WWE Power Rankings: October 8, 2016
The Eck Factor's ranking of the Top 20 WWE Superstars based on their overall impact, momentum and positioning on the card for the week ending Oct. 8 (last week's ranking in parentheses):
1. AJ STYLES (1)
The WWE World Champion engaged in a war of words on SmackDown with his two challengers at No Mercy, Dean Ambrose and John Cena. After things got physical, Ambrose was the last man standing.
2. KEVIN OWENS (2)
Thanks in part to a distraction from Seth Rollins, the WWE Universal Champion and Chris Jericho lost to WWE Tag Team Champions New Day in a non-title match on Raw. As Owens headed up the ramp after the match to avoid a confrontation with Rollins, his best friend Jericho fell victim to a Pedigree from Rollins.
3. DEAN AMBROSE (3)
The Lunatic Fringe was the last man standing after a verbal exchange with AJ Styles and John Cena turned physical on SmackDown. Can Ambrose carry that momentum into Sunday's Triple Threat Match with Styles and Cena for Styles' WWE World Title at No Mercy?
4. ROMAN REIGNS (4)
After Lana issued a challenge to the U.S. Champion on behalf of her husband, Rusev, on Raw, Reigns and Rusev began brawling. Rusev appeared to get the better of the exchange, but then Reigns nailed The Bulgarian Brute with a Superman Punch out of nowhere on the stage. Reigns accepted Rusev's challenge and added that the match will take place inside Hell in a Cell.
5. SETH ROLLINS (5)
Rollins wasn't medically cleared to compete on Raw after suffering a rib injury in his match against Kevin Owens on Sept. 25, but he still made his presence felt. His distraction caused Owens and Chris Jericho to lose to WWE Tag Team Champions New Day in a non-title match. After the match, Rollins failed to get his hands on Owens, so he Pedigreed Owens' best friend Jericho instead.
6. JOHN CENA (6)
After being on the receiving end of scathing promos from AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose on SmackDown, Cena said that talk is cheap and initiated a three-way brawl that concluded with Ambrose as the last man standing. Can Cena make history on Sunday at No Mercy by defeating WWE World Champion Styles and Ambrose in a Triple Threat Match and tying Ric Flair's record of 16 world titles?
7. SASHA BANKS (10)
In the first women's singles match to main event Raw in 12 years, The Boss regained the Raw Women's Championship from Charlotte.
8. NEW DAY (8)
The WWE Tag Team Champions defeated Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho in a non-title match on Raw.
9. CHARLOTTE (7)
See Sasha Banks above.
10. THE MIZ (9)
The Intercontinental Champion showed a mockumentary and brought back two Spirit Squad members to torment Dolph Ziggler on SmackDown.
11. RANDY ORTON (11)
The Viper turned the tables on Bray Wyatt by playing mind games and making him the hunted on SmackDown.
12. RUSEV (12)
See Roman Reigns above.
13. CHRIS JERICHO (13)
See Kevin Owens above.
14. DOLPH ZIGGLER (14)
During what could be his final appearance on SmackDown if he loses to Intercontinental Champion The Miz at No Mercy, Ziggler was mocked by Miz and two of Ziggler's former Spirit Squad teammates. Ziggler, however, took out Spirit Squad's Kenny and Mikey with superkicks.
15. BRAY WYATT (15)
Wyatt fell into Randy Orton's trap on SmackDown, but he escaped thanks to the supernatural being known as Sister Abigail.
16. BAYLEY (16)
Bayley stood up to bully Dana Brooke backstage on Raw by shoving her into some crates and injuring her knee. Thanks to Bayley, Brooke was unable to accompany Raw Women's Champion Charlotte to ringside for her match against Sasha Banks.
17. ALEXA BLISS (19)
The No. 1 contender for the SmackDown Women's Title lost to Nikki Bella by disqualification due interference from Carmella. In the impromptu tag match that followed, Bliss pinned SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch as she and Carmella defeated Lynch and Nikki.
18. BECKY LYNCH (17)
See Alexa Bliss above.
19. SAMI ZAYN (18)
Zayn defeated Titus O'Neil on Raw.
20. LUKE GALLOWS AND KARL ANDERSON (20)
Gallows and Anderson got back on track by defeating The Golden Truth on Raw.
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