rankings have a new No. 1—and they've seen quite a bit of movement this week. Speaking of WrestleMania XXXI, we now have two matches set for the biggest event in pro wrestling.
Triple H called out Sting, and the two came to blows. Triple H picked up his sledge hammer but was backed into a corner by Sting, who had his bat. Sting pointed at the WrestleMania sign, and Triple H appeared to accept before Sting put a beating on him. We found out later in the evening that the match was indeed made official.
We also know who will face Brock Lesnar for the WWE World heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania: Roman Reigns. More on this in later slides. We saw the Rhodes family implode, witnessed the return of Randy Orton and much, much more.
We'll get into all this past week's action, including Fastlane, in the following slides. But before we do, please read how these rankings work.
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 in-storyline power rankings.
These rankings consider all active WWE Superstars and Divas on the main roster and exclude talents who primarily or exclusively wrestle 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. 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
1 of 11
Ryback
Ryback had a mixed week. He was at ringside when Dolph Ziggler defeated Seth Rollins via disqualification on Raw when he was attacked by J&J Security. He, as well as Erick Rowan, helped drive Rollins and Co. away after the match, though.
On SmackDown, he defeated Kane but was beat down at the end of the show when he tried to help Dolph Ziggler. Then at Fastlane, his team lost to Rollins, Kane and Big Show. He was spared a Curb Stomp when Randy Orton came to clear out The Authority. What's next for Ryback?
Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler's week was about the same as Ryback's. He defeated Seth Rollins on Raw via DQ and lost to Rollins on SmackDown. He received a beatdown in the process, too. He teamed with Ryback and Rowan against Kane, Big Show and Rollins at Fast lane, and his team lost.
He took the pin as Big Show KO'd him and Kane pinned him for the win. He was Curb Stomped but was spared more punishment by a returning Randy Orton. Where does Ziggler go from here?
Nikki Bella w/ Brie
Nikki Bella had one match this week—her Divas title defense against Paige at Fastlane. She rolled up Paige for the win, using Paige's belt as leverage. She successfully defended her championship, but the way she won may guarantee another matchup with Paige in the future.
10. Seth Rollins
2 of 11
Previous Rank: Watch List
Movement: Into Top 10
Seth Rollins started his week off on the wrong foot but turned it around and picked up two much-needed wins. On Raw, he lost to Dolph Ziggler via DQ when their match broke down, and J&J Security, who had been barred from ringside, returned and attacked Ziggler.
On SmackDown, he defeated Ziggler and then he and his allies proceeded to beat down Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan. It was much the same at Fastlane, when he teamed with Kane and Big Show against Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan. His team won when Kane pinned Ziggler.
After the match, he and the rest of The Authority were beating down their opponents when Randy Orton made the save. It now appears Orton has his sights set on Rollins. Can Mr. Money in the Bank survive a returning Viper?
9. Dean Ambrose
3 of 11
Previous Rank: 7
Movement: Down 2
Dean Ambrose got the match he wanted against Bad News Barrett, but it didn't end the way he wanted. After defeating Luke Harper on Raw and forcing Barrett to sign a contract for a match at Fastlane on SmackDown, Ambrose had his shot.
He faced Barrett for the Intercontinental Championship at Fastlane and lost via disqualification. The referee called the match after Ambrose refused to obey his orders. Undeterred, Ambrose attacked Barrett and stole the IC title. How will Barrett respond?
8. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd (with Natalya)
4 of 11
Previous Rank: Watch List
Movement: Into Top 10
Cesaro and Tyson Kidd had emerged in recent weeks as the next challengers for The Usos' WWE Tag Team Championships. They had scored wins over The Usos in singles and tag matches. On Raw, the week started rough. Kidd and Natalya lost to Jimmy Uso and Naomi.
But on Main Event, Cesaro defeated Jack Swagger in a good match. On SmackDown, Kidd was set to face Jimmy Uso, but Rusev attacked both teams.
At Fastlane, Cesaro and Kidd overcame the up-and-down week and defeated The Usos to win the WWE Tag Team Championships. The Usos will get their rematch, but when? And what other teams are waiting in the wings?
7. Bad News Barrett
5 of 11
Previous Rank: 9
Movement: Up 2
Bad News Barrett started off his week with a win over Damien Mizdow on Raw, but things went south on SmackDown. He lost to R-Truth on a distraction by Dean Ambrose, who then bound Barrett's hands and forced him to sign an Intercontinental Championship match contract.
Barrett escaped Fastlane with a win when Ambrose was disqualified, but he was beaten down and had his title belt stolen. What will Barrett do to get back his title?
6. Daniel Bryan
6 of 11
Previous Rank: 4
Movement: Down 2
Daniel Bryan had the chance to main event WrestleMania for the second year in a row. It was not to be, though. He lost to Roman Reigns after a tough match at Fastlane, guaranteeing Reigns a spot in the main event, leaving Bryan searching for another opponent.
Bryan appeared to be closing in on a win in the match, but Reigns speared him out of nowhere to pick up the victory. What's next for Bryan? With no obvious feuds on the horizon, will he wander aimlessly, or will he choose a new opponent to face at WrestleMania?
Sheamus is returning, and the two do have a history...
5. John Cena
7 of 11
Previous Rank: 6
Movement: Up 1
John Cena moves up a spot based on Daniel Bryan's fall. Otherwise, Cena didn't have a good week. His only match came at Fastlane, where he had the chance to win the United States Championship against Rusev, who has still never been pinned or submitted.
Cena never gave up, but when Lana distracted the referee, Rusev kicked Cena low and locked in the Accolade. Cena, like many before him, passed out in the submission hold and lost. Will he get another shot at Rusev? Or will he have some soul searching to do after losing a big match?
4. Bray Wyatt
8 of 11
Previous Rank: 3
Movement: Down 1
Bray Wyatt had been calling someone out the last few weeks, but no one knew exactly who it was. It sounded like The Undertaker, but we couldn't be sure. But now we are.
At Fastlane, The Undertaker's music played, the Druids appeared and a casket was rolled to ringside. Bray Wyatt was inside, and he emerged, declaring his intention to take on The Deadman at WrestleMania XXXI.
Does Bray Wyatt stand a chance? Can he beat Undertaker at his own game? And when will we see a response from Undertaker?
3. Rusev (with Lana)
9 of 11
Previous Rank: 5
Movement: Up 2
Rusev has still yet to be pinned or submitted WWE. In his only match of the week, he faced John Cena at Fastlane, where he defended the United States Championship. Cena was going blow for blow with Rusev, and Lana was beginning to worry.
She jumped into the ring in order to cause a distraction. With the referee looking elsewhere, Rusev kicked Cena low. Rusev locked in the Accolade and made Cena pass out. Will Rusev face Cena again, based on the circumstances of the finish? Or is he done with Cena?
2. Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman)
10 of 11
Previous Rank: 1
Movement: Down 1
Paul Heyman made an appearance at Fastlane on behalf of WWE world heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, joining The Miz on MizTV to address Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. He expressed his respect for both Superstars but vowed Lesnar would defeat either one.
Now, Heyman and Lesnar know who will get a shot at the title: Roman Reigns. The former Shield member is a powerhouse and will probably be able to give Lesnar a tough challenge purely from a strength perspective. But at the same time, perhaps Lesnar is relieved that Reigns won. The Beast Incarnate likely matches up well with Reigns, who sports a similar, power-move-centric style.
Is Lesnar going to do to Reigns what he has to so many others? Or will the young lion overpower the former UFC fighter and claim the title?
1. Roman Reigns
11 of 11
Previous Rank: 2
Movement: Up 1
Roman Reigns had a good week, to say the least. He defeated Kane on Raw via count-out, in spite of Daniel Bryan's distractions, then defeated Luke Harper on SmackDown. But the important match came at Fastlane.
After foolishly agreeing to risk his guaranteed shot to compete for the WWE World heavyweight Championship against Daniel Bryan (who defeated Seth Rollins to earn his chance against Reigns), he redeemed himself by taking care of business at Fastlane against a battle-tested former world champion.
It was a tough match, but he speared Bryan at the end, picking up a pinfall win. Whether this silences his critics remains to be seen. But he earned that win, battling with Bryan for about 20 minutes. Now, he gets to focus solely on the task at hand: defeating WWE world heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXXI. Can he get that win?
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