WWE Stock Report: Several top WrestleMania storylines are a mess

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 Peyton Royce’s worked shoot promo, Naomi & Lana finally getting their tag team title match, and Big E returning to SmackDown, a lot of fortunes were changed.

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

Stock Up #3: Natalya & Tamina

Beating the members of the Riott Squad doesn’t mean much these days, so Natalya & Tamina aimed higher and actually picked up a win over Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair on last night’s SmackDown. I still can’t figure out why this team exists and is also winning matches, other than assuming some kind of multi-team women’s tag match is in the works for WrestleMania 37. Regardless of what the plan is, Natalya & Tamina keep winning on the road to WrestleMania.

Stock Up #2: Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley followed up last week’s WWE championship victory with another decisive win over the former champ. With Miz out of the way, WWE now has one episode of Raw left to find a suitable challenger for Lashley to fight at Fastlane. It sounds like Sheamus and Drew McIntyre are headed for their own gimmick match on that night, which leaves Lashley without an obvious challenger for the event. No matter which opponent is chosen, Lashley shouldn’t have any trouble making it to WrestleMania 37 as the defending WWE champion.

Stock Up #1: Daniel Bryan

It’s been widely assumed that Daniel Bryan is simply a placeholder opponent for Roman Reigns to plow through at Fastlane, before the Tribal Chief moves on to his big showdown at WrestleMania 37 against Edge. And that’s probably still the case. But the contract signing on this week’s (Mar. 12) episode of SmackDown ended with Bryan standing tall over Edge and making a great case for why he belongs in the main event WrestleMania 37.

Bryan’s mic work is good enough to convince at least a few folks that he’s forcing WWE to consider turning the WrestleMania main event into a triple threat match. Even if that’s not where this one is headed, Bryan is reminding everyone why he is still one of the very best wrestlers in WWE.

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

Stock Down #3: Randy Orton

This week’s (Mar. 8) Raw main event ended with Randy Orton vomiting black goo. WWE Creative presumably thinks this is an effective way to build anticipation for a match between Orton and Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 37.

Nope.

Stock Down #2: Shane McMahon & Braun Strowman

Shane McMahon likes to call Braun Strowman stupid. Braun Strowman doesn’t like to be called stupid. WWE Creative presumably thinks this is an effective way to build anticipation for an upper card match at WrestleMania 37.

Nope.

Stock Down #1: Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair

The Royal Rumble winner was actually pinned by Tamina on the road to WrestleMania. Even worse, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair are both being overshadowed on a weekly basis by a wine sommelier named Reginald. WWE Creative presumably thinks this is an effective way to build anticipation for a women’s championship match at WrestleMania 37.

Nope.

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