WWE Programming's Best Matches for Week of August 1

Last week, you demonstrated that a revolution is in full swing, voting Paige vs. Sasha Banks as the match of the week although there was less than a hundred votes difference between that bout and John Cena vs. Seth Rollins.

The fact that Paige and Banks managed to outperform a title vs. title bout between two of the best in the business would seem to prove that real change is happening and that the audience is among the first to benefit from it.

This week saw plenty more great action from the men and women of the main roster and NXT. Which of these three contenders will you pick as the match of the week?

Contender No. 1: Rhyno vs. Samoa Joe on NXT

Clearly, the focus of NXT is to provide a platform for the stars of the future to temper their skills. However, the veteran talent that has been brought in is also quite capable of providing top-tier matches for the selective Full Sail audience.

Both Samoa Joe and Rhyno came to NXT to share the benefit of their experience with the next generation. This week, their main event match saw them lead by example, with a hard-hitting contest that seemed to be plucked from a time gone by.

Rhyno has been something of a revelation since he headed down to Florida. Longtime WWE fans will remember his contributions to the hardcore division in the early 2000s, but it's clear that since then, The Man Beast has upped his game significantly.

Time spent touring the independents has exposed Rhyno to a variety of different styles, and that has allowed him to expand his war crate to include techniques like the modified TKO he used Wednesday. However, these moves aren't just for show; they make him a more well-rounded competitor.

Credit: WWE.com

Samoa Joe, on the other hand, had a start not unlike Hideo Itami; having spent considerable time in a very different environment, it took him a little while to adapt. That said, like Itami, he's been able to look a little more comfortable with every passing week.

This week's NXT main event was a thoroughly enjoyable showcase of two of the most tenured members of the roster, demonstrating just how much of a benefit both men must be to the younger stars working their way through developmental.

Contender No. 2: Neville vs. Seth Rollins on Monday Night Raw

There's something inherently compelling about an unlikely contender being given a world title shot on weekly television. This Monday's edition of Raw set Neville's challenge up perfectly, and the ensuing match more than met expectations.

While there was great action throughout this match, it hit two major beats that helped it really stand out from a storytelling perspective. First was the near-fall from a roll-up that convinced many fans that The Man That Gravity Forgot had taken home the biggest prize in WWE.

Second was the conclusion, an expertly executed sequence where a follow-up Red Arrow missed and left Neville open for the best Pedigree that Seth Rollins has delivered thus far. Both of these men are masters of movement, and that's why the complex ending went off without a hitch.

Fans following the G1 from New Japan Pro Wrestling might have been reminded of the excellent match between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi that took place early on in the tournament. While Neville vs. Rollins didn't hit the highs of that bout, there were some major similarities in terms of narrative.

Credit: WWE.com

This match was effective because it had an objective: to convince the crowd that Neville has it in him to get the win but solidify Rollins as champion by having him pick up the victory. However, it then fell to the talent involved to embellish upon that with an engaging back-and-forth.

While it might not be the sort of rigid storyline advancement we're used to in pro wrestling, this bout served to develop the character of both competitors, and it's a testament to the abilities of Rollins and Neville that they could tell that story between the ropes.

Contender No. 3: Bayley vs. Charlotte on NXT

Bayley fans might feel hard done by, as the rest of NXT's promising crop of young female wrestlers heads to the main roster, but this week's broadcast demonstrated that she's not been forgotten about.

The rivalry between Charlotte and Bayley dates back to 2013, and all that history was on show in this match. Bayley's character has been defined by her relationship to Charlotte, going from a doting fangirl to a believable opponent capable of trading wins.

That's the sort of measured development NXT fans have come to expect, and it's done a great deal to make Bayley one of the most popular wrestlers in all of the developmental division. Even despite her setbacks, there's been a constant sense of forward momentum.

With Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte all seemingly set to join the main roster full-time, it seems that it's Bayley's time to hold down the women's division in NXT. Based on this bout, she will be more than capable of cultivating the next crop of competition.

Psychology has never been a problem for Bayley, but this week, we saw some of her attempts to diversify her offence and give herself some more options in the ring. From the Bayley-canrana to the countless impressive counters to her top-rope Bayley-to-Belly Suplex, she's turned into a very capable competitor.

It seems likely that a faceoff with Sasha Banks is set for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, and based on this match, it will probably be a real barnburner. Charlotte has long been the woman to beat in NXT, but on Wednesday night, all eyes were on Bayley.

Which match deserves to go down as match of the week? Don't forget to vote in the poll, and state your case in the comments section below.