Breaking Down the Best and Worst of the WWE for Week of July 27

WWE's oft-neglected roster members nabbed the spotlight this week.

On Monday's Raw, the recently energized Divas division showed off two of its most talented women. On NXT, tag team wrestling was back in vogue. And at just about every turn, WWE did well to further the feud between Cesaro and Kevin Owens.

When it came time to showcase the company's top champion, however, WWE failed. Seth Rollins lost both a singles match and a tag match in the span of a few days. He continues to be treated like someone who isn't quite deserving of the world title in his grasp.

At least he can take solace that he isn't Bull Dempsey.

The NXT brawler bore the brunt of WWE's worst booking of the week. July closes with folks wondering if Dempsey is destined to be a punch line and still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that women like Sasha Banks are getting the opportunities that fans have long demanded.

Best: Paige vs. Sasha Banks

For a match between two women to compete for the best outing on Raw would have been unheard of not long ago. For two women to battle on that show for nearly 14 minutes and be presented as formidable warriors and not as two pieces of eye candy would be just as unexpected.

Change in the women's division is truly underway, though. 

That was clear as Paige and Sasha Banks went to work in the ring on Monday night. This was no hurried, filler bout; this was a show-stealer.

Thank ample ring time for some of that, but kudos has to go to both Banks and Paige for stepping up in this big moment. This contest thrilled, as both women briefly held the advantage. Victory seemed as vital to each of them as air.

This is how you increase interest in the division and reap all the demographic boosts that come with it. 

Some may debate whether having Paige lose again is the right move, but Banks has been allowed to make a major statement by rattling off wins. She has now forced a former Divas champ to tap out in her last two outings. 

She, like the division overall, is garnering plenty of momentum.

Worst: Seth Rollins Not Getting World-Champion Treatment

In some ways, Seth Rollins was better off when he was Mr. Money in the Bank and not WWE champ. Since winning the world title, he's not been made to look nearly as cunning, ruthless or powerful.

Yes, he battled John Cena hard on Monday's night, but he lost yet again. This time, he tapped out to the STF. The announcers than went into a celebration of how tough Cena is. The focus was on the babyface's amazing resiliency, not Rollins' being dangerous.

On Thursday's SmackDown, WWE had Rollins compete (and lose by disqualification) in the opening match. He served as the curtain-jerker, a spot usually relegated to the talented hands who aren't big stars.

When's the last time another WWE champ did that? Brock Lesnar didn't even appear on SmackDown. WWE wouldn't have had Cena, Randy Orton or CM Punk serve as the opening act.

It also wouldn't have had them follow that up with a loss in a tag team match. 

The baffling journey WWE is taking with Rollins continues. He badly needs some image rehab.

He badly needs to look like a champion.

Best: Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens Feud Getting Plenty of Attention

Too often, a feud such as Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro—one without a title on the line or a top-tier star—gets neglected. WWE would just throw them together on a pay-per-view with a threadbare narrative to work with.

That's not the case here. Owens and Cesaro are getting plenty of chances to increase the animosity between them and ratchet up interest in their expected collision at SummerSlam.

WWE crammed bad blood into every available cranny.

On Monday's Raw, Cesaro pounced on Owens after the former NXT champ's battle with Randy Orton. On Thursday's SmackDown, Cesaro winning a tag match between them led to a backstage tantrum from Owens. That show made their feud a high priority, much as it did last week.

For good measure, WWE added an interview where Owens expressed his dislike for Cesaro to Michael Cole. 

Focusing this much on Cesaro vs. Owens is a sign that WWE understands how popular both men are. Giving them this much spotlight sans a title will boost both men's standing. This well-developed story will lead to a better match when they finally meet at SummerSlam. 

Worst: The 'Bull-Fit' Angle

Credit: WWE.com

Bull Dempsey was once a vicious predator and a no-nonsense brawler. The latest NXT showed just how far he's morphed into something ridiculous instead.

For weeks, his character has centered on him being lazy and fat and on his love of potato chips. WWE went a step further on Wednesday night, presenting him as a goofy, neon-wearing rube who's trying to get back into shape, complete with cheesy music in the background.

This ranks as one of the biggest head-scratchers WWE has achieved.

It has effectively turned a promising prospect into a laughingstock before he even sniffed the main roster. At least Vladimir Kozlov got a few moments' worth of being a monster before WWE defanged him. 

Dempsey hasn't been so lucky. He already faces an uphill journey to relevancy not even a full year after his debut on NXT TV.

Best: Tag Teams Everywhere on NXT

On Wednesday's NXT, a total of six tag teams stepped into the ring to do battle. Tag team wrestling was such a big part of that show that it felt like someone had transported the old Crockett Cup tourney to Full Sail University.

Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson got an upset win over Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady—a victory that instantly changes how we perceive them. They aren't just cult-favorite doormats but now potential players in the division.

Chad Gable and Jason Jordan continued to increase their chemistry. Levis Valenzuela Jr. gave us an early look at what he can do. And the main event featured the tag team titles on the line, something we rarely see on the main roster shows.

The Vaudevillains didn't nab the gold, but their feud with Blake and Murphy heated up thanks to some interference from Alexa Bliss.

All that led to the division as a whole feeling deeper and more compelling. A number of squads got a chance to make an impact. On top of that, the action was fun.

Every show can't be a tag team showcase, but booking like this leads to a healthy division that is worth tuning in to each week.