Ranking Every Active Faction in WWE and AEW
One of the most effective ways to organize a roster is to place several stars into groups. It allows for a wider variety of matches between feuds to keep things fresh and can help each member shine while not needing to put all the responsibility on one person's shoulders.
When done well, you get legendary factions such as D-Generation X, The Four Horsemen and early New World Order. If done poorly, you get a random group with no synergy or a bloated collection of do-nothings, as nWo eventually became.
Right now in All Elite Wrestling and WWE, there are nearly 25 groups of three or more names fighting for supremacy.
Which ones are the best and which underwhelm? Let's rank them.
D-Tier Factions
23. The Factory
QT Marshall as the trainer head of a group of guys still learning the ropes makes sense on paper, but the execution has been flawed. He has never built up enough credibility to pass that onto his students, who perpetually lose almost all their matches.
It makes sense, in a way. If a loser is teaching them all he knows, no wonder Aaron Solo can't beat anyone who isn't enhancement talent. But AEW doesn't go far enough in making them an engaging group of jobbers. They just happen to team up a lot and lose.
22. Die Familie
The problem with NXT UK's Die Familie is how bland they are. Teoman is not a captivating figurehead for the group, Rohan Raja is a boring "yes" man, and Charlie Dempsey doesn't fit with them whatsoever. He's clearly the standout who has been called out as not belonging from the start of joining them.
It is inevitable that Dempsey breaks away. Teoman and Raja would be better off as a regular tag team, but they'd still fall short of being interesting enough for a run with the belts.
21. Tony D'Angelo's Crew with Legado del Fantasma
As a separate group, Legado del Fantasma are great. However, now that they're underlings for Tony D'Angelo and part of his group, it isn't working out.
After the release of Troy "Two Dimes" Donovan from WWE, the storyline in-fighting has immediately started, causing all parties to lose matches, and there isn't even a name for this faction, so it's hard to call it much of a success.
C-Tier Factions
C-tier factions have some issues but some positives, too. With a few tweaks, they could be much better.
20. Gallus
Gallus boys on top? Not quite. They're fine, but they're very one-note and are currently struggling to find a new rhythm and purpose.
Often, they seem like a tag team with a third wheel. Either it is the Coffey brothers with Wolfgang hanging off the sidelines, or Mark Coffey is with Wolfgang while Joe Coffey is busy in the singles division.
There is synergy, but without a better trio to properly feud with, something is just off.
19. The Baddies
So far, this group have stood next to Jade Cargill and nodded their heads more than anything else. There is potential, but that hasn't been tapped into yet.
Red Velvet and Kiera Hogan should be winning tag team matches on AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation on a weekly basis. Instead, they've only teamed once on Rampage two months ago—less than a month after fighting each other.
Cargill is the star and Stokely Hathaway is a great talker, but AEW needs to figure out how to better utilize Hogan and Velvet to make this a true faction and less of a duo hovering by a single person and her manager.
18. American Top Team
Dan Lambert has cut some of the most interesting promos in AEW over the past year, but there are diminishing returns with this faction.
The more often they're seen, the more they're exposed as not having much to say.
Paige VanZant was more interesting before she wrestled. Now that she has, we've seen she needs a lot of work before becoming a top-tier performer. Scorpio Sky has more than a few upsides, but his TNT Championship runs aren't the strongest. Meanwhile, Ethan Page mostly just stands there on average.
17. Dark Order
This group was terrible when it was Stu Grayson and Evil Uno with random guys in masks, but it found its stride when it became a collection of lovable losers.
Their goofball antics stole the show on Being the Elite and their partnership with Hangman Adam Page was one of the best Odd Couple pairings in a while.
However, their best days are behind them. When was the last time they managed to actually accomplish something, or were prominently featured in a meaningful way?
These days, they pop up on Dark and a random Dynamite or Rampage match, almost always losing if it isn't against someone who isn't actually signed to the roster.
16. Diamond Mine
This group are falling apart without Malcolm Bivens. Roderick Strong is not a great talker, so all their segments involving around him fall flat.
Damon Kemp would be an interesting addition if he had any personality beyond just being another guy who wrestles. Ivy Nile's still struggling to show some character, too.
It is really just The Creed Brothers who are trying to hold this together, but they would do the same act as a separate tag team, meaning this group is heading toward disaster after once being one of the more interesting groups in NXT.
15. Chase University
As far as credibility goes, Chase University aren't landing high on this list. However, credit is due when talking about keeping things fun, which puts them higher than some other groups.
Andre Chase is always amusing in his leadership role, while Bodhi Hayward is a charming halfwit bursting with enthusiasm for this ridiculous clique. Thea Hail has just joined, and she should bring something new to the group, too.
14. The House of Black
The House of Black is the faction equivalent of Bray Wyatt as The Fiend in that it should be far better than it actually is.
Malakai Black as a cult leader with talented followers such as Brody King and Buddy Matthews? What could go wrong?
Unfortunately, spitting mist and turning the lights out here and there has grown tiresome. Even Julia Hart's conversion into the group took forever and there's no story to track. She's just a heel and not much more, much like how Matthews is just his normal wrestling self who happens to wear black and team with The Kings of the Black Throne.
Nothing they've done as a group has mattered, calling into question if AEW has its fifth or sixth dark and mysterious stable that just doesn't live up to the hype, or if it just hasn't figured out the winning formula yet.
B-Tier Factions
B-tier factions are in the middle of the road for this bell curve. They have their positives and negatives, averaging out to the center of the list.
13. The Judgment Day
Only slightly above The House of Black is The Judgment Day, for many of the exact same reasons. They're a spooky group in dark clothing who speak as though they're macabre without doing anything horrific.
They get a slight bump on this list because it has only been one week with Finn Balor taking over Edge's position as leader. However, the promo from Monday's Raw lacked flavor and was not a great sign of things to come.
12. Christian Cage and Jurassic Express
Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus are fantastic, but why is Christian Cage their mouthpiece? Marko Stunt wasn't able to fit that role, but Cage doesn't fill the gap perfectly, either.
He does lend some better mic skills and his credibility as a legend to the mix, yet looks odd standing next to them, speaking on their behalf like they can't and picking fights he volunteers them for.
Jurassic Express are at their best when the bell rings—when Cage is a non-factor. This faction might be better off just being a tag team with a loose partnership to the veteran than for him to be such a permanent fixture at their sides.
11. The Acclaimed with The Gunn Club
This pairing is ridiculous, but try to watch their entrance without a smile on your face. It's harder than it would seem.
Obviously, this isn't a serious group, which puts them lower on the list. But as far as getting the audience involved and giving The Gunn Club a boost in notoriety, this faction is doing a great job of finding its niche.
10. Death Triangle
Death Triangle is less of a faction and more like PAC teaming with The Lucha Bros on a regular basis. There isn't much of a reason for them to call themselves Death Triangle or look like they all match their outfits, but most fans won't care.
The real key is that if PAC, Rey Fenix and Penta Oscuro are in a trios match, the crowd is likely entertained, putting them firmly around the center of this list.
9. Brooks Jensen, Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley
While not as entertaining in the ring as Death Triangle, what Briggs, Jensen and Henley have is a coordinating theme. Their characters mesh together well and make each other better. Jensen is the schmuck, Briggs is the powerhouse, and Henley's the glue holding them together.
They haven't accomplished much yet in NXT, but the longer they team together, the stronger their chances are to make some real waves.
8. Brawling Brutes
Pete Dunne could have come up to the main roster on his own, but WWE Creative would have gotten bored with him in no time. As Butch alongside Ridge Holland and Sheamus, he has a higher chance to succeed.
Holland is still rather green, so it makes sense to put him with two guys who know their way around the ring. Meanwhile, Sheamus has achieved nearly everything someone can do in WWE and is at the latter end of his career. As the head of a stable, this extends his longevity so he isn't pulling all the weight as a solo act and allows him to lend his notoriety to the two fresher Superstars.
They have an actual team name and matching style with characters who feel like they would be friends, rather than just a few names who happen to come together for matches.
7. Team Taz
A while back, Team Taz would have been higher on this list, but their prominence has fallen over time and with the exit of Brian Cage.
Ricky Starks is fantastic and Powerhouse Hobbs continues to impress, but with Hook doing his own thing and Taz spending more time on commentary, it has started to feel more like Starks and Hobbs as a tag team and not an actual stable.
What they bring to their segments is better than most in the B-tier, but the top level is asking a bit too much right now.
A-Tier Factions
A-tier teams have a lot to offer, but they are just shy of topping this list.
6. Toxic Attraction
Say what you want about how other factions have better in-ring performers, Toxic Attraction excel more so in character work. Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne hold all the women's gold in NXT because they're the most engaging characters the brand has.
Simplicity is key. The "mean girl" trope is a classic across all storytelling. All they have to do is look enticing, tout their looks for an ego boost and cheat to win matches and they're doing their jobs.
5. Blackpool Combat Club
These are one of the newer factions, but Blackpool Combat Club are an idea that was just too intriguing to pass up.
Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley are two of the best in the world today and William Regal is an icon and perfect mouthpiece for them. Adding Wheeler Yuta instantly skyrocketed his career and gave this group an injection of youth to set the stage for others to join in the future.
They're tough, passionate and talented. What more do you want?
4. The Jericho Appreciation Society
Leaning in the opposite direction of BCC, The Jericho Appreciation Society are what you get when you play up the absurd caricature side of pro wrestling (or, rather, sports entertainment.)
Matt Menard alone is worth paying attention to whenever this group are on screen. His mannerisms are a riot and his energy is palpable. But every person in the faction serves their own unique role, led by Chris Jericho, the wizard of the bunch.
This would be The Inner Circle if they were sillier. By the time it crumbles, Menard, Angelo Parker and Daniel Garcia will be much bigger stars than when they joined, and it will have extended the career lifespans of Jericho and Jake Hager.
S-Tier Factions
The final spots are reserved for the teams that have already reached some version of legendary status, with numerous accolades and marks on the industry.
3. The New Day
At this moment, The New Day aren't flying so high. Big E is out injured and both Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods seem to be spinning their wheels. The feud against Brawling Brutes has gone on forever with no direction and another injury gets in the way every few weeks.
However, even though they aren't the top focal point right now, consistency is key. No matter what pairing, their performances are always great. If and when the full trio are back in action, it will be a huge moment to pop.
2. The Undisputed Elite
There are many problems within The Elite and its different branches. In-fighting with The Young Bucks and reDRagon with Adam Cole stuck between the two has prevented them from being as successful as they can be.
But the fact that they can run the entire company speaks volumes. At full strength with cronies such as Michael Nakazawa and Brandon Cutler to take the heat and top talent like Kenny Omega when he returns from injury, this would be the most powerful faction.
1. The Bloodline
You can't argue with results. Roman Reigns dethroned Brock Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 38 and holds both world titles with such commanding power that he doesn't even need to be on either Raw or SmackDown for his presence to be overwhelming.
The Usos saw his dominance and matched it, and they now hold both tag team titles as the undisputed kings of that entire division. If WWE allowed for more crossover with NXT and NXT UK, Jimmy and Jey would undoubtedly win those tag titles, too.
The Bloodline are the top faction going in WWE today.
Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, Spotify and everywhere you find podcasts. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.