Breaking Down the Best and Worst of the WWE for Week of May 4

Wrestlers on the rise have invigorated WWE.

Sami Zayn fought through a shoulder injury to leave his imprint on Raw. Dean Ambrose forced his way into the WWE title picture. The NXT Divas flourished once again.

After one of the better editions of Raw in a long while—and a week that saw the company look to showcase fresh faces—one might wonder what could one possibly take issue with. Lazy writing, that's what.

WWE is doing Stardust a disservice. It threw him into a one-dimensional story with little potential. At least his motivations make sense, though. The recent habit of turning wrestlers babyface without doing any of the work required of the move is maddening.

Should that thought get you ready to pound your fists on the desk, feel free to watch Zayn's homecoming or Ambrose's latest victory. Those are both effective salves.

Best: Sami Zayn Debuts

Sami Zayn was the talk of Monday's Raw.

Bret Hart introduced him. The Montreal crowd welcomed him with roars. John Cena served as his roadblock.

Zayn answered Cena's open United States Championship challenge and proceeded to put on an outstanding performance. He looked like he belonged on the same stage as the champ, showing the same kind of crowd-controlling skills that he has at NXT.

He did all that with a legitimately injured shoulder.

It was fun to have Zayn make a surprise trip to Raw, and what resulted in the ring was one of 2015's best matches. After so many humdrum editions of Raw, adding Zayn provided a jolt.

Hopefully, his arm heals quickly and WWE decides to call him to the main roster for the long run pronto. It's clear he has plenty more magic in him.

Worst: Stardust and Spiders

Let's hope that WWE officials review the video of Monday's Raw and realize that making Stardust the bearer of plastic spiders is something they should never revisit.

Stardust can do so much more than feud with R-Truth. He can be so much better than the guy who scares his midcard foe with toy creatures in a trick-or-treat bag. This story is a silly one that won't elevate Stardust.

Why WWE is so hesitant to give one of its better mic workers and actors a bigger share of the stage is baffling.

Stardust is one of the men who has to be most anxious about seeing Daniel Bryan and the Intercontinental Championship return to the screen. That would open up a far better opportunity than the one has before him now.

Best: Dean Ambrose Bolsters Payback

The Payback Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship is now a Fatal 4-Way battle.

In an unexpected move, WWE thrust Dean Ambrose in the title match. Suddenly, the bout is energized and its potential subplots are more plentiful.

Will The Shield reform and take out Randy Orton? Will Ambrose turn heel during the chaos sure to come? What kind of chemistry will he and Roman Reigns have as foes?

Those are the intriguing questions that WWE has created by adding Ambrose to the mix.

On Monday, The Lunatic Fringe reminded us just how good he and Seth Rollins are together. Their match on Raw was a thriller, competing with Sami Zayn vs. John Cena for 2015's best TV contest. Ambrose and Rollins get to go at it again, but with Orton and Reigns in the equation as well.

It's a smart move to propel Ambrose like this. He's set to make Payback's marquee fight far funner.

Worst: Turns with No Explanation

Babyface turns require a change in attitude or philosophy. WWE has to give fans a reason to root for someone who previously played the part of the antagonist.

That's not happening with Cesaro and Tyson Kidd.

It's clear why The New Day are now heels: They're arrogant, annoying and cheaters. Their characters are morphing. Cesaro and Kidd's are essentially the same.

Why not just give the former tag team champs a few minutes to explain their change of heart? Why not add something to their personas that makes them more likable?

The Bella Twins have gone through the same unexplained transformation. It's obvious that the black-clad, ambush-happy duo of Tamina Snuka and Naomi are bad people, but why are we supposed to care about Nikki and Brie Bella getting beat down?

WWE taking shortcuts with these characters jars the viewer. It's just lazy writing.

Best: Sasha Banks-Becky Lynch Contract Signing

The act of signing a match contract in public and inevitably fighting on and around the table is a tradition most often only offered to the men on the roster.

NXT used it as a means to further the feud between Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, and it most certainly worked. Lynch got a chance to tell her history and connect with the crowd. Banks signed her name with a customized stamp.

As expected, violence erupted.

Banks showed her vicious side by attacking the No. 1 contender. Lynch had an opportunity to remind the champ and the fans that she's mighty dangerous by wrenching Banks' arm backward with a Fujiwara armbar.

This segment followed a number wrestling's tried-and-true narrative elements. It made both women look strong. In addition, it escalated the animosity between them.

Leaning on those things that have worked so often before paid off here. Banks vs. Lynch is one of the most anticipated matchups at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable.