WWE Programming's Best Matches for Week of January 9

Last week, Bleacher Report readers voted a gripping bout between Becky Lynch and Charlotte as the best bout from the previous seven days.

We've seen plenty of complaints levelled at the Divas Revolution, but recently the division is looking much stronger. The factions introduced last summer are being given less of a focus, with the spotlight instead falling on an engaging feud over the title.

It's simple stuff, but it's being executed very well. A large part of the credit has to go to Lynch—the perennially underrated Lass Kicker has been given the least to work with since heading to the main roster but is among the most talented in-ring competitors the company has access to.

This feud seems likely to run to the Royal Rumble, if not further. Given the prestige of the event, a lengthy Divas Championship match at the show could be a defining moment in the ongoing evolution of women's wrestling in WWE.

Contender No. 1: Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto on SmackDown

Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto engaged in two championship matches this week—earning a title win apiece—and it's difficult to say which was the better bout.

The first match, which came on Raw, was an entertaining contest that ended in a pleasing underdog win for the supremely talented Kalisto. However, the return bout on SmackDown had more to offer, with all things considered.

We saw Del Rio exhibit his talent for old-school fundamentals as he worked on his opponent's arm for much of the duration of the match. Furthermore, the potency of the League of Nations was demonstrated via some successful interference from Bad News Barrett.

Del Rio made no secret of his dubious ethics from start to finish—and that's something we haven't seen him do that much, recently. He's one of the most effective villains WWE has at its disposal at present, so it's great to see that take a precedence in his work.

The argument about whether this match or their Raw encounter was better offers a case for both bouts. It's easy to see the appeal in the feel-good conclusion to the first match, but their second just seemed to have more to offer between the ropes.

Critics of the 50-50 booking we're seeing a lot of at the moment will likely have complaints with the overarching narrative built by both these matches. Kalisto's title win could have had a real impact—but it's difficult to see the benefit of such a short reign.

Contender No. 2: Dean Ambrose vs. Sheamus on Raw

Over the past several months, we've seen the Lunatic Fringe largely spend his time brawling with some of the more vicious competitors on the WWE roster—and this week saw him take on one of the most ruthless in the form of Sheamus.

Sheamus and Dean Ambrose are both enormously gifted athletes between the ropes, but most would argue that they're at their best with a real fight on their hands. Both have their share of technical expertise, but they really shine when things get rough and ready.

This bout benefited from a splash of blood daubed across Sheamus' forehead, exaggerating the effects that the fight inflicted on both men. WWE overused crimson in the greatest excesses of the 1990s and 2000s, but in recent years, its comparative rarity has restocked its impact.

Admittedly, Sheamus has been in more matches with blood than just about anyone on the WWE roster over the last 12 months. Clearly, his hard-hitting style of competition can sometimes result in a rough-and-tumble night for him or his opponent.

Here, it added to the unpredictability of the situation—and any fight between Sheamus and Ambrose is likely to have that sense of anything-goes chaos.

This was an engaging way to kick off the in-ring portion of Raw and a canny method of pitting two prominent stars against one another without daubing either one with a loss. It's unclear where Sheamus or Ambrose will end up on the WrestleMania card, but a match pairing the two would entertain.

Contender No. 3: No. 1 Contendership Battle Royal on NXT

In little over a week, WWE will present the 29th edition of its Royal Rumble pay-per-view—but it'll be impressive if the company can match the amount of storyline progression it accomplished last Wednesday on January 24.

Despite this match not featuring a massive number of competitors, or really going that long, it managed to lay some crucial groundwork for the future of the NXT women's division as it went.

Obviously, it's focus was the immediate future. The Battle Royal neatly assembled a program between Bayley and Carmella, as well as one between Asuka and Eva Marie—smartly covering for the limitations of the Total Divas star as it went.

It seems that Marie doesn't have the ability, or at least the necessary instincts, to convincingly play even a supporting role in a match of this kind. Whatever your thoughts on that are, the way she was removed from the large part of this bout did its job well.

The only problem with Marie's chicanery is that it was telegraphed slightly, which made the actual ending all the more surprising and satisfying. What's more, it produces a compelling title program that we haven't seen before between Bayley and Carmella—as well as dropping some hints for Bayley vs. Asuka.

Special credit also has to be given for the way this match made an attempt to highlight the newer competitors in the division. The likes of Peyton Royce and Liv Morgan could be stars of the future, and exposure like this will no doubt help accelerate that process.

Which bout was your match of the week? Don't forget to make your choice by voting in the poll and then stating your argument in the comments section below—and if you're tweeting about the contenders over the next seven days, use the hashtag #BR_MOTW.