WWE Programming's Best Match for Week of October 18

It's been something of an outstanding week for in-ring action on WWE television. Each show had at least one match worth watching, and most had plenty more than that.

Whatever you think of the storylines that we're seeing play out, there's a lot to like about the current WWE product for its high standards of wrestling content and the full use that's being made of its roster. Throwaway matches are becoming a thing of the past, and it's doing wonders for what we see on TV.

Honourable Mentions

This was a strong week for WWE television across the board, with a host of great bouts that are well worth your time. The ever-satisfying NXT was terrific this week, with a blistering main event between Tyson Kidd and Sami Zayn.

Also of note was the women's match that saw Becky Lynch take on Charlotte. Lynch did great work last week against Sasha Banks and was even better here, wringing every last drop of impact out of a short match.

Moving on to the main roster, Raw saw an enjoyable encounter between Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton. If there are two wrestlers on the roster whom you could rely on to get a crowd involved at short notice, it's these two; both of them are excellent at getting a live crowd invested, and they played off one another very well here.

Ziggler also had a standout match with Seth Rollins to open SmackDown. These two have met plenty of times before, but they always mix things up to produce a fresh and engaging contest—you wouldn't bet against them being able to wrestle on TV every week for a year and still find ways to wow their audience.

Match of the Week for October 18: Cesaro vs. Kofi Kingston on Superstars

There was a time, not so long ago, that Superstars was the least essential piece of programming that WWE put out. In recent weeks, it's become clear that that's no longer the case.

Talented performers being given time to shine is a very simple proposition, but it's one that's working wonders for Superstars. Kingston and Cesaro gave their all this week, and the result was a match that should be considered essential viewing.

This relatively fresh pairing seemed to bring out the best in both men. Few would argue that Cesaro is anything but one of the brightest in-ring talents that WWE has at its disposal, but Kingston might find himself left off that list more often.

Credit: WWE.com

For all of Kofi's rapport with crowds, he's struggled to ascend higher than the midcard and, in recent years, has seldom been given a feud that he can really sink his teeth into. Here we saw him let loose with a worthy opponent, and it gave us a glimpse of what he could be.

Kingston may be known for his creative Royal Rumble performances, but he's far more than that. When he's given the opportunity, he can hang with the best on the roster and put on great matches—it's just a matter of going beyond the standard television match of five minutes or less, which WWE seems to be moving away from.

This bout demonstrated what a longer match can do for talent: provide a showcase for very able competitors and an opportunity for someone like Kofi Kingston to remind everyone just what he's capable of. The strength and diversity of the current roster means that WWE has a veritable treasure trove of appealing matchups, and it's great to see the company starting to take advantage of that.

Did another match stand out to you this week? Have you noticed a shift toward longer, more interesting matches across WWE programming? Are you growing to love Superstars? Make your thoughts known in the comments section below.