WWE Superstar Power Rankings for 1/11/2016

After a very newsworthy week, the WWE Superstar Power Rankings have seen a few big changes.  Roman Reigns still holds the top spot, followed by Dean Ambrose, who remains second.  But following Raw, Sheamus has dropped out of the top five and The New Day snuck in.  The Wyatt Family moved up to No. 3, and Alberto Del Rio dropped to fourth.

As mentioned, there were a slew of major events in WWE this past week.  The biggest news is how Roman Reigns will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Royal Rumble 2016.  After thwarting Mr. McMahon's plans on raw and retaining the title, it was announced that Reigns would put the title on the line in the Royal Rumble match itself.  Depending on his entry position, Reigns could be long eliminated when the title is finally won by another Superstar.

Another major news story was that John Cena, who just returned to WWE programming, would require surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.  He underwent successful surgery and his recovery has begun.  The injury is a significant one, and rotator cuff surgery usually puts athletes on the shelf for a long time.  Cena's WrestleMania status is unknown, but based on the length of time it typically takes to recover, it's unlikely he'll be on the card.

It was also revealed that Brock Lesnar will be returning to WWE television this week on Raw.  Lesnar hasn't been seen in some time, and he could be a blockbuster entry in the Royal Rumble.  If he enters the match, he might instantly be the favorite.

In another WWE return, Chris Jericho appeared on Raw and announced he would compete in the Royal Rumble match.  He'll get the chance to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the match, per the ending of Raw.

A new faction has formed in WWE as well.  Heath Slater, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose and Bo Dallas are now collectively known as The Social Outcasts.  

Also, SmackDown made its move to the USA Network official.  It's now permanently on the same channel as Raw.  The show drew over 1 million more viewers than the previous week (New Year's Eve edition) and about half a million more viewers than recent non-holiday episodes.  That's great news for WWE.  

SmackDown also featured it's newest announcer, Mauro Ranallo, who joins WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler and Byron Saxton on SmackDown's announce team.

Even after all that news, 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 pages. But beforehand, please read the "How These Rankings Work" slide for more information on how the rankings are determined.

How These Rankings Work

Credit: WWE.com

John Cena underwent shoulder surgery this week.

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

The Usos

The Usos just can't seem to gain any traction.  They lost to Alberto Del Rio on Raw, but did get a win over Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas on Main Event.  Lately, they've been trading off between wins and losses, and it's keeping them from making headway in the tag team division.  Can they put together a few good weeks in a row?

Neville

Neville keeps fighting for a spot in the top 10 and has done enough lately to warrant his position.  He lost a hard-fought match against Kevin Owens on Raw and got a tag team win on SmackDown when he teamed with Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth and Goldust against The New Day and The Miz.  Can the reigning WWE Breakout Superstar of the Year make a push for even greater success in 2016?

Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch had a pretty good week, all things considered.  On Raw, despite interference from Ric Flair, she rolled up and pinned Charlotte.  She grabbed the tights, though, which upset Charlotte.  On SmackDown, she faced Charlotte for the WWE Divas Championship.  This time she lost.  Ric Flair had a lot to do with that.  As of now, she's perhaps the best choice to face Charlotte again for the title.  But will she get that chance, having lost in a title match already?

10. Kevin Owens

Previous Rank: Watch List

Movement: Into Top 10

Kevin Owens had a solid week.  On Raw, he defeated Neville.  He was run off by Dean Ambrose afterward when he tried to beat down Neville, though.  

Owens' rivalry with Ambrose would come to a head on SmackDown.  In the show's main event, he faced Ambrose for the WWE Intercontinental Championship.  The two battled each other to a draw, as their brutal fight spilled out into the arena and eventually led them up the ramp to the back.  The referee counted them both out.

With the SmackDown result, chances are good the two will face off again.  And with Royal Rumble just around the corner, it's possible that potential match takes place there.

9. Rusev

Previous Rank: Watch List

Movement: Into Top 10

Rusev continues to quietly rack up the wins.  On Raw, his only match of the week saw him team with fellow League of Nations member Alberto Del Rio in a match against The Usos.  His team won.

If Rusev can continue to win matches, it won't be long before he'll be back near the top of the rankings competing for gold.  But with a lot of powerhouse names in League of Nations, can he emerge as a leader of the group?

8. Sheamus

Previous Rank: 4

Movement: Down 4

Sheamus only had one match this week, and it was supposed to go so differently than it did.  Mr. McMahon had set up a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Sheamus and Roman Reigns.  McMahon was set to be the special guest referee.  Before the match, Mr. McMahon practically told Sheamus he was going to ensure that The Celtic Warrior would win the title.

But that's not what happened.  The match started well enough for Sheamus, with Mr. McMahon showing he wasn't willing to count for Reigns' pinfalls and was going to let Sheamus get away with anything and everything.  But then, Reigns snapped.  He attacked Mr. McMahon, ran off Stephanie McMahon and even attacked referee Scott Armstrong, long an Authority puppet.  

A third referee appeared after Reigns had taken out Sheamus and covered him for the pinfall victory.  

It was a huge missed opportunity and a devastating loss for The Celtic Warrior.  He had a title reign waiting for him, wrapped up and tied with a bow.  And he couldn't take it, even when the odds were rigged in his favor.

And now, he won't get another title opportunity until at least the Royal Rumble, where the title will be defended in the Rumble match itself.  Sheamus has yet to declare or qualify for the match, but chances are high he'll be in it.

7. Charlotte

Previous Rank: 8

Movement: Up 1

WWE Divas champion Charlotte is still learning the ropes of how to be a champion in WWE, but with a teacher like her father, Ric Flair, she's picking things up quickly.  A big lesson she's learning is that the only thing that matters is being a champion.  

On Raw, she lost to Becky Lynch when she was rolled up by the tights and pinned.  Due to the loss, she was forced to defend the Divas title on SmackDown against Lynch.  She won the match with "assistance" from her father.

She's learning that friends and non-title matches come cheap in pro wrestling but that championships are hard to come by.  Being a champion is in her blood, and so far, she's showing she has what it takes to dominate her division.  But will overconfidence be her downfall?

6. The Lucha Dragons

Previous Rank: 7

Movement: Up 1

The Lucha Dragons are short a man right now.  Sin Cara is missing time due to injury, leaving Kalisto to fend for himself for the time being.  Kalisto has mostly risen to the challenge.  On Raw, though, he picked up a loss in a six-man tag team match when he teamed with The Usos against The New Day.

But Kalisto got a huge win later in the week.  After Alberto Del Rio turned down a match with John Cena, Kalisto faced Del Rio instead.  Del Rio towered over Kalisto, but the latter scored a major upset by pinning Del Rio.  

Now, not only are The Lucha Dragons perhaps the top pick as challengers to The New Day's titles, but Kalisto may have just earned himself a shot at the WWE United States Championship.

5. The New Day

Previous Rank: 6

Movement: Up 1

The New Day moved up a spot, but that has as much to due with Sheamus falling from the top five as it does with the trio's performance this past week.  On Raw, they picked up a win over The Usos and Kalisto, and probably put The Usos away for a while with the win.

But then on SmackDown, they teamed with The Miz in a loss to R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, Goldust and Neville.  All their opponents were unranked.  

The question now is, who are their challengers?  The Usos can't stay consistent, and The Lucha Dragons are down a man for now.  Will anyone make a run at their titles?

4. Alberto Del Rio

Previous Rank: 3

Movement: Down 1

WWE United States champion Alberto Del Rio got off to a good start on the week, but it all fell apart later on.  On Raw, he teamed with Rusev in a win over The Usos.  It was a solid win over then-ranked opponents, which is what is expected of Del Rio these days.  

But on SmackDown, after denying John Cena a U.S. title rematch, he faced Kalisto.  Kalisto shocked Del Rio, and perhaps the world, by defeating the bigger and more experienced Del Rio.  With the loss, Del Rio may have just gained the newest challenger to his title.  Can he get back on track this week?

3. The Wyatt Family

Previous Rank: 5

Movement: Up 2

The Wyatt Family didn't compete this week, but they did make an impact.  They attacked Big Show and Ryback on Raw, causing their match to end in a no-contest.  But that wasn't all they had for the WWE Universe.

Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Braun Strowman and Erick Rowan all will be in the Royal Rumble match.  If they all find themselves in at the same time, it may be impossible to stop them.  

2. Dean Ambrose

Previous Rank: 2

Movement: None

WWE Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose stays put at No. 2 after just one match this week.  On Raw, he chased off Kevin Owens, who was trying to beat down Neville.

Then on SmackDown, Ambrose defended his title against Owens.  The match was a hard-fought battle that spilled out to ringside and eventually saw the two brawl all the way to the back.  The referee counted both men out, so the match ended in a draw.  

Ambrose and Owens seem destined to continue their rivalry following the SmackDown result.  Can Ambrose fend off Owens' challenge?

1. Roman Reigns

Previous Rank: 1

Movement: None

WWE World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns solidified his lock on the No. 1 spot in the rankings after winning what may have been the toughest match of his entire career.  He faced Sheamus with the title on the line and with Mr. McMahon as the special guest referee.  McMahon was in the tank for Sheamus, as was clear before the match even began.  

During the match, McMahon counted Reigns' pinfalls slowly while Sheamus seemingly got away with everything.  Reigns finally had enough and attacked Mr. McMahon as well as his replacement referee, Scott Armstrong, in addition to chasing away Stephanie McMahon.  

A third referee was called out, and Reigns put the finishing touches on his title defense.  He took out Sheamus, and pinned him to retain the title.  

At the end of Raw, though, Mr. McMahon announced that Reigns would defend the title in the Royal Rumble match.  That means whoever wins the Rumble will also win the title.  Where will Reigns be entered?  And does the reigning Royal Rumble winner even have a chance at repeating?