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Luke Harper and AJ Styles ended SmackDown with a draw.
Luke Harper and AJ Styles ended SmackDown with a draw.Credit: WWE.com

WWE Superstar Power Rankings for Week of February 23

The Doctor Chris MuellerFeb 23, 2017

Between Raw and SmackDown, WWE made significant advancements to just about every feud going on right now. 

The women's division has numerous storylines running at the same time, both top titles are getting a lot of attention and the cruiserweight division is finally getting interesting.

Both shows had compelling main events featuring former members of The Wyatt Family taking more significant roles in the main event scene.

It's easy to come up with things to complain about when it comes to WWE, but at this moment, the company is doing a great job juggling numerous feuds while building toward WrestleMania 33.

Let's see where everyone ended up in this week's Superstar power rankings.

10. The New Day

1 of 10

The New Day went from being the longest-reigning tag team champions to serving as the hosts of WrestleMania 33.

Not having a match on the card would be disappointing for anyone as popular as Xavier Woods, Big E and Kofi Kingston, but they aren't letting it get them down.

They still go out there every week and make sure they are one of the most entertaining and memorable parts of every show.

Management is having it take a backseat so that the rest of the division can thrive after the one-year rule of The New Day, but it's surprising WWE doesn't have it in a real feud.

Unless management is planning on breaking it up during the draft, The New Day should be back in the hunt for the titles following WrestleMania.

9. Jack Gallagher

2 of 10

Gentleman Jack Gallagher has been entertaining in every single segment he has ever appeared in, but he took a big step forward with his character this week.

His contract signing with Neville on Raw was better than expected, and much of the credit goes to Gallagher for making everyone take him seriously.

His character could have easily become a huge joke, but his creativity in the ring and the reactions he gets from fans have kept him from being a comedy character.

Neville has also grown by leaps and bounds since turning heel, and they played off each other well as two Englishman who couldn't be any more different.

If they are given enough time, their match at Fastlane could end up stealing the show.

8. Bayley

3 of 10

Bayley becoming the Raw women's champion was a defining moment in her career, but her segment from this week's Raw was better for the overall development of her character.

She was given a long time to deliver a promo, interact with Stephanie McMahon and Sasha Banks and give everyone a better idea of what she stands for.

McMahon played a great heel by trying to bully the new champion into giving up her title, but The Hugger had Banks to help her through the situation.

WWE is playing up Banks and Bayley's relationship quite a bit, which makes it somewhat obvious that The Boss will turn on her friend at some point. When that happens, they will reignite the epic feud they had in NXT.

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7. The Usos

4 of 10

It took a long time, but The Usos' heel turn finally started to make sense this week after the twins delivered a scathing promo on SmackDown.

Appearing in the crowd somehow made the whole segment feel different than it would have had they been in the ring or on the stage.

Jimmy and Jey's best quality has always been their passion, and it was on full display as they ripped into American Alpha.

Their work in the ring has been great for a long time, and they are finally starting to develop their own personalities instead of using their family history as a crutch.

6. Nikki Bella and Natalya

5 of 10

With all the focus WWE has put on Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Becky Lynch in recent months, it's easy to forget how many other talented women work for the company.

Nikki Bella and Natalya have worked hard to show everyone there is more to the women's division than The Four Horsewomen, and they succeeded this week.

Their Falls Count Anywhere match on SmackDown was an old-school fight. They battled all over the arena and put each other through the wringer.

Bringing Maryse into the situation to set up something for WrestleMania received a mixed reaction on social media, but everything up to that point was awesome.

Raw may be the flagship show, but SmackDown has been the superior brand recently, and the women's division has been a big part of the blue brand's success.

5. Alexa Bliss

6 of 10

Naomi's injury couldn't have come at a worse time. She finally won the women's title and was forced to give it up just over a week later.

It sucks to see such a talented Superstar in this position, but it allowed Alexa Bliss to become an even bigger heel in the process.

Her work as a villain has been a lot of fun to watch because of how much she has grown as a character over the past two years.

Her matches with Becky Lynch are always entertaining, but her biggest strength comes from her ability to channel the stereotypical mean girl on the mic.

She is only 25 years old and already has two women's titles on her resume. If she continues at this rate, she could become one of the most successful women in the history of the company by the time she retires.

4. Luke Harper and AJ Styles

7 of 10

Battle Royals can often be messes, but the one we saw on SmackDown managed to be entertaining and address multiple storylines at the same time.

Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin's feud was given some attention, but having AJ Styles and Luke Harper fight to a draw was the most interesting thing about it.

Styles was a lock to be involved in the title picture heading into WrestleMania, but seeing WWE finally give Harper a real push was the best part.

While it's unlikely Harper vs. Bray Wyatt in a singles match would be one of the main events of the biggest show of the year, we could see both men involved in a Triple Threat or Fatal 4-Way contest.

SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan said we would find out who the No. 1 contender is next week, so let's hope WWE finds a way to keep Harper in the mix.

3. Samoa Joe

8 of 10

For anyone who has followed Samoa Joe's career for the past decade, seeing him booked as one of Raw's top heels from the moment he debuted has been indescribable.

When TNA was in its downward spiral, Joe was always someone you could trust to put on a good performance against anyone.

His run in NXT was good, but if the past couple of weeks are any indication, his time on the main roster will be even better.

Sami Zayn is a great person for him to have his first feud with because he can adjust his style to suit any opponent. When they finally clash in a singles match, they will tear the house down.

2. Braun Strowman

9 of 10

Every single week, Braun Strowman gives us another reason to understand why WWE has given him such a monster push.

He keeps his promos short, which only serves to make him appear more intimidating, but his real strength comes from his athleticism.

For a man who is 6'8" and almost 400 pounds, he has more agility and speed than anyone would expect.

His feud with Sami Zayn showed off his versatility, but his match with Big Show on Raw was even more eye-opening. Two giants don't get "This is awesome!" chants too often, but they did.

Management is smart not to rush him into the hunt for the universal title. It's better if he continues to grow organically while continuing to showcase what makes him special against opponents of all shapes and sizes.

1. Kevin Owens

10 of 10

Kevin Owens opened this week's Raw sitting under a lone spotlight. The promo he gave was intriguing in a way we don't often see in the wrestling world, but what he didn't say was just as important.

He ended his alliance with Chris Jericho last week in one of the most heartbreaking segments we have seen in years, and he refused to say a single word to explain his actions.

Watching Samoa Joe destroy Sami Zayn before their one-sided match on Raw without a single sign of emotion was the perfect way to show Owens' change in attitude.

Everything KO touches turns to gold. If anyone can make Goldberg look better in the ring, it's Owens. 

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