WWE Superstar Rankings Ahead of July 25 Raw

Following an entertaining WWE Battleground pay-per-view bolstered by a white-hot crowd, not to mention a game-changing WWE draft, the WWE rankings have changed a bit.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn stole the show with an excellent match on Sunday, while Roman Reigns lost in his first match back from his suspension.

These unique circumstances call for new names to ascend the rankings, as The Shield feud comes to an end with Dean Ambrose moving to SmackDown and Seth Rollins and Reigns staying put on Raw.

So, as WWE prepares for its first week in its newest brand-extension era, which WWE Superstars earned the right to be considered the best in the business right now?

Honorable Mention: Randy Orton

Where has this version of Randy Orton Been for the past 16 years?

Don't get me wrong: Randy Orton is a living legend and a future Hall of Famer. His in-ring work is on the short list of the all-time greats. But Sunday at Battleground, he was as calm on the microphone as I've ever seen him. He also delivered a handful of impressive, controversial zingers with the self-assured confidence of CM Punk.

Following one particularly well-placed burn, fans were chanting "Ellen" at Y2J.

Orton's interaction with Chris Jericho initially came off as a come-down segment leading up to the main event. But by the time it was over, I wanted to see more. Orton wasn't the "boring, monotonous" Viper that Jericho once mocked him for being. Not only was he keeping up with Jericho's quick wit out there, but at times he was outshining him.

With no matches in nine months, Orton is eligible for only an honorable mention at this point. But if he continues to cut strong promos—as he resumes his in-ring comeback—Orton will soar up this list quickly.

Honorable Mention: Darren Young

Thus far, Darren Young's alliance with Bob Backlund was much more interesting before the two got in the ring. Backlund did all he could to make Young vs. The Miz interesting, but fans didn't seem to be into it, even though it followed a buffer match between Natalya and Becky Lynch.

Young and Backlund still need to find their footing as a pair. Simply having Young wrestle while Backlund coaches him ringside will not be enough to make Darren Young great again. The two need to be just as entertaining in the ring as they were in those vignettes. A specialized spot that incorporates Backlund or an entertaining pre-match ritual could be the cure.

Young does not have a dynamic personality, but he does have a great look and a lot of potential in the ring. He is the perfect WWE Superstar to have a manager as unhinged as Backlund. The two are evenly matched with the perfect heel in The Miz.

But something is still missing.

With The Miz on SmackDown, Young seems to be out of opportunities to capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship. This puts him in danger of being bumped off this list. Still, being associated with a man who famously threatened to run for president makes him a top candidate to challenge Rusev for the United States Championship on Raw.

10. Rusev

Rusev is dong a fine job as United States champion. WWE is simply using the same template that helped build him into a monster in 2015.

But fans have already seen this movie before, so it's difficult to get as invested a second time around. Rusev and Lana once had lightning in a bottle, and it feels like they are trying to recapture it.

After victories over Titus O'Neil and Zack Ryder, Rusev (and the United States Championship) is in need of better competition. He needs to compete against stronger babyfaces and beat them.

Luckily for Rusev, Raw has no shortage of babyfaces, although his next feud looks like it will be against the upstart Mojo Rawley.

WWE should consider a Rusev open challenge, which would add suspense to a title reign that is somewhat flat at the moment.

9. Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks created a lot of buzz by announcing she would have a mystery tag team partner at WWE Battleground, and The Boss did not disappoint.

Bayley's surprise appearance was among the highlights of the pay-per-view, and it led to Banks making women's champion Charlotte tap out. JBL went out of his way to mention that the appearance was a one-off, and Bayley confirmed as much in the post-match interview.

For the time being, Banks figures to be one of the major beneficiaries of the brand split, as Raw will lean on her to carry a smaller women's division that was recently cut in half. Consider it an upset if Banks does not capture the Women's Championship by SummerSlam. Consider it an even bigger upset if Banks and Charlotte do not have one of the most memorable matches of the modern era on that night.

Fans were restless as WWE kept Banks off television for several months following WrestleMania season, but the #WeWantSasha movement has played into a chase that will make her moment even sweeter if she is to capture the belt.

8. The Wyatt Family

The Wyatt Family is doing its best work with The New Day as foils.

No longer talking in complete riddles, Bray Wyatt is clear in his intentions, and Xavier Woods' fear of the Wyatt Family leader has only made Wyatt appear stronger.

Despite a feud that has featured an over-the-top brawl at the Wyatt compound and a supernatural theme of brainwashing, little about this feud has come off as cartoonish. This is a credit to the performers, who have taken otherwise questionable subject matter and made it their own.

It'll be interesting to see how Wyatt adapts on SmackDown. Despite being embroiled in an entertaining tag team feud, he has bigger fish to fry. Now that Ambrose exists on SmackDown as a babyface WWE champion, with Reigns and Rollins on Raw, Wyatt will be a likely contender for the WWE Championship in no time.

7. The New Day

I've been among the vocal minority that believes The New Day can be a main event stable. This team is a merchandise monster that has connected with the fans like few others in WWE history. Much like The Shield, WWE can spin The New Day off into main event competitors sometime down the line as long as the team can be taken seriously.

The New Day's feud with The Wyatt Family has done just that.

By incorporating the threat of The Wyatts and telling a story of Bray getting into Xavier Woods' head, The New Day is evolving before our eyes. Sure, Big E, Kofi Kingston and Woods still have fun, but it is becoming clear that they know when to be serious, which is just another reason why this faction is the best in the business.

There's something to be said about The New Day's current record-breaking reign as WWE tag team champions. It comes at a time when WWE has a loaded, talented tag team division and The New Day regularly defends the titles. The longer they hold onto the titles, the more they will continue to climb up the rankings of the greatest teams of all time.

6. Roman Reigns

Anytime Roman Reigns is outside the top five, it should be considered a low ranking based on his main event standing. But that standing appears to be on shaky ground after he took the deciding pinfall in his first match back. Reigns will figure to compete against Seth Rollins for a potential second world championship.

It'll be interesting to see how WWE books Reigns coming off his recent wellness violation. If he is knocked down a few pegs, how long will it be until WWE once again trusts him as "the guy," if ever?

Reigns is just as much of a lightning rod as ever. In his comeback match, he added much-needed energy to an Ambrose-Rollins feud that had already worn out its welcome.

Reigns has an uphill battle against a growing contingent of hip fans who boo him because it's the cool thing to do. He is quickly emerging as both a legit underdog and the most intriguing character in the entire promotion.

5. Kevin Owens

Few WWE Superstars improved their stock more than Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn did Sunday at WWE Battleground. After a strong match, the two have all the momentum in the world headed into WWE's brand-extension era.

Owens will be a fixture in the Raw main event picture, and hopefully WWE will succeed at keeping these two apart to preserve the value of their intense rivalry.

Potential feuds with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and others will help Owens build a case as a dark horse to main event WrestleMania. Owens is a five-tool player in WWE, as there is little he can't do. If Raw moves forward with a potential tournament to crown a second world champion, Owens will figure to be one of the stars of that bracket.

4. Sami Zayn

Kevin Owens had already established himself as a perennial contender, so this match felt like Sami Zayn's coming-out party more than anything else. Zayn's intensity and emotion toward the end of the match helped tell a story of WWE's most personal rivalry. 

Zayn will only grow as a performer moving forward without having to prove himself through his well-told (and possibly over-told) story of being best friends with Owens.

Since his arrival on the main roster at Royal Rumble, Zayn has been attached to Owens as part of a lengthy feud. Thankfully, not only was his match against Owens promoted as their final encounter, but he was victorious. Now that Zayn has a chance to compete against other talents, he'll be able to stand on his own as one of the better natural babyfaces in WWE, which is always a limited resource.

Zayn's appeal is that he doesn't have to blur the lines in order to be cheered. He's a likable performer who can wrestle, and fans love him for it. This will aid him in chasing a potential heel world champion such as Seth Rollins.

3. Enzo and Cass

Can you remember any two performers who had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands the way Enzo and Cass did?

Sure, The New Day cornered the market on the crowd-pleasing tag team, but Enzo and Cass have proved it's a big market.

Enzo's promos are only hindered by the constant interruption of chants ranging from "Enzo" to "how you doin?"

Meanwhile, Big Cass is somehow able to keep up with Enzo on the mic with substance beyond his popular catchphrase. The chemistry between these two is unreal, and their Rocky and Bullwinkle appeal has made them stars quicker than just about any tag team in the modern era.

The fact that they're aligned with John Cena helps, but it's quickly becoming obvious they don't need him. Cena, who sat in the corner in amazement as they chopped it up with fans before their match at Battleground, seemed to be riding their coattails. This relationship is less of a "rub from Cena" and more of Cena getting younger friends to help win the millennial vote.

2. Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins is the odds-on-favorite to be the first world champion on Raw if WWE decides to introduce a second world title. He is being positioned as a favorite of Stephanie McMahon, and barring a shocking double turn with Roman Reigns, he figures to stay that way.

Although Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn outshone them, Rollins, Reigns and Dean Ambrose had a strong showing in the main event of Battleground. At this point, I'd prefer to see Rollins break away from his history with The Shield and blaze his own trail. But with both Reigns and Rollins on Raw, all signs point to an extended feud between the two.

Since losing the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank, Rollins has failed in his last three attempts to regain the title. His abundant opportunities, and his good standing with Stephanie McMahon, will help make him a stronger heel.

1. Dean Ambrose

WWE Battleground ended with SmackDown locker room lifting Dean Ambrose on their shoulders. The announcers made just as big of a deal that SmackDown has the WWE Championship as Ambrose's victory.

Ambrose seems to be a perfect fit on the blue brand as an alternative babyface champion. What's tricky is that SmackDown doesn't have a deep roster of heels. John Cena, Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton will all compete on SmackDown, which suggests that wrestling may be the priority above storylines.

A potential feud against veteran AJ Styles will help mold Ambrose into a more viable WWE champion, and it's imperative that Ambrose continue to win cleanly if he is to be taken seriously as "the dude" on SmackDown.

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.