WWE Superstar Rankings Ahead of July 4 Raw

Happy Independence Day, and welcome to this week's WWE Superstar Power Rankings.

We're in the strange period between pay-per-views where WWE has all the major feuds established that will occupy the Battleground card but has yet to make most of the matches official.

We are also getting closer to the Tuesday debut of SmackDown when it goes live and the brand extension that will kick off with the draft July 19.

Last week's Raw and SmackDown featured some great matches and developments in just about every feud going on at the moment.

Let's take a look at how all this has affected this week's Superstar Power Rankings.

10. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens

Previous Rank: No. 3 (Zayn), Unranked (Owens)

The feud between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens is far from over, but if they end up on different rosters, the match they will have at Battleground could be the last time we see them in the same ring for a long time.

This storyline is better than most of the championship feuds going on right now because there is so much history between the two men, and WWE is wisely using their real friendship to push the story forward.

There was once a time when mentioning another promotion was forbidden, but management has begun acknowledging all the hard work guys such as Owens and Zayn put in before getting to WWE, and it makes their rivalry a lot more interesting.

Unfortunately, neither one of them wrestled last week, which is why they are so far down the list, but their Highlight Reel segment with Chris Jericho was entertaining enough to get them in the last spot in the top 10.

9. Titus O'Neil

Previous Rank: No. 9

Titus O'Neil's suspension was ridiculous, but it may have ended up being the best possible thing for him because he is now being given a serious push as a singles competitor.

Even if it's a way of paying him back for punishing him unfairly, O'Neil has stepped up in a big way in recent weeks and put himself in a position to possibly be the next U.S. champion.

It would have been easy for him to get lost in the shuffle among all the newer talents on the roster, so to see him succeed should give everyone on the roster hope they can succeed, too.

It's just too bad his former partner, Darren Young, has been saddled with a horrible storyline involving Bob Backlund giving him terrible career advice in some of the strangest segments we have seen in years.

8. The New Day

Previous Rank: Unranked

Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods have had a great run with the tag titles, but they may have bitten off more than they can chew by starting a feud with The Wyatt Family.

The most interesting part of this storyline is how Woods seems to be scared out of his mind, while Kingston and Big E are treating this like any other rivalry.

This has made the storyline unpredictable, and it makes you wonder how it will all play out when they finally meet for a title match.

Bray Wyatt has focused on Woods' fear in recent promos, and we may end up seeing the trombone-toting Superstar cost his group the Tag Team Championships at Battleground. 

7. The Wyatt Family

Previous Rank: No. 8

The Wyatt Family's only match from the past week was against two enhancement talents, but the group's feud with The New Day is a breath of fresh air.

This storyline seemed strange at first, but the longer it goes, the more sense it makes. New Day is all about positivity, and The Wyatt Family is all about darkness and despair.

It's surprising it took WWE this long to put the two teams together after seeing how well their gimmicks mesh with each other.

It's too bad Luke Harper is out with an injury, because his wrestling ability would make the eventual showdown between the two factions a lot more fun.

6. Becky Lynch

Previous Rank: Unranked

The Lass Kicker came roaring back into the top 10 this week after showing Natalya she isn't a pushover on Raw by retaliating after being attacked from behind twice in recent weeks.

When Lynch rushed Natalya at ringside and proceeded to beat her rival into the ground, she showed everyone she isn't going to just roll over and go away.

The great thing about this feud is how it is completely separate from the Women's Championship storyline involving Charlotte and Sasha Banks.

Lynch is one of the most talented wrestlers in the division, and if she can come out on top against Natalya, she will quickly find herself back in the hunt for the title.

5. John Cena

Previous Rank: No. 5

John Cena may be the face of the company, but he has taken a bit of a backseat since returning from an injury so the new generation can be in the spotlight.

Even though he doesn't have the WWE Championship, he is still looked at as the company's biggest attraction, and it's not just because management puts him in that position.

It's almost like Cena has discovered how to make the day longer. He works every Raw and most of the house shows, makes numerous appearances outside the company and still manages to work out enough to keep up his physique.

At this point, his breaking Ric Flair's record of 16 world titles is more a matter of when than if. It wouldn't be surprising to see him tie the record before the end of the year and then surpass it in 2017.

4. The Club

Previous Rank: No. 4

AJ Styles came up short trying to earn a spot in the Battleground main event, but his feud with John Cena is far from over.

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows still have to establish themselves as more than enforcers for Styles, but the three of them work well together, so their current setup works for the time being.

In the short time since Styles joined the company, he has inserted himself into the main event scene, and there are no signs of his being demoted to midcard status anytime soon.

It looks like his ongoing feud with Cena is going to lead to another singles match at Battleground. If Cena can pick up the win, we can assume they will have a tiebreaker at SummerSlam in August.

3. Seth Rollins

Previous Rank: No. 1

Seth Rollins only competed in one match on Raw, and he lost that bout, but he still managed to be one of the most entertaining performers on the show.

Having The Architect stand on his own two feet instead of hiding behind The Authority has allowed Rollins to forge his own path.

Keeping the main event of Battleground among Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns was smart, but it was cool to see management play with the match and have the possibility of John Cena and AJ Styles added to the title bout.

As long as he stays healthy, Rollins is going to be a major player in WWE for many years, and the company is going to be better off because of it.

2. Cesaro

Previous Rank: No. 7

The Swiss Superman shot up the list to No. 2 after being the only Superstar to compete in three different matches across Raw and SmackDown last week.

Cesaro and Apollo Crews defeated Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus on Monday, and then he won a Fatal 4-Way on SmackDown against those three men to earn a U.S. title shot.

He came up short against Rusev but only because his pride wouldn't allow him to walk away from The Bulgarian Brute's challenge to start their match immediately following an attack from Del Rio.

He might not be booked as main event material yet, but Cesaro is being used more and more lately, and it's a good sign WWE is finally starting to take him seriously.

1. Dean Ambrose

Previous Rank: No. 2

Dean Ambrose has been a busy man since winning the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank last month. Not only is he working most of the live events, sometimes wrestling twice in one day, but he is also wrestling on both Raw and SmackDown regularly.

Last week saw The Lunatic Fringe pick up a victory over AJ Styles on Raw and The Miz on SmackDown. On top of that, he continues to be one of the most entertaining personalities during non-wrestling segments.

Some doubted Ambrose's ability to lead the company as its top champion, but he has proved himself to be a competent leader who has the WWE Universe firmly in his corner.

If he can retain the title at Battleground, it will prove WWE officials see him as more than just a transitional champion, and all his hard work over the years will finally be validated.

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter: @BR_Doctor.