{"id":201727,"date":"2025-07-25T15:27:53","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T20:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=201727"},"modified":"2025-07-25T15:27:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T20:27:53","slug":"wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-rhodes-on-a-roll-joaquin-runs-wild-troy-triumphs-summerslam-slides-cm-punk-cooling-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/07\/25\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-rhodes-on-a-roll-joaquin-runs-wild-troy-triumphs-summerslam-slides-cm-punk-cooling-off\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS: Rhodes on a Roll, Joaquin Runs Wild, Troy Triumphs, SummerSlam Slides, CM Punk Cooling Off"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-2311413640\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>With our first-ever two-night SummerSlam fast approaching, the landscape in WWE is set to change. Stars will rise and fall.<\/p>\n<p>Who\u2019s burning brightly, and who\u2019s sputtering out?<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Rising Star of the Week: Cody Rhodes<\/h3>\n<p>As the most successful WWE babyface in recent years, \u201cThe American Nightmare\u201d Cody Rhodes is truly a rare commodity. Millions followed his lengthy title chase and witnessed him finish the story when he captured the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania XL.<\/p>\n<p>In his subsequent year as champion, he played his role to near perfection. Fans can\u2019t help but be swept up in his love of wrestling and his place in it. His joy of performance is infectious, and Cody knows how to tell a compelling story in the ring which elevates his matches far beyond what his limitations athletically compared to some of his contemporaries warrants.<\/p>\n<p>Cody\u2019s WrestleMania 41 program with John Cena was a step back. The main event match was impaired by poor booking and Cena\u2019s deteriorated ring skills, poor chemistry between the two, and a mutinous crowd which inexplicably supported the challenger. Cody\u2019s title loss was an embarrassment on multiple levels.<\/p>\n<p>In the months that followed, Cena\u2019s reign as champion featured overbooked, plodding defenses against Randy Orton and C.M. Punk. His heel character has clashed with the desire of fans to cheer him on his farewell tour. This persona has been only mildly entertaining and done irreversible damage to Punk in the process. Cena\u2019s reign is past its freshness date.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Cody finally has his rematch. He is primed to overcome Cena and restore his honor as well as his status as a champion. It\u2019s hard to see any other outcome working. A heel turn for Cody would certainly be ill-advised, as he\u2019s far too valuable as a lead babyface. After months on the outskirts, Cody is finally on the \u201cRhodes\u201d to victory.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Runner-up: Jasper Troy<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2901341691\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Jasper Troy debuted just one year ago on NXT Level Up and went on to win the inaugural season of LFG in May. Since that time, he has wrestled on NXT, immediately challenging NXT Champion Oba Femi before going on to face Yoshiki Inamura and Je\u2019Von Evans in subsequent weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Despite losing these high-profile matches, Troy makes quite an impression. His towering 6-foot-5-inches built on a muscular frame is reminiscent of Kane. Troy plays an excellent big man role, making liberal use of power moves such as the sidewalk slam and rarely leaving his feet.<\/p>\n<p>Although his inexperience is obvious, Troy has good instincts in the ring. He emotes well, his offense looks good, and his selling believable. Troy repeatedly pulled off exciting matches with more experienced opponents.<\/p>\n<p>This week\u2019s NXT saw Troy defeat rising star Ricky Saints by countout, his most significant victory to date and a sign that creative has plans for him. Although very early in his career, Troy has the potential to ultimately become an excellent big man powerhouse on the main roster.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second Runner-up: Joaquin Wilde<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For years, Joaquin Wilde has been a background player in WWE. Wrestling on NXT and 205 Live starting in 2019, he aligned with Santos Escobar in Legado del Fantasma, typically wrestling in mid-card tag team matches. His Smackdown debut in 2022 would see him play a similar role with Legado for a year, and then with the LWO for the past two.<\/p>\n<p>Despite numerous opportunities over six years, Wilde has failed to win a title in WWE. He has yet to be featured prominently in any storyline, typically appearing as a follower to Rey Mysterio or Escobar.<\/p>\n<p>Monday\u2019s Raw saw Wilde tag with perennial partner Cruz Del Toro to defeat the New Day and American Made in a no. 1 contender\u2019s match. Wilde stole the show.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-125567471\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>The match became a showcase for his dazzling athleticism, including an amazing corkscrew plancha off the top rope onto American Made and a remarkable double pin attempt on both members of the New Day. Ultimately, Wilde would single-handedly thwart the New Day\u2019s attempt to finish him with Daybreak and roll up Kofi Kingston for the win.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve watched Wilde compete for years but rarely seen him featured in such a way.<\/p>\n<p>Now positioned as no. 1 contenders, Wilde &amp; Del Toro are set to be featured in a high-profile championship match, perhaps at SummerSlam. Although unlikely to win, this is a golden opportunity for Wilde. A similar remarkable performance on such a stage will advance his value to WWE and forecast more prominent roles going forward.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Podcast weekly Tuesday Flagship episode with guest cohost Jason Powell: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/new-flagship-keller-parks-talk-summerslam-line-up-taking-shape-goldberg-gripes-nxt-tna-dynamic-aew-top-babyface-evolution-wwe-unreal--67080057\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cwade Keller\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NEW FLAGSHIP: Keller &amp; Parks talk Summerslam line-up taking shape, Goldberg gripes, NXT-TNA dynamic, AEW top babyface, Evolution, WWE Unreal\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=67080057&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Fading Star of the Week: SummerSlam<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s hard to believe the WWE\u2019s second biggest PLE of the year is coming up in just over a week.<\/p>\n<p>With so little time remaining before the event, major storylines remain either unresolved or undercooked. After the rush of Evolution and Saturday Night\u2019s Main Event, there\u2019s been insufficient time to build up programs for such a major show. This year\u2019s event has a lot to prove, as the first time the show has ever been split into two nights.<\/p>\n<p>With too little build and too little time to anticipate the event, there\u2019s little buzz surrounding confirmed matches. C.M. Punk vs. Gunther is a dream match which has surprisingly little steam behind it. Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill looks to be a weak match of two weak, miscast babyfaces weakened further by an ambivalent crowd.<\/p>\n<p>The Women\u2019s World Championship match features three hot acts and promises great action, but we are suffering from Triple Threat fatigue, as the match type typically proves nothing and too often ends in a cheap heel victory.<\/p>\n<p>The drop in excitement compared SummerSlams of years past is noticeable, mostly due to poor pacing and lack of urgency in storytelling.<\/p>\n<p>WWE has time to salvage the card, and a big announcement or return could shift the tone. But for now, SummerSlam feels like it\u2019s coasting on name value alone &#8211; and fans are starting to notice.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than seeming like WWE\u2019s \u201cBiggest Party of the Summer,\u201d this year\u2019s SummerSlam build feels more like a backyard barbecue whose host forgot to buy burgers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>First Runner-Up: C.M. Punk<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The white hot buzz that once surrounded C.M. Punk\u2019s return to WWE is cooling fast.<\/p>\n<p>After a heavily hyped and long-awaited comeback, Punk\u2019s 2024 run succeeded despite injury and stop-start storytelling. His feud with Drew McIntyre offered compelling TV and established Punk as one of the top two men\u2019s babyface acts in WWE. Despite a loss at WrestleMania, fan support seemed to peak as he finally edged closer to a World Championship opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>The past several weeks have been nothing short of a disaster for Punk. Character assassination at the hands of Cena\u2019s \u201cYin Yang\u201d promo was followed by Punk embarrassing himself with a dad-humor impersonation of Cena, a hypocritical performance in Saudi Arabia, and a decisive loss to Cena at Night of Champions.<\/p>\n<p>Punk is in desperate need to right the ship and get his character back on track, and a World Title opportunity against Gunther at a \u201cbig-four\u201d PLE seems like a perfect opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, booking and his performance in the past two weeks have failed to take advantage.<\/p>\n<p>Punk only qualified for a World Title match by drawing the lucky card and coming in last in a gauntlet match to defeat an exhausted Bron Breakker. This makes him appear undeserving of the opportunity, especially since he lost a shot at the WWE Championship only a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n<p>This week he had a verbal showdown with Gunther, and came off unsure, unmotivated, and uninspired. Punk lacked his trademark attitude and made virtually no criticisms of Gunther at all. Punk went out of his way to say that he may not win. When Gunther disrupted Punk\u2019s claim to be the \u201cBest in the World,\u201d Punk\u2019s comeback was&#8230; silence. His lack of confidence and motivation is infectious. Punk fans who have been waiting for his best shot at a world championship are left with little confidence or excitement that his time has come.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no denying C.M. Punk still has enormous value, but just as his WWE return should be reaching a climax, his stock is falling fast.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second Runner-up: Bron Breakker<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the past year, Bron Breakker has been positioned as WWE\u2019s next big thing. On Monday\u2019s Raw, Heyman explicitly referred to Breakker as just that, in what seems like his first use of the term since introducing Brock Lesnar 20 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Breakker has been protected by booking in WWE over the past year more so than nearly any other wrestler. His rare singles pinfall losses to Sami Zayn and Jey Uso were quickly avenged in rematches. His loss of the Intercontinental Championship was in a Fatal Four-way in which Dominik Mysterio pinned Finn Balor.<\/p>\n<p>On last Monday\u2019s Raw, Breakker ran through a gauntlet, defeating strong babyfaces Penta, L.A. Knight, and Jey Uso in succession. For a heel to defeat three strong babyfaces in a row represents a rare statement from WWE creative, framing Breakker as an unstoppable main-event level powerhouse.<\/p>\n<p>This week on Raw, Breakker confronted a returning Roman Reigns, seemingly putting the two on equal ground. After Reigns and Heyman traded words, Breakker grabbed the mic for his most important promo to date&#8230; and he faltered.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing was wrong with Breakker\u2019s promo as scripted. Describing Reigns a has-been and himself as the new \u201cBig Dog\u201d running the show is a great idea. The problem is his presence and delivery. Breakker\u2019s words lacked conviction and gravitas, and he seemed to pale in comparison to Reigns.<\/p>\n<p>His ring work is main event level, but Breakker needs to come off like a star during his promos if he is to be \u201cThe Next Big Thing,\u201d or simply have Heyman do the talking for him.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, Breakker risks becoming more like Curtis Axel than Brock Lesnar.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wade Keller Post-show (7\/21) - WWE Raw w\/cohost Kurt Cadet\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dUUyfU7dyQg?start=1233&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2588752098\"><div id=\"pwtor-229976754\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>With our first-ever two-night SummerSlam fast approaching, the landscape in WWE is set to change. Stars will rise and fall. Who\u2019s burning brightly, and who\u2019s sputtering out? Rising Star of the Week: Cody Rhodes As <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/07\/25\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-rhodes-on-a-roll-joaquin-runs-wild-troy-triumphs-summerslam-slides-cm-punk-cooling-off\/\" title=\"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS: Rhodes on a Roll, Joaquin Runs Wild, Troy Triumphs, SummerSlam Slides, CM Punk Cooling Off\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":201728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4309,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-201727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-rising-star-fading-star","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.18.09-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201727"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201729,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201727\/revisions\/201729"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=201727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=201727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}