Something quite a bit different to close the year out. I'll have a batch of "interesting" statistics up in the next few days (tag team rankings, longest title reigns - bet you can't guess who's #1 there, etc. etc.) - but first we have something I've been wanting to get together for the longest time.
My previous rankings were horribly flawed. #'s 1 and 2 on Smackdown right now, for example, are Sean "Hasn't Been On Smackdown Since July" O'Haire and Danny Basham. That's patently absurd - awesome winning records or not. So, there had to be a way to make this a little more... fair.
So, I created the Power Rankings - the average of a wrestler's win percentage, the percentage of their matches that are main events of RAW, Smackdown or a PPV, and the percentage of their matches that are not on Heat or Velocity. I then applied this method to all 101 Superstars* who appeared at least three times on WWE TV this year. And, you know, we were sitting comfortably at exactly 100 wrestlers until Stacy Keibler worked her 5th match on this week's RAW, pissing me off and taking away my cool even list. Oh well...
(*: With the following exception - "Non-wrestlers", that is - wrestlers who do not work a full schedule, are obviously never going to fight on Heat or Velocity, but it seemed horribly unfair to factor in that extra 100% into, say, Jerry Lawler's ranking. For reasons that make perfect sense to me - your non-wrestlers are Lawler, Vince and Stephanie McMahon, Stacy Keibler and Eric Bischoff. Shane McMahon and Torrie Wilson are considered wrestlers in my book - Shane worked matches at house shows, and Torrie actually had a match or two on Velocity.)
[And, for the record - the following wrestlers made in-ring appearances in 2003, but did not wrestle enough televised matches to make ranking this year: Steve Austin, Bull Buchannan, Matt Cappotelli, Jonathan Coachman, Crowbar, "Doink The Clown", The Fabulous Moolah, Mick Foley, Jackie Gayda, John Hennigan, Paul Heyman, Hardcore Holly, Theodore Long, Nova, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Raven, Road Warriors Animal and Hawk (R.I.P.), Jim Ross, Terri Runnels, Sable, Sakoda, Shaniqua and Sgt. Slaughter]
How the ratings work:
Rank Number (Name) (Titles Held During 2003, if any) Power Ranking - The average of the three percentages recorded below WIN/LOSS: W-L-NC (Win Percentage: {#W + [#NC/2]/TOTAL MATCHES} MAIN EVENTS: # Main Events/#Matches (Main Event Percentage) B-SHOWS: # Heat/Velocity Appearances/#Matches (Percentage of matches not on Heat or Velocity) PPVs: # of PPV appearances (10 was "perfect attendance" for RAW, 9 for Smackdown)
Ties are broken by # of PPV appearances, total matches, win percentage, main event percentage, a-show percentage and whomever OFB likes more - in that order. (Sadly, it never came down to the final criteria.)
And, without further ado - the 2003 WWE Power Rankings!
73 VAL VENIS 38.09 World Tag Team Champion: 3.24.03 - 3.31.03: w/Lance Storm WIN/LOSS: 20-15-0 (57.14%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/35 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 15/35 (57.14%) PPVs: 2
72 JOHN HEIDENREICH 38.19 WIN/LOSS: 5-2-0 (71.43%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/7 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 4/7 (42.86%) PPVs: 0
60 GOLDUST 43.33 World Tag Team Champion: 12.15.02 - 1.6.03: w/Booker T WIN/LOSS: 12-8-0 (60.00%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/20 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 6/20 (70.00%) PPVs: 2
38 D-VON DUDLEY 48.37 World Tag Team Champion: 1.19.03 - 1.20.03; 9.21.03 - 12.14.03: w/Bubba Ray Dudley WIN/LOSS: 21-19-1 (52.44%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/41 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 3/41 (92.68%) PPVs: 7
37 DANNY BASHAM 48.61 WWE Tag Team Champion: 10.23.03 - present: w/Doug Basham WIN/LOSS: 16-8-0 (66.67%) MAIN EVENTS: 1/24 (4.16%) B-SHOWS: 6/24 (75.00%) PPVs: 2
35 CHARLIE HAAS 49.06 WWE Tag Team Champion: 2.6.03 - 5.18.03; 7.3.03 - 9.18.03: w/Shelton Benjamin WIN/LOSS: 26-27-0 (49.06%) MAIN EVENTS: 8/53 (15.09%) B-SHOWS: 9/53 (83.02%) PPVs: 6
34 SHELTON BENJAMIN 49.64 WWE Tag Team Champion: 2.6.03 - 5.18.03; 7.3.03 - 9.18.03: w/Charlie Haas WIN/LOSS: 25-26-0 (49.02%) MAIN EVENTS: 8/51 (15.69%) B-SHOWS: 8/51 (84.31%) PPVs: 6
33 D'LO BROWN 50 WIN/LOSS: 4-2-0 (66.67%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/6 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 1/6 (83.02%) PPVs: 0
31 ERIC BISCHOFF (Non-Wrestler) 50 WIN/LOSS: 5-3-0 (62.50%) MAIN EVENTS: 3/8 (37.50%) PPVs: 2
30 REY MYSTERIO JR. 50 WWE Cruiserweight Champion: 6.5.03 - 9.25.03 WIN/LOSS: 28-20-0 (58.33%) MAIN EVENTS: 2/48 (4.17%) B-SHOWS: 6/48 (87.50%) PPVs: 5
29 SCOTT STEINER 50.71 WIN/LOSS: 26-20-0 (56.38%) MAIN EVENTS: 3/47 (6.38%) B-SHOWS: 5/47 (89.36%) PPVs: 7
28 MARK HENRY 50.98 WIN/LOSS: 9-8-0 (52.94%) MAIN EVENTS: 2/17 (11.76%) B-SHOWS: 2/17 (88.24%) PPVs: 2
27 BUBBA RAY DUDLEY 51.19 World Tag Team Champion: 1.19.03 - 1.20.03; 9.21.03 - 12.14.03: w/D-Von Dudley WIN/LOSS: 24-17-1 (58.33%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/42 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 2/42 (95.24%) PPVs: 7
26 MATT MORGAN 52.38 WIN/LOSS: 2-5-0 (28.57%) MAIN EVENTS: 3/8 (42.86%) B-SHOWS: 1/8 (85.71%) PPVs: 1
25 NATHAN JONES 54.17 WIN/LOSS: 3-5-0 (37.50%) MAIN EVENTS: 2/8 (25.00%) B-SHOWS: 0/8 (100.00%) PPVs: 1
24 CHRIS JERICHO 54.17 WWE Intercontinental Champion: 10.28.03 WIN/LOSS: 20-28-5 (43.27%) MAIN EVENTS: 11/52 (21.15%) B-SHOWS: 1/52 (98.08%) PPVs: 10
23 EDDY GUERRERO 54.55 WWE U.S. Champion: 7.27.03 - 10.19.03 WWE Tag Team Champion: 11.17.02 - 2.6.03; 9.18.03 - 10.23.03: w/Chavo Guerrero Jr. WWE Tag Team Champion: 5.18.03 - 7.3.03: w/Tajiri WIN/LOSS: 36-17-2 (67.27%) MAIN EVENTS: 1/55 (1.82%) B-SHOWS: 3/55 (94.55%) PPVs: 8
22 TORRIE WILSON 54.76 WIN/LOSS: 10-4-0 (71.43%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/14 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 1/14 (92.86%) PPVs: 1
21 SYLVIAN GRANIER 55 World Tag Team Champion: 6.15.03 - 9.21.03: w/Rene Dupree WIN/LOSS: 14-6-0 (70.00%) MAIN EVENTS: 1/20 (5.00%) B-SHOWS: 2/20 (90.00%) PPVs: 4
20 ROB VAN DAM 56.55 WWE Intercontinental Champion: 9.29.03 - 10.28.03; 10.28.03 - 12.14.03 World Tag Team Champion: 3.31.03 - 6.15.03: w/Kane WIN/LOSS: 29.23.4 (55.36%) MAIN EVENTS: 10/56 (17.86%) B-SHOWS: 2/56 (96.43%) PPVs: 9
19 RIC FLAIR 57.05 World Tag Team Champion - 12.14.03 - present: w/Batista WIN/LOSS: 9-16-1 (36.54%) MAIN EVENTS: 9/26 (34.62%) B-SHOWS: 0/26 (100.00%) PPVs: 3
18 WILLIAM REGAL 58.33 World Tag Team Champion: 1.6.03 - 1.19.03; 1.20.03 - 3.24.03: w/Lance Storm WIN/LOSS: 7-1-0 (87.50%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/8 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 1/8 (87.50%) PPVs: 2
17 BOOKER T 58.52 WWE Intercontinental Champion: 7.7.03 - 8.10.03 World Tag Team Champion: 12.15.02 - 1.6.03: w/Goldust WIN/LOSS: 29-14-2 (66.67%) MAIN EVENTS: 4/45 (8.89%) B-SHOWS: 0/45 (100.00%) PPVs: 7
16 KANE 59.17 World Tag Team Champion: 3.31.03 - 6.15.03: w/Rob Van Dam WIN/LOSS: 21-17-2 (55.00%) MAIN EVENTS: 10/40 (25.00%) B-SHOWS: 1/40 (97.50%) PPVs: 9
15 CHRIS BENOIT 59.44 WIN/LOSS: 37-19-4 (65.00%) MAIN EVENTS: 9/60 (15.00%) B-SHOWS: 1/60 (98.33%) PPVs: 8
That's quite interesting, Chirs Jericho was probably the biggest surprise on the list. I think a 10 match minimum might have been a better way to go as some of those guys really don't work on that list. Then again it's a damn fine piece of work. I would really like to see where the players on this list are six months to a year from now.
Oh my gosh, it's actually true, at least in the WWE's world:
Who better than Kanyon? EVERYBODY! ---------------------------------- 101 KANYON 5.56 WIN/LOSS: 2-16-0 (11.11%) MAIN EVENTS: 0/18 (0.00%) B-SHOWS: 17/18 (5.56%) PPVs: 0 ----------------------------------
What a bummer. He's one of my favorites, and the E isn't giving him a chance. I mean, only one match on Smackdown all year, and only two wins all year. Yikes. That is as buried as one can be and still be on the payroll.
It's a very interesting list, and it does seem to accurately reflect how the WWE actually feels about the importance of each wrestler. If you want the list to more reflect kayfabe success, though, then I'd consider increasing the importance of winning percentage and adding something in the formula for holding a belt. Although I suppose you're thinking that it's enough friggin' work already, and I totally understand that. Nice job.
I was toying with bonus points for winning each belt - not to mention adding one point for each match wrestled during the year - which would've taken guys like Hogan and Regal down quite a bit and boosted the standings of guys like Jericho and Eddy. But, like you said - I didn't want to do anymore work. Maybe for 2004...
(And, as for Kanyon's extremely poor ranking - not only did he only have two wins, they were both against literal jobbers on Velocity. And about a month ago, he teamed with another actual jobber to lose to Kendrick and London. I don't know what their problem is with him - I mean, they certainly aren't one for pushing most WCW guys to the moon, but I don't see why he doesn't have a comfortable little spot carved out for himself in the midcard like Lance Storm or Chuck Palumbo.)
Well I don't know if a wrestler should be punished for wrestling on Velocity or Heat, I mean even the World Champion Triple H wrestled on Heat this year. And Benoit, Matt, and WGTT were on Velocity atleast a couple of times I believe. Still it's better than having O'Haire and Danny Basham 1 and 2. Very Impressive, now get to work on that BCS formula for us.
Originally posted by cfgbThere is something decidedly wrong with the way you calculated Ultimo Dragon's B-Show appearances. You may want to check that one again.
You also credited Kurt Angle 100 matches at one point in the B-Show area, but it didn't affect anything since he never wrestles there anyway.
That is all. I like numbers.
Ooh, you're right. The math was already right for the real numbers - it all came out of my spreadsheet and I think I was looking at Nunzio's numbers at one point when I was copying Ultimo's.
Not to nitpick or anything, but I've always felt that there should be some distinction between singles wins and tag team wins, and pinfall/submission wins and DQ/countout wins.
And title matches *could* just be another percentage category, or automatically be a main event criteria.
And just to show that I'm not just about criticism (albeit of the constructive variety), I'll offer to help in the tabulation process...
So this means that Goldberg was pinned more times in 2003 than he was in the rest of his career combined.
Rob asks Dave and Ric if they want to go backstage to play Hungry Hungry Hippos and Flair and Batista immediately bail. Flair wants to be Green. Man, EVERYBODY wants to be green. Except the girl in the commercials. She wanted to be pink. That either means that the ad agency was sexist or that she was communist. Of course Hungry Hungry Hippos is a rather capitalist game isn’t it? No self respecting communist would play Hungry Hungry Hippos. Except Stalin. He LOVED Hungry Hungry Hippos. God, I’ve got no clue what the hell I’m rambling about anymore.-- Matt "Excalibur05" Hocking, Raw Satire writer extraordinaire
You know, I just can't call it the "WWE." I just can't. My body's rejecting it like a bad liver transplant.-- Bill Simmons, espn.com/page2
So this means that Goldberg was pinned more times in 2003 than he was in the rest of his career combined.
Starrcade 1998 - pinned by Kevin Nash Nitro, October 1999 - pinned by Bret Hart Starrcade 1999 - submits to Bret Hart Nitro, December 1999 - pinned by Bret Hart Nitro, August 2000 - pinned by Booker T Fall Brawl 2000 - submits to Scott Steiner Sin 2001 - pinned by Lex Luger
Ya, I think a 10 match minimum would have worked better, but other than that i got no complaints. How long do you think that took you in all? You've gotta get in touch with the NCAA and help em with their BCS problems. Or on second thought, mabye they should just have a giant elimination chamber match between the top 4 teams.
(edited by GoldbergWannabe49 on 1.1.04 1945) 49- Out to prove to those in doubt...
Well, the guys whose hair he wanted to cut were the Unamericans so they would all look similar. Christian and Test both refused to the stable was axed. Why that would axe a stable is anyone's guess. (Most likely because Vince likes to get his way.)