Breaking Down the Best and Worst of the WWE for Week of Oct. 13

WWE and NXT rings were home to artistry, comedy and an RKO most eye-catching this week. 

Monday's Raw was one of the better editions of the show in weeks thanks to the company focusing more on wrestling than filler. The 15th anniversary of SmackDown didn't benefit from the same school of thought. WWE went a sillier route to ring in SmackDown's 15th year.

Randy Orton, Dolph Ziggler, Tyson Kidd and Sami Zayn were among the Superstars who most delivered when called upon.

Fans seeking in-ring thrills should rewatch their work. Fans looking for a more masochistic experience need only check out how SmackDown celebrated its milestone and how WWE refuses to put any scratches on John Cena's armor.

Best: A Match-Heavy Raw

Monday's Raw relegated its celebrity guests to cameo roles and let its wrestlers take center stage. That simple formula led to one of the more enjoyable editions of the show in a long while.

John Cena and Dean Ambrose teamed up in a fun, fast-paced Triple Threat tag match. Big Show and Rusev put together a slugfest that ranks among The Bulgarian Brute's best work. Jack Swagger took on Seth Rollins in a solid bout and Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler nailed their opportunity.

It was a welcome concentration of wrestling. NeNe Leakes and Todd Chrisley were only on briefly, WWE perhaps learning from the painful segment that featured Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford last time around.

Beyond that, there weren't as many squash matches and comic-relief acts. 

The result was an engaged crowd and a quality show. WWE would be smart to revisit this blueprint in the weeks to come. It can't forget what the second letter in its name stands for.

Worst: This Is How You Celebrate 15 Years of SmackDown?

SmackDown hasn't been must-watch in years. The 15-year anniversary show reminded us of that.

The main event that night doesn't compare favorably to SmackDown's biggest bouts. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero, Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle and Triple H vs. The Rock will all be treasured for years to come. This 15-man tag will not.

When WWE crams bullfighters, a little person in an alligator costume and Slater Gator into what is supposed to be a marquee match on a marquee show, it feels as if the company has given up on the show.

The fact that a taped segment with The Rock aired rather than him appearing in person didn't help make this SmackDown feel special. Overall, it was an average show, not benefiting from any additional effort on WWE's part.

Hopefully, by year 20 of SmackDown, the show will be experiencing a revival, a stretch that recalls its prime.

Best: Damien Sandow Demands Our Attention

Damien Sandow needs an award for the job he's doing as The Miz's stunt double.

He's consistently the highlight of the matches and segments he's a part of. That was twice true in the span of two nights.

When The Miz battled Sheamus on Monday's Raw, Sandow was mirroring The Miz's offense, pain and mannerisms. That resulted in the New York fans chanting his name rather that those of the men in the ring.

On Tuesday's Main Event, he mocked Sheamus, coming out to the ring dressed like him. It was the funniest thing on WWE TV this week.

He spoke in a shoddy Scottish accent despite Sheamus being Irish. The shtick clearly made it tough for The Miz and Sheamus both to not crack up. 

Sandow has taken a ridiculous role and made it an entertainment goldmine. He's a prime example of the "there's no small part" axiom.

He'll look to use this momentum to climb onto a higher rung, but for now it's great fun watching him work. 

Worst: John Cena's Losses Must Come with Asterisks

WWE made the right choice in having Dean Ambrose and John Cena collide early. The decision regarding the type of match wasn't as great.

The No Holds Barred Contract on a Pole match cleared the way for Ambrose and Seth Rollins to have the spotlight at Hell in a Cell. The match type made it far less entertaining than it should have been, and Ambrose's win felt far too fluky.

Randy Orton, Kane and Seth Rollins got involved in a muddled, awkward ending to the bout. It didn't feel so much that Ambrose won at the end of it, but more like he just got lucky.

That's a missed opportunity in the process of building Ambrose up.

Giving him a clean, definitive win could have been career-changing. Instead, WWE showed again how hesitant it is to let Cena lose without all kinds of mitigating circumstances.

Cena has won 1,491 matches and has a career winning percentage of .785, per CageMatch.net. It won't hurt him to lose a few battles in a non-roundabout way.

Best: Sami Zayn vs. Tyson Kidd (NXT)

Sami Zayn's story was one of an early journey down the road to redemption.

He's lost his biggest matches at NXT and said he was sick of it. Tyson Kidd mocked him, questioning whether he was good enough.

They closed Thursday's NXT with a smooth, beautifully paced match. Kidd and Zayn worked seamlessly together. Fans watched as the highlights kept coming: a Blue Thunder Bomb nearly getting a three-count, Zayn bouncing off the top rope and Kidd nailing his foe with a kick that sounded like a bat hitting a hanging curveball.

Zayn provided more evidence that he's NXT top prospect. Kidd made his case that he's the most underrated and underused talent on the roster. NXT once again demonstrated that it's WWE's most consistently entertaining show.

Fans who aren't making what happens at Full Sail University a regular part of their diet are not getting their full weekly supply of awesomeness.