Some places do power ratings. Here at Cageside, we do an inventory report.
In this weekly series, we identify three Superstars (or groups of Superstars) that are rising and three that are moving in the opposite direction. After a busy week that included Elimination Chamber 2021 and all its consequences, many fortunes have been changed.
With that in mind, let’s see which stock has decreased the most this week:
Stock Down # 3: Randy Orton
Randy Orton’s sarcastic conversation about making the other five men in the Elimination Chamber match his victims seemed pretty silly when he became the first man eliminated in the match. The following night (February 22) in Crude, Orton blamed his early departure from the camera for being distracted by Alexa Bliss, although she was nowhere near the camera game. Then he threw up some black liquid. That was really stupid.
Stock Down # 2: Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens’ time at the main event highlight in Smash apparently came to an end. After months of rivalry with Roman Reigns, Owens was quickly defeated by Jey Uso within the elimination chamber fight, and his quest for the universal championship ended with a groan. With Daniel Bryan and Edge now looking like the best bets to challenge Reigns in Fastlane and WrestleMania, respectively, it is unclear what lies ahead for Owens at the biggest event of the year.
Owens doesn’t go well with Seth Rollins, considering that they fought last year in WrestleMania 36 using the same plot as Messiah, and Rollins is currently very busy with Cesaro. The next layer of men’s heels in Smash includes Apollo Crews, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, King Corbin, Otis and Dolph Ziggler. It is not clear whether a one-on-one fight between Owens and any of these fighters is an attraction big enough to be reserved for. WrestleMania. This means that there is a great deal of uncertainty now about Owens’s position in the WrestleMania card when it leaves the main event scene.
Stock Down # 1: Riott Squad
Tamina defeated Ruby Riott a week ago, and this week (February 26) it was Liv Morgan’s turn to do the job. Billie Kay was nowhere around to provide an excuse for the distraction of loss. Tamina winning matches is something WWE Creative is really doing on the way to WrestleMania in the year 2021, and is taking place at the expense of the Riott Squad.
Now let’s see which stock has increased the most this week:
Stock # 3: Alpha Academy
Chad Gable’s Alpha Academy is finally showing positive results for Otis. The great man is being guided by the teachings of Gable, and it helped them to win a tag team victory over the Mysterios in Smash. The combination of Gable and Otis looks like a win-win situation. Gable shows his personality and charm, while Otis smashes Rey Mysterio with splashes from the middle rope. Maybe Tucker should think about applying to Alpha Academy next.
Stock # 2: Apollo Crews
Apollo’s heel turn also comes with a change of artifice. Crews embraced their heritage of Nigerian royalty and now exemplifies wealth, dominance and power. He defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in Smash and has his eyes set on the Big E Intercontinental Championship
Stock # 1: The Miz & Bobby Lashley
The Miz and Bobby Lashley successfully conspired together to take Drew McIntyre’s WWE championship in Elimination Chamber 2021. Miz is now the champion, and Lashley is taking a shot at the title in next week’s (March 1) episode of Crude.
This angle seems to have been designed to push Bobby Lashley into the WWE championship fight in WrestleMania 37. Lashley even joined the list of the few men who ever defeated Braun Strowman, when he defeated the Monster Among Men at the main event of Crude.
There you go, Cagesiders. What action do you think has changed the most this week?