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“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?” – 1 Corinthians 9:24
We are all winners in life… just not all of the time. The life of a wrestler is no exception. Part of the fun of being a fan is following the careers of wrestlers through their successes and failures — not only in terms of match wins and losses, but in pulling off a witty comeback, a difficult maneuver, or an exciting promo.
So, who’s riding high, and who’s down and out this week in WWE?
Rising Star of the Week: L.A. Knight
Knight shined on Raw this week, despite not having a match at the upcoming Wrestlepalooza and playing something of a fifth wheel in the conflict between the Usos and BronBron (a/k/a Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed). Knight’s personality was on full display in his interactions with all four men, and he came off as the alpha male—and a bigger star than any of them.
Knight was locked in on Monday, with no trace of his typical verbal flubs or blown spots. His reactions during the main event were great as well – mocking Breakker’s bark, illegally interrupting Breakker’s showboating with a boot, and of course, the night’s climax: offering Jey Uso a conciliatory handshake only to hit him with a BFT moments later. Knight ripped off Steve Austin in the best possible way, much to the delight of the Springfield crowd.
Knight seems unusually inspired since coming to Raw. Thrust into the periphery of the main event scene, he truly feels like he belongs. Success as a WWE performer means making the most of every opportunity to earn greater ones going forward. L.A. Knight is doing just that.
Could a world title run be far behind?
First Runner-Up: Seth Rollins
An unexpected beneficiary of A.J. Lee’s electric return has been The Visionary himself. Facilitating Rollins’ on-screen partnership with Becky Lynch has given his character a much-needed refresh.
Unmatched in-ring acumen, Rollins has still struggled to project a fully effective and compelling persona. His chemistry with Paul Heyman and BronBron in The Vision has been a disappointment, taking the shine off his run as Raw’s top heel.
Playing off Lynch and Lee in recent weeks has proven a far better fit. Rollins has played his role perfectly. He and Lynch feigning discord as a distraction to cheap shot their Wrestlepalooza opponents was classic heel work done right, and effectively built fan anticipation to see Punk and Lee’s imminent revenge.
Just like that, Rollins’ seemingly never-ending feud with C.M. Punk gets a fresh coat of paint – as does Rollins himself. Lynch’s induction into The Vision promises that her positive influence on Rollins will last beyond the current feud.
Rollins, The Vision, and viewers of Raw should all be better off for it.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Second Runner-Up: Drew McIntyre
You can’t keep a good man down – especially if that man is a Scottish psychopath.
Despite being the most consistently entertaining performer on Smackdown, McIntyre hasn’t had a title opportunity in well over a year. That finally changes at Wrestlepalooza, where McIntyre challenges Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship.
His trademark turn of phrase was on display in a related video post on X, where the Scottish Warrior declared: “The Rock wants Cody’s soul. I want his ass.”
Although McIntyre seems unlikely to dethrone the newly crowned champion, it’s good to see him get the spotlight he richly deserves – hopefully the first chapter of a prolonged feud.
Fading Star of the Week: John Cena
Admittedly, John Cena delivered an inspired promo on Raw concerning his upcoming Wrestlepalooza match with Brock Lesnar. He was fierce, motivated, and had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand.
That said, his insistence on calling himself the “last real champion” is simply baffling.
The idea that he considers himself to be above all current and future WWE talent might’ve worked when he was a heel champion. A selfish, vainglorious performer nearing the end of his career might naturally push the idea that no one is – or will ever be – as great as he was.
But now that Cena has dropped the title and returned to his babyface roots, referring to himself this way feels unbefitting. It makes it seem as if the heel persona was closer to the real man than we’d like to think.
Cena talks about prioritizing the good of WWE over himself – including helping other talent to succeed – but his actions say the opposite. Cena’s 2025 singles matches have done little for his opponents, all of whom put Big Match John over. After trading wins with Rhodes, Cena barely acknowledged the new champion, let alone had the grace to endorse him.
Pushing himself as the “last real champion” is disrespectful to current champions like Cody Rhodes, and to everyone on the roster working toward championship gold. His implication is that when Cena leaves WWE in a few months, legitimacy and greatness will leave with him.
Thankfully, that’s not true – but his eye-roll-inducing self-promotion might.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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First Runner-Up: Dragon Lee
As recently as 2024, Rey Mysterio dubbed Lee “the future of Lucha Libre.” Lee’s ringwork is second to none. He blends high-flying and power-based offense into exciting matches on Raw. While he lacks Penta’s undeniable charisma, Lee has a great look and passable mic skills.
Although a regular on Raw, Lee has rarely been featured in important storylines and has yet to receive any sort of push. At times, he seems on the verge of breaking out – only to lose again. He won only 5 of 18 matches in 2024, and just 1 of 8 so far in 2025, his lone victory coming over J.D. McDonagh last August. Raw is apparently rife with dragonslayers.
This week, he failed to win the AAA Latin American Title at Worlds Collide and lost again to El Grande Americano on Raw, even with the intervention of A.J. Styles – continuing his losing tradition.
Dragon Lee has the potential to be something more in WWE, but creative clearly doesn’t see it. The longer WWE refrains from “waking the dragon,” the more Lee is defined down – and the less chance his potential will be realized.
Second Runner-Up: Tiffany Stratton
Stratton’s reign as WWE Women’s Champion continues to underwhelm. Beyond a great look, a few athletic moves, and some tired catchphrases, it’s not clear what she brings to the table as champ. Who is Tiffany Stratton and what does she stand for?
The accomplished gymnast was rushed to the main roster despite major limitations as a performer. She lacks charisma, and her mic skills fall well below most of her peers. Recycling stale feuds with Nia Jax and Jade Cargill offers little hope for change.
Is it Tiffy Time? To the contrary. It’s past time for Stratton to pass the title to a performer more capable of capitalizing on the spotlight – giving Stratton time to develop her persona and promo skills.
The moonsault may be pretty, but this title run has been bowling-shoe ugly.
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