
WWE Superstar Power Rankings for Week of February 16
Within the span of 72 hours, WWE crowned three new champions, broke up the greatest friendship in the world and had a Royal Rumble winner willingly give up his title shot for the first time in history.
Naomi and Bayley are the new women's champions of SmackDown and Raw, respectively, but the biggest story of the week was Bray Wyatt's WWE Championship victory inside the Elimination Chamber.
Raw still has Fastlane to plan for next month, but the blue brand can begin planting seeds for the feuds it will feature at WrestleMania 33.
Samoa Joe has shaken things up on Raw quite a bit in a short time, and he has already established himself as one of the more dangerous competitors on the roster.
Let's take a look at where everyone landed on this week's WWE Superstar power rankings.
Honorable Mention: Luke Harper
1 of 11Luke Harper might not have won his match against Randy Orton at Elimination Chamber, but he came away looking like a bigger star than he ever has before.
Harper's athleticism is incredible for a man of his size. He can do things one only expects to see from guys half his size, and it makes him look even more dangerous.
Breaking away from Bray Wyatt didn't work a few years ago, but Harper has grown a lot since then. This time around, he can stand on his own.
10. Charlotte Flair
2 of 11Charlotte Flair is more than living up to the name she shares with her legendary father, and her match against Bayley on Raw was another in a long line of show-stealing performances.
Her work in the ring has always been strong, and she has grown as a heel by leaps and bounds since becoming the women's champion.
Even in defeat, Flair leaves a lasting impression. WWE has built her up as the top star of the women's division, and she has proved time and time again how much she deserves to be in that spot.
Some might not like how many times the women's title has changed hands in recent months, but there's no denying how many great matches Flair has been a part of during the game of hot potato.
9. Becky Lynch
3 of 11Each of the three women's matches at Elimination Chamber was entertaining for different reasons, but Becky Lynch and Mickie James stood out.
Lynch has been overshadowed by Charlotte Flair, Bayley and Sasha Banks in the past, so it's great to see her have a chance to shine in a feud with a veteran like James.
For two people who have had limited time in the ring together, their styles meshed well. Even in a loss, James looked impressive.
It looks like they will continue their feud for the time being while Naomi and Alexa Bliss continue fighting over the SmackDown Women's Championship, so we have more matches between James and Lynch to look forward to.
8. Baron Corbin
4 of 11Baron Corbin had a rough few months after winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, but that's all in the past.
Recently, Corbin has been positioned as one of the most dangerous men on the SmackDown roster, and he has taken the opportunity and run with it.
He looked great mixing with top stars during the Elimination Chamber match, and now, it looks like he will be pursuing the intercontinental title after beginning a feud with Dean Ambrose.
Corbin looked especially good this week when he tossed Ambrose into the production equipment next to the stage. Both Superstars are brawlers in every sense of the word, so it's going to be fun watching them tear each other apart.
7. John Cena
5 of 11John Cena still has a lot of critics, but if you don't think he is one of the best performers on the roster, you are fooling yourself.
Whenever he is in a big-match situation, Cena puts on a show unlike anyone else in the company. Even the most cynical of his haters have to admit his last two bouts were incredible.
Not only did he contribute to two show-stealing contests at Elimination Chamber and on SmackDown, but he also did it while helping to put Bray Wyatt over.
Cena was right when he said he and AJ Styles are on a different level than the rest of the roster on Talking Smack a few weeks ago, and everyone else is starting to see it, too.
6. AJ Styles
6 of 11Speaking of AJ Styles, he was able to edge out John Cena in the power rankings by one spot by lasting longer at Elimination Chamber and not being the one to be pinned during the Triple Threat title bout on SmackDown.
For all the fans who never thought they would see Styles in a WWE ring, the past year has been incredible to witness.
He has put on some of the best performances of his career since coming to WWE, and we have been able to see some of those dream matches we never imagined would happen.
Like Cena, he managed to make himself look good while also helping put Bray Wyatt over as the new WWE champion. That is a true sign of greatness.
5. Samoa Joe
7 of 11Like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe was one of those TNA Superstars most fans always wished would make his way to WWE, but they never actually thought it would happen.
His time in NXT helped the brand in a big way after it was raided during the brand extension, and now, he looks poised to continue his reign of terror on the main roster.
Being aligned with Triple H this early in his run will ensure Joe is given proper placement in the main event scene, but it looks like his first feud will be with Sami Zayn.
If the way WWE booked Styles in his first year was any indication, Joe will have a singles title around his waist by the end of 2017.
4. Bayley
8 of 11Even though the result was somewhat predictable, seeing Bayley win the Raw Women's Championship on Monday was a great moment.
She is the embodiment of passion for the business, and her hard work has led to numerous incredible matches against a variety of competitors.
Her win makes her the final member of The Four Horsewomen to hold the belt. They might not be an official stable, but they are one of the most successful groups in history.
She earned the right to call herself a champion after being the heart and soul of NXT for so long, and this is just the first of what is sure to be many title wins for The Hugger.
3. Naomi
9 of 11As exciting as Bayley's win was, seeing Naomi win the SmackDown women's title was more satisfying on a different level.
Before the women's revolution kicked in, Naomi was one of the few bright spots in the division. A few injuries slowed her career, but she never stopped moving forward.
She has been with WWE since 2010, so it took her seven years to get to this point. It's been a long journey, but hearing the fans chant "You deserve it!" likely made it worth the wait.
2. Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho
10 of 11Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho have been the best parts of Raw for as long as they have been a team, but everything came to an end Monday night.
After Jericho showed Owens his appreciation through a Festival of Friendship ceremony, the universal champion proceeded to destroy Y2J and their friendship.
The segment was entertaining from top to bottom and received heavy praise from fans on social media for blending comedy and drama so perfectly.
It was a bittersweet moment, but it had to happen. For this storyline to pay off in the end, Jericho and Owens had to have an epic confrontation.
If both men leave Fastlane with their belts, we could see them headline WrestleMania in the title vs. title match that they were planning all along.
1. Bray Wyatt
11 of 11Bray Wyatt has been misused by WWE for a long time, so seeing him finally get his due and win the WWE Championship is something a lot of fans will remember for a long time.
Not only did he win the biggest prize in the business, but he also did it inside the Elimination Chamber against five other top stars.
And just in case that wasn't enough, he turned in another incredible performance against John Cena and AJ Styles on SmackDown two days later.
The storyline with Wyatt and Randy Orton took an interesting turn Tuesday when The Viper said he refused to challenge Wyatt for the title at WrestleMania, but knowing Orton, this is all part of an even bigger plan.
Wyatt has deserved to be WWE champion for a long time. With any luck, his reign will be longer than Cena's two-week run with the title.






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