WWE Stock Report: The Boss is back

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 a wild brawl between Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley, The Miz talking his way into a tag team title match, and John Cena’s return to Raw, a lot of fortunes were changed.

With that in mind, let’s see whose stock has decreased the most this week:

Stock Down #3: Elias

It feels like Elias’ schtick doesn’t work nearly as well as a babyface, and losing matches to Baron Corbin certainly won’t help Elias rise up the card.

Stock Down #2: Nia Jax

Nia Jax showed major weaknesses on the mic and in the ring on Raw this week (Jan. 7) in her match against Sasha Banks. Now that Nia’s feud with Ronda Rousey is over and Sasha Banks is getting the next title shot, it appears that Jax’s time in the championship scene has come to a close.

Stock Down #1: Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman completely flopped in his promo segment with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman on Raw. There were too many long pauses, Strowman’s lines were ineffective and uninspired, and it looked completely out of character for The Monster to just stand in the ring and not make a rush to go after The Beast.

Now let’s see whose stock has increased the most this week:

Stock Up #3: Andrade Almas & Zelina Vega

This week on SmackDown (Jan. 8), Andrade Almas finally got that big win he desperately needed when he pinned Rey Mysterio in a tag team match using the hammerlock DDT. Almas and Mysterio were fantastic in the ring against each other; hopefully Rey can be the star who helps Almas take that next step up the card in WWE.

Stock Up #2: Daniel Bryan

The new Daniel Bryan kicked off SmackDown in the concessions area berating fans for their destructive health choices. This tirade included tossing a hot dog and a drink at fans, while later labeling fans weak, submissive, and impotent. Bryan is known for being an all-time great worker in the ring, but his current heel persona has provided a reminder that he is also masterful on the mic.

Stock Up #1: Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks just needed a few sentences to put her wasted 2018 out of memory and vault her right towards the top of the Raw women’s division. First she stuck it to Ronda Rousey by softly stating that it would be her pleasure to teach Ronda how to lose with dignity and class. Banks then showed Braun Strowman how it’s done by getting in Nia Jax’s face and shouting “Bitch, what line?” The Boss is back, and she has a highly anticipated championship match with Rousey at Royal Rumble 2019.

There you have it, Cagesiders. Whose stock do you think has changed the most this week?