WWE’s second-biggest show of the year delivered two huge twists in as many nights. If that wasn’t enough to shake up the balance of the pro-wrestling landscape, we also saw the end of the John Cena heel turn, bringing to a close one of the most controversial runs in the modern era.
On the other side of the fence, AEW continues to ride the momentum from an exceptionally strong All In: Texas pay-per-view, with new champion Hangman Adam Page cementing his role as the face of the company. It’s been a change in power that has been welcomed by the fan base, but what will it mean for our monthly power rankings?
MEN’S POWER RANKINGS
10. Kazuchika Okada (Prev: NR)
Being crowned as AEW’s first Unified Champion was another big moment for Okada, who has gone from being an occasional marquee cameo in Tony Khan’s promotion to one of its most recognizable performers. Now the former NJPW man is set to compete in front of one of AEW’s biggest crowds as Forbidden Door heads to London on Aug. 24 for the first time. But can Okada fend off a challenge from Swerve Strickland?
9. Dominik Mysterio (Prev: NR)
It’s a huge credit to WWE’s most dastardly heel that he not only managed to defend his Intercontinental Championship against AJ Styles at SummerSlam, but also made sure the match justified its billing as the penultimate showdown of Night 2. Now the latest reports are that WWE have big plans for “Dirty Dom” by sending him off to be the top bad guy in AAA, the lucha libre promotion they purchased earlier this year.
8. LA Knight (Prev: 10)
It’s been a roller-coaster week for LA Knight, who went from being inexplicably absent from SummerSlam to getting a title shot against new champion Seth Rollins on “WWE Raw.” Given the circumstances over the weekend, a title change was never a realistic prospect (even a clean finish was unlikely given WWE's dependence on DQs on the weekly shows), but it did at least confirm that WWE still regards “The Megastar” as one of its top babyfaces.
7. Roman Reigns (Prev: 6)
One year on from his last big return, “The Tribal Chief” was the curtain-jerker at this year’s SummerSlam, teaming with Jey Uso to score a win over Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. The big question is what happens next for Roman Reigns, and whether WWE can finally find a singles feud worthy of his presence. We know from Netflix’s “WWE: Unreal” that Reigns vs. Rollins remains on WWE’s radar. Is it too early to add it to our WrestleMania 42 wishlist?
6. CM Punk (Prev: 3)
The CM Punk redemption arc was one of the biggest stories from “Unreal,” providing more evidence that the former pariah of WWE is now seen as a major asset internally. This weekend, WWE even made him world champion — albeit for five minutes. Given his backstory with Seth Rollins, the smart money has to be on Punk getting a shot at the big prize again before long.
5. “Hangman” Adam Page (Prev: 2)
The wrestling world took a collective deep breath at the news that Jon Moxley would be getting a rematch just weeks after All In: Texas. Surely AEW couldn’t do that to Hangman, could they? Thankfully, those fears turned out to be unfounded as AEW’s top guy pulled off a clean victory, giving the crowd another chance to cheer him to the rafters. In doing so, he looked every inch the world champion.
4. John Cena (Prev: 5)
How good did it feel to see that color explode on the screen as John Cena made his entrance — once again as a babyface — at SummerSlam? The controversial heel turn is officially over, and the fans will get their chance to say goodbye to one of WWE’s modern greats in the way they always wanted to. You have to imagine there’s one last big story to tell for Cena this year; we just hope it’s a good one.
3. Seth Rollins (Prev: 4)
So the former Shield man was playing possum all along, executing another MITB heist to leave New Jersey as WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion. We can question the wisdom of these fake injury angles (particularly given much of the locker room was deceived), but you can't deny it was a memorable cash-in. After the Cena switch-up, Rollins now inherits the mantle of WWE’s most powerful heel champion — and not a moment too soon.
2. Cody Rhodes (Prev: 2)
Restoring Rhodes to his rightful perch as universal champion has looked like the most likely move since WWE Night of Champions in June — and that was exactly the path WWE chose to take, with “The American Nightmare” picking up a clean win over John Cena without any shenanigans. Judging by the emphasis placed on that passing of the torch moment between the two men, it looks like Rhodes is safe in his role as WWE’s top babyface for a while yet.
1. Brock Lesnar (Prev: NR)
The fact that a 20-year veteran has gone from nowhere to being atop our power rankings shows just what a seismic shock it was when Brock Lesnar made his comeback on Sunday. For all the controversy around the Vince McMahon lawsuit (in which Lesnar is named but is not an active party), there's no denying Lesnar is an elite talent with name recognition well beyond the WWE. If he sticks around after the Cena retirement tour, he will no doubt leave his mark on the entire wrestling landscape.
WOMEN’S POWER RANKINGS
10. Athena (Prev: 10)
Given its focus on inter-promotion warfare, the upcoming AEW Forbidden Door event seems like a particularly opportune moment for Ring of Honor’s women’s champion to claim her title shot against Toni Storm. While we don’t expect her to win (although we wouldn’t necessarily complain if she did…) the match should cap off an exceptionally successful run for Athena, who has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the improvement across AEW’s women’s division.
9. Charlotte Flair (Prev: NR)
It was a bumpy start to the year for Charlotte Flair, who returned from injury only to be thrust straight into the main title scene without much demand from the fans. After losing at WrestleMania 41, Flair has successfully pivoted into a new storyline with Alexa Bliss, as the two of them became the saviors of the women’s tag division. Sure, they will probably combust before long like every other misfit tag team before them, but isn't that part of the fun?
8. Alexa Bliss (Prev: NR)
From the minute she made her big return at the Royal Rumble, Alexa Bliss looked set for another championship run in WWE, and now that has come to pass. Competition for the top slots in the women’s division is stiffer than ever these days, but Bliss’s performance at SummerSlam shows that she has both the in-ring IQ and the stardust quality to stand tall with the very best of them.
7. Iyo Sky (Prev: 7)
While her championship reign may be in the rear-view mirror, Iyo Sky has cemented her position within the upper card of the women's roster, delivering all-time classics in her last two PLE appearances. Amid the high-flying chaos, though, perhaps the bigger story is the lack of a clean result in her ongoing battle against Rhea Ripley. Could the duo be set for one match before long — this time just for pride, rather than gold?
6. Becky Lynch (Prev: 9)
Four months on from her WrestleMania 41 return, SummerSlam felt like a bit of a reinvention for Becky Lynch, who entered the stadium with a new, much gnarlier sounding theme music and her most pronounced heel swagger yet. Having emerged as the winner from her multi-match feud with Lyra Valkyria — a storyline that has done wonders to elevate Lynch’s former protegee — she now looks set to clash with Hall of Famer Nikki Bella.
5. Toni Storm (Prev: 3)
Defeating Mercedes Mone in front of AEW’s largest ever U.S. crowd has to be a career high for Toni Storm, who has spent much of the past two years reshaping the AEW women’s division in her image. Giving wrestlers more creative input has to be one of Tony Khan’s braver gambles, but Storm is an example of someone who has absolutely risen to that challenge, relishing the chance to create some genuine magic at the top of the women’s division.
4. Tiffany Stratton (Prev: 6)
Now in her eighth month as WWE Women’s Champion, Tiffany Stratton entered her SummerSlam match against Jade Cargill as the betting underdog, before surprising all of us with a clean victory. It wasn’t a classic of a match by any means, but it was another reminder of how much promise the WWE sees in Stratton. Having seen off both Cargill and Charlotte Flair, the 26-year-old looks more dominant than ever on “WWE SmackDown.”
3. Stephanie Vaquer (Prev: 5)
Being positioned as the challenger-in-waiting for the world title is always a strong position, but how many competitors reach that position after just a handful of weeks on the main roster? To be fair, WWE has known for a while now that they’re dealing with an extremely special talent when it comes to “La Primera,” hence her rapid journey through the ranks of NXT. What happens when Vaquer gets her title shot at Clash in Paris remains to be seen — but I imagine she will be a fixture of this list for a long while either way.
2. Rhea Ripley (Prev: 2)
She might have left WWE Evolution and SummerSlam empty-handed, but Rhea Ripley used both events to remind us just what an elite talent she is. How long before she is once again holding one of the two major belts in the women's division? At this point, I suspect WWE are waiting for a moment big enough to mark the occasion, given the huge reaction it will no doubt elicit from the crowd. Maybe the main event of WrestleMania 42 might be the best time to pull the trigger?
1. Naomi (Prev: 1)
After a superb run in the women's division (and having executed the only successful heel turn in WWE this year), Naomi finally got her flowers with a special entrance at SummerSlam featuring her father Shawn McRae. After a brief, teary moment, she quickly returned to her ruthless ways, picking up a huge win over Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky to retain her gold.
The former TNA champion has managed to leave the last few PLEs in an even stronger position than she went in. But will that hold up when she takes on the formidable Stephanie Vaquer when WWE heads to Paris at the end of the month?
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