WWE SmackDown Power Rankings: Tick, Tock, AJ Styles

4. Samoa Joe

After defeating R-Truth with relative ease and attacking AJ Styles without warning, Samoa Joe is more than ready to ascend to the top of the ladder on WWE SmackDown. Joe is one of the most respected wrestlers in the world, because he’s been having great matches and cutting savage promos for over a decade.

At SummerSlam, Joe can finally reach the summit of WWE by defeating a familiar foe in Styles, who isn’t too far off from holding the WWE Championship for a full year. Styles has been the definition of a dominant champion lately, racking up wins over wrestlers like Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev, and Andrade “Cien” Almas. But can he add his toughest challenge, Joe, to the list?

3. Shinsuke Nakamura, United States Champion

Shinsuke Nakmaura warned Randy Orton that he “bites back”, cutting yet another great backstage promo. He’s here to upgrade the United States Championship, and I can’t wait to figure out who his first feud at SummerSlam will be.

I’m guessing Jeff Hardy isn’t finished pursuing recapturing the title, which means Orton will be involved, too. Nakamura and Orton had quite the match on SmackDown Live last summer, so I’d be down to watch more work between them, even if a babyface is thrown in to offset the fact that both are excellent heels.