Welcome to my Aug. 2018 edition of WWE Power Rankings. I’m intending on doing these toward the end of every month. My goal is to focus on the 10 most poorly booked WWE superstars.
WWE features a lot of unique talents. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to know what to do with that talent. Let’s take a look at 10 wrestlers whom I believe are the biggest victims of shoddy writing.
Honorable Mentions: Zack Ryder (Raw), R-Truth (Smackdown), Curt Hawkins (Raw)
WWE Power Rankings 10: Alexa Bliss (Raw)
Bliss wasn’t done any favors when she was woman-handled the way she was during her SummerSlam 2018 defeat to Ronda Rousey. The former five-time women’s champion is the No. 1 female heel on the Raw roster. The last couple months haven’t showcased a wrestler booked with that credibility. Bliss did win her fifth title, but she has consistently gotten taken advantage of during singles matches, segments, and losing her partners to injuries.
WWE has made her look a tad too weak on her own. Or maybe I’m just overreacting here: she is my favorite female wrestler.
WWE Power Rankings 9: Authors of Pain (Raw)
The Authors of Pain are a fantastic example for why WWE should combine their Raw and Smackdown tag team brands. Apr. 2018 featured the promotion of AoP from NXT. They spent the first few weeks decimating lower-level and jobber tag teams. Akam and Rezar were receiving the standard treatment for newcomer monster-style tag teams: work their way up the card winning squash matches against weaker units.
Then WWE had nothing for AoP. They spent about two months on hiatus before their recent struggle with Titus Worldwide. AoP has probably suffered more harm than good for this feud. Consider this a classic example of two tag teams booked against one another not to get each other over but just to give them some work to do.
There aren’t enough tag teams—let alone quality tag teams—to have divisions for both shows. Injuries will sideline two of their main units (I’ll avoid naming them due to spoiler issues). AoP and the team mentioned at No. 3 are at the wrath of having to face the same teams every night because the tag-team division isn’t deep enough for two separate shows.
WWE Power Rankings 8: Kurt Angle (Raw)
How do you know when an authority figure has been poorly booked? Kurt Angle is a face general manager. Stephanie McMahon is a heel commissioner. During most of their confrontations, I agree with Stephanie. That shouldn’t happen. Most of the time, Angle is an incompetent idiot.
I’d love to see Angle return from his vacation and become heel. Let’s change it up. Heel GM on Raw (Angle) and Face GM on Smackdown (Paige). Authority roles are better suited for heels.
WWE Power Rankings 7: Jinder Mahal (Raw)
I’ve never cared for Mahal. He’s not my cup of tea. That said, it wasn’t even one year ago when he was WWE champion. Kind of weird to see him back closer to his 3MB days (comedy) than as a legitimate threat to the WWE Universial title.
WWE Power Rankings 6: Bobby Roode (Raw)
I’ve been catch-phrased into submission. No idea why they moved this man to Raw? They don’t have anything for him. Roode is nothing more than “Glorious!” TNA practically did all the work on building him up. I don’t know why WWE can’t do anything with the grizzled veteran.
WWE Power Rankings 5: Bobby Lashley (Raw)
From WWE Universal Championship qualifier match to comedy skits with Elias. You know, I swear WWE can’t book a black wrestler without involving them into nonsensical comedy skits. I really didn’t think they’d go that route with Lashley, a legitimate fighter with a MMA background whom many often label as “Black Lesnar.”
WWE Power Rankings 4: Bray Wyatt (Raw)
Here’s a character where WWE has been lost for years. Maybe it’s time to end it? They have no idea what to do with it. I just can’t believe how meaningless and forgettable this character has become. Wasted opportunity.
WWE Power Rankings 3: SAnitY (Smackdown)
Another recently promoted tag team from NXT. At least the AoP are getting consistent television time and winning most of their matches. SAnitY didn’t even win its debut. What better way to book a monster-style stable than for them to lose their debut match? Eric Young and the gang deserve better than that. MUCH BETTER…
WWE Power Rankings 2: Kevin Owens (Raw)
A good feud elevates everyone involved. Braun Strowman vs Kevin Owens didn’t do that. Owens taking all those very high-risk maneuvers, backstage beatdowns, and losses. And for what? It’s not as if Strowman gained anything from it, neither. Brock Lesnar and The Shield obliterated him. So it just made Owens—a former WWE Universal champion—look like a cupcake more than anything else.
But Joshua! Owens did maintain credibility! He defeated Strowman at Extreme Rules! What an upset victory!
You know what? The writers probably do think that. Dear god. Hope ya got paid well, Owens. It’ll take months to re-establish your credibility. I’m not even that much into Owens. Yet, it still pissed me off to see WWE treat one of their most over wrestlers like that. DUMB.
WWE Power Rankings 1: Elias (Raw)
Can we move on from the same comedy skits that occur every night? Comedy is okay. It’s not okay when it completely overshadows the rest of his skill-set and getting him involved with wrestling storylines. Let’s start getting Elias involved in fights and feuds. You have a complete package talent that has the potential to establish himself into a big-time player.
The writers need to Walk With Elias.
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Joshua Huffman was born and collegiately edumacated in Middle Tennessee. That said, Huffman spent 13-plus years with the type of Northern Wisconsinites and Yoopers who turn Nashville bars into alcohol wastelands whenever NFC North teams travel to play the Tennessee Titans. This makes him the NoBro of SoBros. He has published content for Yahoo! Sports (via Contributor Network) and Titan Sized, among other venues. At SoBros, he’ll provide Daily Fantasy Sports suggestions and broad sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter.
