WWE Superstar Rankings Ahead of May 9 Raw

A lot has happened in WWE over the past seven days, and those events have caused a drastic shift in the WWE Superstar rankings.

New feuds have started; some have continued from Payback, and a few were shut down following the pay-per-view.

The breakup of The League of Nations has allowed Rusev to stand on his own two feet and earn a shot at the United States Championship, and The Vaudevillains are using Enzo Amore's injury to continue building their heel personas on the main roster.

Most of the big storylines from Payback will continue through Extreme Rules on May 22, but some new additions will help keep things fresh.

Let's take a look at how things have changed in this week's rankings.

10. Rusev

Previous Rank: Unranked

Rusev had a great week following Payback on May 1. Not only did he defeat Zack Ryder in a singles match on SmackDown, but he won a Battle Royal on Raw that earned him a shot at Kalisto's United States Championship at Extreme Rules.

The dissolution of the League of Nations was the best thing Rusev could have hoped for. Not only is he back with Lana, but the WWE is starting to book him as the unstoppable monster we saw when he first debuted.

Rusev has dropped a lot of weight in recent months, and his slimmed-down physique allows him to move even quicker than he did before, which was already pretty fast.

Whether you like the foreign heel gimmick or not, Rusev has the athletic ability to match up anyone on the roster. It will be fun to see him take on a cruiserweight because he is almost as fast as Kalisto, which is impressive for a guy who could eat Kalisto as a midnight snack.

9. The Vaudevillains

Previous Rank: Unranked

Some people had doubts about Simon Gotch and Aiden English when their main roster debut happened on an episode of SmackDown with little to no hype, but they have taken off over the past two weeks.

Bragging about injuring Enzo Amore gave them an extra dose of heat from the WWE Universe, and it will help carry them through the next few weeks before they challenge The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Championships.

The Vaudevillains have a strange gimmick, but their chemistry as a team and wrestling ability have kept them from becoming a pair of comedy characters.

8. Big Cass

Previous Rank: Unranked

WWE could have kept Big Cass off television until Amore was cleared to return to the ring, but management decided to let him have some time to perform as an individual, and it was the right call.

It's easy to dismiss Colin Cassady when his tag team partner is so much better than he is on the mic, but Big Cass has proved over the past week he can be just as entertaining by himself.

He was able to get a small measure of revenge Monday night when he teamed up with The New Day to defeat The Vaudevillains and The Dudley Boyz, and he continued focusing on the guys who took out his partner by attacking Gotch and English on SmackDown.

If WWE ever breaks up Amore and Big Cass, the 7'0" Superstar will have a bright future as a singles competitor.

7. Becky Lynch

Previous Rank: Unranked

Becky Lynch took a backseat while Natalya and Charlotte were fighting over the WWE Women's Championship, but she is back in the spotlight thanks to a storyline with Emma.

The Irish Lass Kicker may have lost to the Aussie on Raw, but she and Natalya were able to even the score with a victory in a tag team bout on SmackDown.

Lynch is one of the most well-rounded women on the roster. She has technical ability, enough power to throw anyone with a suplex and the willingness to take a few risks when the situation calls for it.

She has a unique look that allows her to stand out from the rest of the roster, and her personality has made her a fan favorite.

6. The Miz

Previous Rank: No. 5

Maryse has helped The Miz become a heel who is easy to hate, but he has also been doing some of the best work of his career over the past few months inside the ring.

He will likely end up having to defend the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Cesaro, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at Extreme Rules, and with the way things have been going, he might just walk out with his reign intact.

His Raw and SmackDown appearances over the past week have shown how he is willing to do anything to keep his title, and having Maryse in his corner will give him a slight edge over his opponents at Extreme Rules.

5. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows

Previous Rank: Unranked

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have quickly built a reputation as a great tag team in WWE, and they got a chance to show off their skills in the main events of both Raw and SmackDown.

Their relationship with AJ Styles might be the reason they have been thrown into a storyline with the WWE world heavyweight champion, but it's their skill that will keep them going after this feud is over.

Having them face The Usos was smart because Jimmy and Jey are an established team with a lot of credibility in the eyes of the WWE Universe. They can help Anderson and Gallows put on great matches so they can prove their worth quickly.

We don't know if Styles will form an official stable with the former IWGP tag champs, but they continue to team up, so we will continue hearing about the WWE version of The Bullet Club for the time being.

4. Cesaro

Previous Rank: No. 9

Since returning from a shoulder injury, Cesaro has been on fire. The fans love him, WWE is actually giving him a lot of screen time, and his ring work is as good as anyone's in the company.

His versatility is a big reason why he is so popular, and the James Bond-inspired entrance he has been using fits him perfectly.

His match with Owens on Raw was one of the highlights of the night. Their contrasting styles work well together, and with the way things have been going, we should see more from the two former Ring of Honor standouts in the coming weeks.

3. Roman Reigns

Previous Rank: No. 1

The WWE Universe still despises Roman Reigns, but nobody can argue that he isn't putting on some of the best matches of his career.

People may credit Styles with making these bouts exciting, but it takes two people to make a match fun to watch, and Reigns more than pulls his weight in these situations.

Aligning with The Usos might not be doing the twins any favors in terms of their popularity, but it makes sense to have them stay loyal to one another because they are part of the same family.

His slow transition from boring babyface into an intense character who straddles the line between good and evil has been interesting to watch over the past few weeks. It should lead to his getting a little more respect from the fans as he evolves in the coming months.

2. Kevin Owens

Previous Rank: No. 3

At this moment, Owens is the best heel in WWE. His matches always end up being one of the best parts of any show he appears on, and his ability to piss people off with a few words makes him one of the most entertaining characters on the roster.

WWE has put him at the commentary table almost every week. His interactions with the announcers are always hilarious, especially when he runs down Michael Cole and Byron Saxton. Listen to his commentary in the video above and try not to be entertained.

Frankly, it's shocking Owens hasn't been thrust into the main event scene at this point. He is consistently one of the best performers every single week and has great matches with every opponent he gets in the ring with.

His feud with Sami Zayn isn't anywhere close to being over, and if they continue to perform like they have been recently, they should steal the show again at Extreme Rules.

1. AJ Styles

Previous Rank: No. 2

Anyone who doubted AJ Styles' ability to hang with the big dogs in WWE shouldn't have any reservations about his future with the company, because he keeps proving his critics wrong with each performance.

His only two feuds have been with Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns, but he has performed well in both situations and proved he is just as good as anyone WWE has to offer.

Bringing in Anderson and Gallows has added a new layer to his character. He seems conflicted when it comes to choosing between loyalty to his friends and taking the high road against his opponents.

Since his match with Reigns is going to be contested under the Extreme Rules stipulation, it seems obvious there will be some outside interference. How he reacts to his former Bullet Club teammates at the pay-per-view should give us a good idea about whether they will form an official stable in WWE.

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