WWE Superstar Power Rankings Ahead of Oct. 17 Raw

WWE's power rankings are an ever-changing organism. With so many pay-per-views and television broadcasts in such little time, it's easy for WWE Superstars to go from the top 10 to not being mentioned at all.

Dean Ambrose has been a fixture on this list in recent years, but after being the forgotten man in his Triple Threat match against John Cena and AJ Styles at No Mercy, he's gone. Ambrose needs to rebuild his momentum and possibly contend for another championship if he wants to return.

It seems that, in order to make a real impact on this list these days, one needs a list of their own, which is something Chris Jericho has mastered.

With a loaded Survivor Series card on tap, not to mention a history-making Hell in a Cell event, things will only continue to get interesting with these rankings in October.

10. Rhyno and Heath Slater

Much like The New Day, Rhyno and Heath Slater have developed into a dominant tag team that demands respect despite its comedy chops. At No Mercy, Slater was made to look strong with more offense than usual. This was a departure from the team's usual style of having Rhyno carry Slater to victory.

These two are fun to watch, given their vulnerability, which adds suspense to each title defense. But it's been even more impressive watching their continued evolution. With The Usos and American Alpha feuding, there's no need to rush to the end of this championship reign, especially since Rhyno and Slater are the first SmackDown tag team champions and need to set a positive tone for a thin division.

9. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns feels like the de facto world champion on Raw, but his feud with Rusev is beginning to drag. Reigns and The Bulgarian Brute have battled time and again, including a lengthy match that was given away on the go-home Raw for SummerSlam. There's little these two can do to justify another contest past October.

A Hell in a Cell match will inject some energy into their rivalry, but assuming he retains the United States Championship, Reigns will need to move on so that his run as U.S. champ isn't defined by one feud.

8. Charlotte

Charlotte and Sasha Banks are once again on the verge of history. With the first female Hell in a Cell match on the horizon, their stock is rising, as that contest could feature moments that become a staple of WWE's lexicon for the next 50 years.

The Raw Women's Championship has been flipping back and forth for several weeks now. And while Banks will be defending the title in her hometown of Boston, there's just as much of a chance of her dropping the title back to Charlotte as there is of her retaining, given WWE's track record in these situations.

Not only is Charlotte the strongest heel in the women's division, but alongside Dana Brooke, she is also one of the only true female heels on Raw. This will continue to make her invaluable as WWE adds emphasis to women's wrestling.

7. Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks is the Raw women's champion and figures to have something risky planned for her Hell in a Cell match against Charlotte. Banks and Charlotte's match at SummerSlam was filled with dangerous spots, and unfortunately, Hell in a Cell could be more of the same.

By the same token, if both women do not take unnecessary risks and play within themselves, they have the talent to put on a match that could be a late candidate for Match of the Year. Though Banks' latest reign as women's champion just begun, there is a chance she could have a special moment in her hometown as part of a history-making Hell in a Cell match, even more so if this match is the main event.

6. Dolph Ziggler

Back from the dead, Dolph Ziggler shone in what should have been the main event of No Mercy. Ziggler was portrayed as an underdog babyface with the deck stacked against him and played his part perfectly, as fans legitimately did not know whether his match against The Miz would be his last in WWE.

There seems to be a ceiling with Ziggler, even on a diluted SmackDown brand. Since the brand split, however, no title has made a bigger jump in prestige than the Intercontinental Championship. Both Ziggler and Miz have enjoyed career renaissances throughout their feud, and after his emotional victory, Ziggler is nearing his 2013 form.

5. The Miz

Remember all that talk about Ziggler's career renaissance, the resurgence of the Intercontinental Championship and that great match at No Mercy? All that was made possible by The Miz.

It was Miz's ability to shine as a pure heel that allowed Ziggler to become a sympathetic babyface. It was Miz's transcendent promo against Daniel Bryan that allowed the IC title to take center stage. And it was Miz's antics as a braggadocios champion that allowed him to set the stage for his own comeuppance.

The Miz is the best heel in WWE today and needs to be commended for making an otherwise familiar rivalry a main event-caliber feud. After losing the Intercontinental Championship, WWE needs to consider elevating Miz to the world-title picture sooner rather than later.

4. Brock Lesnar

It's happening. The fight of the century is upon us, as Goldberg is set to appear on Monday's Raw. In all likelihood, he will accept the challenge laid down by Paul Heyman on behalf of Brock Lesnar.

It's been over a decade since their original dream match, but both men remain in great shape. The combination of Lesnar's post-WWE accolades since 2004 and Goldberg's 12-year absence makes this match even more of a novelty than it was at WrestleMania XX.

It'll be interesting to see how WWE books this feud, but with Goldberg back, Lesnar is once again one of the most important Superstars on the roster.

3. Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho play off one another magnificently. Sure, Jericho continues to outshine Owens, but that's the point, and it will continue to create tension between the two for a seemingly inevitable clash.

Owens has not been a dominant champion and has actually been more of a comedic figure since winning the universal title in August. But a clean win over Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell—and his continued interplay with Jericho—could get him to where he needs to be as Raw's top star.

There are not many strong babyfaces in positions to challenge Owens for the Universal Championship, especially with Roman Reigns as U.S. champion. WWE will have a challenge on its hands in creating believable feuds for Owens. Jericho's babyface turn cannot come soon enough.

2. AJ Styles

Despite tapping out to both John Cena and Dean Ambrose in the main event of No Mercy—and even because of it—AJ Styles demonstrated exemplary heel tactics. Styles stole the victory and retained the WWE World Championship after using a steel chair on John Cena, as a true heel should.

Styles has earned his stripes with a well-known wrestling pedigree and a clean victory over Cena on a big stage at SummerSlam. Nobody questions his ability as a viable world champion. But by sinking to new lows to retain his championship, he has developed into a more complete character.

The aforementioned resurgence of the Intercontinental Championship is threatening Styles' position on this list. A recent tainted loss to James Ellsworth didn't help, either. But right now, that title can reasonably headline any SmackDown show. For now, Styles is still the blue brand's top star.

1. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho is the best thing going in professional wrestling. A man who is known for reinventing himself has done so again through a mixture of comedy and weaseling his way into the Universal Championship picture.

Believe it or not, but The List of Jericho is the hottest commodity in WWE. Fans pop with every new name Jericho adds to the list. WWE Superstars are selling when Jericho scribbles their names on his clipboard.

It's all building to the inevitable moment when Jericho adds Kevin Owens to the list, which should set the stage for a highly anticipated Universal Championship match at Survivor Series.

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