Here is the latest update of InsidePulse Wrestling’s OFFICIAL rankings of the WWE RAW and Smackdown rosters … posted on the Friday following the final WWE PPV event of each month.
In this monthly feature, the InsidePulse Wrestling editorial board ranks the heavyweight, women/cruiserweight, and tag team divisions on World Wrestling Entertainment’s RAW and Smackdown brands. Rankings include the top ten heavyweights, top five women/cruiserweights, and top five tag teams on each brand, and include everyone listed on WWE.com’s RAW and SD Superstars pages, plus regular, unlisted competitors from each brand.
These rankings take into account (in order):
– Current title status*
– Declared and presumed storyline rankings
– Recent victories and quality of opponents
– Quality of matches (psychology, workrate, and entertainment value)
– Quality of TV exposure (length, placement during show, and crowd response)
*In the heavyweight division, “secondary” champions are de facto top contenders unless otherwise stated on television.
Check out this link for last month’s rankings, and click here to see the many changes in the RAW and SD rosters since the last rankings report.
Last month’s ranking for each superstar is in parentheses following each name, with italicized comments included where appropriate.
RAW SUPERSTARS
Heavyweights:
WWE Champion – John Cena (Same)
Intercontinental Champion – Carlito Caribbean Cool (Same)
1. Chris Jericho (5) – Has title match lined up for Summerslam and has been featured on TV, despite not wrestling in July.
2. Edge (1) – Part of prominent storyline on RAW, with Matt Hardy, Lita and Kane, and still holds “Money in the Bank” title shot… It remains unclear if that title shot counts towards the WWE Championship or just SD’s World Championship.
3. Shawn Michaels (2) – Came back from injury to beat Kurt Angle in a match of the year candidate.
4. Kurt Angle (3) – Drops a spot after recent loss to Eugene.
5. Hulk Hogan (NR) – Main eventing Summerslam vs. Shawn Michaels.
6. Kane (4) – Recently “arrested” after going 1-2 in high-profile matches vs. Edge, most of which have been main events of RAW.
7. Shelton Benjamin (9) – On a two-match losing streak to Carlito.
8. Chris Masters (10) – Still getting a ton of TV time and undefeated.
9. Viscera (NR) – Back in the top 10 after impressive winning streak, including recent handicapped match vs. the Heart Throbs.
10. Big Show (8) – Just edges out Eugene (win over Angle), Dupree (undefeated in July with two wins over Venis) and Snisky (recent main event vs. Cena), but does drop two slots to #10. After an impressive RAW debut, he has still been positioned strongly, both during lumberjack match and Masterlock Challenge segments, but will have to do something more to stay on the list next month.
Unranked Heavyweights:
Antonio (NR)
Eugene Dinsmore (NR)
Gene Snitsky (NR)
Rene Dupree (NR)
Rob Conway (NR)
Romeo (NR)
Tajiri (NR)
The Hurricane (NR)
Tyson Tomko (NR)
Val Venis (NR)
Women:
Champion – Trish Stratus (NR)
1. Victoria (1)
2. Christy Hemme (2)
3. Lita (3)
4. Talia (4)
5. Stacey Keibler (5)
Tag Teams:
World Champions – The Hurricane & Rosey (Same)
1. The Heartthrobs (1)
2. Hulk Hogan & Shawn Michaels (NR)
3. Chris Masters & Gene Snitsky (NR)
4. Kane & Big Show (NR)
5. Kurt Angle & Carlito (NR)
Not Active Wrestlers (since July 1):
Triple H (6) – Perennial title contender, he dissappeared from TV after his third straight PPV loss to Batista at June’s Vengeance PPV.
Ric Flair (7)
Danny Basham (NR)
Eric Bischoff (NR)
Jerry Lawler (NR)
Jim Ross (NR)
Jonathan Coachman (NR)
Kerwin White (NR)
Maria Kanellis (NR)
Mick Foley (NR)
Rob Van Dam (NR)
Stone Cold (NR)
The Rock (NR)
Todd Grisham (NR)
No longer listed on WWE.com or appearing on TV:
Hiroko
Ivory
Kenzo Suzuki
Mark Jindrak
Maven
SMACKDOWN SUPERSTARS
Heavyweights:
World Champion – Dave Batista (Same)
United States Champion – Orlando Jordan (Same)
1. John Bradshaw Layfield (1) – Beat Batista by DQ at Great American Bash and won #1 contender’s match vs. Undertaker.
2. The Undertaker (5) – Jumped from 5 to 2 after running over Hassan and coming a Randy Orton RKO away from beating JBL for the #1 contendership.
3. Chris Benoit (4) – Only loss of the month was cheap defeat vs. Orlando Jordan at the Great American Bash.
4. Booker T (3) – Beat the hot Christian at the PPV and remains near the top of the card week in and week out.
5. Christian (2) – Getting plenty of airtime and one of the freshest characters on SD.
6. Rey Mysterio (7) – Undefeated in July and part of one of the top storylines on SD with Eddie and his son Domenick.
7. Eddie Guerrero (8) – Only win of the month was against Holly, but he continues to rule on the mic despite being given a controversial storyline to work with.
8. William Regal (NR) – Took Benoit to the limits in recent Velocity main event, and has been on SD often, although his matches seem like they’re always interrupted by the Mexicools.
9. Blue Meanie (NR) – Proof positive that the HW division on SD needs Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar to come back in a bad way. But hey, he has a win over JBL on the books.
10. Hardcore Holly (NR) – Kind of lost with Haas released, but had a hard-fought loss vs. Eddie Guerrero recently on SD.
Unranked Heavyweights:
Heidenreich (9)
Joey Mercury (NR)
Johnny Nitro (NR)
Road Warrior Animal (NR)
Steven Richards (NR)
Cruiserweights:
Champion – Paul London (Same)
1. Frankie “The Future” Kazarian (NR)
2. Juventud (1)
3. Super Crazy (NR)
4. Simon Dean (NR)
5. Scotty 2 Hotty (5)
6. Nunzio (4)
7. Khosrow Daivari (NR)
8. Funaki (NR)
9. Psicosis (NR)
10. Hollywood Nova (NR)
Tag Teams:
WWE Champions – Heidenreich & Road Warrior Animal (NR)
1. MNM (Champs)
2. Mexicools (2)
3. Chris Benoit & Booker T (NR)
4. Blue World Order (NR)
5. Christian & Orlando Jordan (NR)
Not Active Wrestlers (since July 1):
Al Snow (NR)
Candice Michelle (NR)
Doug Basham (NR)
Jillian Hall (NR)
Josh Mathews (NR)
Michael Cole (NR)
Michelle McCool (NR)
Randy Orton (NR)
Sylvain Grenier (NR)
Tazz (NR)
Theodore Long (NR)
Torrie Wilson (NR)
No longer listed on WWE.com or appearing on TV:
Muhammad Hassan (6/HW)**
Matt Morgan (10/HW)
Akio (2/CW)
Billy Kidman (3/CW)
Charlie Haas (1/TT)
Bubba Ray Dudley
Dawn Marie
D-Von Dudley
Joy Giovanni
Miss Jackie
Shannon Moore
Spike Dudley
**Muhammed Hassan would have ranked in the top ten, bumping Holly off the list, as he was in a #1 contender’s match at the Great American Bash. However, since his loss at the PPV, Smackdown General Manager Teddy Long made a statement on WWE.com that Hassan will no longer be appearing on SD, thus making him ineligible for this rankings list.
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