Ashes of the past, going for the king? - Ranking the WWE factions that have debuted since WrestleMania 40
WWE has adopted the creation of multiple factions over the last few years. In addition to The Bloodline and The Judgment Day, groups like Alpha Academy, Legado Del Fantasma, and the LWO have been prominently featured.
Since WrestleMania 40, a few new groups have emerged. Others have reshuffled the deck with different members. Have these new factions made a huge impact or are they just filling out the roster?
The next five stables have debuted since WrestleMania XL. They'll be ranked according to impact on their respective roster, titles won, potential, and other key factors.
#5. The Pure Fusion Collective formed on RAW
The three members of the Pure Fusion Collective haven't won any singles titles on the main roster. Sonya Deville and Shayna Baszler are former WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, but those titles haven't had the best bookings.
It's nice to involve those three competitors in meaningful angles, but their previous bookings make it hard to invest in any potential success. Baszler and Deville have been used so much to make others look good that it's hard to take them seriously.
The pairing gives Zoey Stark the chance to be a mouthpiece but the name 'Pure Fusion Collective' is possibly one of the worst in WWE history. It sounds like an upscale fitness center or organic farm stand store.
#4. Chad Gable leads another faction in American Made
Chad Gable's revamped version of Alpha Academy seems exactly what a heel version of the team would look like, two young blue-chip amateur wrestlers in The Creed Brothers, and Ivy Nile.
Nile is nicknamed The Pitbull because she's aggressive. Although that name wouldn't matter against bigger opponents like Jade Cargill, Nia Jax, or other established stars like Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair.
Gable may not win the world title anytime soon but could emerge as a formidable force. The coming together of the faction will benefit the Creeds the most. They've wowed in their matches but don't have much personality, which their leader will make up for. The group is in its early stages but will likely be more successful after they're done with their feud with The Wyatt Sicks.
#3. Is the New Judgment Day better than the original version?
The new version of The Judgment Day has a numbers advantage over most opponents. The group also has the World Tag Team titles and Women's World Championship.
Having some gold always works in favor of a faction in terms of credibility, as does feuding with two former world champions like Ripley and Damian Priest. However, losing its two best members hurts the group overall.
McDonagh and Carlito are basically cannon fodder while Priest was the group's true leader during Ripley's absence. If a more formidable star joined Finn Balor and his new-look faction, they'd be more fearsome.
#2. The Wyatt Sicks are WWE's band of misfits
The most intriguing new group to debut since WrestleMania 40 is The Wyatt Sicks. The tribute group to Bray Wyatt is a refreshing take on all of the late star's previous work throughout his creative career.
Each member is instantly elevated from being a mid-card piece to a unique performer with an untapped future. Nikki Cross is a former world champion but had a forgettable reign.
Erick Rowan is a former tag team champion and the group will likely pivot to that division when they are finished with Chad Gable. This group has more potential with some unused stars like Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis.
#1. The New Bloodline still dominates SmackDown
Solo Sikoa may be the only member from the original faction but his group looks a lot different than Roman Reigns' Bloodline. Every member either debuted (Tama Tonga, Jacob Fatu) or returned to WWE (Tonga Loa) this year.
The new faces - especially Fatu - were exciting additions to WWE. The group won tag team gold a few months after its formation. Sikoa has been involved with the two top stars on SmackDown, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes.
He was primed for that spot during his time under The Head of the Table. Since the group remains the focal point of SmackDown and the twists and turns have been exciting, they've been the new-look faction that has had the biggest impact since WrestleMania 40.