WWE SmackDown Live Division Rankings: The Jinder Mahal Era Begins

Smackdown Live. Photo by WWE.com

These are the Smackdown Live Division Power Rankings after WWE Backlash.

These are the power rankings for each division on Smackdown Live for this following week. Each division would be ranked based on storyline progression and win/loss record as of 2017. Also, each division would be divided by contenders and pretenders, to differentiate the challengers in their respective division. I’ll also highlight a specific superstar in each division and explain their ranking based on their actions. Win/Loss record is provided by CageMatch.Net.

Each superstar or tag team can move up or down the rankings based on victory, defeat or storyline progression. Let’s get right to the rankings.

Smackdown Live. Photo by WWE.com

The SmackDown Live Women’s Division

Highlights of the Division

Having the Welcoming Committee score a huge win at Backlash may have been the right booking option in the short-term. Should they have lost the match, the status quo would have enveloped the rankings once again. All three women after that huge pay per view win look like legitimate challengers for the Smackdown Live Women’s Championship.

Becky Lynch and Charlotte needed to return the favor on Smackdown Live by defeating Natalya and Carmella in tag team action. The former champions can’t consistently lose every week to the faction or else their superstar ouster would evaporate quickly. The division needs healthy competition and not a parody of pretenders beating the contenders. Fans aren’t ecstatic of 50/50 booking where rival superstars score a victory on each other every week. But for the Women’s division on Smackdown Live—it’s imperative that they continue this trend.

The reason why is because of next week’s No. 1 Contenders match for the title. It’ll be a Fatal-5 Way elimination match where the winner will face Naomi at Money in the Bank. This is the perfect match for a member of the Welcoming Committee to lay their claim for a title shot. Carmella looks like she has the best shot of challenging Naomi for the title based on her booking and win/loss record. With James Ellsworth on her side—she might be able to steal a win next week and also steal the title at St. Louis, Missouri in a few weeks. 

Let’s see the rankings for the division this week.

SmackDown Live Women’s Champion: Naomi (5 Wins – 4 Losses)

Contenders

• No. 1 Contender: Charlotte (6 Wins – 9 Losses)
• Contender No. 2: Carmella (8 Wins – 3 Losses)
• Contender No. 3: Becky Lynch (7 Wins – 8 Losses)

Pretenders

• Pretender No. 1: Nikki Bella (3 Wins – 1 Loss)
• Pretender No. 2: Natalya (4 Wins – 5 Losses)
• Pretender No. 3: Tamina Stuka (1 Win – 0 Losses)
• Pretender No. 4: Lana (N/A)