WWE, AEW power rankings, post-WrestleMania 42 edition: Who tops the list after a roller-coaster week?

CM Punk may no longer be a WWE champion, but he still had a standout WrestleMania weekend.

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8. Will Ospreay (Prev: NR)

Neck injury — what neck injury? First-timers watching "The Aerial Assassin" battle Jon Moxley at AEW Dynasty may have assumed they were watching a young whippersnapper without a care in the world, rather than a man returning from one of the most punishing surgeries possible for a wrestler. Either way, it's brilliant to see Ospreay back on his feet — and back in the air — as he begins the journey toward what will surely become his crowning glory at All In.

7. Darby Allin (Prev: NR)

He's the daredevil wrestler who encourages all of Tony Khan's worst instincts (in a fun way). But while we all figured that the face-painted one was due for an AEW world title run at some point, his win still caught many of us off guard. Still, you can't deny he didn't deserve it — Allin has been among the most consistently compelling personas on AEW television, sticking by the company through the good times and the bad.

6. Gunther (Prev: NR)

It turns out that our panicking was unjustified. After weeks of it looking like the company had no idea what to do with Gunther this ‘Mania season, WWE decided to let him do what he does best: Beat seven shades of the sticky stuff out of his opponent. Gunther vs. Seth Rollins wasn't just the single best match of Night 1, it was also a visceral reminder of why WWE should be squeezing every second of screen time it can out of "The Ring General."

5. Randy Orton (Prev: 2)

Just in case you ever thought otherwise, it turns out that "RKO Everyone" wasn't just a slogan. Not only did "The Viper" manage to hit his iconic finisher on Cody Rhodes on Saturday night, he also had some extra RKOs for Pat McAfee and Charles Robinson too. The 14-time champion may not have left WrestleMania with the gold this time around, but you suspect his title chase might still bear fruit before long.

4. Jacob Fatu (Prev: NR)

On a lackluster first night for WrestleMania 42, Jacob Fatu delivered a much needed star turn, beating the hell out of Drew McIntyre before acing another one of those video-game-style moonsaults he makes look so easy. Now "The Samoan Werewolf" seemingly has Roman Reigns in his sights, as WWE wisely chooses to revive the tensions between the two former Bloodline men that were teased so deliciously in last year's Rumble.

Is Jacob Fatu next up for Roman Reigns?

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3. Cody Rhodes (Prev: 8)

In the end, "The American Nightmare" was able to retain at WrestleMania, reaching deep down into his ruthless side (a core motif of his first world title run) to fend off Randy Orton. Sure, the match was utterly nonsensical in places, but it still maintains Rhodes’ position as the man to beat on "SmackDown." Though is he really done with Orton yet — or, more accurately, is "The Viper" really done with him?

2. Oba Femi (Prev: NR)

Oba Femi has arrived. I mean, we would have said the same thing when he appeared on John Cena's final show to go toe-to-toe with Cody Rhodes, or when he smashed the hell out of a half-dozen men at the Royal Rumble. But it turns out that "The Ruler" was just getting started. From now on, he will always be the man who bested Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, and left the heaviest mark possible on his first ever stadium show.

Roman Reigns is once again on top of the pro-wrestling universe.

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1. Roman Reigns (Prev: 4)

He's the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion and presumably the face of the product going forward, at least in terms of Monday nights on Netflix. But can Roman Reigns conjure the kind of magic that made his last big title reign so compelling — and helped land that Netflix deal in the first place? That's going to be the big question going forward. For now, though, let's just raise our fingers to the sky in acknowledgement of that fantastic match "The Tribal Chief" delivered close to WrestleMania.

WOMEN'S POWER RANKINGS

10. Asuka (Prev: NR)

Here’s someone we urgently need to see more of now that ‘Mania is in the rear-view. During a disapprovingly uncreative period of WWE, Asuka has been a rare ray of sunshine — if you can use that wording to describe someone whose storyline revolves around bullying her underling. With Rhea Ripley going to "SmackDown," "The Empress of Tomorrow" now has an opening to be even more diabolical, by fully turning her fury on Iyo Sky.

9. Tiffany Stratton (Prev: 6)

Tiffy Time was on Daylight Savings mode in Vegas, with her win over Jordynne Grace coming a full 24 hours before WrestleMania. On the plus side, the win guarantees Tiffany Stratton a future title shot. But is the mid-card U.S. belt really enough to contain Stratton's ambitions? Personally, I'd rather see her shooting for the stars by picking a fight with "SmackDown’s” new women's champion, Rhea Ripley.

Tiffany Stratton was a no-show at this year's WrestleMania.

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8. Jade Cargill (Prev: 7)

It was a bittersweet night for Jade Cargill in Las Vegas. On the plus side, she finally looked like the champion lots of us wanted her to be. On the other hand, it proved to be her final match as top dog, after she fell to Rhea Ripley. It’ll be a long climb back to the mountaintop, but at least Cargill has shown she has what it takes.

7. Raquel Rodriguez (Prev: 5)

She didn't compete at WrestleMania but that doesn't mean "La Ruda" wasn't a winner from this weekend. Why? With Liv Morgan as world champion, the chances of that Judgment Day blow-up occurring just got a lot bigger. That would put Morgan vs. Rodriguez firmly on the menu, maybe at SummerSlam in Minneapolis? We’re here for that.

6. Thekla (Prev: 4)

Sometimes wrestlers make the championship; at other times the championship makes the wrestler. All things considered, Thekla is probably a good example of the latter camp, given that few had her pegged to be the next AEW Women's Champion until it happened. Since then, the Austrian star has given it her all, injecting some much-needed venom into her ongoing feud with Jamie Hayter.

Thekla still rules the roost over in AEW.

(Lee South, AEW)

5. Becky Lynch (Prev: NR)

Who's your favorite heel in women's wrestling? I know, I know — there aren't many of them to choose from. But even if there were, it would probably still be Becky Lynch, given how much she has excelled in the bad guy role. Forget cheap digs at the local sports team, "The Man" knows how to do it properly — including beating one of the most loved competitors on the roster in front of a 50,000-strong crowd. Tough gig, but she does it damn well.

4. Iyo Sky (Prev: NR)

It's fitting that one of the loudest pops at WrestleMania went to someone who wasn't even booked to wrestle. If only WWE had brought back that corny decibel-meter they used to have to capture the size of the roar that came out of Allegiant Stadium as Iyo Sky raced out to defend her best friend Rhea Ripley against Jade Cargill's new mob. All of which begs the question: Why did they leave her off the card in the first place?

Paige is back in the WWE more than eight years after her last match.

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3. Paige (Prev: NR)

Who had this one on their predictions list? Well, after the news of Paige's signing was splashed across the internet on Friday night, practically everyone — but you know what I mean. More than eight years after what was supposed to be her final WWE match, pro-wrestling's favorite bad girl made her triumphant return to the grandest stage of them all. In a show devoid of surprises, it felt like one to remember.

2. Liv Morgan (Prev: 2)

Cringeworthy music video aside, Liv Morgan entered WrestleMania as a heavy favorite to take Stephanie Vaquer's Women's World Championship — and so it proved. At less than seven minutes long, the match wasn't a stone cold classic by any means, but it was enough to remind us why the pint-sized challenger from New Jersey has become one of the best characters on WWE programming. Welcome back to the big leagues, champ.

Rhea Ripley is the new WWE Women's Champion.

(Ethan Miller via Getty Images)

1. Rhea Ripley (Prev: 1)

If it was her 2023 win over Charlotte Flair that gave Rhea Ripley her first WrestleMania moment, then this Sunday may have just exceeded it. Her world title match with Jade Cargill was Ripley's best singles match in ages, ending with the much-deserved sight of "The Eradicator" being restored as WWE's alpha female in front of a stadium crowd. Good luck prying that title from her hands any time soon.