WWE Programming's Best Match for Week of May 16

As seems to be the norm at this point, another NXT Takeover event has further demonstrated that the one-time developmental brand is a potent rival to the stars of the main roster.

Kevin Owens' blossoming feud with John Cena seems to have an air of art imitating life. The marketing lines all ring true—NXT is taking over, and the future may well be now.

However, that's not to say that the main roster isn't itself stacked with excellent in-ring performers. There's something very special about NXT, yes—but it's difficult to remember a time when WWE was home to such outstanding in-ring talent from top to bottom.

Honourable Mentions

While Raw missed out on its now-regular—and dependably excellent—United States Championship defence, it wasn't without great matches. Sheamus and Ryback kicked things off with an entertaining clash to start the show.

We also saw last year's feud between Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt resurrected on both Raw and SmackDown. The one drawback to this rivalry was its detrimental effect on Ambrose's momentum, so it's great to see him pick up a couple of wins here after some engaging contests.

SmackDown also played host to a thoroughly enjoyable preview of the Tag Team Championship six-way set for Elimination Chamber 2015. Despite only four of the scheduled teams being involved, this bout was a very promising glimpse at what we'll see next weekend.

Finally, NXT Takeover: Unstoppable produced exactly the sort of top-tier matches that we've come to expect from the division's special events. Finn Balor and Tyler Breeze started things off right, with a great bout that demonstrated why both men are destined for great things.

The evening ended in similarly strong fashion, as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn thrashed out the next chapter of their storied rivalry. While the ending wasn't so different from their previous encounter, the meat of the match had a lot more to it than last time around.

Match of the Week for Week of May 16: Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable

While the post-match events of Owens vs. Zayn II required that bout to go on last, there should be no doubt that Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch would have been a perfect candidate to main event NXT Takeover: Unstoppable.

It's a testament to NXT's women's division that each successive feud for the title seems to outdo its predecessor. There's a lot of talent gunning for the gold, and they're all capable of delivering the goods both in and out of the ring.

When Becky Lynch nabbed her shot at the title in a Triple Threat also featuring Charlotte and Bayley, it seemed like a move designed to hold off on Bayley chasing Banks. However, the rivalry between Banks and Lynch has been completely engaging in its own right.

Lynch is, of course, a seasoned veteran—but the past several weeks of television have seen her really find her feet in NXT. She's forging a strong connection with the crowd, but she's also been able to showcase some of her more unique offence in the ring.

Her steampunk-inspired look for Unstoppable was a fittingly distinctive reflection of her in-ring style. Lynch is unlike any other woman on the WWE roster between the ropes, and that will be a huge boon to her as she rises up the ranks.

Credit: WWE.com

Paired with the excellent Banks, the results were nothing short of outstanding. Individual techniques and manoeuvres were impressive enough, but the overarching story that the match told will be the reason that this bout is discussed in debates about the eventual match of the year.

Banks vs. Lynch stands up against any of the matches we've seen referred to as the best that NXT has to offer. As well as being a standout defence for Banks, the bout did wonders for Lynch, who's sure to have earned plenty more fans off the back of her performance.

If you watch one wrestling match this week, it needs to be this one. It's that rare type of bout that truly raises the stock of everything and everyone involved—the talent, the title and NXT as a whole.

What was your favourite match this week? Let us know about it in the comments section below.