As much as the top of the latest ESPN WWE Power Rankings might look familiar, much like a duck gliding along in water, you're not seeing the chaos churning just beneath the surface.
AJ Styles continues to top this list, carrying on a monumental run that can be traced well back into 2016, but any real difference between him, Kevin Owens and John Cena at the top of this list is barely more than cosmetic, at this particular moment.
All three of these competitors were virtually tied after our panel submitted their individual rankings this week, and it took multiple tiebreakers to separate them between the top three spots. It seems like an inevitability, at this point, that Styles' lengthy reign as the top dog on this list will come to the same kind of conclusion as his WWE championship reign.
The Royal Rumble pay-per-view had a great deal to do with how this edition of the Power Rankings shook out, and you'll also find a history-making No. 10 entry -- the first cruiserweight ever to crack the top 10 and make "the list."
Enjoy.
Number in parentheses ( ) -- indicates first-place votes.
Losing the WWE title doesn't keep Styles from the top of this list. His Royal Rumble title match with John Cena was nearly as good as their five-star classic at SummerSlam last August, and Styles remains the undeniable best in-ring worker the company has to offer. Just look at his performance in an arguably throwaway main event against Dean Ambrose this week on SmackDown. (Brian Campbell)
Owens beat Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble without the help of his BFF Chris Jericho, in a match that would've stolen the show had it not been for Styles-Cena -- a refreshing change of pace for Owens. Sure, there's the not-so-little fact that Braun Strowman played a part (OK, a big part) in KO's victory, but the bottom line is that he's still the longest-reigning current champ in the WWE at five months and counting. The more he turns up the aggression factor, the better. (Matt Wilansky)
The WWE champion is back on top of the WWE mountain after an early match of the year candidate against AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble. Oh yeah, he also grabbed his 16th WWE world championship, tying two-time Hall of Famer Ric Flair for most all-time reigns. Like him or not, Cena is one of the best performers in WWE history. He'll always have his critics, but every time someone says he can't work, he puts out a performance like Sunday. John Cena is great. End of story. (Sean Coyle)
The premier female athlete in the WWE remains the Raw women's champion after her victory over Bayley at the Royal Rumble. She is now 16-0 in singles matches at pay-per-views, the longest undefeated winning streak in WWE history. There's not a single superstar in her division that comes close to rivaling her athleticism, and on top of that, she's one of the best heels in the whole company. (Coyle)
Jericho is simply undeniable at this point, and his double-duty at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view showed just how much value he presents to the WWE at this point in his career. He started the night as a "sexy piñata," as he so eloquently put it, and despite hanging above the ring in a shark cage, Jericho managed to make his presence felt throughout. Later in the night, Jericho lasted long enough in the Rumble match to claim the title of #61minuteman and got it trending on Twitter. Rumors of a long-feared break post-WrestleMania persist, so let's drink it in while we can. (Tim Fiorvanti)
So many boos. So many cheers. The reaction that Reigns gets each and every time he walks out is really astonishing. While there was disappointment for many wrestling fans when he entered the Royal Rumble at No. 30 -- and that makes a lot of sense -- who else could drive the debate as much as he did? (Andrew Feldman)
I'll refrain from complaining too heartily about his precipitous drop in this edition of the Power Rankings because The Miz continues to outdo himself week in and week out -- and sooner or later, he's going to be WWE world champion again. From his role in the Royal Rumble, where he seemingly took every finishing maneuver in the book, to Miz's time at the commentary desk on SmackDown Live where he flashed his incredible ability to build up reputations while putting people down, The Miz is as valuable an asset as anyone on the SmackDown roster right now. (Fiorvanti)
Strowman has gone from squash matches to title shots in one of the strongest and most well-paced build-ups to a character that we've seen in a long time, and his work is well-deserving of all the momentum he's built up. He's on his way up in our rankings, and now we'll have to wait and see how things play out, in terms of the spotlight Strowman will get at WrestleMania. (Feldman)
It's been some time since we truly thought of Orton as a top-tier superstar, but his Rumble victory instantly launched him back into that inner sanctum. The permutations are vast right now, as to all of the different ways that the "Road to Wrestlemania" could play out, but how cool would it be to see Orton and Cena add another chapter to an all-time great rivalry -- especially with both still in peak physical condition? (Wilansky)
The "King of the Cruiserweights" finally has his crown after defeating Rich Swann for the cruiserweight championship at the Royal Rumble. Neville has brought credibility and toughness as a heel on "205 Live," and he continues to find more and more of himself as he makes his presence felt on Raw as well. I am certainly not opposed to bending the knee, in this case. (Campbell)
Dropped from rankings: Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose
Honorable mention: Baron Corbin, Rollins, Ambrose, Gallows & Anderson, Samoa Joe, Bayley