WWE Programming's Best Matches for Week of September 19

Last week, you voted Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa vs. Rhyno and Baron Corbin as the match of the week—the first time that a match from the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has come out on top.

The clear winner with more than half of the votes, it seems that Gargano and Ciampa made the most of their opportunity to show a new audience what they can do. They are not under contract with WWE as of the time of writing, but that could all change based on their recent performances.

It's a credit to the new outlook on outside talent that NXT has exhibited recently. From Samoa Joe to Jushin Liger, NXT has brought in some veterans to work with up-and-coming talent—but plenty of fresh faces on the independent scene could thrive as Gargano and Ciampa have.

Here are the candidates for match of the week.

Contender No. 1: Sting vs. Seth Rollins at Night of Champions

Before the theatrics that came alongside his Crow-inspired palette change in the 1990s, exemplary ring work was always the factor that set Sting apart from many of his contemporaries.

While the Stinger's match against Triple H at WrestleMania relied heavily on spectacle, last weekend's title shot was comparatively focused. There were no duels with signature foreign objects, and no interference en masse—this was an opportunity for Sting to revisit his prime.

It's worth noting that this wasn't just an exhibition of technical wrestling. Sting's painful encounter with the Spanish announce table and his death-defying leap from the top rope to the outside were both unadulterated high spots that lent this bout some real depth.

In many ways, it was a meeting of old and new, with elements of main event norms from decades gone by paired with today's dominant style. Given the backgrounds of both Sting and Rollins, this was rather appropriate.

Sting outperformed what many would have expected the 56-year-old to be capable of. If anything, you would say that The Vigilante reached too far, given the neck injury that he suffered during the bout.

This was a memorable match, which is only fitting given the fact it will likely be the only meeting between the legend that Sting is and the hugely talented Rollins. All in all, this was a terrific pay-per-view main event and a credit to both competitors.

Contender No. 2: Blake and Murphy vs. The Vaudevillains on NXT

When you think of talent that defines NXT, you might well think of names such as Finn Balor, Sasha Banks and Seth Rollins—perhaps even someone more unusual like Enzo Amore.

However, there's an argument to be made that the team of Aiden English and Simon Gotch is as demonstrative of the NXT experience as anyone else on the roster. When they became a team, they were little more than a novelty act, but the months since have seen them grow into something far more.

Gotch has built up a fascinating war crate quite unlike anyone on the roster, while English has tightened up his abilities between the ropes considerably. Crucially, they have developed their chemistry with each other to the point they can truly be looked at as championship material.

There's a flow to Vaudevillains matches that's unmistakable evidence that Gotch and English are on the same page. Given its popularity with the crowd, the team has all the tools at its disposal to ensure that its current title reign can cement its shift from amusing duo to top-tier tag team.

Having been eliminated from the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic at the hands of The Mechanics, of all people, this week's win over the former champions Blake and Murphy was a smart move. Thanks to the match being so good, the bout did plenty to restore the reputation of the titleholders.

The NXT tag division is in a transitional period for the moment, but the Vaudevillains look comfortable at the top—at least for now. Their time with the titles should make fans of the duo slightly more confident that they can transition to the main roster without losing their appeal.

Contender No. 3: John Cena vs. Seth Rollins at Night of Champions

It's been said plenty of times that John Cena and Seth Rollins have great chemistry. For years now, WWE has relied on them to produce great matches for weekly television and pay-per-view.

Their match at Night of Champions was worthy of the ongoing feud's reputation. Cena and Rollins seem to bring the best out of each other, and the pair seemed to be firing on all cylinders last Sunday evening.

Rollins' lithe agility lends Cena plenty of opportunities to pull off impressive feats of strength. Likewise, the pace that Cena generally adopts serves to make Rollins look all the more athletic. It's a mutually beneficial pairing but one that is showing signs of exhaustion.

Credit: WWE.com

The one problem with Cena vs. Rollins is that they are guilty of presenting similar matches, no matter the setting or the stakes. They are so eager to put on a great match that logic sometimes goes out of the window.

However, that didn't detract from this particular encounter. Cena had two aims in this bout: to reclaim his United States Championship and to soften up Rollins in order to help out Sting. The high-intensity, move-for-move match that Rollins and Cena typically indulge in makes complete sense given this context.

All this being said, it's time for Rollins and Cena to go their separate ways. The ongoing rivalry has become a major focus over the summer, and it's clear that it's beginning to lose some of its lustre.

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