WWE Superstar of the Week for May 16

The build to WWE Payback has been a mixed bag, but some Superstars have worked very hard to make their storylines intriguing and entertaining.

The main event has undergone a few changes in the past few weeks, with the match now being a Fatal 4-Way for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Randy Orton have done some great work making this look like an unpredictable showdown, but they aren't the only people who have worked hard to sell the pay-per-view.

Before we get to the Superstar of the Week, let's take a look at a few people who deserve to be recognized for their efforts.

Honorable Mention: Neville

John Cena's U.S. Championship open challenge has led to some great matches against opponents we might not see him get the chance to wrestle in any other situation, and this week was no exception.

It was going to be hard to outperform the great encounter between Cena and Sami Zayn from the prior week, but if anyone was up to the task, it was Neville.

The Man Gravity Forgot not only delivered his trademark brand of exciting offense throughout the match, but he also looked like someone who could compete with a guy like Cena in future main events.

Neville has been impressing everyone in the WWE Universe with his versatility and insane athleticism, and he has only been on the main roster since the night after WrestleMania 31.

The fact that he wasn't brought in with weeks of video packages and hasn't been given much of a chance to talk has made his ascension even more impressive.

It's hard to remember the last time someone has made such a big impact in such a small amount of time, and hopefully he continues to be used to his fullest potential so he doesn't become Evan Bourne 2.0.

Honorable Mention: Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns has been on a mission to win over his critics ever since a portion of the WWE Universe turned on him when they found out he was in line to become one of the next big stars.

Based on the past few weeks of reactions he has received from the crowd, he is winning that fight. Not only has he upped his game on the mic, but he has improved in the ring, too.

The match he had with Kane on SmackDown exceeded any and all expectations. Nobody was excited by the prospect of seeing these two lock horns again, but they stole the show with the hardcore-style match they had.

To top it all off, he was involved in the closing segments of both Raw and SmackDown. The former Shield enforcer is clearly dedicated to improving every aspect of his game, and even if you still don't like him, you have to respect his drive.

Honorable Mention: AxelMania and Macho Mandow

Before any of you rush to the comments section to tell us all why these guys don't deserve to be honorable mentions, take a moment and read the explanation. As writers, we try not to write in the first person, but this requires me to do just that.

I was a child of the '80s wrestling boom, and that means I grew up watching Macho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan every chance I got. These were two of the most magnetic personalities on television, not just wrestling.

When they joined forces and became The Mega Powers, it was like a dream come true. Finally, I didn't have to cheer for one or the other because they were on the same side.

I am also a fan of comedy and parody, so when Damien Sandow and Curtis Axel had their moment in the ring on Raw, it was the perfect convergence of personal interests.

It's not as if they are anywhere close to being as cool as the real Hogan and Savage were during their heyday, because they aren't. This was about nostalgia and entertainment, plain and simple.

Axel and Sandow have been given a chance to do what every WWE wrestler should want to do, and that is entertain the audience. Their impressions are done out of respect for the real legends, and at Payback, we will probably see them be just as funny and entertaining as we know they can be. Just give them a chance.

Superstar of the Week for May 16: Dean Ambrose

This column would normally highlight a different Superstar for this honor every week, but Dean Ambrose has been too good over the past seven days not to pick him again. Let's start at the beginning. First, he had a fun match against Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble on Raw.

It wasn't anything more than a throwaway bout to give him a chance to shine in his hometown, but he and J&J Security definitely didn't rest on their laurels.

Then there was the closing segment from Raw that saw Ambrose, Orton and Reigns team up on Rollins to deliver each of their finishers, only to turn on each other moments later. Ambrose was the last man standing after hitting Dirty Deeds on his former Shield teammate, Roman Reigns.

Moving on to SmackDown, Ambrose opened up the show with a promo and won a competitive match against Sheamus, making the first 30 minutes of SmackDown all about Ambrose.

Once again, he ended the show with Reigns, but things played out a little differently on Thursday. After taking out Rollins backstage, the two men were left standing over the title belt. Ambrose picked it up, put it on Reigns' shoulder and said "I'll take it on Sunday."

The goal of all this was to make Ambrose look like a worthy competitor for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and it worked perfectly.

To see such a unique talent finally being utilized the right way is a sign that the people in charge haven't forgotten how to properly book a successful Superstar, even though it sometimes feels that way.

Rollins will most likely retain the title at Payback, but if he doesn't, seeing Ambrose walk away with the belt would get the most positive response from the WWE Universe.

What do you think? Was Dean Ambrose the Superstar of the Week? Who would you have picked if not him? Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.