WWE SmackDown Rankings: Can Charlotte Flair Win the Gold?

Smackdown. Photo by WWE.com

The Smackdown Live World Title Picture

Highlights of the division

Jinder Mahal cut the exact same promo this week on SmackDown he did the other week. Not quite sure where this might be going but it’s treading in murky waters. Racist jokes don’t have any place in the WWE, especially when two visible minorities are facing off for the top championship in the industry. Mahal is trying to make a point that the American fans don’t like guys like him or Nakamura if they are champions. But having the Maharaja make fun of the way Nakamura looks won’t bode well in the eyes of the fans. Also, Mahal hasn’t been in action for weeks. Can’t have the WWE Champion just do the same old routine every week on the mic.

As for Randy Orton, he scored a win over Aiden English but then lost to Rusev in an impromptu bout. That sequence didn’t really benefit either Orton or Rusev. It nullified the win he had over English and Rusev proved to the world that he can beat Orton in extremely cheap fashion. It’s bad booking on behalf of the WWE to make Rusev look like he can’t win any big matches on his own. The Viper still looked strong even after that quick loss. If this feud is going to continue, Rusev can’t be booked in that fashion. He must beat Orton cleanly to gain any credibility he lost back in Summerslam.

Next: SmackDown Live Winners and Losers for Sep. 19

Meanwhile, for the rest of the division.

Bobby Roode was also not on SmackDown Live again this week. He hasn’t been on TV for the past three weeks and the Hell in a Cell pay per view is coming up shortly. The former NXT Champion shouldn’t be sitting on the sidelines. There have been rumours that he could be in a potential feud with Dolph Ziggler. If that’s the case, that match-up is the perfect opportunity for the Glorious One to make a statement in the main event scene.

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

WWE World Champion: Jinder Mahal (15 Wins – 12 Losses)

Contenders

• No. 1 Contender: Shinsuke Nakamura (12 Wins – 3 Losses)
• Contender No. 2: Randy Orton (14 Wins – 10 Losses)

Pretenders

• Pretender No. 1: Bobby Roode (2 Wins – 0 Losses)