WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 6/1/2015: WWE Elimination Chamber 2015 Edition
What a night it was at WWE Elimination Chamber 2015. This week's WWE Superstar Power Rankings have seen a few changes, while others retain their spots.
One of the biggest surprises of the night, if not the biggest, was NXT Champion Kevin Owens defeating United States champion John Cena. Not only did Owens win, he won without cheating, without any nonsense and without any interference. He simply beat John Cena. Unfortunately for Owens, he is not officially listed on the main WWE roster and is therefore ineligible for these rankings.
However, he has a rematch with John Cena slated for Money in the Bank, which may well mean he's going to officially make the move soon.
Other surprises included Ryback becoming the Intercontinental champion, as well as the events surrounding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match, among others. More on all that in a bit.
This past week's action, including WWE Elimination Chamber 2015, will be discussed in greater detail across the following slides. But beforehand, please read how these rankings are determined.
These rankings are not a popularity contest and are not designed to determine who has the best matches or the most ability. These rankings are strictly in-storyline power rankings.
All active WWE Superstars and Divas on the main roster are considered, excluding talents who primarily or exclusively wrestle in 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 with another, 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 components of the rankings. The quality and rank of a wrestler's opponents are considered in the week-to-week movement.
Getting the better of someone—such as beating someone down—also counts, though not nearly as much as wins and losses. Being over with the fans (i.e., getting a strong reaction) is not heavily weighted in the ranking decisions; it is effectively the last tiebreaker. Pay-per-view wins and losses 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 and "sabbaticals,"—may be taken into consideration, but generally, it's only if WWE confirms or addresses it publicly.
WWE's non-televised domestic and international live events are not included in these rankings unless WWE incorporates them into television storylines or acknowledges the event on WWE television. Also, nothing that could be explicitly considered a spoiler is included unless WWE acknowledges it as well.
In short, all WWE main-roster 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.
These may include but are 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 11King Barrett
It was a rough week for WWE's reigning King of the Ring. On Raw, he lost to Ryback. Then, on SmackDown, he lost to R-Truth. And to cap his bad week, he was the first man eliminated in the Elimination Chamber match for the Intercontinental Championship. Can King Barrett bounce back?
Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt drops out of the top 10 this week after disappearing from view. He made no appearances, no promos and had no matches. But having defeated Ryback recently, can he interject himself into the IC title picture?
Where is Randy Orton? After losing in the Fatal 4-Way title match at Payback in May, he has simply vanished. Perhaps he'll return soon to try to earn another shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Or perhaps he comes back to feud with his archrival, United States champion John Cena.
No. 10: Nikki Bella w/Brie
2 of 11
Previous Rank: Unranked
Movement: Outta Nowhere!
Say what you will about WWE Divas champion Nikki Bella in the ring, but she just defeated the two best Divas in the division at Elimination Chamber—she didn't even need help from sister Brie, either.
This is Nikki Bella's second Divas title reign, and at 190 days and counting, it places her at fourth all time for longest reign. If she hopes to break AJ Lee's record of 295 days, she'll have to hold the title until just before Night of Champions in September. In the immediate future, she's on course to surpass Beth Phoenix's 204-day mark and move into third place.
Can Nikki Bella keep her title reign going? Will she be able to become the longest-reigning Divas champion in history?
No. 9: Dolph Ziggler w/Lana
3 of 11Previous Rank: Watch List
Movement: Into Top 10
It was an OK week for Dolph Ziggler, who lost to Sheamus when Rusev attacked him on Raw. At Elimination Chamber, he was eliminated by Sheamus as the fourth elimination.
He also has a fling developing with Lana. The Ravishing Russian recently dumped Rusev, who was injured and unable to compete at Elimination Chamber. What's brewing between the Showoff and Lana?
No. 8: Sheamus
4 of 11
Previous Rank: Watch List
Movement: Into Top 10
Sheamus is an interesting case. He beat Dolph Ziggler on Raw—though he had a lot of help from Rusev—and lost in the Elimination Chamber Intercontinental Championship bout.
However, he looked dominant in his match at Elimination Chamber. He eliminated two of his five opponents before Ryback pinned him for the win. After that showing, he may be the best candidate for the No. 1 Contender's spot for the IC title. But with Money in the Bank on the horizon, will he be able to get a one-on-one shot, or will the title be on the line in a Ladder Match?
No. 7: Neville
5 of 11
Previous Rank: 10
Movement: Up 3
Neville had a good week. He defeated Stardust on Raw and Adam Rose on Main Event. Bo Dallas put a beating on him after his Raw match, but Neville was ready for Bo Dallas' attack on Main Event, driving him off.
At Elimination Chamber, Neville finally faced off against Bo Dallas in a battle of former NXT champions. Neville won, and he may now be moving on to bigger and better things. He faced off against top-tier talent early in his WWE career and held his own. Can he get back to that level of competition and compete with the best?
No. 6: Ryback
6 of 11
Previous Rank: Unranked
Movement: Outta Nowhere!
Ryback had arguably the best week of his WWE career. On Raw, he faced and defeated King Barrett in a singles match. He was idle until Elimination Chamber, when he achieved something he never has: a championship.
Never before has Ryback been a champion in WWE, but that all changed on Sunday. He defeated R-Truth, King Barrett, Mark Henry, Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler to win the vacant WWE Intercontinental Championship.
He eliminated R-Truth and Sheamus on the way to claiming his first title. After the match, he was presented with the title by Daniel Bryan, who praised Ryback. But now Ryback has to defend a title, something he's never done at this level. Can he be a dominant champion, or will he crumble under the pressure?
No. 5: John Cena
7 of 11
Previous Rank: 2
Movement: Down 3
What a week for John Cena. After defeating Zack Ryder in his United States Championship Open Challenge, he was attacked and laid out by NXT champion Kevin Owens, who on SmackDown said he'd finish the fight he started with Cena.
Cena challenged Owens to prove himself, and Owens did just that. At Elimination Chamber, it didn't look like Cena took Owens lightly—it just looked like he was matched blow for blow by a veteran competitor who is experienced against top competition.
Kevin Owens defeated John Cena, handing Cena a tough loss. To be fair, Cena has been running in high gear since winning the United States Championship. He's defended the title almost every week, and he could excuse his loss by blaming fatigue. But that's not who Cena is.
He'll get a rematch at Money in the Bank. That match, like the one at Elimination Chamber, will not be for the U.S. title. At least, it's not as of yet. Cena fights for Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. But it's hard to bet against Owens, who fights for family. Can Cena get revenge against Owens, or will he fall to the NXT champ again?
No. 4: The New Day
8 of 11
Previous Rank: 5
Movement: Up 1
The New Day are on a roll and recently made valuable allies. On Raw, they were placed in a 10-on-3 Handicap match by Kane against, well, pretty much every other tag team available beside Rowan and Harper. They won via DQ. On SmackDown, they cost Cesaro and Tyson Kidd a match against the Lucha Dragons, when Xavier Woods tripped up Tyson Kidd, allowing the Lucha Dragons to get the win.
Later on SmackDown, they helped the Authority beat down Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. That assist paid dividends at Elimination Chamber, when Kane allowed all three members of the New Day to compete in the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Tag Team Championships. Xavier Woods almost blew it by complaining about the size of the pod, but Big E and Kofi Kingston shut him up.
In the end, the numbers game worked to their advantage. The entire team pinned Titus O'Neil as the final elimination to retain their titles. They basically outlasted the entire division, save Rowan and Harper. Speaking of the former Wyatt Family members, could they be the next challengers for the Tag Team Championships, or will The New Day again have to defend against multiple teams at Money in the Bank?
No. 3: Roman Reigns
9 of 11Previous Rank: 4
Movement: Up 1
Roman Reigns is just outside the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture right now, and after the events at Elimination Chamber, he may have to wait a while longer to get his next title opportunity. He had a good week, though, teaming with Dean Ambrose twice against Seth Rollins and Kane and winning both matches. His win on Raw was by pinfall, when Ambrose pinned Rollins. On SmackDown, they won via DQ as the Authority beat them down.
At Elimination Chamber, he was banned from ringside, but after the match ended, he came to the aid of Ambrose who was likely going to take another beating from the Authority. He saved Ambrose, taking out the Authority in the process.
But how long will he remain friendly with Ambrose if Ambrose continues to be in the spot in which he wants to be?
No. 2: Dean Ambrose
10 of 11
Previous Rank: 3
Movement: Up 1
Dean Ambrose almost had as good a week as possible. Almost. On Raw, he teamed with Roman Reigns in a win over Kane and WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins, which saw Ambrose pin Rollins for the win. Later, he was accused of assaulting a cameraman and was arrested. The Authority gave Ambrose until the end of Raw to sign his contract, thinking that, since he was in jail, he'd fail to sign and lose his title opportunity.
But video emerged showing Rollins shoving the cameraman into Ambrose, and Ambrose thought he was another attacker. The charges were dropped, and after making friends with NYPD officers, Ambrose was escorted back to the arena, where he signed the contract, guaranteeing his match.
At least, that's how Ambrose described the events on SmackDown. Also on SmackDown, he again teamed with Reigns, picking up yet another win over Kane and Rollins, though he got this win the hard way. He and Reigns won via DQ, as the Authority beat them down not caring about the match at all.
Then came Elimination Chamber. Despite distractions and disruptions from J&J Security, Ambrose held his own against Rollins. But late in the match, Rollins pulled the referee between himself and Ambrose, knocking the referee out. Shortly after, Ambrose hit Dirty Deeds and another referee came sprinting from backstage and made the three count for the win. Dean Ambrose had defeated Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Almost.
As the original referee came to, he informed the second ref that he was disqualifying Rollins, meaning Ambrose still won the match but Rollins kept the title. The Authority then closed in around Ambrose, who was saved by Roman Reigns, who had been barred from ringside. Ambrose stole the title belt and left through the crowd to celebrate.
Ambrose's title win almost counted—and he still has the title in his possession. The question now is, will he get the chance to truly win the title, or will this be the closest he gets?
No. 1: Seth Rollins
11 of 11
Previous Rank: 1
Movement: None
If John Cena hadn't lost to Kevin Owens, WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins would have lost his No. 1 ranking. But just like he was before Elimination Chamber, Rollins is still atop the B/R WWE Superstar Power Rankings.
He teamed with Kane on both Raw and SmackDown against Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. He lost both matches, getting pinned by Ambrose on Raw and getting disqualified on SmackDown as he and the Authority beat down Ambrose and Reigns.
At Elimination Chamber, he faced Ambrose in a singles match for the title. And if it weren't for his pulling of a referee between himself and Ambrose, he'd be a former champion. Dean Ambrose pinned Rollins in the middle of the ring, and the crowd went crazy thinking that the reign of Seth Rollins, the so-called Future of WWE, was finally in the past.
But Rollins is a survivor. And he's also lucky. The original referee told the replacement referee that he was disqualifying Seth Rollins rather than awarding the pinfall victory to Dean Ambrose.
Though fans will not like it, the final decision is with the referee and was technically the correct call. Seth Rollins held onto his title by the skin of his teeth. But in the end, he still walked out of Elimination Chamber as champion, even though Ambrose had his belt. How will he respond to this bad week? Will he rebound with wins, or will Ambrose keep him on the ropes?
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