This Week's Wrestling Power Rankings
The industry is currently in a state of absolute chaos, with championship gold changing hands and rosters shifting as if at a fever pitch. From a changing of the guard in the top tier of AEW to TNA stubbornly trying to claw back their relevance, the booking decisions this week have been nothing short of volatile. We are deep in the July heat, and the following 10 storylines are defining the discourse across every promotion from New York to Tennessee.
#1. Kenny Omega Returns to the AEW Throne
Kenny Omega defeating MJF at the July 8 Beach Break special is the reset switch the AEW main event scene desperately needed. While MJF has been the center of the universe for years, the product felt stagnant, and watching Omega climb back to the mountaintop injects immediate unpredictability into the promotion again.
#2. CM Punk’s New WWE Faction
CM Punk is back to his old habits, returning to Raw on July 6 to dismantle Sami Zayn and teasing a new stable. Whether you love him or hate him, the man is a magnet for conflict, and rumors regarding which roster members will join his new group are already consuming social media discourse.
#3. The Hardys Cement TNA Gold
Matt and Jeff Hardy successfully defending the TNA World Tag Team titles against The Great Hands proves they are still a viable draw for that audience. However, relying on nostalgia acts in 2026 feels like a band-aid solution while the promotion struggles to build a long-term foundation for the rest of its tag division.
#4. Xia Brookside’s Iron Grip on the Knockouts Title
After a grueling no-DQ match against Lei Ying Lee this week, Brookside is firmly established as the top dog of the division. Her tenacity is undeniable, even if some of her recent title defenses suffer from finish sequences that feel slightly repetitive.
#5. Callum Newman’s Ascent in NJPW
Watching Callum Newman transform from an undercard fixture to a top-tier performer is the best development story in Japan right now. Chris Charlton hit the nail on the head: seeing peers leave was the necessary spark to push Newman into the spotlight he clearly deserves to command.
#6. The Knockouts TV Title Tournament
Indi Hartwell and Jody Threat advancing in the bracket is a major win for the mid-card scene. TNA clearly wants to elevate the prestige of this secondary belt, but they need to give these women more than just three-minute sprints if they want the audience to actually care about the final outcome.
#7. NXT’s Ratings Surge
NXT saw a noticeable jump in viewership for their July 7 program, defying the general trend of linear television decline. It proves that the brand’s commitment to consistent, high-intensity weekly storytelling is actually paying off better than the bloated filler segments found on other flagship shows.
#8. Rich Swann’s TNA Homecoming
Swann’s second stint in TNA is officially confirmed, and fans are divided on whether this is a genuine upgrade or a step backward. While his technical prowess is undeniable, he is returning to a locker room that looks drastically different from the one he walked out on in April 2025.
#9. WWE’s Saturday Night at MSG
The massive push to link NBA Champions with the Madison Square Garden card is a bizarre marketing experiment. They are pushing Danhausen front and center, but tying the company so closely to a crossover feels desperate rather than organic, especially when the card itself is still taking shape.
#10. Brie Bella’s Singles Struggles
Her recent return to the ring on SmackDown has been met with more cynicism than celebration. Being openly bummed about her own performance signals a disconnect between expectations and execution that clearly has the performer frustrated, which makes for a difficult television product.