WWE Mid-Year Grades for Rising Superstars in 2026

It’s the halfway point in 2026, and time for some report cards. Many will be surprised by who is at the top of the mountain, while some will agree with who is at the bottom of the totem pole. Each superstar will be given a headline, grade, when they debuted, and a breakdown of their booking/run. Here are ten superstars and a faction that WWE has either made or torn down since making the jump to the main roster.

The Next Veer Mahaan?

Blake Monroe: F

Her debut was on May 22nd, 2026, and it hasn’t been easy for Blake Monroe. She ran into Chelsea Green backstage on SmackDown and introduced herself. Green dismissed her and walked away. WWE went to their next segment as if ‘The Glamour’ was an afterthought. Despite that backstage segment, WWE is still insisting to their viewers she is ‘Coming Soon’. Many compare her to Veer Mahaan, who debuted after five months of vignettes before being released after a brief stint with Jinder Mahal. We are at one month for Monroe, so time will tell. Perhaps in the next few years, she will reveal how her debut was executed behind the scenes.

Triple H isn’t Giving the Keys to the Kingdom Over Yet

Royce Keys: D+

Here is another example of WWE fumbling an ex-AEW talent. For now, anyway. Royce Keys (fka Powerhouse Hobbs) debuted as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble this year. He lasted ten minutes before getting eliminated by Bronson Reed, and then darkness ensued. Literally. Keys spent the next two months working on unaired dark matches and getting reps in, waiting for his creative direction.

Apparently, Triple H and the creative team had their WM plans set in stone and couldn’t find a spot for him. Royce won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal the night before WM 42 and had a great match against Gunther, which helped his grade. Otherwise, he’s been stuck in the MFT vortex for months on SmackDown and took a loss to Talla Tonga this past Friday. He has the size, build, and character, but it looks like his ceiling might not be high.

Does WWE believe in Him?

Joe Hendry: C-

His theme song and catchphrase go ‘I believe in Joe Hendry’. Technically, Hendry answered Randy Orton’s open challenge at WrestleMania 41 and got squashed in less than five minutes. He’s also been featured in the Royal Rumble and Andre the Giant Battle Royal. However, his debut in late April was a concert on Raw, where he sang “Fire Logan Paul” days after the company released a dozen superstars.

He is known for his catchy tunes, concerts, and waving your hands side to side. Oddly enough, Creative put him into a feud between the Street Profits and the Vision. His first match against Austin Theory ended in DQ, but he did pick up a win against the Vision in a six-man tag match. Maybe people should say his name more, and he’d make more of an impact on Raw.

Mr. No Pop

Ricky Saints: C+

A ‘pop’ refers to the amount of crowd reaction a superstar gets when their theme hits the speakers and they do their entrance. When Saints music hits, he gets apathy the entire time he is out there. He lost his first match on May 1st to WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, so WWE does see his potential.

Saints now has a title shot at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, and his ring work is definitely improving. In AEW, under Ricky Starks, he showcased his promo skills in a memorable segment with MJF. That was four years ago, and now it’s time for the writing team to find that confidence and capture that charisma so fans get more invested in him.

Your New Women’s IC Champion

Sol Ruca: B-

This one is really tricky. On April 20th, 2026, Sol lost to Raw Women’s Champion Liv Morgan in her debut. She followed that pattern for the next few matches. Ruca had a three-minute DQ victory against Becky Lynch at SNME. Despite all these losses, WWE rewarded her with a title at Clash in Italy by beating Lynch. Backstage officials debated whether to give her the belt even though she hasn’t won a match since her debut.

In the weeks to follow, Ruca defended her title against Lyra Valkyria. She continues to struggle during matches, but has polished her finisher known as the ‘Sol Snatcher’. She has a lot to learn. Her presentation screams face, but her promos say otherwise. With Becky Lynch out of the picture, it’ll be interesting to see who Sol’s first rivalry will be.

ALL EGO, ALL DAY

Ethan Page: B

We may be looking at the next Intercontinental Champion. Page is involved in the IC title picture and allied with Rusev. His interview with Michael Cole in the build-up to the IC match against Penta at ‘Saturday Night’s Main Event’ was well executed. ‘All Ego’ hit a home run with his attitude and cadence. Despite losing at SNME, it was arguably the match of the PLE. Expect him to dethrone Penta, and shout from the rooftops how he's ‘ALL-EGO’. Three months in, he has won over the higher-ups while continuing to impress the fans.

Lemon Pepper Steppers

Trick Williams: B+

Debuting in early January, he’s got the aura, the mic skills, the entrance, and the in-ring talent. The current US Champion is probably going to be the World Champion before his career is up. Fans chant ‘Whoop that Trick’ every time he enters the arena. His unlikely pairing with Lil Yachty has made for great television, and higher-ups reportedly love it too.

The only thing preventing him from being graded any higher was the Gingerbread nonsense with Sami Zayn. WWE President Nick Khan admitted the company uses AI to drive storylines, and the Gingerbread Man storyline was suspected to involve AI. When a costume funeral headlines a go-home show to a PLE, fans wonder what they’re witnessing. Other than that, Trick will be a household name in WWE within five years.

The Ceiling is High

Je’Von Evans: A-

Some fans will argue Evans is ranked too high, but he can deliver on the mic and in between the ropes. Although he has yet to win a championship, he has competed in the Royal Rumble and was the ‘Iron Man’. He was the first participant to be born after the Elimination Chamber structure was built in 2002. Despite losing to Jey Uso in the King of the Ring semifinals, the high-flyer held his own and looked more mentally prepared than his opponent.

Evans is energetic, fearless, high-flying, and worth watching. Lastly, he has one of the nicest finishers in the industry called the ‘OG Cutter’. It does look like an aerial version of the Diamond Cutter or RKO, but he definitely hits it when the pressure is highest. He debuted around the same time as Ethan Page, and both are making the most of their WWE journey.

The Nigerian Giant is Here

Oba Femi: A

Oba Femi did wrestle Cody Rhodes at SNME in late 2025, but his official debut was in March against Rusev. When he beat Brock Lesnar at WM 42, WWE couldn’t capitalize on that momentum. They had Femi do Open Challenges, and it felt like it was going nowhere. So, the company brought Lesnar back into the fold. They had Femi lose clean to Brock Lesnar at Clash in Italy. It did take seven F-5’s for Lesnar to win.

It looks like Femi is not winning the King of the Ring Tourney. Brock is heavily rumored to appear in Saudi Arabia this Saturday and cost his WM 42 opponent the match to set up a rubber match at SummerSlam. It is rumored that Oba Femi will face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia for the title. The Nigerian Giant can, and should, be the next big thing.

They’re Coming for All the Gold

Fatal Influence: A

Jacy Jayne has hit a grand slam alongside Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid. Since their debut in April, the trio has become the cornerstone of the women’s division on SmackDown. They have lost on the main roster, but viewers can tell that Triple H struck gold here.

Jayne will be the WWE Women’s Champion, while Hensley and Reid will have the Women’s Tag belts. They have more potential than Jade’s ‘Takeover’ faction, which has failed to resemble anything relevant. This could be the most dominant female faction in WWE history. If booked properly.

You Are CURSED!

Danhausen: A +

His debut at Elimination Chamber was rocky when he entered through a mystery box. Since then, he has been every fan's favorite (and TKO’s) to watch. Since his first curse was well-executed as Dominik Mysterio lost the IC title, Danhausen has been on a roll. A slice of the audience might not care for his comedic segments and antics, but there is no denying his impact. Both inside and outside the WWE parameters.

He lifted the curse on the New York Knicks, and then Jalen Brunson and co. won the title after a 50+ year drought. He also uncursed the Carolina Hurricanes, who are the Stanley Cup champions. This guy has the wits, the creativity, and doesn’t fall for Liv Morgan’s flirtatious ways. He is also a top merchandise seller behind only CM Punk and Roman Reigns.

A reminder that the King and Queen of the Ring finals are this Saturday @1pm/ET in Saudi Arabia. Here is the card for Night of Champions that will be free for USA viewers on ESPN for the first hour, then streamed exclusively on the ESPN app. 

The predictions are down below.

Tiffany Stratton vs Jade Cargill: Women’s US Title

Trick Williams vs Ricky Saints: US title

Bron Breakker vs Seth Rollins: Steel Cage Match

Gunther vs Sami Zayn vs Cody Rhodes: Undisputed WWE Championship

Oba Femi vs Jey Uso: King of the Ring Finals

Iyo Sky vs Liv Morgan: Queen of the Ring Finals