Revenge And Retribution Reign In Our Post-Bash In Berlin WWE Pound-For-Pound Rankings

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The WWE’s first ever Bash in Berlin Premium Live Event took centerstage this past weekend in front of a packed house in Germany, and it did not disappoint. We ended the event with new Women’s Tag Team Champions, retribution for the Terror Twins, an uncontroversial finish between Gunther and Randy Orton, and, perhaps most importantly, our first-ever WWE Pound-for-Pound rankings. 

Starting with Bash in Berlin, Kotaku will be following each WWE PLE with a list ranking superstars based on the quality of their segments, the progression or culmination of their storylines, and, of course, the prowess of their in-ring performances. Roughly once or twice a month, wrestling fans spend a Saturday evening watching one of WWE’s marquee events. There are winners, losers, and even champions abound. But as far as we’re concerned, there can only be one pound-for-pound king or queen of the promotion. Read on to see who claimed the crown in our inaugural rankings.

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Being no stranger to world championship matches, Owens commonly finds himself challenging for titles. With his last singles title win happening in 2017, the former universal champion was determined to defeat WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. During this battle, Owens showed compassion for Rhodes multiple times, which may have ultimately led to the stunning superstar losing the match. Although K.O. didn’t regain the world championship this time around, he looked strong in defeat.

Owens kicked out of multiple “Cross Rhodes” finishers before eventually losing to the move. But we suspect the highly entertaining Canadian superstar will find way to reinvent himself and come back stronger, as he always does.

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In a feud that, on its surface, is over the theft of a bracelet (yes, a bracelet), former multi-time world champion Drew McIntyre continues to be a top performer in WWE. Allow me to refresh your memory: McIntyre legitimately injured fellow WWE superstar CM Punk at Royal Rumble earlier this year, causing Punk to miss eight months of action. Prior to last month’s SummerSlam, McIntyre destroyed Punk in his hometown of Chicago and stole the bracelet in question that his nemesis wore in honor of his wife, former WWE superstar AJ Lee, and dog, Larry. At Saturday’s Bash in Berlin, McIntyre entered with intentions to pummel Punk once again. Unfortunately for him, he was put to sleep and lost the match. We can soon expect a rubber match from these two incredible athletes.

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When you think of a world champion in wrestling, Randy Orton automatically comes to mind. The same could be said for the 24-year veteran’s Bash in Berlin opponent, Gunther. In a match most people either loved because it was two pros going out there and doing what they do best, which is straight forward wrestling, or hated because of its 30-minute plus length, we can universally agree both talents gave their all. This was a rematch of their King of the Ring bout, which ended controversially when Gunther “pinned” Orton despite the 14-time world champion’s shoulders not being all the way down on the mat.

This time around, Orton was soundly defeated by Gunther after he was knocked out with a sleeper hold. Where does the man who stuns opponents with the three most dangerous letters in sports entertainment go after this? Well, anywhere the first-ballot Hall of Famer wants to.

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Like her entrance theme says, a storm has indeed come to WWE. Many feel former AEW star Jade Cargil was underutilized at her previous promotion. In under a year with WWE, Cargill has competed in matches at both Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, and she shows no signs of slowing down. At the Bash in Berlin, Cargill and her tag team partner Bianca Belair regained the Women’s World Tag Team titles that they previously lost a few months earlier to former champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. The new champions won in dominating fashion, punctuating their victory with a DDT-wheel barrel combination to reclaim their position at the top of the WWE women’s tag team division.

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Tennessee native Bianca Belair has accomplished some prodigious things throughout her eight-year stint with WWE. She’s one of only a handful of women to headline a WrestleMania event, and, even more historically, one of only two Black women to belong to that exclusive group. Belair has had major singles success, winning multiple world championships, and now focuses on her tag team run with the aforementioned Jade Cargill. The 35-year-old champ was the other half the winning duo this past weekend at the Bash, winning back the tag titles and impressing crowds with her athletic abilities and one-of-a-kind personality.

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All rise for the man formerly known on the independent wrestling scene as “Punishment Martinez.” Punishment was exactly what Priest was focused on at Bash in Berlin. This original Judgement Day member was betrayed at SummerSlam by his former stablemate Finn Balór, costing him the WWE World Championship, and he’s been out for revenge ever since. Priest was able taste vengeance in Germany when he and his best friend Rhea Ripley defeated WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan and her boyfriend Dominik Mysterio. Their victory was cemented as Ripley hit her famed “Riptide” finisher on Morgan. The duo known as the Terror Twins appear to be a team to watch out for.

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Much like Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley had a point to prove at Bash in Berlin. The Australian-born superstar was forced to relinquish her world championship after an injury earlier this year. Since returning, Ripley has had tunnel vision, and her sole focus has been regaining her title and demolishing Liv Morgan. An unsuccessful title challenge at SummerSlam and heartbreaking betrayal at the hands of Dirty Dom notwithstanding, her momentum hasn’t been derailed and her resolve has only been fortified. Ripley pinned Morgan at the Bash, and this rivalry looks to be far from over.

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Arguably the top guy in the company, Cody Rhodes continues to perform at a high level. Since defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 to win the biggest prize in all of wrestling, the WWE Championship, Rhodes finds himself as a mainstay at the top of the card.

Over the summer, “The American Nightmare” continuously had to fend off members of the Bloodline, a faction he’d been battling for over a year. At SummerSlam, Rhodes overcame the group thanks to his former rival, as Roman Reigns came out to help the founding AEW member by spearing and superman punching his own cousin, Solo Sikoa.

With the Bloodline behind him for the time being, Rhodes needed another opponent. This challenge came in the form of Kevin Owens at Bash in Berlin. The crowd was on fire for this banger of a match. Rhodes was able to retain the WWE Championship after one last “Cross Rhodes” finisher, and he now awaits his next challenger.

Something tells me the Bloodline isn’t finished with him yet.

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“Voice of the voiceless” and “best in the world” are among the many phrases used to describe Phil Brooks, better known as CM Punk. Since returning to WWE from AEW in November 2023, Punk has been a focal point of Monday Night Raw. Due to an unexpected injury in his first televised match back, The Chicago Made Punk would not see any in-ring action until last month’s SummerSlam, where he would face the man that injured him, Drew McIntyre.

Punk would suffer a loss at the annual summer extravaganza, which added more fuel to the fire that is their personal rivalry. McIntyre stole Punk’s property in the lead up to SummerSlam and the self-proclaimed “best in the world” was determined to retrieve it.

After a grueling Strap Match at the Bash in Berlin, Punk was able to incapacitate McIntyre, which allowed him to hit all four corners of the ring and win the match. This feud has been considered a top priority for the company. A third match between these two stars is a welcomed inevitability.

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After 666 days as Intercontinental Champion, Gunther’s run came to a halt at the biggest professional wrestling event of the year, WrestleMania 40. However, this didn’t stop the hard-hitting, power-bombing Austrian superstar. The former NXT champion went on to win King of the Ring this year, which propelled him into a marquee match at SummerSlam. Defeating Damian Priest using questionable tactics, Gunther cemented his name in history by winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the first time.

The “ring general” had no easy task this past weekend in Berlin, Germany. Unlike the last time he defeated Orton, Gunther conquered his challenger without controversy and went on to retain his title. The opportunities are now endless for this dominant champion.