WWE Programming's Best Match for Week of March 29

Between WrestleMania and the excellent set of television broadcasts following it, this past week has been a shining example of the in-ring abilities of the WWE roster.

We expect the biggest show of the year to present some amazing matches, but that momentum hasn't slowed at all since. Raw, SmackDown and NXT all had some excellent contests, which speaks volumes about the momentum the company is carrying in the wake of the excellent WrestleMania 31.

WWE often suffers from a WrestleMania hangover during the summer, but that won't be the case this year if the past seven days are anything to go by. It's a great time to be a wrestling fan, and every match in this article should be considered a must-watch.

Honourable Mentions

One of the very best matches this week came relatively late in the form of Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus on SmackDown. The Celtic Warrior spent 2014 delivering great in-ring performances that were let down by his vague characterization. In just two appearances in 2015, he's demonstrated that he's managed to solve that problem.

The newly reinvigorated Sheamus has added to his bag of tricks in the ring and imbues his every action with his newfound mean streak. Expect great things from The Great White in 2015; any doubters should prepare to have their opinion changed by force.

Raw also played host to a WrestleMania-worthy match in the form of a hugely engaging bout between Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler. The Intercontinental Championship is well and truly back, with an ideal talent pool circling—and putting on great matches as it does so.

NXT also saw a standout match, as the ever-consistent Tyler Breeze took on Hideo Itami is a 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Both of these men might run the risk of being overlooked given the competitive nature of NXT, but performances like this will make sure that doesn't happen.

As for WrestleMania, the whole card was very good—but there were some standouts. Seth Rollins and Randy Orton had an excellent match, which will hopefully spark a lengthy feud. Here's hoping we get to see how the pair hope to top the jaw-dropping finish to their match at the pay-per-view.

Triple H vs. Sting seems to have split opinion, but in my view, it was everything it should have been. It felt like a big deal even if it did lapse into the more cartoonish excesses of the Monday Night Wars at times. It was a match built around spectacle, and there's nothing wrong with that at The Showcase of the Immortals.

Match of the Week for Week of March 29: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31

Many fans over the course of the last few months had concerns about this year's WrestleMania main event, but the match itself turned out to be a real triumph.

From Lesnar's domination of the early going to Rollins' shocking cash-in and subsequent victory, this bout was a thrill ride from start to finish. Moreover, it effortlessly characterized all three of its participants perfectly along the way.

Credit: WWE.com

We've been told that Reigns was a plucky up-and-comer for months, as we've been told that Lesnar is wrestling's incumbent conqueror. However, it's easy to describe someone that way on commentary or via a catchy nickname. It's much more difficult to make it real.

The sight of Reigns struggling tirelessly to remain competitive in a match he just couldn't win made that characterization work, as did the enduring image of a bloodied Lesnar hoisting The Juggernaut above his head for an F5.

Credit: WWE.com

However, that's to gloss over the real star of the show—Rollins. Whether you believe that his win was a last-minute audible or a carefully calculated plan with Reigns acting as a red herring, it's impossible to deny that WrestleMania was a star-making night for The Architect.

Lesnar, Rollins and Cena had a great match in terms of in-ring exploits at the Royal Rumble, but this impromptu Triple Threat match trumped it thanks to its rock-solid narrative. The action was great, of course, but at the core of this match was an engaging story.

Credit: WWE.com

Reigns wasn't likable as a fresh face being propelled to the top; having his run in the sun snatched away by an old cohort might go a long way to changing that. For the first time, audiences have a reason to empathize with Reigns, a simple but often-forgotten necessity for any fan favourite.

Meanwhile, Rollins looks like the smartest man ever to carry around a Money in the Bank briefcase, and Lesnar remains the most dominant force in WWE.

Credit: WWE.com

In many ways, this was an ideal WrestleMania main event. It tied up much of the business of the past year while simultaneously bringing to light an endless array of possibilities for 2015 and beyond. The fact that it did wonders for the characterization of three of the company's top stars is the icing on the cake.

We won't know the lasting impact of this match until the shock waves still emanating from it have calmed down. However, it's still circulating in the minds of fans around the world one week later—and that can't be said for every pay-per-view main event.

What was your favourite match of the week? Did any bout from the WrestleMania card exceed your expectations? Which superstar has had the best week in the ring? Let us know in the comments section below.