Welcome to my Sep. 2018 edition of WWE Power Rankings. Watch for these on the last Monday of every month. My goal is to focus on the 10 most poorly booked WWE superstars. Check out my August power rankings. This was the debut edition.
And can I say that Baron Corbin has done a splendid job as an authority figure, e.g. constable, interim general manager? He’s run wild with those gimmicks. It’s fun to see his personality after he had that soulless loner character. His arrogance, irritability, and douchebaggery are perfect for those roles.
Now it’s on to the power rankings!
WWE Power Rankings Drop Outs: Alexa Bliss (LM: 10), Kurt Angle (LM: 8)
WWE Power Rankings 10: Finn Balor (Raw, LM: NEW ENTRY)
Just return to that demon gimmick. Balor already smiles as though he’s constantly possessed. No idea why he isn’t on Smackdown rolling with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Now he’s almost like a poor man’s Daniel Bryan without those charismatic “Yes!” antics that people love. He’s a smaller wrestler who gets beat up most of the match before mounting a comeback and losing anyhow. Balor isn’t headed anywhere.
That Balor vs Reigns post-SummerSlam title match was quality booking though. Very good match.
WWE Power Rankings 9: Sasha & Bayley (Raw, LM: NEW ENTRY)
What happened to that developing lesbian angle? Now they’re either in random tag-team matches against the Riott Squad or singles competitions with Dana Brooke. They went from feuding against one another to showing intimacy for each other to just aimlessly doing whatever. What they’re doing now doesn’t seem like it’s building toward anything.
WWE Power Rankings 8: Bobby Lashley (Raw, LM:5)
Lashley was about to land in the Top 3. Then Lio Rush debuted as his manager. Those antics got a chuckle out of me. I’d rather see Lashley booked as a serious title contender. He should’ve fought Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam for the WWE Universal championship. Hopefully, Lesnar vs Lashley happens sometime in 2019. Maybe this can hold me off. I’m interested to see where this goes.
WWE Power Rankings 7: Authors of Pain (Raw, LM: 9)
It has been nearly one-half of a year since AoP debuted. Can we move past these jobber squash matches? AoP would’ve been absolutely perfect as Braun Strowman’s accomplices. Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre remain solely for their midcard purposes, e.g. Intercontinental Championship. Then AoP would have purpose and a way to get over with the audience.
I don’t understand why WWE didn’t see the potential there. It’s a better utilization of talent than just giving Ziggler and McIntyre everything. I can’t complain too much: Ziggler and McIntyre are two of my favorites. Both of those men are awesome workers.
WWE Power Rankings 6: Bobby Roode (Raw, LM: 6)
WWE has nothing for Roode. They have nothing for Chad Gable. Put them in a tag team! The storyline for these two getting together was Gable admired Roode so Roode agreed to tag with him. Just ignore the zero chemistry between the two workers. It’s so random and pointless. I guess anything’s better than B-Team.
WWE Power Rankings 5: Jinder Mahal (Raw, LM: 7)
Jumping over Roode for the No. 5 spot is Mahal. This dude has become more useless than he was in 3MB. We’re talking bathroom break material. Breathe! Like, let’s take him at least a little seriously? Not too long ago, Mahal was WWE Champion.
WWE Power Rankings 4: Bray Wyatt (Raw, LM: 4)
I don’t think Wyatt has made an appearance since the last update. Some fans were asking for a Wyatt Family reunion (Strowman-Wyatt-Harper) instead of Strowman-Ziggler-McIntyre. I wouldn’t have been against that, although it would’ve been awkward seeing Wyatt serve as a secondary piece behind Strowman.
WWE Power Rankings 3: SAnitY (Smackdown, LM: 3)
Nothing but taking the pin in Round 1 of a tag-team championship qualifier match. SAnitY has become Smackdown’s version of The Ascension. They’re too good for that.
WWE Power Rankings 2: Kevin Owens (Raw, LM: 2)
Let’s see what they’ve done to restore credibility to Owens’ character.
- Great Intercontinental Championship match vs Seth Rollins
- One-Week Retirement (kind of pointless)
- Joins Braun Strowman’s Dogs of War (Strowman just tried murdering him—twice).
- Looks primed for a feud with Bobby Lashley
All I know is that Owens needs put over. Against Lashley? That may not happen.
WWE Power Rankings 1: Elias (Raw, LM: 1)
Walk With Elias is nothing more than Wait With Elias. At this point, should Elias qualify as an active wrestler? He rarely fights. He never has any wrestling feuds. It’s the same old, “Hello, my name is Elias. Your sports team sucks. Now I’m gonna perform so shut your mouths… (interruption).”
How long will this go on? Raw has so many quality talents that are just booked without direction. Elias is the primary example of that.
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Joshua Huffman was born and collegiately edumacated in Middle Tennessee. 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.
