WWE Superstar Power Rankings for Dec. 21
In the aftermath of WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2015 on December 13, the WWE Superstar Power Rankings have seen some big changes after an eventful week.
Following TLC, Roman Reigns got one last chance to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and he capitalized. He consequently claims the No. 1 spot. In addition, Alberto Del Rio moves up to No. 2 and Dean Ambrose comes in an No. 3. Sheamus, the former No. 1, dropped to No. 4 following his loss to Reigns on Raw.
This week is another big week. SmackDown will air live on Tuesday on the USA Network (its new home in 2016). Monday's Raw will feature the 2015 Slammy Awards. Voting is open, so make sure to cast your ballot.
It also should be mentioned that WWE Royal Rumble 2016 is January 24. While no matches have been scheduled (apart from the actual Royal Rumble match), it's not too soon to start looking ahead. The next few weeks will likely have a big impact on the Rumble, where the Road to WrestleMania begins.
There's plenty more to go over and recap, and this past week's events and results will be discussed more thoroughly throughout the following slides. But beforehand, please read the "How These Rankings Work" slide for more information on how the rankings are determined.
How These Rankings Work
1 of 12
The WWE Superstar Power 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 main 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 as part of the 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 weighted components.
If a Superstar 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 weighed 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 injuries, 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 TV or in some other official storyline capacity. Also, nothing that could be explicitly considered a spoiler is included unless WWE acknowledges it as well.
In short, all main-roster shows—televised or digitally distributed—as well as anything from WWE.com, the WWE mobile app, the WWE Network and any WWE-affiliated or Superstar accounts on social media that don't break kayfabe may be taken into consideration. These may include but are not limited to Raw, SmackDown, Main Event, Superstars, NXT, pay-per-views, WWE Network specials and any other storyline-driven content from the WWE Network.
Watch List
2 of 12Rusev
League of Nations member Rusev had a solid week. He teamed with Alberto Del Rio in a win over Jack Swagger and Ryback on Raw and defeated Neville on Main Event. The question now is, can he build on these wins and re-establish himself as a dominant force?
Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler might be in line for a shot at the WWE Intercontinental Championship following last week's events. He battled Dean Ambrose on Raw in a match that was waved off because of Kevin Owens' interference.
After the match, he was attacked by Owens and kicked Ambrose. On SmackDown, he defeated Owens by disqualification, and then Owens, Ambrose and Ziggler all attacked each other afterward. Is Ziggler closing in on another title opportunity?
Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch has been winning her matches lately, but she's not happy about how that's been happening. Charlotte and Ric Flair have been, well, cheating to help her get victories. Charlotte feels she's doing Lynch a favor, but Lynch doesn't want that kind of help. There's clearly something brewing between the two friends, and a split could be coming.
No. 10: The Usos
3 of 12Previous Rank: 10
Movement: None
The Usos cling to a top-10 spot this week after competing in just one match. On Main Event, they faced The Ascension, who can't seem to break out in the tag division, and defeated them. It was a solid win—but an expected one. The Usos also got to celebrate with cousin Roman Reigns following his huge world title victory on Raw, and they helped The Lucha Dragons beat down The New Day as well.
The big question for The Usos now is whether they can earn another shot at the WWE Tag Team Championships. The Lucha Dragons are red-hot and will get a shot on Tuesday. Can The Usos follow suit?
No. 9: Charlotte
4 of 12Previous Rank: 9
Movement: None
WWE Divas champion Charlotte is on a bit of a roll lately thanks in large part to "help" from her father, Ric Flair. On Raw, Charlotte and Becky Lynch defeated Brie Bella and Alicia Fox, but the win came with Ric Flair interfering, allowing Lynch to submit Fox. When Lynch found out about the interference, she wasn't happy.
On SmackDown, Charlotte again "helped" Lynch get a win, but that seemed to only further anger Lynch. Charlotte sees her actions as helping a friend win, but Lynch doesn't agree. Charlotte could alienate her last remaining ally in the WWE Divas division if she's not careful.
No. 8: Kevin Owens
5 of 12Previous Rank: 7
Movement: Down 1
Kevin Owens continued his descent in the rankings this week. On Raw, he interrupted a match between Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose. And then on SmackDown, he lost by DQ to Ziggler after tossing him over an announce table.
That said, he's still owed a rematch against Ambrose for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. But his actions could lead to having to share that opportunity with Ziggler, who has been emboldened by recent events.
No. 7: The Lucha Dragons
6 of 12Previous Rank: 8
Movement: Up 1
The Lucha Dragons continue to be a major pain for The New Day. On Raw, New Day originally said they respected The Lucha Dragons and The Usos but then proceeded to celebrate their controversial win at TLC. In response, The Usos and The Lucha Dragons beat down New Day.
On SmackDown, they faced New Day in a match. And as they have done several times recently, they got the victory. Sin Cara and Kalisto appear to have New Day's number. That win earned them a title shot for Tuesday's live edition of SmackDown. Can The Lucha Dragons capitalize?
No. 6: The New Day
7 of 12Previous Rank: 4
Movement: Down 2
WWE tag team champions The New Day had a bad week. Following their controversial win at TLC, which saw them retain their titles, they tried making peace with The Usos and The Lucha Dragons. But they danced and celebrated right in front of them, earning Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods a beating.
They faced The Lucha Dragons in a tag match on SmackDown. They lost to them again—and just can't seem to get past Sin Cara and Kalisto. They'll put their titles on the line on Tuesday. Can they hang on and preserve their reign as champions, or will The Lucha Dragons once again defeat them?
No. 5: The Wyatt Family
8 of 12Previous Rank: 6
Movement: Up 1
The Wyatt Family may have finally and definitively finished off The ECW Originals. Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman battled The Dudley Boyz, Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno in an Extreme Rules match on Raw. They won when Rowan pinned Rhyno for the team win.
It's unclear now whether The ECW Originals will come back for more. But The Wyatts have dominated this rivalry. Are The Wyatts done with them for good? Have The ECW Originals had enough?
No. 4: Sheamus
9 of 12Previous Rank: 1
Movement: Down 3
What a difference a day makes. Sheamus emerged victorious from TLC with his title reign intact and perhaps having sent Roman Reigns to the back of the line. But the next night on Raw, he offered to face Reigns again and was even willing to put his title on the line.
After some deliberation, WWE CEO Vince McMahon agreed. Sheamus would defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and all he'd have to do is prevent Reigns from winning the title in order to get Reigns fired.
Sheamus pulled out all the stops. Mr. McMahon interfered in the match, as did Rusev and Alberto Del Rio. But it wasn't enough. Reigns cleared Sheamus' League of Nations allies and punched Mr. McMahon before spearing Sheamus and pinning him.
Sheamus' title reign is over, but he is due a rematch. And he likely gained a powerful new ally in Mr. McMahon in his efforts to retain the title. Will that rematch come at Royal Rumble?
No. 3: Dean Ambrose
10 of 12Previous Rank: 2
Movement: Down 1
WWE Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose had an interesting week. In his only match, he faced Dolph Ziggler. Kevin Owens interrupted and attacked both competitors, and the referee called the match off. After a brawl, he was kicked by Ziggler. On SmackDown, he brawled with Ziggler and Owens following the former's DQ win over the latter.
As a result, it looks increasingly likely that Ambrose will defend his title against both Ziggler and Owens at some point—perhaps January's Royal Rumble. This past week, Ambrose called the WWE Intercontinental Championship the "workhorse" title. If he hopes to keep it, he will indeed have to work hard to fend off both Owens and Ziggler.
No. 2: Alberto Del Rio
11 of 12Previous Rank: 3
Movement: Up 1
WWE United States champion Alberto Del Rio had a good week. On Raw, he teamed with fellow League of Nations member Rusev against Jack Swagger and Ryback in a tag match. He then faced and defeated Ryback in singles action on SmackDown.
What's telling, though, is he continues to face off against Swagger, even if it's in tag matches. That could be an indication Swagger and Del Rio have unfinished business. But Ryback is probably looking for another shot at a title reign after losing the WWE Intercontinental Championship a few months ago. Which Superstar will be Del Rio's opponent at the Royal Rumble?
No. 1: Roman Reigns
12 of 12Previous Rank: 5
Movement: Up 4
WWE world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns was given one last chance on Raw to accomplish his goal of winning the title. If he failed, he'd be fired. In that match, Mr. McMahon interfered, as did Sheamus' League of Nations allies. The gauntlet was laid down, and Reigns had both everything and nothing to lose.
When it was all over, Roman Reigns had emerged victorious. He won in spite of the interference and the odds against him. And now Reigns is a two-time champion. This time, he will work to ensure a long tenure, unlike his first, which lasted just five minutes and 15 seconds.
Sheamus is due a rematch, and The Authority won't make things easy for Reigns, but he has proved his doubters wrong and has twice won high-profile title matches the past month. And he does have allies. Dean Ambrose and The Usos have his back, and he'll likely need them in the coming weeks. Can Reigns survive the wrath of The Authority and The League of Nations?
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