WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 10/26/2015: WWE Hell in a Cell 2015 Edition
WWE Hell in a Cell 2015 is now in the books, and the WWE Superstar Power Rankings have seen some major changes since the previous edition. This past week saw a lot of action, a surprise debut, and three surprise returns.
At Hell in a Cell, all five championships were defended, but that yielded only one new champion. John Cena issued an Open Challenge, and to the shock of everyone, Zeb Colter made his return to WWE to announce that Alberto Del Rio would be facing Cena for the U.S. title. Cena lost to Del Rio, meaning the only title to change hands at Hell in a Cell was the United States Championship.
Hell in a Cell also featured the ending of Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker's rivalry, concluding with a hard-fought win for Lesnar.
And for all the NXT fans out there, another NXT Superstar has found his way to the main roster. Tyler Breeze debuted on this past SmackDown's edition of MizTV, attacking Dolph Ziggler and aligning himself with Summer Rae.
Anyways, we'll get into this past week's events, including Hell in a Cell, more thoroughly 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 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
1 of 11
Randy Orton was absent this week. While it was rumored on WWE TV that perhaps the Wyatt Family had taken him out, no one's quite sure. His tag team match at Hell in a Cell was cancelled, and he hasn't appeared for over a week. Where is Orton?
Kane gave it all he had against WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell, but in the end, he was defeated. That means Corporate Kane lost his job. But what of Demon Kane? Will losing his day job free Kane to fully unleash his inner monster?
The Wyatt Family
The Wyatts have a hard time getting wins. Erick Rowan (another surprise return this week), Bray Wyatt, and Braun Strowman defeated a reunited (for one night only) Shield by disqualification. Rowan and Strowman destroyed the Prime Time Players on Main Event as well. But at Hell in a Cell, Bray Wyatt was defeated inside the Cell by Roman Reigns, dealing a tough loss to the leader of the Wyatts.
Buy the Wyatts weren't done. After Brock Lesnar defeated Undertaker, the Wyatts attacked and beat down the Deadman, then bizarrely carried him off as though he were a martyr or a fallen warrior. What is the motivation behind the Wyatts' actions?
No. 10: Charlotte
2 of 11
Previous Ranking: Watch List
Movement: Into Top 10
WWE Divas champion Charlotte worked her way back into the top 10 this week after picking up two good wins. On Raw, she forced Brie Bella to submit to the Figure 8 submission. It was a sign of things to come.
Nikki Bella finally got her title rematch against Charlotte at Hell in a Cell, and the two Divas beat each other up. Nikki tweaked her knee, and Charlotte was cut open on the bridge of her nose, as well as suffering serious back pain during the match because of Nikki's targeting of the area.
But like she did on Raw to Brie, she ultimately forced Nikki to submit to the Figure 8. In pain and bloody, Charlotte showed toughness and grit in retaining the title. But in WWE, there's no rest for the weary. Will Nikki Bella get another title opportunity? Or will Charlotte have a new challenger? And what's going on between Charlotte and Paige?
No. 9: Ryback
3 of 11Previous Ranking: 4
Movement: Down 5
Ryback's week wasn't as bad as a five-spot drop suggests, but it wasn't a good week, either. On Raw, he got a huge opportunity when he was placed in a non-title match against WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins. He lost fair and square.
In his only win of the week, he defeated Bo Dallas on SmackDown. It was a needed rebound win but a definite step down in competition. Then came Hell in a Cell.
At the PPV, he got his title rematch against WWE intercontinental champion Kevin Owens. Owens won the title from Ryback at Night of Champions, and Ryback finally got his chance to win it back. But it was not to be. Ryback lost to Owens and, with that loss, likely any further IC title opportunities in the near future. Can Ryback recover and find a way to get back into title contention?
No. 8: Sheamus
4 of 11
Previous Ranking: 6
Movement: Down 2
Mr. Money in the Bank Sheamus had a mixed week. On Raw, Sheamus teamed with Rusev and King Barrett against Dolph Ziggler, Neville, and Cesaro. His team won when Barrett pinned Ziggler for the win. A rematch was later made for the Hell in a Cell Kickoff show.
On SmackDown, Sheamus and Barrett teamed up against and defeated the Lucha Dragons. Rusev was at ringside for the match. So far, so good.
But at Hell in a Cell, Sheamus' team lost as Neville hit the Red Arrow on Barrett and pinned him. And at event, Sheamus did not attempt a Money in the Bank cash in.
Sheamus is holding steady, but can he separate from the pack, or will he continue to team with Barrett in the short term?
No. 7: The New Day
5 of 11
Previous Ranking: 8
Movement: Up 1
WWE tag team champions the New Day know how to get the job done. Whether you love their tactics or hate them, they have a knack for getting wins when they need to.
On Raw, the full complement of New Day Members, Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods, faced the Dudley Boyz and John Cena. They won the match when Woods pinned D-Von Dudley. But Woods paid for the win with a 3D that put him out of action.
SmackDown was not as kind to New Day as Raw. Big E and Kofi lost to Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in the main event. It was a non-title match, so in the eyes of the New Day, it was a loss they could swallow.
At Hell in a Cell, they faced off against the Dudley Boyz again, this time with the titles on the line. They didn't have Xavier Woods with them, but they brought his broken trombone (wrecked on Raw) to the ring. Kingston tried to pull an Eddie Guerrero-style fast one on the Dudleys by throwing the trombone into one of his opponent's hands and falling down while the referee's back was turned.
The ref wasn't having it, and the match continued. Eventually, they used the trombone to set up Kofi Kingston's Trouble in Paradise finisher and pin Bubba Ray. They retained their titles and escaped Hell in a Cell with their reign intact.
No. 6: Alberto Del Rio
6 of 11
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Movement: Into Top 10
In a shocking turn of events, Alberto Del Rio made a surprise return to WWE at Hell in a Cell. Even more surprising was his alliance with Zeb Colter, his one-time archrival. And in yet another surprise, he answered John Cena's Open Challenge and defeated Cena to become the new WWE United States champion.
The win inaugurated Del Rio's first reign with the United States title. He'll likely defend the title against Cena sooner rather than later, as Cena is a fighter and will surely want his rematch as soon as possible. But Del Rio is definitely no scrub. He's a four-time world champion, and that's just counting world titles from WWE. He's also a Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank winner.
Can Del Rio fend off Cena in a rematch? If so, can Del Rio hold the title for an extended period of time?
No. 5: Brock Lesnar
7 of 11
Previous Ranking: 10
Movement: Up 5
Brock Lesnar did what few men have dared to dream of doing at No Mercy in 2002: He faced and defeated the Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match. And then, at Hell in a Cell on Sunday, he did it again.
There have only been 32 Hell in a Cell matches in WWE history. Of those 32 matches, Undertaker has been in 13, more than any other WWE Superstar by a wide margin (Triple H is second with nine matches). Brock Lesnar has only been in two. Both of those matches were against the Undertaker, and both of them resulted in victories.
The first came at No Mercy, where Lesnar retained the WWE Championship against the Deadman. Fast-forward 13 years and five days to Sunday night, and Lesnar repeated his performance.
It was a brutal match, with both men fighting until they were bloody and battered. In the end, Lesnar emerged victorious. In his three matches with the Undertaker since WrestleMania 30, he has conquered the Streak, lost under dubious circumstances (it could be argued he won the match and the referee botched the call) and defeated Taker inside Hell in a Cell.
Lesnar is a force like no other. He has conquered the UFC and twice has conquered WWE. There is perhaps no greater athlete in the modern era of combat sports who is more versatile, dominant, and terrifying than Brock Lesnar. The question now is, what's next for the Beast?
No. 4: John Cena
8 of 11
Previous Ranking: 1
Movement: Down 3
It was a bad week for John Cena. On Raw, he teamed with the Dudley Boyz in a loss to the New Day. Not great, but in a large tag team match, these things happen. It's tough to lose, but if you're going to lose, that's perhaps the least harmful way to do it.
It wasn't clear as of last week's rankings whether he'd have a match at Hell in a Cell. By the time Raw ended, we knew Cena would issue an Open Challenge.
At Hell in a Cell, that challenge would be answered by Zeb Colter, who accepted the challenge on behalf of his new ally, Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio was in top shape and gave Cena a hard match. Cena didn't look right physically during the match.
Perhaps there's a nagging ailment that's catching up to Cena. Or perhaps he tweaked something early on. Whatever the case, it cost Cena. Del Rio took full advantage and scored a pinfall win to claim the WWE United States Championship.
Cena's loss may lead to an interesting situation later on, though. Cena will get his rematch, and because he's a fighter, that could come sooner rather than later. Whenever he get's that rematch, he has the chance to make history.
Everyone knows Cena sits one world championship reign behind Ric Flair's record of 16. But most don't know Flair also holds the record for most United States Championship reigns as well. Flair has six reigns, and Cena is tied with four other men on five.
Can Cena tie Ric Flair's record six reigns with the U.S. title? And when will his rematch take place?
No. 3: Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
9 of 11Previous Ranking: 5
Movement: Up 2
Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose had an interesting week. On Raw, the Shield reunited for one match only to face Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, and Erick Rowan. Rollins walked out on his former partners, and when Strowman was choking out Reigns, Ambrose hit him with a Kendo stick. That caused a disqualification and dealt Reigns and Ambrose a loss.
On SmackDown, they made up for the loss. They faced the New Day in a non-title match and defeated the reigning tag team champions.
Then came Hell in a Cell. Because of Randy Orton's absence—he was set to be Ambrose's partner—Dean Ambrose's scheduled match with the Wyatt family was cancelled. But Roman Reigns' match with Bray Wyatt was still on. Reigns and Wyatt battled inside Hell in a Cell, and even though Wyatt promised to "play God," Reigns took out Wyatt and pinned him for the win.
What's next on the docket for Reigns and Ambrose? Will they continue their close alliance, or will they go their separate ways as they chase different goals? And how will the Wyatts respond to their latest defeat?
No. 2: Kevin Owens
10 of 11
Previous Ranking: 2
Movement: None
WWE intercontinental champion Kevin Owens had a very good week and very nearly ended up in the No. 1 spot. On Raw, he defeated Mark Henry with an impressive display of strength. After the match, though, he caught a powerbomb from Ryback as his reward. He picked up another win the next night on Main Event against Neville.
At Hell in a Cell, Ryback got his rematch. Owens and Ryback battled back and forth, but in the end, Owens secured the victory. Owens retained his title and now seems to be finished with Ryback, as the loss likely means Ryback goes to the back of the line.
What's next for Owens? There are a number of Superstars who could find themselves in line for an IC title shot, but who will step up?
No. 1: Seth Rollins
11 of 11Previous Ranking: 3
Movement: Up 2
WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins knows the difference between crunch time and, well, every other time. Rollins isn't afraid to lose matches. On Raw, for example, he walked out on a match that cost his former Shield teammates a victory to the Wyatt Family.
But he's also able to flip a switch and tap into what has been called across sports the "clutch gene." He might lose matches left and right, but on SmackDown, he defeated Cesaro in his final match before Hell in a Cell. Cesaro is a tough opponent, and this was probably Rollins' tune-up match. It sent him into Hell in a Cell with the strong win he needed.
At Hell in a Cell, he faced Demon Kane in a title defense. Kane was not playing around. He's one of the most physically imposing Superstars of the last 20 years, and he put his size and strength to good use against Rollins. But as he so often does, Rollins adapted to the challenge at hand and met it head on.
He didn't escape with the title after a count-out loss. He didn't get himself disqualified. He pinned Kane to retain his title. Now, Corporate Kane is out of a job and Rollins is still WWE world heavyweight champion. What's next for Rollins? Did he just liberate Demon Kane from the distraction of his corporate responsibilities? Will Rollins regret his victory?
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