AllWrestling.Com Weekly Power Poll 12/13

At the request of The Authority here at AllWrestling.com, I have been tasked with creating a weekly power poll for the WWE. Since this is an initial installment, I feel the need to include a few qualifiers.
This power poll will reflect only the main roster. I think it’s too difficult to try to evaluate main roster vs. NXT or NXT UK performances relative to the effect those efforts had on the fans watching at home. This will also focus on the strength of the performances given on WWE TV during RAW, SmackDown, 205 Live, Mixed Match Challenge and all the shows building the drama up to potential pay-per-view shows. This week obviously featured go-home shows to get ready for the last big show of the year, TLC, at SAP Center in San Jose this Sunday. 
Lastly, this poll is not ultimately a popularity contest of who is hottest with the WWE Universe right now. There would be no question about who that is – *cough* Becky Lynch *cough* – but rather the strength of the performances given in the ring and promos over the course of the week. So, without further ado, here’s the AllWrestling.com weekly power poll for December 13 in reverse order from No. 10 leading up to No. 1:

  They Didn’t Make The List (Apologies, Chris Jericho) But Had Good Weeks
  Rusev – Nobody looked stronger or better in the tag match between Rusev and Jeff Hardy and U.S. Champ Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe. Why the Bulgarian Brute hasn’t been a multi-time champ yet I will never know. He’s over with crowds, but WWE has buried him since the John Cena feuds. 
  Ruby Riott – When you look at how the landscape of the WWE RAW Women’s Division has been written lately, there are few legitimate contenders to Ronda Rousey’s title. Ruby could get there with a little help from her friends Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. Should the WWE finally bring in women’s tag titles, the Riott Squad would be great foils for The Boss-N-Hug Connection. I am not a fan of using Jim Neidhart for the feud with Nattie but it created heel heat this week.
  SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch – It’s a testament to the power of The Man that she hasn’t wrestled in a month, but still had a great week on the power of her work on social media, appearances on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, promos and sitting ringside and taking a few lumps with a kendo stick. She did her part to get people frothing at the mouth for the SmackDown Women’s Championship triple-threat TLC match. 

  Heel Dean Ambrose/Bane – Whether or not you liked The Shield splitting, the timing of the heel turn coinciding with the tragic news Roman Reigns is fighting leukemia again or some of the cringe-worthy doctor’s office promos, Ambrose has come off looking like a badass heading into a showdown with one of the hottest guys in the company right now. He’s doing his part to make Sunday’s match with Rollins one people are anticipating. Here’s hoping he copies a few Bane lines while wearing The Bane-esque coat from The Dark Knight Rises.

#10 – Carmella & R-Truth 

In a way, nothing has accurately portrayed the attrition of injuries WWE has struggled through the past few months more than the Mixed Match Challenge. Hardly any of the initial incarnations of the teams competing in the round robin tournament made it through MMC Season 2 intact. As a result, WWE seemed to embrace the comic relief angle by having SmackDown Dance Break darlings Carmella and R-Truth and the weird, but oddly effective RAW heel pairing of Alicia Fox and Jinder Mahal with the Singh brothers advance to the final match. 
Though it’s difficult to envision this is the result they had in mind the entire time, WWE would be smart to capitalize on the pop the Moonwalking, Trash-Talking Princess and Absent-Minded, Lovable Rapper have with the crowds and give them the victory on Sunday. It would be a way to insert one of the hottest gimmicks in the company into the Royal Rumble by having Mella and Truth be the last entrants in their respective fields.
Many social media trolls have slammed Carmella and Mahal for “falling off” after title runs on SmackDown last year. However, few performers have connected with little kids and the casual, fun-loving members of the WWE Universe more than Carmella and R-Truth have with the Dance Breaks. It’s been an inventive way to stay relevant with the focus of the SmackDown Women’s title picture squarely on Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Asuka and to a lesser extent Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. Mahal had to see the writing on the wall with the move to RAW as he barely got TV time at all until he took on a more comedic role. 

#9 – New RAW Tag Team Champs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable 
It seems like it’s overdue for both Roode and Gable to be wearing some sort of gold around their waists after moves to RAW which have no doubt stunted any sort of momentum they had with stellar NXT careers. 
Though the Drake Maverick urination angle has been regrettable and not needed, WWE seemed to take stock of some past errors on RAW this week by having the arrogant, diminutive manager of the Authors of Pain get his comeuppance. To be clear, I think Maverick has actually hurt more than helped AOP, but this was a clever turn for a feud between these two teams that had gotten stale. 
To me, AOP’s reign was too short, but the only tag team on RAW that seems to have its gimmick fully sorted out – The Revival – hasn’t been getting run in the title picture for some reason. Roode & Gable versus The Revival and AOP would make for some good ring work. Here’s hoping that’s where RAW is headed. 

#8 – SmackDown Tag Team Title Contenders/Champs
For some reason, the best three tag teams on the WWE main roster – The Bar, New Day and The Usos – are all on Tuesday nights. We’ve seen tons of matches between these great teams for years. So, you wouldn’t think another match between these three teams would move the meter much heading into TLC this Sunday.
Then SmackDown Tag Champs The Bar showed up in track suits and delivered, “Ice, Ice Sheamy.” A lot of people ripped Mick Foley for his time as RAW General Manager, but if he gave us only one gift it was putting Sheamus and Cesaro together as a tag team. These guys are the rare combination of phenomenal athletes and self-deprecating comedians who aren’t afraid to do just about anything. 

Are The Usos much better rappers? Yes. Did they deliver great smack talk on the mic as always? Yes. But what will you remember the most from that segment? Tell me it’s not the Swiss Cyborg and the Celtic Warrior in track suits spitting horrible old school hip-hop ripoff riffs. 

#7 – Mustafa Ali 

Much like critics on the independent movie scene, hardcore wrestling fans who consume wrestling programming like addicts will tell you that the Cruiserweights on 205 Live turn in some of the most fun, athletic matches of the week and do it in relative obscurity compared to other performers in the company. 
Admittedly, I’m a little biased because I’m from Illinois and was familiar with Ali’s ascent to the WWE through the indie ranks out of Chicago, but it’s undeniable he had a tremendous week in pushing WWE Champion “The New” Daniel Bryan to the brink. We knew Ali wouldn’t win, but, damn, he sure looked impressive working alongside one of the best in the business. It’s just a shame a lot of this match took place during a small-screen window in commercial breaks. 
Ali is a tremendous talent and SmackDown giving exposure like that to a lesser-known performer against a champion is what we hopefully can see more of in the future, rather than weekly one-on-one feuds that seem to exhaust the limits of our attention spans. Hopefully, more 205 Live talent can get some cracks at the WWE Champ from time to time. 

#6 – RAW General Manager Elect Baron Corbin
I know, I know. You don’t like the guy. However, even the staunchest Corbin critics have to admit that he brought his “A Game” to the Tables, Ladders & Chairs match with Seth Rollins and provided the heel heat to The Architect’s hero push during the Monday Night Mea Culpa that was RAW this week. 
I think it was cold of WWE to lay all the blame for the ratings at the feet of The Lone Wolf. It’s not his fault that the company seemed to jump the shark a little bit with Corbin’s massive push as “The Authority” type baddie on RAW. I think Corbin has what it takes to be a great Superstar. He just needed a bit more time to hone his craft. 
Regardless of the past few months, Corbin delivered a hard-hitting main event and was the guy you loved to hate during the main event. He gave Rollins everything he could handle until The Kingslayer ascended the ladder and reclaimed his Intercontinental Championship. That’s exactly what Corbin gets paid to do. 

#5 – Drew McIntyre
Those of us still tuning in to RAW each week know who the real top heel is on the Red Brand – the Scottish Psychopath. I think the friendship turn against Dolph Ziggler was a little rushed and deserved more than the two weeks that it got, but these two guys gave us great matches and continued to explore the depths of McIntyre’s sinister ways. Drew’s attack the previous week also gave WWE a decent hedge this week for Balor missing some time due to illness. 
Maybe I’m a bit higher on McIntyre than some others at this point of the game, but I think WWE could create some Hollywood Hulk Hogan/nWo style heel heat with McIntyre in 2019 if it plays its cards right. McIntyre would be a credible championship foil to either Braun Strowman or Rollins – in my opinion one of those two should have been wearing the Universal Championship belt months ago – and either pairing or all three would create magnificent carnage together. 
Along the way, McIntyre may be able to help WWE reboot Finn Balor’s career as he’s kind of been on the Island of Misfit Toys since the injury that ended his Universal Championship reign at one day. If McIntyre can help rehab Balor into a main eventer in 2019, then all the better. The Red Brand needs stars to correct the direction it’s been going in this year. 

#4 – Charlotte Flair
The Queen continues her descent into Game of Thrones’ Cersei-style malevolence with her tendency to pick up the kendo stick when she can’t put away an opponent. The WrestleMania 34 rematch with Asuka this week was magnificent storytelling and the best match of the week on any of the shows. Most of the fans I talk to are most looking forward to seeing The Man, The Queen and The Empress of Tomorrow throw down in an epic battle on Sunday, and this match only whipped us into more of a frenzy to see that spectacle.
To be honest, I worried a bit with the first suplex Asuka delivered to Charlotte because it looked like she took the bump fully on her head and neck. However, Flair, who seems to have an inhuman ability to shrug off what looks like clearly painful mistakes, (**cough** Nia Jax letting her land on her head on a moonsault **cough**) kept trucking along. Flair is well on her way to being the G.O.A.T. when it comes to female wrestlers and becoming one of the best men or women to ever step in a ring. 
I am a fan of Charlotte taking her persona in this direction because she’s always been best as a heel. She also set up Asuka to reboot herself after taking a hit in credibility and storyline aims with the streak ended. If WWE plays this weekend right, Charlotte, Becky and Asuka will all be among those considered in the team picture for the company’s top worker right now. 

#3 – Asuka
There’s no doubt The Empress of Tomorrow scored the best night of the three SmackDown Women’s Championship title contenders. The imagery of Asuka wildly hacking away at Charlotte and Becky with the kendo stick as SmackDown concluded was burned into our minds as the most impressive until TLC airs on Sunday. Though it wasn’t quite as impressive as her initial meeting with Flair at WrestleMania 34, Asuka and Charlotte delivered the best match of the week, nonetheless. 
With her streak ended, Asuka seemed to drift into uncertain waters for months this year with the company seemingly unsure where to take her. She was on the sidelines, teaming with Naomi and Miz in tag matches that were still impressive on the midcard and Mixed Match Challenge. One benefit is that her and Naomi have helped increase the visibility and credibility of Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville being in the title picture. 
However, Asuka has received the chance she needed to become the champion we thought she would be when she arrived from a red-hot NXT run. As some have inferred, it might be wise to have her win the belt this weekend. Becky and Charlotte are so over with the fans that they could take the loss. However, Asuka may not be able to recover with fans with another crushing loss in 2018. We will have to tune in to find out. 

#2 – Intercontinental Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins
WWE used Seth as its mouthpiece to acknowledge harsh criticism from fans over the creative direction RAW has taken over the past few months which has led to sagging ratings and villagers showing up at WWE’s door with torches and pitchforks. The common folk wanted WWE creative to Burn It Down. So why not have the immensely popular Superstar who conveniently uses that catchphrase do just that? 
Rollins laid waste to General Manager Baron Corbin, calling him an abject failure and saying that RAW has sucked under Corbin’s stewardship – basically what you’ve been yelling to yourself at home if you have continued to tune in each week. Having Rollins be the voice of the fan was a way for RAW to get a little win, and that was highly effective. 
Later on that night, Rollins proved what he’s asserted on social media all along during “The Man” discussions. Nobody comes to the arena and looks to steal the show on a nightly basis between the ropes more than Rollins. He’s had his share of injuries for sure, but he also works very hard to be the fighting champion the Red Brand needs because it elects to use a guy – Brock Lesnar – who rarely shows up on WWE TV to carry its most valued title. Rollins and Corbin tore the house down in a 20-minute main event that was both physical and intense while also whetting our appetites for Rollins-Ambrose this Sunday. 

#1 – WWE Champion “The New” Daniel Bryan 
Bryan continues to shine in his latest reincarnation. He needed an evolution from the Yes! Movement and, boy, has he delivered. While simultaneously shaming us for our environmental consumption and lecturing us for being stupid for not knowing how great Mustafa Ali is, Bryan has taken just weeks to emerge as the greatest heel in the company. 
For whatever reason, WWE rarely featured AJ Styles in main events during his year on top. Despite being one of the best ring workers in the business and the most popular male Superstar in the company, Styles often got pushed out of the main spotlight by Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar or Braun Strowman. WWE will always have its big man bias, and with another behemoth in Lars Sullivan coming that will likely continue. 

Ironically, Bryan and Styles will likely get upstaged this weekend by the tremendous attention on the Women’s SmackDown Championship triple-threat TLC match, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be another must-see affair between two of the greatest wrestling talents in the world today. Bryan did his part to sell this match with another technically stunning match against the tremendously-skilled Mustafa Ali and great mic work leading up to the match. Fans will no doubt be behind Styles after their champion was low-blowed out of his title in St. Louis a few weeks back. Enjoy Charlotte, Becky and Asuka, but don’t sleep on what should be another excellent matchup with Bryan and Styles. 
Agree or Disagree with me? Feel free to leave a comment at AllWrestling.com or tweet me at @josephspencer00