Ranking the Star Power of Signed Former WWE/Universal Champs

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

For folks who have had either the WWE Championship or Universal Championship and are still signed in WWE in some capacity and have a good chance of wrestling again, how would you rank their star power from most to least?

By star power I mean name recognition and ability to draw based on that.

I’m not ranking them, but from as far as I can tell the list of wrestlers this questions applies to would be…

Bobby Lashley
Brock Lesnar
Big E
The Miz
Drew McIntyre
Randy Orton
Kofi Kingston
AJ Styles
Jinder Mahal
John Cena
Seth Rollins
Roman Reigns
Triple H
Sheamus
Rey Mysterio
Edge
Kane
Goldberg
Kevin Owens
Finn Balor

An even 20 guys.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Tried to do this realistically without any of the typical doom-mongering.

S Tier
Lesnar
Cena

A+ Tier
Reigns

A Tier
Lashley
McIntyre
Edge
Goldberg
Rollins

A- Tier
Styles
Orton

B+ Tier
Big E

B Tier
Owens
Sheamus

B- Tier
Balor
Kingston
Mysterio

C+ Tier
Kane
Miz

D- Tier
Mahal

Didn't rate Triple H due to his dodgy ticker, so we don't even know if he CAN wrestle again.

[rnrk supports BLM]

Hmm... here's how I'd see it right now, though "name recognition and ability to draw" is minimal enough for the bottom half of the list (at least) that any of them could flip around with a month or two of focused booking:

John Cena
Triple H
Goldberg
Brock Lesnar
Edge
Roman Reigns
Rey Mysterio
Randy Orton
Kane
Seth Rollins
AJ Styles
Drew McIntyre
Bobby Lashley
Kevin Owens
The Miz
Big E
Sheamus
Kofi Kingston
Finn Balor
Jinder Mahal

[Nosnorb]

Leaving off John Cena, Kane, Goldberg and Triple H (Hollywood is going to make it harder for Cena to find time, Kane is pretty much retired, Goldberg is nearly done, and Trips is done), here is my ranking for the remaining 16.

With how WWE books and is set up, there is no S or A* tier

A Tier

Brock Lesnar
Roman Reigns
Edge

A- Tier

Seth Rollins
Drew McIntyre

B+ Tier

Bobby Lashley
Randy Orton

B Tier

AJ Styles

B- Tier

Kofi Kingston
Sheamus
Big E
Rey Mysterio
Finn Balor
Kevin Owens

C Tier

The Miz

E Tier

Jinder Mahal

[msc]

Will give it a go...

- Brock (the most famous and the most pushed, but meh)
- Reigns (their biggest full time star these days)
- Rollins (probably the biggest name outside the WWE's big 2 at the moment - weirdly he's not held any titles in WWE for nearly 2 years now.)
- Orton (one of the all time biggest WWE legends, and a guy the crowds still love. Hell, they might love him more now he's become legendary wrestler Randy Orton, that guy whose been on their screens for 20 years!)
- Edge (a legend who is a special appearances guy now but is still one of the most popular stars of the century)
- Drew McIntyre (is pretty much the number 1 current face main event guy, which is still stunning to me. Hell, they had him on the BBC during the lockdown as a global kid friendly celebrity. Insane rise up the card. Deserved too imo)
- Lashley (found a groove for himself in the main event at last)
- Kevin Owens (but the crowd still love him)
- AJ Styles (on the slide in the last 2 years but again, give him a few weeks of number 1 contender and he'd be a legit contender again)
- Big E (was champion a month ago, not that you'd know)
- Sheamus (slumming it as Smackdowns 2nd heel every week, could be brought back to World title status quite quickly though)
- Kofi (lower on the card now than when he won it)
- Rey (a popular veteran like Tito Santana, and as likely to win the title back as Tito...)
- Balor (needs a vast rehabilitation on his career at this point)
- Miz (had his thank you cup of coffee reign last year but is pretty much set as a midcard comedy heel)
- Jinder Mahal (wasn't credible in 2017, isn't now, couldn't draw a title if it was Pictionary)

[sportatorium]

Feb 9, 2022 0:29:20 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Tried to do this realistically without any of the typical doom-mongering.

S Tier
Lesnar
Cena

A+ Tier
Reigns

A Tier
Lashley
McIntyre
Edge
Goldberg
Rollins

A- Tier
Styles
Orton

B+ Tier
Big E

B Tier
Owens
Sheamus

B- Tier
Balor
Kingston
Mysterio

C+ Tier
Kane
Miz

D- Tier
Mahal

Didn't rate Triple H due to his dodgy ticker, so we don't even know if he CAN wrestle again.

Agree with this assessment. If Hunter came back, he'd be in the A Tier.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

Feb 9, 2022 0:29:20 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Tried to do this realistically without any of the typical doom-mongering.

S Tier
Lesnar
Cena

A+ Tier
Reigns

A Tier
Lashley
McIntyre
Edge
Goldberg
Rollins

A- Tier
Styles
Orton

B+ Tier
Big E

B Tier
Owens
Sheamus

B- Tier
Balor
Kingston
Mysterio

C+ Tier
Kane
Miz

D- Tier
Mahal

Didn't rate Triple H due to his dodgy ticker, so we don't even know if he CAN wrestle again.

I don't think I disagree with any of that, and man does it highlight what an oddball champion Jinder Mahal was.

[Jindrak Mark]

Could main event any PPV with or without a title:

John Cena
Brock Lesnar
Triple H
Roman Reigns

Instantly credible world champions:

Seth Rollins
Edge
Randy Orton
Drew McIntyre
Goldberg
Bobby Lashley

Could quickly and easily be built back to being a believable champion:

AJ Styles
Kevin Owens
Rey Mysterio
Big E
Finn Balor

Probably won't be winning anymore world titles:

Kofi Kingston
Sheamus
The Miz
Kane
Jinder Mahal

[ChitownKnight]

Feb 9, 2022 0:29:20 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Tried to do this realistically without any of the typical doom-mongering.

S Tier
Lesnar
Cena

A+ Tier
Reigns

A Tier
Lashley
McIntyre
Edge
Goldberg
Rollins

A- Tier
Styles
Orton

B+ Tier
Big E

B Tier
Owens
Sheamus

B- Tier
Balor
Kingston
Mysterio

C+ Tier
Kane
Miz

D- Tier
Mahal

Didn't rate Triple H due to his dodgy ticker, so we don't even know if he CAN wrestle again.

Agree for the most part but Orton i think should take Goldberg’s place at A- tier

[Jonathan Michaels]

Feels like everyone is ignoring the actual question of starpower.

Rey and Miz are both way lower than they should be and Owens is too high.

I love Owens too but he’s not nearly as well known.

If we’re talking actual fame and notoriety…..

Cena
Triple H
Brock Lesnar
Roman Reigns
Edge
Goldberg
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Kane
The Miz
Kofi Kingston
Big E
AJ Styles
Seth Rollins
Drew McIntyre
Bobby Lashley
Sheamus
Kevin Owens
Finn Balor
Jinder Mahal

[stoptheclocks]

Feb 9, 2022 14:11:44 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

Could main event any PPV with or without a title:

John Cena
Brock Lesnar
Triple H
Roman Reigns

Instantly credible world champions:

Seth Rollins
Edge
Randy Orton
Drew McIntyre
Goldberg
Bobby Lashley

Could quickly and easily be built back to being a believable champion:

AJ Styles
Kevin Owens
Rey Mysterio
Big E
Finn Balor

Probably won't be winning anymore world titles:

Kofi Kingston
Sheamus
The Miz
Kane
Jinder Mahal

Works for me. I'd probably put Jinder in a class of his own, as the others could relatively quickly be built into credible (losing) challengers on a secondary premium live event.

Ziggler also doesn't fit the exact criteria, but is a former champion. He'd slide in above Kane for me.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Feb 10, 2022 2:48:56 GMT -5 stoptheclocks said:

Feb 9, 2022 14:11:44 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

Could main event any PPV with or without a title:

John Cena
Brock Lesnar
Triple H
Roman Reigns

Instantly credible world champions:

Seth Rollins
Edge
Randy Orton
Drew McIntyre
Goldberg
Bobby Lashley

Could quickly and easily be built back to being a believable champion:

AJ Styles
Kevin Owens
Rey Mysterio
Big E
Finn Balor

Probably won't be winning anymore world titles:

Kofi Kingston
Sheamus
The Miz
Kane
Jinder Mahal

Works for me. I'd probably put Jinder in a class of his own, as the others could relatively quickly be built into credible (losing) challengers on a secondary premium live event.

Ziggler also doesn't fit the exact criteria, but is a former champion. He'd slide in above Kane for me.

Oddly enough I think Ziggler is the only guy active in WWE to win the World Heavyweight Championship, but not the WWE or Universal Championships. With inactive/guys signed elsewhere it’s a decent size list though. I think Chris Benoit, Great Khali, Booker T., Mark Henry, Christian, and Jack Swagger are the others who qualify as far as inactive/non-current WWE performers go.

[fw91]

Feb 9, 2022 0:29:20 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Tried to do this realistically without any of the typical doom-mongering.

S Tier
Lesnar
Cena

A+ Tier
Reigns

A Tier
Lashley
McIntyre
Edge
Goldberg
Rollins

A- Tier
Styles
Orton

B+ Tier
Big E

B Tier
Owens
Sheamus

B- Tier
Balor
Kingston
Mysterio

C+ Tier
Kane
Miz

D- Tier
Mahal

Didn't rate Triple H due to his dodgy ticker, so we don't even know if he CAN wrestle again.

I’d move Orton to A, but otherwise find this to be pretty accurate

[A Platypus Rave]

Feb 9, 2022 0:29:20 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Tried to do this realistically without any of the typical doom-mongering.

S Tier
Lesnar
Cena

A+ Tier
Reigns

A Tier
Lashley
McIntyre
Edge
Goldberg
Rollins

A- Tier
Styles
Orton

B+ Tier
Big E

B Tier
Owens
Sheamus

B- Tier
Balor
Kingston
Mysterio

C+ Tier
Kane
Miz

D- Tier
Mahal

Didn't rate Triple H due to his dodgy ticker, so we don't even know if he CAN wrestle again.

Pretty much... though Jinder would probably be more like Z tier >_>

Cena I might even put lower as they have seemingly been trying to downplay him whenever he shows up again for some reason... but he's still John Cena and him just showing up is important so him being at the top like that still works.

edit: also I don't think some in the B Tiers need that much rehabbing if you just give them shit to do. Some of them the fans are basically begging to cheer.