WWE, AEW power rankings (April 2025): John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes catches fire as WrestleMania 41 nears

With WWE’s European tour wrapped up, we’re now closer to WrestleMania 41 (18 days to go!) than we are from Elimination Chamber. And with another big AEW event right on our doorstep this Sunday, this feels as good a time as any to revisit the Uncrowned power rankings.

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Here’s how things stand at present:

MEN’S POWER RANKINGS

10. Kenny Omega (Prev: NR)

Following his emotional return to professional wrestling in December, it was right that Kenny Omega left last month’s AEW Revolution event as International Champion. The longstanding EVP now becomes AEW’s first-ever Grand Slam Champion — a fitting tribute to his work in turning Tony Khan’s dream from one-off event into full-time promotion. Omega now faces Ricochet and “Speedball” Mike Bailey in what should be a fantastic curtain-opener for Sunday’s AEW Dynasty pay-per-view.

9. Randy Orton (Prev: NR)

When they’ve had two decades in the business, it isn’t easy to make a wrestler feel fresh and exciting. So hats off to WWE for pulling off that feat with Randy Orton’s current post-injury storyline, which sees “The Viper” desperate to exact revenge on his former friend and assailant Kevin Owens. Reviving the controversial punt kick wasn’t a decision that WWE would have taken lightly, but it has upped the stakes nicely for their upcoming grudge match.

8. Jey Uso (Prev: 6)

Two months on from winning the Royal Rumble, Jey Uso has lost none of his love from the live crowds, most of whom can’t wait to join him in a 10-minute Yeet-along every week on “WWE Raw.” While the former Bloodline man remains the betting favorite to win at WrestleMania 41, the WWE’s decision to bump the match down from main-event status has taken some air from that balloon.

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7. Seth Rollins (Prev: 9)

For all of the hype ahead of their feud, Seth Rollins’ eventual showdown with CM Punk back on the Netflix premiere of “WWE Raw” in January felt frustratingly rushed. Three months later, “The Visionary” is looking to correct that injustice as he enters what WWE has billed as the biggest triple-threat match in WrestleMania history. Fans have waited more than a decade to see Rollins and Reigns resolve their issues. Now it looks like it might just happen.

6. Swerve Strickland (Prev: NR)

Who’s house? Swerve’s house! After more than a year of Strickland at the top of the AEW men’s division, we all know the drill by now. Still, the former Hit Row man has hardly put a foot wrong in his time in Tony Khan’s promotion and remains a solid fan-favorite going into AEW Dynasty. It’s true that plenty of competitors have ridden a wave of momentum only to be choked out by Jon Moxley, but Strickland looks as if he may go the distance.

5. Roman Reigns (Prev: 10)

Would it be unfair to say that “The Tribal Chief” has yet to fully capitalize on the excitement around his big return last year? For all the stakes going into War Games, his eventual dispatching of Solo Sikoa felt somewhat formulaic, even if it did free up Reigns for other feuds. Still, this upcoming WrestleMania 41 triple-threat feels like the best time to truly relaunch Reigns as a pillar of WWE.

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4. Gunther (Prev: 5)

Two years since arriving on the main roster, Gunther has cemented his reputation as one of WWE’s all-time heavyweight greats. Naturally, the Austrian powerhouse didn’t take his foot off the gas during WWE’s European tour, culminating in one of the most powerful segments in years, as Gunther forced a tethered Jey Uso to watch an attack on his twin brother Jimmy. It was a brutal display of power from a man at the top of his game.

3. CM Punk (Prev: 4)

How many wrestlers have the crowds eating out of their hand as consistently as CM Punk? I suspect you can count them on two hands. For all his angsty promos, “The Second City Saint” showed a softer side this past week, as his eyes misted upon being granted the opportunity to main event WrestleMania 41. Eighteen months on from that return, Punk’s position in WWE looks stronger than ever, opening up the path for a world championship run in the near future.

2. Cody Rhodes (Prev: 2)

Life as a babyface champion can be tough. Sometimes you just need to take a real beating to restore the magic. That was certainly the case for Cody Rhodes, whose whole character feels refreshed after his whipping at the hands of Cena, Rock, and Travis Scott back at Elimination Chamber. Just look at the reaction to his spellbinding promo battle against John Cena in London. Whatever happens in Las Vegas, “The American Nightmare” has done his title justice.

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1. John Cena (Prev: 1)

Just over two months ago, we placed John Cena at the top of our inaugural power list for one simple reason: for the first time in years, the entire WWE landscape seemed to pivot on whether he would win the Rumble or not. Following the mother of all swerves in Toronto, that same question has been taken to the next level, as the wrestling world waits with bated breath to see whether the post-heel-turn Cena becomes the next WWE Universal Champion.

Boo him all you like, but there’s no denying that the 16-time champ is the biggest force in wrestling right now.

WOMEN’S POWER RANKINGS

10. Megan Bayne (Prev: NR)

If you want to send a signal to the AEW women’s division, there are few better ways to do it than to defeat Kris Statlander (aka the woman who ended Jade Cargill’s legendary winning streak). Having proved her mettle in hard-hitting GCW, Megan Bayne has clearly impressed the leadership at AEW, bagging herself a massive title match at AEW Dynasty this Sunday.

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9. Jade Cargill (Prev: 4)

The fearsome Jade Cargill hasn’t paused for a breath since her dramatic return at WWE Elimination Chamber, going on to deliver a second beating to Naomi on “WWE SmackDown” before clashing with Liv Morgan for an encore. Thanks to a combination of factors, the former AEW champion took a while to get out of first gear in WWE, but is now hitting the high standards we all expected.

8. Naomi (Prev: NR)

Having delivered one of the best promo segments of the year with Bianca Belair, Naomi is now finally embracing her dark side, with a pitch-perfect video package on last week’s “WWE SmackDown.” The former women’s tag champion may have looked like a wounded puppy back at Elimination Chamber as she cowered before Jade Cargill, but her heel turn will reset the balance before the two of them meet at WrestleMania 41.

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7. Stephanie Vaquer (Prev: NR)

Just when you thought you’d seen it all in the much-praised NXT women’s division, “The Dark Angel” goes and takes things to another level by becoming the first-ever woman to hold the NXT Women’s Championship and the NXT North American Women’s Championship at the same time. Sure, she has Jordynne Grace breathing down her neck, but right now Stephanie Vaquer looks on top of her game on the Tuesday night show.

6. Iyo Sky (Prev: 2)

There’s an impassioned section of the WWE fan base who insist that Iyo Sky is the single best performer on the women’s roster — and they may very well be right. Pushing the former Joshi has certainly been one of the best decisions of the Triple H era, culminating in her return to championship glory in March. For all the platitudes, though, she still feels like the third wheel in her current feud with Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley, despite being the one holding the belt.

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5. Toni Storm (Prev: 3)

The timeless one still reigns supreme in AEW thanks to her much-anticipated “Hollywood ending” over her errant understudy-turned-nemesis Mariah May. Having received her flowers from the wrestling universe, Toni Storm now moves on to the next chapter, as she defends her title against Megan Bayne on Sunday. The question isn’t whether she wins (which you’d think was a given…), but where this feud will take her next.

4. Bianca Belair (Prev: 1)

Bianca Belair vaulted to the top of the last power list on the back of her dominant victory in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. As you’d expect, “The EST” remains a huge draw ahead of WrestleMania 41, where she will likely face Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley in a true dream match. That said, her best work on the weekly shows has been in her interactions with Naomi, rather than the buildup to the big Mania match.

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3. Charlotte Flair (Prev: 6)

Despite a slightly stuttering start following the Royal Rumble, “The Queen” hit her stride on WWE’s European tour, getting the better of a caustic promo battle with Tiffany Stratton and putting in two dominant performances against B-Fab and Michin. Flair’s aloof and arrogant character feels fresher than some previous runs, raising the stakes nicely for her title match at WrestleMania 41.

2. Rhea Ripley (Prev: 7)

Did we react too hastily in demoting Rhea Ripley following her unexpected defeat to Iyo Sky in March? The fan-favorite may no longer have gold around her waist, but she clearly has the momentum going into WrestleMania 41 — at least if the massive crowd responses on “WWE Raw” are anything to go by. In case you need any reminding, WWE has a global superstar on their hands in “The Eradicator” and seems determined to make the most of that.

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1. Tiffany Stratton (Prev: 5)

Back to the Tiffy Top so soon for the reigning WWE Women’s Champion? In truth, the podium positions are tighter than ever this month, but Stratton’s status as the longest-running of the champions (on the women’s side) places her in the strongest position as we head towards Las Vegas. To state the obvious, this will be a huge month for the 25-year-old star, and it would be churlish not to recognize that moment in the proper way.