WWE Rankings for August 2016

WWE Rankings

Make sure you check out the rankings for July!

Back in the 80’s and 90’s one of my favourite things as a wrestling fan was getting the Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine. The first thing I would do upon receiving the magazine would be to flip to the back page and look at the ratings Where were my favourites this issue, and how did everybody stack up to each other?

Each month I will compile the records of everyone appearing for the WWE and make top ten lists for tag teams, women, and men. The results are gathered from Raw, SmackDown, Superstars, Main Event, NXT, the Cruiserweight Classic, and any special events shown on the WWE Network. Those records start the basis for the lists, but quality of opponent, performance in mutli-person, and titles won will also play into the determination of a wrestler’s rank. With that out of the way, let’s get to the WWE Rankings for August 2016.

TAG TEAM RANKINGS

Before we get into the rankings, let’s look at who fell off the list from last month.

The number one team from July had one tag match and lost to Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho, which knocks them off the rankings for August. The Golden Truth were an impressive 4-0 in July to gain the number two spot, however this month they 1-2. Other teams to drop off the list were: Breezango, AJ Styles and Karl Anderson, and Mark Henry and Jack Swagger.

10 – Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa

Tag Team Record: 1-1
Brand: NXT
July Ranking: unranked

Although their only win was against jobbers, Gargano and Ciampa came within seconds of winning the NXT Tag Team Titles at NXT Take Over: Brooklyn II.

9 – Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho

Tag Team Record: 1-0
Brand: Raw
Notable Win: Enzo Amore & Big Cass
July Ranking: unranked

Although they only had one match, a win over the #1 ranked team in July shows you are a formidable team. Probably won’t appear in the September rankings, because Kevin Owens won the WWE Universal Title.

8 – The Usos

The former WWE World Tag Team Champions are on a quest to capture tag gold again.
The former WWE World Tag Team Champions are on a quest to capture tag gold again.

Tag Team Record: 1-0
Brand: SmackDown
Notable Win: The Ascension
July Ranking: 7

They advanced in the SmackDown Tag Team Titles Tournament by beating The Ascension, but they added two other wins in mutli-man tags.

7 – The Authors of Pain

Tag Team Record: 2-0
Brand: NXT
July Ranking: 8

They completed destroyed some jobbers and look like an unbeatable team going forward.

6 – The Shining Stars

Tag Team Record: 2-0
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): Golden Truth & Prime Time Players
July Ranking: 5

The Shining Stars keep their winning ways, but move down one spot from July.

5 – The Club

Tag Team Record: 2-1
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): The New Day & Golden Truth
July Ranking: unranked

The Club had a great August, they defeated the the WWE World Tag Team Champions in a non-title match and came close to winning the belts at SummerSlam, but they lost by DQ.

4 – American Alpha

Tag Team Record: 3-0
Brand: SmackDown
Notable Win(s): The Vaudevillians & Breezango
July Ranking: unranked

American Alpha came into SmackDown and have laid waste to everyone, not only in normal tags, but also in multi-man tags. They are still alive in the SmackDown Tag Team Title Tournament too, so they could be higher next month.

3 – The New Day
(WWE World Tag Team Champions)

Tag Team Record: 2-1
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): The Club & The Dudley Boyz
July Ranking: 3

The New Day hold onto their #3 spot and the WWE World Tag Team Titles from last month. Their loss to The Club keeps them from being higher in the Rankings.

2 – Hype Bros

Tag Team Record: 4-0
Brand: SmackDown
Noteable Win(s): The Vaudevillians & Breezango
July Ranking: unranked

The Hype Bros are The Golden Truth of August. The question is, will they have the same fall that The Golden Truth did next month?

1 – The Revival
(NXT Tag Team Champions)

The NXT Tag Team Champions are the number one team in the WWE in August.
The NXT Tag Team Champions are the number one team in the WWE in August.

Tag Team Record: 2-0
Brand: NXT
Notable Win(s): TM-61 & Johnny Gargango and Tommaso Ciampa
July Ranking: 4

The Revival look like the best tag team in the world. Two huge wins in impressive fashion, The Revival could stay on top of these Rankings for months to come!

WOMEN RANKINGS

The highest ranked women to drop off from the July Rankings is Natalya, who was 4th. Her one singles match was a loss to Carmella. Others to drop off the list are: Dana Brooke and Summer Rae.

10 – Billie Kay

Record 1-1
Brand: NXT
Notable Win: Liv Morgan
July Ranking: 7

Billie Kay stays on the Rankings with a win over Liv Morgan and she was impressive in her loss to Ember Moon at NXT Take Over: Brooklyn II.

9 – Carmella

Record: 1-0
Brand: SmackDown
Notable Win: Natayla
July Ranking: unranked

Carmella has had an interesting month with a victory over Natalya and she turned heel on Nikki Bella. She has a chance for the SmackDown Women’s Title at Backlash, which could propel her up the list.

8 – Ember Moon

Ember Moon burst onto the scene in August!
Ember Moon burst onto the scene in August!

Record: 1-0
Brand: NXT
Notable Win: Billie Kay
July Ranking: unranked

Ember Moon’s debut was really impressive and looks to move up the rankings in NXT.

7 – Sasha Banks

Record: 1-1
Brand: Raw
Notable Win: Dana Brooke
July Ranking: 1

The former WWE Women’s Champion lost her title at SummerSlam to Charlotte, which drops her down 6 spots this month.

6 – Alexa Bliss

Record: 1-1
Brand: SmackDown
Notable Win: Becky Lynch
July Ranking: unranked

SmackDown’s women’s division was led to a lot of competition. Bliss defeating Becky Lynch easily gets her ranked.

5 – Becky Lynch

Record: 1-1
Brand: SmackDown
Notable Win: Alexa Bliss
July Ranking: 2

Becky Lynch was the first women picked on SmackDown and even though she had a loss to Bliss, she did get that victory back.

4 – Bayley

Bayley has arrived on Raw!
Bayley has arrived on Raw!

Record: 1-1
Brand: Raw
Notable Win: Dana Brooke
July Ranking: 3

Although Bayley was unsuccessful in capturing the NXT Women’s Title from Asuka, she did debut on Raw with a victory over Dana Brooke and a win in a mixed-tag.

3 – Nia Jax

Record: 3-0
Brand: Raw
July Ranking: 6

Complete dominance by Nia Jax continues.

2 – Asuka
(NXT Women’s Champion)

Record: 2-0
Brand: NXT
Notable Win: Bayley
July Ranking: 5

The NXT Women’s Champion had a huge victory over Bayely in Brooklyn and has been unbeatable since joining the WWE.

1 – Charlotte
(WWE Women’s Champion)

Record: 2-0
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): Alicia Fox & Sasha Banks
July Ranking: 8

At SummerSlam Charlotte recaptured her title from Sasha Banks and her only loss was in a tag team. A big month in August.

MEN RANKINGS

Lots of turnover in the men’s ranked, topped by the #2 from July in Sami Zayn. Zayn’s 2-2 record was just not enough in August. The other one to drop off this list is Finn Balor, who won the Universal Title in his only match in August. Also falling off is: Dolph Ziggler, Rusev, Baron Corbin, Samoa Joe, & Darren Young.

10 – Gran Metalik

A very impressive showing in the Cruiserweight Classic by Gran Metalik.
A very impressive showing in the Cruiserweight Classic by Gran Metalik.

Record: 2-0
Brand: Cruiserweight Classic
Notable Win(s): Tajiri & Akira Tozawa
July Ranking: unranked

Mascara Dorada under the name Gran Metalik has been really impressive since joining the WWE. Two huge wins to advance in the Cruiserweight Classic, Metalik defeated former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri and Dragon Gate star Akira Tozawa.

9 – Shinsuke Nakamura
(NXT Champion)

Record: 1-0
Brand: NXT
Notable Win: Samoa Joe
July Ranking:3

The only thing that dropped Nakamura down from #3 from last month was that he only had one match. However, the one match was a victory over Samoa Joe in Brooklyn which gave Nakamura the NXT Title.

8 – Roman Reigns

Record: 2-0
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): Rusev & Chris Jericho
July Ranking: unranked

Reigns looked to go back to his dominace of the past with huge victories over Rusev and Chris Jericho. He did lose the four-way match on Raw which kept him away from the WWE Universal Title.

7 – Kota Ibushi

Record: 2-0
Brand: Cruiserweight Classic
Notable Win(s): Cedric Alexnader & Brian Kendrick
July Ranking: unranked

The favourite to win the Cruiserweight Classic, Ibushi has been great with two amazing matches and victories over Cedric Alexander and Brian Kendrick in August.

6 – Seth Rollins

Record: 2-1
Brand: Raw
Notable Win: Sami Zayn
July Ranking: 4

Seth had two chances to win the WWE Universal Title in August and failed both times, this drops him out of the top five.

5 – Jack Swagger

Record: 3-0
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): Jinder Mahal & Bo Dallas
July Ranking: unranked

Jack Swagger was undefeated in August and has dominated the B-shows in impressive fashion.

4 – Kevin Owens
(WWE Universal Champion)

Record: 2-1
Brand: Raw
Notable Win(s): Seth Rollins,Big Cass, and Roman Reings
July Ranking: unranked

Owens started August in a tag team with Chris Jericho and ended the month as the WWE Universal Champion. A huge turn around there that propels him up the list.

3 – Braun Strowman

Record:4-0
Brand:Raw
July Ranking: unranked

Strowman continues to impress with four quick squashes on Raw.

2 – Dean Ambrose
(WWE World Champion)

Record: 2-1
Brand:SmackDown
Notable Win(s): Dolph Ziggler & Erick Rowan
July Ranking: 1

The WWE World Champion continues to roll on with a big win at SummerSlam over Dolph Ziggler. Ambrose drops from number one thanks to a DQ loss on SmackDown to Baron Corbin.

1 – AJ Styles

Could AJ Styles become the WWE World Champion in September?
Could AJ Styles become the WWE World Champion in September?

Record: 3-0
Brand: SmackDown
Notable Win(s): John Cena & Dolph Ziggler
July Ranking: unranked

AJ Styles is the hottest wrestler in the WWE in August. Of course the victory over John Cena at SummerSlam was huge, but he also defeated Dolph Ziggler and Apolo Crews on SmackDown. In September, Backlash may determine who will be number one when AJ challenges Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Title.

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