WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 8/31/2015

In the aftermath of WWE SummerSlam 2015, there have been some big changes to the WWE Superstar Power Rankings. And WWE's next big event, WWE Night of Champions 2015, is already starting to take shape.

There's only one match scheduled so far, but it's a big one. In fact, it's likely to be the main event. The match, of course, is WWE world heavyweight champion and WWE United States champion Seth Rollins defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Sting. Yes, that Sting. If you missed Raw, Sting made his return and, long story short, inserted himself directly into the title picture. More on that later.

Night of Champions usually features a title defense for every championship, meaning John Cena, who is no longer WWE United States champion, could get his title rematch there. It's also almost certain the next installment of the Wyatt Family, who have a new member, and two-thirds of the team formerly known as the Shield.

And of course, who can forget the return of the Dudley Boyz to WWE this past Monday night? With their success during their return week, they could very well have the inside track to a WWE Tag Team Championships opportunity against the New Day.

We'll get into this past week's events and results in greater detail throughout 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 Superstars and Divas on the WWE roster are considered, excluding talents who primarily or exclusively perform in NXT. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, but any NXT Superstar deemed eligible for these rankings will remain on the Watch List until officially named a part of the WWE main roster.

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 weighed components.

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 the 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 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 them 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

Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman

Brock Lesnar wants a rematch with the Undertaker. Paul Heyman rightly pointed out that Undertaker submitted to Lesnar and should have won the match at SummerSlam. When he called out Taker, though, Bo Dallas responded and was promptly destroyed. Will Lesnar get another crack at Undertaker?

The Dudley Boyz

Talk about making an entrance. Well, re-entrance. After a decade competing in other promotions, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley returned to WWE and have their sights set on the New Day and the WWE Tag Team Championships. They took out New Day on Raw, and in their first match since returning, they defeated the Ascension. Will they jump to the front of the line and get a tag title opportunity?

Dolph Ziggler w/Lana

Dolph Ziggler has quietly put together a pretty good run lately. Despite the no-contest finish against Rusev at SummerSlam, he's managed to claw his way back to relevance. This week, he picked up tag team wins on both Raw and SmackDown, including on SmackDown when he pinned Rusev for the team win—though a big assist goes to Big Show there. Can he continue to build momentum?

Kevin Owens

It's been a rough few weeks for Kevin Owens, but he keeps shoring up his position with wins when he needs them. His team lost on Raw—an eight-man tag team match featuring Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro, Randy Orton and Ryback against Rusev, Kevin Owens, Sheamus and Big Show—but he picked up a singles win over Neville, a ranked opponent, on SmackDown. Can he avoid the losses and get on a hot streak?

Big Show

After a rough few weeks, Big Show finds himself in the Watch List. He picked up two losses in tag team matches this week, with his team disintegrating around him because of his inadvertent KO Punch to Sheamus on Raw. Big Show needs to get back in the win column and quickly if he wants to get back into the top 10.

No. 10: The Undertaker

Credit: WWE.com

Previous Rank: 10

Movement: None

The Undertaker did not appear this past week, but on Raw it was clear Brock Lesnar wants another shot at the Deadman after the way their match at SummerSlam went down. The question is, is Taker in any mood to face Lesnar again?

If so, it could be a while before the match takes place because Undertaker seems to operate on his own timetable. Or we could see that rematch soon, such as at Night of Champions. Will Undertaker answer Lesnar's challenges, or will he leave Lesnar stewing for the long haul?

No. 9: Sting

Previous Rank: Unranked

Movement: Into Top 10

After SummerSlam, if you were to try to guess who WWE World heavyweight champion and WWE United States champion Seth Rollins' next opponent would be, names such as John Cena or Randy Orton would probably have been the most logical choices. But this is the WWE, where, to paraphrase Jim Ross, anything can happen.

Instead of the usual suspects, Sting found a way to get himself a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Having only wrestled one match in WWE—a loss to Triple H at WrestleMania 31—Sting gets a title shot at Night of Champions. This match is already official, having been announced by Triple H after Raw went off the air.

The No. 1 contender status Sting now enjoys is why he's in the top 10. But we'll need to see Sting consistently if he hopes to stay in the rankings.

No. 8: Neville

Previous Rank: 8

Movement: None

Neville didn't have a great week, but he holds steady at No. 8 in the rankings. On Raw, he ran off Stardust, who had attacked King Barrett. And on SmackDown, he faced off against, and lost to, Kevin Owens.

It doesn't appear that Neville and Stardust are finished with each other. And with Night of Champions right around the corner, it may be safe to assume these two will square off there later in September.

No. 7: The New Day

Previous Rank: 9

Movement: Up 2

The New Day didn't have long to celebrate the inauguration of their second reign with the WWE tag team championships. Xavier Woods, Big E, and Kofi Kingston defeated the Lucha Dragons on Raw but afterward were shocked to see the Dudley Boyz return to WWE.  

That return ended in New Day getting taken out, with Xavier Woods even going through a table via the 3D. With the Dudleys returning and New Day having defeated every team in front of them over the last week, who will step up as the No. 1 contenders?

No. 6: Roman Reigns

Previous Rank: 6

Movement: None

Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose have been going at it with the Wyatt Family lately, and on Raw they faced Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper in a SummerSlam rematch. They technically won the match by disqualification when Bray Wyatt unveiled the newest member of his clan, Braun Strowman. Strowman dismantled Reigns and Ambrose, causing the DQ.  

On SmackDown, the Wyatts verbally sparred with Reigns and Ambrose to open the show. Later, when Ambrose was competing against Sheamus, the Wyatts appeared and cost Ambrose the victory. Then, as they did on Raw, they beat down Reigns and Ambrose.  

Can Roman Reigns, who is himself a powerhouse, stop Braun Strowman and the rest of the Wyatts? If Reigns can't hold off Strowman, does he even have a chance?

No. 5: John Cena

Previous Rank: 4

Movement: Down 1

John Cena got a measure of revenge following his SummerSlam loss to WWE world heavyweight champion and WWE United States champion Seth Rollins. It was Jon Stewart who cost Cena the match, and on Raw, he explained himself.  

Stewart did not want to see Ric Flair's record 16-time world champion mark to be tied by Cena, who is on 15 title reigns. Cena was not buying that explanation. Or if he bought it, he didn't care. He AA'd Jon Stewart, who was also explaining his actions to Flair, who was in ring.  

Cena will almost certainly get a rematch for the United States title. Will that come at Night of Champions?

No. 4: Randy Orton

Previous Rank: 5

Movement: Up 1

Randy Orton had one match this past week. In an eight-man tag team match on Raw, Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro, Randy Orton and Ryback faced Rusev, Kevin Owens, Sheamus and Big Show. Orton's team won because his opponent's team disintegrated following an accidental KO Punch from Big Show on Sheamus.  

Orton was able to capitalize, and he RKO'd Sheamus and pinned him for the team win. Will Orton and Sheamus continue their rivalry? If not, what's next for the Viper?

No. 3: Sheamus

Credit: WWE.com

Previous Rank: 2

Movement: Down 1

Mr. Money in the Bank Sheamus turned in a mixed week. On Raw, he teamed with Rusev, Kevin Owens, and Big Show against Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro, Randy Orton and Ryback. His team lost. He got nailed with a KO Punch from Big Show on accident, allowing him to be RKO'd by Orton and pinned.

But on SmackDown, he got back in the win column. He faced Dean Ambrose and, with an assist from the Wyatt Family, picked up the win. Sheamus is focused on becoming the next WWE world heavyweight champion. It sure sounds like he may be cashing in sooner rather than later.

No. 2: Ryback

Credit: WWE.com

Previous Rank: 3

Movement: Up 1

WWE intercontinental champion Ryback had a good week. On Raw, he teamed with Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Randy Orton against Rusev, Owens, Sheamus and Big Show. His team won.  

On SmackDown, he teamed with Dolph Ziggler against Rusev and Big Show. After Rusev and Big Show could not get along, he KO'd Rusev, allowing Ziggler to pin him for the team win.

Ryback looks to be finished with the Miz, but he may have to face Big Show again in the near future. If not, who will Ryback face at Night of Champions?

No. 1: Seth Rollins

Previous Rank: 1

Movement: None

WWE world heavyweight champion and WWE United States champion Seth Rollins did not have any matches this week. He was too busy touring WWE Headquarters and preparing for the unveiling of the statue the Authority commissioned in his honor. After all, no man has ever held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and WWE United States Championship at the same time.

Unfortunately for Rollins, when the statue was being unveiled and the curtain dropped in the ring, there was no statue. There was only Sting. Sting ran off Rollins and posed with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt.

After Raw went on the air, Triple H announced that Rollins will defend that title against Sting at Night of Champions. There has been no word yet on when John Cena will get his rematch for the United States Championship. Will that match also come at Night of Champions?