Matt’s Weekly Brainbuster: Power Rankings 12/12/19

Welcome to the tenth edition of the Weekly Brainbuster Power Rankings!

What an entertaining week we have, as we learned more about WWE’s TLC on Sunday, and two supercard shows by NXT and AEW next week! We are discussing the week of 12/6-12/12! We will be comparing WWE (RAW and SDL), NXT (205 Live, NXT, NXT UK), and AEW! Not much has changed in NJPW, so, the next NJPW update will be after WrestleKingdom in January.

These rankings are very much based on momentum as well as strength of opponent, weighing out “power rankings” based on head to head results. Each week, I will discuss five difference makers in wrestling and, using science, prove why they had the best week in wrestling! Greg DeMarco and I will compare our lists, giving you all two different types of power rankings!

1) Finn Balor +9 [214 Overall Score]
Finn Balor d. Keith Lee & Tommaso Ciampa [#1 contender], NXT

There was no doubt in my mind after watching that match that the winner of that match was my undisputed #1 spot this week, and that just so happened to be The Real Rock ‘N Rolla, Finn Balor! Balor cements his claim to the NXT Championship, and remains a force atop the NXT Men’s leaderboards. If Adam Cole can stand up to the challenge next week it will be a career defining win, but, Balor wants to become a two time champion and I think he will do just that.

2) NXT Cruiserweight Champion Angel Garza +21 [53 Overall Score]
Angel Garza d. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush, NXT

What a shocking title change! There was no one who thought Lio Rush would lose the championship so quickly after winning it in October. What I loved the most about this change, especially the timing, was that it felt very old school. I do like to say that about certain angles and matches, but the shock title change made me feel like I was watching NWA Worldwide in the 1980s. The only thing that was missing was Commissioner Regal reversing the decision! That was an excellent match and a huge win for Garza in the WWE.

3) The Revival +15 [31 Overall Tag Score]
The Revival d. Ali/Gable, Heavy Machinery, Lucha House Party, WWE SmackDown

Okay, so, this was a rather boring pick as the team can not keep any momentum to save it’s life, but this is a list based on momentum gained week to week, and few gained more momentum than Fists Not Flips, as The Revival laid claim to another opportunity to challenge for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. I wish the company would give these guys some more character though. Putting them in a ladder match for the titles, and having them be completely opposed because of their core beliefs about wrestling would be a fantastic promo. I’d love to see them rip apart “sports entertainment” and really define the old school mentality. Hell, I’ve said it for some time, I wish they’d get Cornette as their manager and use NWA rules during their matches. A team born from Dusty Rhodes’ vision and inspiration would only be fitting to do so! I know back to back NWA references, sorry!

4) The Young Bucks +17 [31 Overall Tag Score]
The Young Bucks d. Ortiz & Santana, AEW Dynamite

Well, here is proof that my rankings hold some credence in the grand scheme of things. The Young Bucks moved up to second overall in the AEW Tag Team rankings, ahead of their championship match next week! With Moxley “feuding” with Jericho, it definitely makes me happy to see that these rankings aren’t just statistical noise.

5-tie) Aleister Black +7 [129 Overall Score]
5-tie) Buddy Murphy +10 [161 Overall Score]

Speaking of these rankings leading to matches, we learned this week that these two will meet at TLC match after weeks of “whatever you can do I can do better” squash matches. Both of these men could be challenging Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship. As good as Buddy Murphy is, I don’t think he will stand up to the challenge presented by Aleister Black, who has yet been beaten on the main roster since debuting in April. In eight matches, Black Mass has never been kicked out of. Whoever wins this clash will be regarded as one of the top names on Monday Night RAW!

Runners Up:

6) RAW Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders +10 (164 Overall Score)
7) US Champion Rey Mysterio +15 (59 Overall Score)

STANDINGS

WWE Men

• Seth Rollins 188 (-)
• Roman Reigns 171 (+6)
• Buddy Murphy 161 (+10)
• WWE Champion Brock Lesnar 139 (-)
• Braun Strowman 129 (-)
• Aleister Black 129 (+7)
• Baron Corbin 85 (-)
• Ricochet 74 (-)
• Universal Champion The Fiend Bray Wyatt 62 (-)
• US Champion Rey Mysterio 59 (+15)

OUT: Bobby Lashley 56 (-)

WWE Women

• RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch 193 (+4)
• Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley 170 (-)
• Charlotte 36 (-)
• Natalya 20 (-)
• Nikki Cross 0 (-)
• Sasha Banks -1 (-)
• Lacey Evans -16 (+2)
• +Alexa Bliss -40 (+16)
• Mandy Rose -66 (-16)
• Sonya Deville -72 (-)

OUT: Carmella

WWE Women Tag Team

• WWE Womens Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors 92 (-4)
• Charlotte & Becky Lynch 41 (-)
• Charlotte & Natayla 34 (-)
• Carmella & Dana Brooke 12 (-)
• Boss & Smug Connection 4 (-)
• Bliss/Cross -5 (-)
• The IIconics -28 (-)
• Fire & Desire -110 (-)

WWE Tag Team

• RAW Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders 164 (+10)
• +Authors of Pain 94 (-)
• Smackdown Tag Team Champions The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) 42 (-)
• +Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado 33 (-15)
• The Revival 31 (+15)
• Heavy Machinery 17 (-15)
• The Street Profits 11 (-10)
• Cesaro & Nakamura 1 (-)
• Ryder & Hawkins -56 (-)
• The O.C. -104 (-)

OUT: Ziggler & Roode (Roode suspended)

NXT Men

• Finn Balor 205 (+9)
• NXT UK Champion WALTER 165 (-)
• Pete Dunne 138 (-23)
• Tommaso Ciampa 115 (-9)
• Matt Riddle 116 (-)
• NXT Champion Adam Cole 116 (-)
• Jordan Devlin 103 (+13)
• Joe Coffey 94 (-)
• Travis Banks 89 (-7)
• +KUSHIDA 86 (-)

OUT: Velveteen Dream (injured)

NXT Women

• NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler 287 (-)
• Toni Storm 135 (+5)
• NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray 124 (-)
• Rhea Ripley 120 (-)
• Io Shirai 83 (-)
• Piper Niven 80 (-)
• Jinny 54 (-)
• Bianca BelAir 37 (+14)
• Mia Yim 33 (-20)
• Tegan Nox 12 (-)

NXT Tag Team

• NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era 69 (-)
• Imperium 47 (-)
• NXT UK Tag Team Champions Gallus 37 (-)
• The Forgotten Sons 32 (-)
• Young Grizzled Veterans 28 (-)
• +Breezango 28 (+16)
• Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch 0 (-)

AEW Men

• Jon Moxley 95 (+8)
• AEW Champion Chris Jericho 80 (-)
• Kenny Omega 47 (+15)
• MJF 33 (-)
• PAC 32 (-)
• Fenix 31 (-)
• Adam Page 13 (-)
• Cody 30 (-)
• Luchasaurus 28 (+13)
• +Shawn Spears 6 (-)

OUT: Darby Allin (injured)

AEW Women

• AEW Women’s Champion Riho 77 (-)
• Kris Statlander 18 (-)
• Hikaru Shida 17 (-)
• Britt Baker 15 (-)
• Awesome Kong 14 (-)
• Nyla Rose 13 (-)
• Shanna -1 (-)
• Emi Sakura -16 (-18)
• Jamie Hayter -16 (-)
• +Big Swole -20 (+18)

OUT: Leva Bates

AEW Tag Team

• AEW Tag Team Champions SCU (Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) 86 (-)
• The Young Bucks 31 (+13)
• Ortiz & Santana 17 (-13)
• Best Friends 17 (-)
• Private Party 15 (-)
• The Lucha Bros 15 (-)
• The Dark Order 14 (-)
• Luchasaurus & Marko Stunt 12 (+12)