WWE Superstar Power Rankings for Jan. 25, 2016: WWE Royal Rumble 2016 Edition
WWE Royal Rumble 2016 capped off a busy and eventful week, and the WWE Superstar Power Rankings have been shaken up as a result.
Right off the bat, there's a new No. 1: Triple H. The Game entered and won the Royal Rumble match and thus became the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Kalisto and The Wyatt Family round out the top five spots.
Back to Royal Rumble info in a minute. It first needs to be mentioned that this week saw WWE and NXT get a major infusion of talent. AJ Styles debuted in WWE (technically re-debuted, since he briefly spent time with the promotion in 2002) after spending most of his career in WCW, TNA, Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling and other independent promotions. He is a seven-time world champion.
And if that wasn't big enough news, Austin Aries debuted in NXT. Aries, another longtime Ring of Honor and TNA star, has a long history with Styles, as well as Samoa Joe, who currently wrestles in NXT. Aries is the first wrestler to win the Ring of Honor World Championship twice and is also a one-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
And those major signings may not be the last for WWE in the near future. As Bill Pritchard of Wrestle Zone reported, more major international signings could be right around the corner. In short, WWE is loading up on talent. Combined with the homegrown stars it's cultivating in NXT, WWE could be prepping for big things in 2016 and beyond.
But back to the Rumble.
Every title was defended at the WWE Network event. Charlotte, Dean Ambrose and The New Day all successfully retained, while Roman Reigns and Alberto Del Rio saw their reigns as champions come to an end. Speaking of Reigns, he technically was this year's "iron man," spending just under 60 minutes in the match. That puts him at sixth all-time for longest single appearances.
But Reigns spent the bulk of the match in the back receiving medical attention. Technically, he was in the match. But as mentioned, he wasn't actually "in the match" much of the time last night. Chris Jericho, then, would be the unofficial "iron man," racking up over 50 minutes before being eliminated.
Reigns had the chance to join elite company by winning back-to-back Rumbles. Only three men have done it: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and Hulk Hogan. Austin did it last in 1997-1998. Reigns almost made it, too. He was the second-to-last elimination. A victory also would have made him just the sixth man to win more than one Rumble. Instead, Triple H became the sixth, winning his second Rumble. (His first came in 2002.)
With the win, Triple H earned his 14th world title (all in WWE) and joined five other men as multiple Royal Rumble winners. His title reigns have spanned across three decades, and like him or not, he has cemented himself as one of the industry's greats.
There's much more to go over and recap from this past week's events and results and the Royal Rumble, all of which 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
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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. They 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 the 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 also considered.
Getting the better of someone—such as beating him 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 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 doesn'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 12Neville
Neville had a solid week. On Raw, by pinning Tyler Breeze, he won an eight-man tag team match featuring himself, Mark Henry, Titus O'Neil and R-Truth facing off against Tyler Breeze, Stardust and The Ascension. He defeated Breeze again in singles action on Main Event. His Royal Rumble appearance was mostly forgettable, though. He entered 16th and was the 13th elimination. He did not eliminate any competitors.
Can he keep building momentum and crack the top 10?
Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler had a solid week. On SmackDown, he teamed with The Usos in a win over The New Day and defeated The Miz on Superstars the following night. He entered the Royal Rumble at No. 28 but scored no eliminations and was the 24th man eliminated.
Can he put together another good week?
Jack Swagger and Mark Henry
Jack Swagger and Mark Henry have been teaming up lately, and they've quietly started to make waves in the tag team division. They defeated The Ascension on Main Event, and Jack Swagger defeated Fandango on Superstars.
On the Royal Rumble Kickoff show, they defeated The Ascension, Darren Young and Damien Sandow and The Dudley Boyz to qualify for the Rumble match. They both were eliminated very quickly. Looking ahead though, will they keep their momentum up and force the tag division to take notice?
No. 10: The Usos
3 of 12Previous Rank: 9
Movement: Down 1
Jimmy and Jey Uso had a decent week but once again couldn't get the big win when it really mattered. On Raw, Jey Uso lost to Big E. But on SmackDown, they teamed with Dolph Ziggler in a win over The New Day.
They were selected as New Day's Royal Rumble opponents, and due to Xavier Woods' interference, were unable to win the titles. But with no other tag teams stepping up to The New Day, The Usos may get more opportunities. After all, The Lucha Dragons are down a man, The Dudley Boyz can't stay consistent and no one else is really on a roll.
No. 9: Brock Lesnar
4 of 12Previous Rank: Unranked
Movement: Into Top 10
Brock Lesnar made his in-ring return Sunday night at the Royal Rumble. He entered the Rumble match itself (something he was originally opposed to doing) at No. 23 but was the 21st Superstar eliminated.
The elimination was technically by no one, since the three men who tossed him over the rope (Erick Rowan, Luke Harper and Braun Strowman) were already eliminated. All were eliminated by Lesnar, as well. This attack followed another one on Raw when The Wyatts took out Lesnar after he took out Roman Reigns.
Lesnar is a tough Superstar to rank. He dominated high-ranked opponents in the Rumble match but hasn't done much competing lately. Lesnar kind of demands his own rules—that's what's happening here. A lack of competition will always hurt his ranking, but when he does wrestle, it counts a lot.
Anyway, it sure looks like Lesnar is going to have to deal with his Wyatt problem. Twice now, The Wyatts have assaulted him.
When will Lesnar seek retribution?
No. 8: League of Nations
5 of 12Previous Rank: N/A (Varies by Member)
Movement: N/A (No Movement Due to Consolidation)
After careful consideration, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Rusev and King Barrett are going to be ranked as a faction, not as individuals, going forward. Since League of Nations has no championships anymore and their behavior is shifting more and more to group attacks rather than individual matches, it fits with what we're seeing from the four Superstars.
As a team, it was a mixed week. Del Rio and Sheamus defeated Dean Ambrose and Kalisto on Raw. On SmackDown, the whole group faced Roman Reigns in a handicap match. They lost when the match broke down and they were disqualified.
Del Rio, Rusev, and Sheamus all were in the Rumble at various points but only scored one elimination (by Sheamus) among the three of them. Their most important contribution to the match was the beating they delivered to Roman Reigns, causing Reigns to get medical attention.
In all, the faction has work to do to get back on track. Del Rio winning back the WWE United States Championship from Kalisto would be a good place to start.
No. 7: Charlotte
6 of 12
Previous Rank: 7
Movement: None
WWE Divas Champion Charlotte competed just once this week. On Raw, her father, Ric Flair, accepted Becky Lynch's challenge for a title match at Royal Rumble. That match was Charlotte's only one, but she (and Flair) made the most of it.
Once again, Flair intervened on his daughter's behalf. When Lynch released a submission hold and confronted him, it gave Charlotte the opening she needed. Seconds later, Charlotte was pinning Lynch and her title reign continued.
After the match, Sasha Banks appeared and threw Lynch out of the ring. After pretending to congratulate Charlotte, she attacked her. Charlotte recovered, but not until Banks had taken time to pose with the Divas title. It looks like Charlotte is done with Lynch but will have to contend with Banks going forward.
No. 6: The New Day
7 of 12
Previous Rank: 6
Movement: None
WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day always seem to find ways to keep their titles. This past week was no different. Big E defeated Jey Uso on Raw after New Day held a memorial for Francesca, Xavier Woods' broken trombone. On Big E, Kofi Kingston and Woods competed against The Usos and Dolph Ziggler. They lost.
They were set to face The Usos at Royal Rumble for the WWE Tag Team Championships. But before the match, they had great news. Woods has a new trombone, dubbed Francesca 2.0. After the announcement, Big E and Kingston, with an assist from Woods and Francesca 2.0, defeated The Usos and kept their title reign intact.
The Usos are still The New Day's most potent rivals, and few other teams are looking worthy of a title shot right now. New Day is lapping the field, but they must remember: Pride comes before the fall.
No. 5: The Wyatt Family
8 of 12Previous Rank: 5
Movement: None
The Wyatt Family had a pretty good week. On Raw, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper and Braun Strowman faced off against The Dudley Boyz and Ryback. Bray Wyatt was ringside for the match, in which his family picked up the win. Later that night, they attacked Brock Lesnar. The Wyatts are all big men, and the four of them together are nearly unstoppable.
On SmackDown, Wyatt faced Ryback and won, and then they all attacked Roman Reigns and The Usos. The four of them were scheduled to be in the Royal Rumble match, and it was thought that if they could get into the match together, Bray Wyatt would be a shoo-in to win.
But that's not what happened.
Lesnar eliminated Rowan, Harper and Strowman. Wyatt would later enter the match, and his family members would return to illegally eliminate Lesnar. Well, there are no disqualifications, so technically nothing is illegal. Needless to say, they have officially made an enemy of Lesnar.
Are Lesnar and Wyatt heading toward a WrestleMania confrontation? Or will Lesnar take care of business sooner than that?
No. 4: Kalisto
9 of 12
Previous Rank: 4 (As Member of The Lucha Dragons)
Movement: None
WWE United States Champion Kalisto had a rough start to his week but capped it off with a great win. On Raw, he teamed with Dean Ambrose in a loss to Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus. His next match would be a Royal Rumble.
Having lost the United States title to Del Rio, he was due a rematch. He got it and made the most of his chance, defeating Del Rio and becoming a two-time WWE United States Champion.
Now of course, Del Rio is entitled to a rematch. So if Kalisto doesn't want to be seen as an unreliable champion, he'll need a win in that match. Will he get it? Can he solidify his title reign? And what will happen when Sin Cara returns? Are The Lucha Dragons finished or just on hiatus until Sin Cara can heal?
No. 3: Roman Reigns
10 of 12Previous Rank: 1
Movement: Down 2
The odds finally caught up to Roman Reigns. He defeated Rusev on Raw then was told he'd be entering the Royal Rumble in the No. 1 spot. He got the better of Brock Lesnar, spearing him twice before being assaulted by The Wyatt Family. On SmackDown, he defeated League of Nations in a handicap match by disqualification but was attacked by The Wyatts again.
Even after all that, Reigns kept getting back up. He kept fighting. He refused to give up. And at Royal Rumble, he continued to fight. He entered No. 1 and was controlling the match, eliminating two men early. But League of Nations appeared at ringside and attacked him, pulling him from the ring and destroying him.
Reigns was taken to the back for medical attention. But he was not declared eliminated, as he never actually went over the top rope. He would later return to the match and pick up three more eliminations. But Triple H, the No. 30 entrant, would do what no man could last year when Reigns won the Rumble. Reigns was the 28th (second-to-last) elimination, behind only Dean Ambrose.
Reigns lost the match, and more importantly, his title.
Will Reigns get a rematch for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? He should. But The Authority might get creative and find a way to screw Reigns once again.
No. 2: Dean Ambrose
11 of 12
Previous Rank: 2
Movement: None
WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose turned in a good week, though it didn't start out that way. He teamed with Kalisto on Raw in a loss to Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus. On SmackDown, he and Kevin Owens took turns attacking The Miz, showing off for one another.
At Royal Rumble, he showed why he deserves his high ranking. He fought Owens in a brutal Last Man Standing match but was ultimately able to retain his title. He entered the Royal Rumble at No. 19 and would last until the end.
Ambrose would eliminate only one man (Chris Jericho), but he lasted just under 30 minutes (third-longest in the match) and was the final elimination. He and Triple H came close to winning, but ultimately Triple H got the better of him and won.
Ambrose is already a champion, but he's come oh-so-close to winning the biggest prize in pro wrestling several times now. At a certain point, Ambrose is going to get his chance. But with Reigns likely to get a rematch, it's uncertain when that big chance will come.
No. 1: Triple H
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Previous Rank: Unranked
Movement: Into Top 10
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H is the new No. 1 after taking WWE's top title in the Royal Rumble match. And until last night, only five other men had ever won more than one Royal Rumble. So when Triple H eliminated Dean Ambrose to win the 2016 Royal Rumble, he put himself in rarefied air. Triple H got the favorable No. 30 slot in the Rumble and turned it into a win. (He's the third man to win from this slot.)
The win inaugurates Triple H's 14th world title reign (his first since 2009 when he lost it to Randy Orton), and his second Royal Rumble win. Importantly though, it also secures the title for The Authority. Sheamus and the rest of League of Nations, while loyal, have proved less than reliable in big matches. And with Reigns not interested in joining with them, The Authority needed a champion.
As of now, Triple H is that man. As one of the most decorated world champions in WWE history, and clearly still in excellent condition, Triple H brings the pedigree (pun intended) The Authority has been looking for.
He'll likely defend his newly won title against Roman Reigns at some point.
If the typical Rumble stipulation holds, he's guaranteed a world title match at WrestleMania. That could mean Reigns' rematch will have to wait until then. Or Triple H could give Reigns that rematch early, then declare that since he's both champion and challenger, that no title match will happen at WrestleMania. It's been the dream scenario of champions for a long time: win the Rumble; avoid a WrestleMania match.
The details likely will be revealed shortly. Until then though, The Authority can celebrate regaining its stranglehold on the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
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