WWE Programming's Best Match for Week of February 1

It finally feels like we're on the Road to WrestleMania. After the disappointment of the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, things seem to be settling into place to ensure an exciting build to the biggest show of the year, and the match quality on weekly television is improving as a side effect.

That said, there's another big show on the horizon: NXT Takeover. The developmental brand has been exemplary in the build to its first live special of 2015, and there are plenty of reasons to be excited for this week's show. There are two competing products in today's WWE—and the main roster has some serious competition on its hands.

Honourable Mentions

Daniel Bryan squared off with Seth Rollins and J&J Security in a serviceable handicap match on SmackDown. The best parts here where when Bryan and Rollins were in the ring, but strong teamwork and use of the numbers game told a good story, for what it was.

However, the better match featuring the same talent came on Raw, where Bryan faced Rollins in the main event. Given the history these two men have outside of WWE—not to mention their individual reputations—it should be of no surprise that this tore the house down. On most weeks, this would be a lock for the best match.

Raw was well-stocked with engaging matches this week. The Tag Team Championship feud continued to bubble away with an engaging match between Cesaro and Jimmy Uso, with plenty of action packed into a relatively slim amount of time.

We also saw Dolph Ziggler take on Bray Wyatt. The Show-Off can make anyone's offence look great, but his theatrics were made particularly useful in the face of Wyatt's high-impact brawling. It's clear that Bray is on his way to bigger things at present, but this is a feud that will be worth revisiting down the line.

Match of the Week for Week of February 1: Hideo Itami vs. Finn Balor on NXT

Tournaments are something of a lost art in WWE, with King of the Ring seemingly long forgotten by those in power. Nevertheless, the past few weeks have seen an electric No. 1 Contender's bracket produce some great matches on NXT—and this penultimate bout was the best yet.

Having begun their run in NXT as a duo, the time came for Itami and Balor to put their friendship aside on the road to the gold. A fast-paced sequence of counters to start the match left no one in doubt of the pair's experience in Japan, and the stiff strikes that permeated the contest only provided more evidence.

Credit: WWE.com

While Hideo had a slow start in NXT as he grew accustomed to the American style, he looked supremely confident as he faced Balor. There was no question of whether his trademark kicks connected here—and his opponent gave as good as he got.

Hideo's skill in the ring is more than enough to supplement his growing skills on the microphone, but it has to be said that Balor looks like the total package at the moment. The pageantry he brings to big matches will take him far, but ring work like this is what makes him such a great asset.

The match may have begun with Japanese influences, but once it got going it was a great example of the new WWE style. The pacing of traditional American wrestling remains, but with some of the advantages that an international roster with plenty of talent from the independent scene can offer.

That sort of cutting-edge wrestling is part of what makes NXT so engrossing, but there's also the fact that a match like this would go out on weekly television. The transient nature of developmental means no match is saved for a rainy day—there's no time like the present to act upon a bout with such huge potential.

The fact that we saw something like this on the go-home show for Takeover suggests that there's a lot of confidence that the special event can outdo such a strong broadcast. Even with the main roster picking up steam for WrestleMania season, NXT is a very compelling alternative for any fan looking for something beyond what they're used to.

What was your favourite match this week? Let us know in the comments section below.