Some places do power rankings. Here at Cageside, we do a stock report.
In this weekly series, we identify three Superstars (or groups of Superstars) who are on their way up, and three that are moving in the opposite direction. After a busy week that included Pretty Deadly failing to win the WWE tag team titles, Charlotte Flair failing to win the WWE Women’s Championship, and Money in the Bank 2023, a lot of fortunes were changed.
With that in mind, let’s see whose stock decreased the most this week:
Stock Down #3: LA Knight
I’m not sure what else LA Knight needs to do to get a push in WWE. He’s been massively over for roughly six months, but doesn’t have much to show for it in his booking. This weekend’s loss in the Money in the Bank ladder match indicates that he’s going to have to wait even longer for WWE to pull the trigger and give the people what they want.
Stock Down #2: Ridge Holland
Holland was victimized by Solo Sikoa last week on SmackDown, and he followed that up by being fed to Austin Theory this week in a match. It would appear that he’s the weak link in the Brawling Brutes faction.
Stock Down #1: Matt Riddle
Riddle was injured by Imperium early in the week on Raw, and then he was taken apart by GUNTHER in their Intercontinental title match at Money in the Bank. After the match was over, Drew McIntyre returned to WWE to hit GUNTHER with a Claymore, so it looks like Riddle is already out of the title mix.
Now let’s see whose stock increased the most this week:
Stock Up #3: Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan
Morgan and Rodriguez defeated Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler at Money in the Bank and regained the women’s tag team belts that they never lost. The primary reason they won is because Baszler decided to turn on Rousey, but it’s still a promising sign for the duo that WWE immediately put the belts back on them once Liv returned from injury.
Stock Up #2: Damian Priest & IYO SKY
Priest and SKY each won the Money in the Bank contract and now have one year to cash it in for a championship match any time they want. They might also both be turning babyface soon, as tensions are mounting within their respective stables which could lead to a breakup.
Now we’ll have to wait and see if the precedent Austin Theory set last year by being too much of a wimp to challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal championship means Priest is headed towards mid-card gold with his contract, or if WWE is actually going to put a world title around his waist.
Stock Up #1: Jey Uso
A couple weeks ago, I wrote in this space that “Dominik Mysterio is matched up with the top babyface in WWE” at Money in the Bank. I was referring to Cody Rhodes, but Cagesider nclymer0316 quickly corrected me and said the babyface spot belongs to Jey Uso.
Now that Money in the Bank 2023 is in the books, I can see that I was wrong. After all, Rhodes became just another notch on Roman’s belt in the main event of WrestleMania 39, whereas Jey just became the first wrestler in over three years to pin Reigns. Cody may very well finish his story some point down the line, but he might have to wait until Roman is no longer the champ. For now, Jey and maybe even Solo Sikoa stand out as bigger threats to the Tribal Chief’s current at the head of the table in WWE.
There you have it, Cagesiders. Whose stock do you think changed the most this week?
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