WWE Programming's Best Matches for Week of August 15

Last week, you named Cesaro vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens from Raw as the match of the week—and that's something that bodes very well for this weekend.

It's long been the case that Cesaro could have a good match with anyone on the roster, but he's been on a particularly potent streak over the past few weeks. Tomorrow, he'll face Kevin Owens in a match that could well turn out to be the best of SummerSlam weekend.

That is, if he isn't outshined by his opponent the night before. Owens will meet Finn Balor in the main event of NXT Takeover, a hotly anticipated Ladder Match for the NXT Championship.

Those two bouts are nothing less than tantalizing and demonstrate just what the new direction for SummerSlam seems to be. If WrestleMania is about spectacle, SummerSlam seems to be about great wrestling—we'll see after this weekend if that's what plays out in the ring.

Contender No. 1: Kevin Owens and Sheamus vs. Randy Orton and Cesaro on Raw

The first match on this week's edition of Raw was a direct follow-up to a strand that was woven through the duration of the show last week. It's not often that we see that sort of ongoing narrative play out, but it served to make what could have been a throwaway opener into something much more engaging.

Of course, the talent involved here is more than enough to make any amount of time in the ring interesting. All four men are more than capable of delivering the goods between the ropes, and there's plenty of chemistry among the group to boot.

One thing that the bout did highlight is WWE's tendency to make its fan favourites rather vanilla. Both Randy Orton and Cesaro suffer from a lack of personality compared to their current nemeses, but that's a broader issue that didn't really play into the match.

The slow start to the match was, of course, by design—and it worked brilliantly. Crowd control is a speciality for each man involved, and that sort of old-school sensibility still has a power over the audiences of today. Once things started to heat up, it was clear that the crowd was all the more engaged.

Owens' mid-match trash talk is another relic of a time gone by, the sort of direct audience interaction that can garner a passionate reaction—with the right execution. Orton and Cesaro both appeal to distinct sectors of the audience, which makes for a great opportunity for Owens to play the villain by opposing both men.

Tag matches like these typically close out Raw, but this bout was a great example of how they can open the show. These four wrestlers are a great basis for the upper mid-card, and here's hoping the quartet continue their troubled relationship beyond SummerSlam.

Contender No. 2: Los Matadores and El Torito vs. The New Day on SmackDown

It's great to see how far The New Day have come since their middling debut. Ever since the group found their groove, they've been golden—and they're consistently a highlight of any show they make an appearance on.

Credit: WWE.com

What makes the stable so engaging is its variety. With Kofi Kingston supplying high-flying excitement, Big E on hand to deliver powerhouse performances and the general mischief of Xavier Woods, they're more than capable of offering what's needed whoever they happen to be facing.

When paired with Los Matadores and El Torito, all those strengths fall into place. Kingston can match Diego and Fernando for agility, while Big E can swat them out of the air if he gets close enough. Meanwhile, Woods is the perfect foil for Torito to play off.

Credit: WWE.com

Speaking of the bull, it's a shame that we only infrequently see him step into the ring. His input into Los Matadores' matches is always good fun, but his abilities really deserve to be showcased more often. This match is a good start.

The tag team division has quietly been built up over the past few months, and matches like these are concrete evidence of that. The New Day are obviously one of the top outfits in the division, but Los Matadores demonstrate just how much depth is there, too.

Contender No. 3: Nikki Bella vs. Sasha Banks on Raw

There's long been talk of Charlotte being next in line for the Divas Championship. However, there's just as much of a case for Sasha Banks being the one to dethrone Nikki Bella.

Banks' Womens Championship win is one of the defining moments in the history of NXT. Done right, her claiming her first title on the main roster could be just as powerful a moment in establishing the Divas Revolution.

However, for the time being, matches like this one are enough. Nikki has done her best to avoid confrontation with the most recent set of NXT graduates, but she came up quite short when matched with The Boss. In terms of in-ring work, Banks is on a par with any woman in WWE at present.

It has to be said that Nikki is up there, too. Once among the worst in the division, she's put in the time to develop a unique moveset that offers something that others can work off. Fierce strikes and power moves like this week's electric chair drop carve out a new niche among the Divas.

Differing styles make for interesting matchups, and that's what we saw when Bella and Banks squared off. The aforementioned electric chair drop is a great technique—but that power doesn't mean much if it leaves an opening for the Bank Statement.

There are those who are disappointed by the Divas Revolution in its current form, but for the moment it's a good improvement. There's logic to the bouts, lengthy matches on TV, and wrestling finally has priority over bad jokes and tired stereotyping. Things might not be perfect just yet, but they're certainly improving.

Which bout do you have down as match of the week? Vote in the poll, and make your case in the comments section below.