WWE Programming's Best Match for Week of March 15

This deep into WrestleMania season, it's clear that WWE's focus is on the pay-per-view rather than its regular television output.

Just four matches played out on the most recent edition of Monday Night Raw, and only half of them lasted longer than a few minutes. Similarly, SmackDown only featured four contests, and only one of those bouts went for over 10 minutes.

That being said, many of these short bouts have acted as a promising tease of what WrestleMania has in store—just what's needed in the build to such a major event. However, the practice is something of a double-edged sword, as the television product has undoubtedly been weaker for the lack of solid in-ring competition.

Honourable Mentions

The week started off in fine form, with Nikki Bella and AJ Lee competing in the first match on Raw. This uncharacteristically long match was perfect fuel for the #GiveDivasAChance movement—given the platform, the women of the main roster have just as much potential as their rivals down in NXT.

Elsewhere, the Masters of the WWE Universe teamed with Natalya to take on Los Matadores and El Torito. Many balk at the mere mention of the diminutive bull, but the man has a lot of talent—his interactions with Natalya in this match demonstrate just how versatile both performers are.

NXT delivered the best all-around broadcast this week—as should be expected at this point—with a fun show from the Arnold Sports Festival. Its main event of Kevin Owens versus Alex Riley was far from a technical classic, but it was filled with excellent character work from both men.

However, the opener was the best match of the show. Kalisto and Tyler Breeze are two of the brightest stars in NXT but are often overlooked compared to the bigger names working in the promotion. With performances such as this, though, don't expect that to continue for too long.

Match of the Week for Week of Mar. 15: The Intercontinental Championship Contenders' Gauntlet from SmackDown

In normal circumstances, the Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania would have been completely overexposed after the last few weeks. However, considering the talent involved in the match, there's little to be worried about.

The Intercontinental Championship picture heading into WrestleMania is populated by the most exciting in-ring performers on the WWE roster, and it's been great to see so much action from them over the course of the last several weeks.

Credit: WWE.com

It would be easy for the talent involved to work out a formula and stick to it, but that's not what we've been seeing. The field of competitors have instead been developing their chemistry, and the payoff has been the steady increase in quality and creativity we've seen week after week.

The various singles matches, the frequent six-man tag team bouts and this Gauntlet have all served to help the competitors involved in the Ladder Match become as familiar with each other as they'll need to be to steal the show at WrestleMania. Taken as a whole, it's been a fascinating look at the mechanics of such a big match.

That being said, this Gauntlet shouldn't just be taken as a hint as to what's to come at the pay-per-view; it was a very nicely constructed use of a match that doesn't get used as much as it could be.

Beginning with a couple of quick falls, the bout really hit high gear in its third fall—and only got better until the very end. With its careful pacing, it was a great way of highlighting the strength of the field ahead of the battle at the Showcase of the Immortals.

Credit: WWE.com

This sort of match isn't just building toward a match—it's forging a division. Every bout has reinforced the importance of the title, as well as laying the foundations for a bevy of singles feuds in the future. With the correct follow-up, WrestleMania could be the start of a very special time for the Intercontinental Championship.

However, it also managed to be a hugely satisfying bout in itself. That's the secret of a great television match—it needs to hype up a future encounter but still seem like an engaging chapter of the ongoing narrative taken on its own strengths. This Gauntlet did just that.

What was your favourite match this week? Did Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins and Kane make you a believer? Was Ryback vs. The Miz the most awesome? Is Erick Rowan vs. Big Show too compelling of a match to end before it started? Let us know in the comments section below.