Breaking Down the Best and Worst of the WWE for Week of May 11

WWE may be having trouble getting fans geared up for Payback, but NXT stars past and present had no issue wowing the crowd.

Neville became the latest man to flourish under the spotlight that comes with taking on John Cena. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens wielded mics to elevate the excitement level for their upcoming title bout. The future of the company looked especially bright this week thanks to those men.

What lies ahead for Damien Sandow and Daniel Bryan, though, is less promising.

Injury is hampering one man; another goofy gimmick is doing the same for the other. Their respective fanbases have to be frustrated. They will soon get some relief, however, in the form of the Elimination Chamber coming back.

That structure may be where Neville has his next captivating flight.

Best: Neville vs. John Cena

In what has become a pattern, John Cena's open challenge for the United States Championship resulted in the best match of the week.

On Monday's Raw, it was Neville who stepped out to challenge the powerhouse. Neville again thrived in a big spot—he and Cena put on an engrossing bout. Cena whipped out new moves; Neville soared above the mat for much of the action.

Again, the story here was that the challenger pushed Cena to the limit. Neville certainly got in his blows and had Cena reeling at times.

Going a step further, WWE wisely had Neville get to the precipice of victory before Rusev interfered. That leaves the audience wondering if Neville could have pulled off the win and prevents him from taking a pinfall loss.

To make the most of this open challenge, WWE will eventually have to allow someone to upset Cena. The longer he successfully holds off his foes, the bigger that win would be for whoever the company selects. A career-changing opportunity awaits.

Worst: The Mega Powers 2.0

WWE keeps handing Damien Sandow lemons and assuming that he'll turn them into lemonade. Rather than find a persona that can help him make use of his popularity and mic skills, the company keeps having him be its court jester.

That continued on Monday's Raw when Sandow came out dressed in Randy Savage gear.

He mimicked the Macho Man's mannerisms before uniting with Curtis Axel who has borrowed liberally from Hulk Hogan's playbook. This is clearly not just some silly moment; WWE plans to keep this act going. Sandow and Axel are set to face The Ascension at Payback, with the former billed as "Macho Mandow." 

This is a poor use of Sandow. The shtick has a short shelf life and is at best a sideways move from the stunt double gig. 

Best: Sami Zayn-Kevin Owens Faceoff

Anticipation for the NXT Championship match continues to swell.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens meet in the ring on Wednesday's NXT. The challenger is looking for answers; the champion is remaining reticent about his actions at NXT TakeOver: Rival. This story has kept its lock on the audience's attention by withholding violence and teasing a future explosion.

During this meeting, the foes again didn't take swings at each other. Instead, Zayn begged for Owens to tell him the truth. The champ only revealed that he knows Zayn is hurt and that he plans on exploiting that at the next live special.

The feud is powered by a simple booking approach and plenty of time in between bouts. It's a testament to how vital good storytelling is to good wrestling. 

WWE has to be thrilled with both men's performances here, but not that the NXT title match feels more like a bigger fight than the one that will decide the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Worst: Daniel Bryan's News

For the second year in a row, Daniel Bryan handed in a championship due to injury. This time around, his Intercontinental Championship reign ends in quiet fashion, with Bryan leaving the belt on the mat and walking away.

He didn't disclose what injury is keeping him out of action, but did say that doctors told him that he may not ever wrestle again.

That's a gut-punch to the WWE fanbase. Bryan has been one of the most electric performers on the roster, a highly popular star seemingly poised to be one of the all-time greats. His future is now more uncertain than ever; his career is increasingly becoming a story of what-if.

Maybe he works through his injuries, tones down his in-ring style and has another series of chapters to add to his career. For now, though, he leaves his fans worried about what's to come.

Best/Worst: Elimination Chamber Returns

Crashes into Plexiglass and the sound of rattling steel—one of the most exciting gimmick matches is coming back. WWE surprisingly announced that the Elimination Chamber will return. The first-ever tag bout inside the structure is on its way.

As thrilling as that news is, one can't help but think about how this only worsens WWE's overcrowded calender.

With this event added to the schedule, there is set to be an eight-week stretch with four pay-per-views. While NXT gets the benefit of having months to build between shows, WWE is going to twice have a two-week gap between big events during May and June.

Payback is already suffering from a lack of buzz. There's been just no chance to create much hype for it.

That will be an even tougher task leading up to Elimination Chamber and Money in the Bank.

Still, it's hard not to get excited about the pods, the steel grating and all the violence that is promised inside Satan's Prison. WWE fans are set to feast on a wrestling buffet. Just don't expect any of the offerings to be gourmet.