Ranking WWE Top 10 Men's and Women's Stars Heading into Fall
The fall months in WWE serve as the first indicators of who is being positioned to play a big role in the upcoming WrestleMania season and which names may fade along the way.
The top 10 competitors from the men's and women's divisions here are those who will continue to see their stature on Raw and SmackDown grow as WWE Creative begins to formulate plans and stories for the rest of 2025.
Who are they and why did they make the cut when others did not?
Find out with these rankings.
Women's Nos. 10-6
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10. Roxanne Perez
The reigning women's tag team champion will likely finish much higher than this spot by the time the fall months are over. The Prodigy is one of the most talented in-ring competitors on the women's roster and is rapidly developing into a "sure thing" when it comes to match quality. If that is not enough to earn her opportunities, the impending rivalry with a returning Liv Morgan will.
9. Giulia
It's ridiculous that WWE officials have not figured out how to utilize Giulia yet.
One of the world's most talented wrestlers, she should be competing at the top of the SmackDown division. Instead, has been miscast as the United States champion and paired with Kiana James.
She still gets television time, though, and has built a winning streak in title defenses, enough to earn her a spot on this list, no matter how underwhelming her creative is.
8. Tiffany Stratton
It's wrong that the WWE women's champion is this far down the list, but despite her collection of high-profile victories this year, it feels as though Tiffy Time has stalled. She is a champion without much of a storyline, and her title reign feels like it's on borrowed time.
7. Jade Cagill
Cargill ranks one spot higher than Stratton, because she has the upward momentum the titleholder does not. The Storm appears to be en route to relieving her rival of the WWE Women's Championship and embarking on a run that should enhance her presence on TV and perhaps set up a program with Bianca Belair.
6. Bayley
Expect The Role Model to rank much higher entering the winter, especially with the new character she is currently developing on Monday nights. Teetering on the edge of a breakdown, the former women's champion has been one of the most interesting characters on the main roster, despite only appearing in pre-taped vignettes.
Men's Nos. 10-6
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10. AJ Styles
Time is ticking on the career of The Phenomenal One. While his recent rivalry with Dominik Mysterio has been somewhat repetitive lately, there is hope WWE ramps up Styles' usage in the coming months, giving the all-time great one last eaningful run with or without the Intercontinental Championship.
9. Dominik Mysterio
Dirty Dom has developed into a genuine star for Raw and as the reigning intercontinental champion. While his in-ring work continues to develop, he is already one of the better characters in WWE. Entering the fall, expect Mysterio to continue his feud with Styles and begin planting the seeds for Liv Morgan's return.
8. Bron Breakker
The Badass continues to obliterate anyone in his path, most notably Roman Reigns at the recent Clash in Paris premium live event. His Spears left The OTC incapacitated while Bronson Reed's Tsunami splashes put him out of action. Breakker is set up to be the first monster Reigns encounters on his way back to the top and an inevitable showdown with Seth Rollins, making the second-generation star one of the 10 stars to watch this autumn.
7. Sami Zayn
The United States champion is the best pure babyface in the business. Fans genuinely love him. His prospects are somewhat limited on SmackDown with Cody Rhodes as the top good guy on the brand, but expect continued excellence between the ropes and on the mic before the year is done.
6. Drew McIntyre
The Scot will challenge Rhodes for the top prize at Wrestlepalooza on September 20, but his role could be even more expansive than that. Recently, he was the devil on Randy Orton's shoulder, warning him about The American Nightmare and his self-centered ways. Expect that to continue as he drives a wedge between friends and remains a central cog at the top of the card.
Women's No. 5: Stephanie Vaquer
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La Primera will compete for the vacant Women's World Championship against Iyo Sky at Wrestlepalooza on September 20. Even if she wins, though, it's hard to imagine her ranking much higher than No. 5.
Much of that can be attributed to WWE Creative's baffling use of Vaquer, which has seen the hottest NXT export in years relegated to backstage segments and vignettes, rather than competing in the ring against top talent.
The title will further legitimize her, but unless there is a concentrated effort to give her something more to do, expect more head-scratching usage of the immensely talented Chilean competitor.
Men's No. 5: Randy Orton
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The Viper is about to become the most intriguing character on the blue brand.
Since returning from injury, Orton has made it clear he wants to be world champion. He was screwed over in his match with John Cena earlier this year, and the title is now around the waist of his friend, Cody Rhodes.
To make matters more interesting, Drew McIntyre has already planted the seed that Rhodes only cares about himself and how he can use the people around him to his benefit.
Orton is going to turn heel and compete against Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Whether he wins it or not is subject to Triple H's creative plans, but The Viper's return to a heel role is always welcome.
Women's No. 4: Iyo Sky
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The Genius of the Sky does not need a championship to remain prominent or over with audiences, and this fall will prove that.
Sky will battle Stephanie Vaquer at Wrestlepalooza for the vacant Women's World Championship but what will really keep her busy entering the final third of 2025 is an impending rivalry with former Damage CTRL teammate Asuka.
Tensions have been mounting in recent weeks, with The Empress of Tomorrow taking exception to her former partner's respect for, and occasional partnering with, Rhea Ripley.
That will turn Asuka and create a new opponent for Sky to stay busy with outside of the championship picture.
Men's No. 4: Cody Rhodes
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A vengeful American Nightmare will return in short order and immediately target the man who put him out of action, Drew McIntyre.
Although not officially announced, their match will be one of the marquee bouts at Wrestlepalooza. For Rhodes, though, a date with Randy Orton looms.
The champion around whom the top of the card revolves, The American Nightmare will remain a focal point of WWE Creative and the face of the product in 2025.
Despite all of that, he ranks at No. 4 for no other reason than those above him are either more prominently featured entering the new season or are simply involved in a more interesting story at this time.
Regardless, expect Rhodes to be at or near the top of these rankings by the time winter rolls around and the march to WrestleMania 42 is in full effect.
Women's No. 3: Rhea Ripley
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The Eradicator is in an unfamiliar position in that she does not have an apparent direction at the moment.
Sure, she is a key figure in the developing rivalry between Iyo Sky and Asuka, but she is not the centerpiece and isn't factored into the women's world title picture at this point.
Despite her lack of creative focus entering the fall, Ripley is still one of the top-five stars in WWE, a performer who is recognizable across the globe thanks to a strong social media presence and undeniable popularity.
Expect her to remain featured on TV, to win matches, remain in the title hunt and heat up in the coming months...just in time for a high-stakes WrestleMania program.
Men's No. 3: CM Punk
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It's ironic that the antihero of WWE in the first half of the 2010s is now the closest thing to an old-school babyface the company has.
Fighting for what is right, against the tyrannical rule of world champion Seth Rollins and The Vision, he is driven by his own hatred for the world heavyweight champion, his desire to regain the title that has eluded him and a need to ensure WWE is a better place than he found it.
With the reintroduction of wife AJ Lee to the picture, expect Punk's rivalry with Rollins to continue escalating. The Best in the World does not need the title to remain one of the most popular stars in WWE and finally get that sustained run atop the company.
Women's No. 2: Becky Lynch
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The Man is a defining talent and a legitimate main eventer. She revolutionized the industry, broke free of the creative shackles that doomed her early on, and even found some mainstream recognition.
While Lynch is amid another reign as champion and as the newest member of The Vision alongside husband Seth Rollins, she has also ensured there is a star of the future ready to go in Lyra Valkyria and was the catalyst for AJ Lee's return after a decade away.
Lynch is someone around whom WWE knows it can build stories and trust that she will get them to where they need to be.
Her runner-up spot here is only due to the presence of someone she will be working with plenty in the coming months.
Men's No. 2: John Cena
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The John Cena Retirement Tour has been up and down, a reminder that booking decisions designed to create moments with little follow-up are not in the best interest of the show or the performer.
It is no surprise, however, that Cena has rebounded from his ill-fated heel turn earlier this year to resume his role as the hero to millions ahead of his final handful of appearances.
The GOAT will headline Wrestlepalooza against Brock Lesnar, but it is unknown what shape the final six dates on this tour will look like from there. We know one stop is in his hometown of Boston, where he should win, but who will he face. And who will he will he wrap up his legendary career against in December?
There are more questions than answers, but it would be unwise not to expect the end of Cena's legendary WWE run to dominate the headlines.
Women's No. 1: AJ Lee
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The return of AJ Lee Friday night has dominated headlines and had many shedding tears of joy over the return of a woman who was so instrumental in shaping them as fans and performers.
Lee's return to the industry after 10 years away means so much to many, and the pop that greeted her as she stepped through the curtain in Chicago on Friday night reflected that.
She is bound to be one of the most popular stars in any arena she steps into, and her rivalry with Becky Lynch is about to be one of the hottest on WWE TV.
Those in power recognize the red-hot star they have on their hands and are not about to waste an opportunity to get the most out of her that they can.
Lee will have a big remainder of 2025 and set herself up for an even more eventful run entering WrestleMania season.
Men's No. 1: Seth Rollins
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Perhaps it is because he was a heel champion at the height of his career himself, but Triple H loves a bad guy as the central focus of his creative efforts.
Seth Rollins is that bad guy, a villain who has been set up as the centerpiece of Raw and around whom every top feud revolves.
Whether it is his group's takeover of the red brand, his rivalry with Roman Reigns that will inevitably come back into play soon enough, or his ongoing program with CM Punk, Rollins is at the center of every high-profile storyline on the flagship show.
The introduction of his wife, Becky Lynch, and Punk's real-life partner, AJ Lee, only freshens things up and gives the feud new life as its latest chapter prepares to dominate Raw.
There will be other challengers to his world heavyweight title, but Rollins should remain the top dog on Monday nights for the foreseeable future, especially as Triple H continues to shape the program.
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