The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler and the Best WWE Matches for Week of Sept. 22

The pursuit of championships and contention provided the foundation for the week's best matches, from The Miz fending off Dolph Ziggler to the cruiserweights' emphatic arrival on Raw.

The Miz's career year continued with a show-stealing performance against Ziggler. His improved in-ring work and his mastery of his persona were key to that, as was a reliance on pro wrestling fundamentals.

High stakes and purpose elevated the Backlash rematch, just as it did the Fatal 4-Way bout between Raw's new cruiserweights, Cesaro vs. Sheamus and The Usos vs. American Alpha. WWE was at its best ahead of the Clash of Champions pay-per-view when its warriors had something clear to fight over.

That's something SmackDown has done a better job of harnessing since the brand split. It's no surprise then that the blue brand outdid Raw, taking up the majority of spots on this list.

Honorable Mention

• Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens
• Sasha Banks and Bayley vs. Dana Brooke and Charlotte (Raw)

On paper, Reigns and Owens' collision on Monday's Raw should have been a thriller.

The bout featured two quality performers inside a cage. Their chemistry was good. There was ample action. And Seth Rollins later leaped off the top of the steel structure to create a stunning visual. 

But what held the bout back from being better, though, was its lack of meaning.

There was no real reason for these two to be fighting in a cage. Owens and Reigns aren't even each other's chief rivals. Prowrestling.net's Jason Powell wrote, "I'm not even sure what the point of the cage was this week."

Banks and Bayley teaming up against Brooke and Charlotte was solid, a good showing from everyone involved. The tenuous bond between Brooke and Charlotte has become increasingly intriguing. Charlotte zeroed in on The Boss' back, a callback to how she took the title from her at SummerSlam.

The Triple Threat match between Banks, Bayley and Charlotte set for Sunday should be excellent.

This tag team clash was a solid precursor to that. It didn't have the stakes or highlights that bolstered the matches ranked higher on this list, though.

5. The Usos vs. American Alpha (SmackDown)

The resurgent Usos took on a vengeance-minded duo in Chad Gable and Jason Jordan on Tuesday's SmackDown.

American Alpha and The Usos didn't deliver an instant classic by any stretch, but strong storytelling made the contest feel important. Gable and Jordan would have been in the tag team tournament finals last week had The Usos not torn his knee up.

Looking for payback here, Gable instead found himself vulnerable, writhing on the mat. Jimmy and Jey ripped at his bad leg.

The images of The Usos attacking Gable helped create pathos for the babyface and further established the brothers as heels.

It certainly helped that this match had a prize awaiting the victors. The winners claimed the No. 1 contender spot and a chance to challenge Heath Slater and Rhyno at the No Mercy pay-per-view on Oct. 9.

Better action from the week's other matches trumped this chapter of The Usos-American Alpha rivalry, however. This was clearly not the climax of what should be an enthralling war.

4. Cesaro vs. Sheamus (Raw)

Cesaro continued his improbable comeback against Sheamus. Once down 0-3 in this best-of-seven series, Cesaro entered Monday's Raw with a chance to tie and force a seventh and final bout.

These two bruisers composed another creative, violent showdown.

The King of Swing uppercutted Sheamus into the stands. The Celtic Warrior crushed Cesaro's injured back with White Noise on the ring apron. Highlights like those and the rivals' chemistry made for one of Raw's better offerings.

A loss for Cesaro meant a sudden halt to his comeback. It would spell victory and a future title opportunity for Sheamus. That's the kind of dangling carrot more matches need to have.

Cesaro vs. Sheamus' biggest downside was how easy it was to see the result coming. With the Clash of Champions PPV just days away, it was obvious WWE would push this series to 3-3. That dampened some of the drama around this latest battle between archenemies. 

3. John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose (SmackDown)

John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose boasted a big-fight feel from the get-go. Evan Gomes of Daily DDT wrote of it, "This is a pay-per-view main event, and we get it for free on Tuesday. Bless wrestling in 2016."

Cena's stardom and Ambrose's popularity boosted the main event of Tuesday's SmackDown.

Both men are set to face off in a Triple Threat match at No Mercy against world champ AJ Styles. This was a smart way to crank up the animosity between these two men and to build Ambrose as Cena's equal.

After the two Superstars hammered each other with their best shots, Ambrose knocked off the golden boy in a surprise result. That gave the audience something to talk about, put Cena's title chances in doubt and afforded The Lunatic Fringe a robust supply of momentum. 

Their excellent chemistry hinted at how good their next showdown will be. This clash, though, was a bit too short to compete with the week's top matches.

2. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler (SmackDown)

On Tuesday's SmackDown, The Miz and Dolph Ziggler continued what they began at Backlash. 

Ziggler was still in search of a career-changing win. He was desperate, on the verge of unraveling, hungry to be champion again.

The Miz, meanwhile, continued his recent roll. He was an excellent heel here and pulled out a handful of new moves including a springboard powerbomb.

The battle for the Intercontinental Championship felt like SmackDown's true main event. LaToya Ferguson of the A.V. Club called it "another genuinely good match in this Golden Age of Miz ring work."

John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose had the better, more decisive ending; The Miz vs. Ziggler was simply a better match overall. 

Only the birth of a division topped The Miz's latest defense of the IC crown.

1. Fatal 4-Way Cruiserweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Match (Raw)

Four men infused Raw with electricity, offering a glimpse of how much of an impact the new cruiserweight division will have on WWE's marquee show.

Cedric Alexander, Rich Swann, Gran Metalik and Brian Kendrick battled in a Fatal 4-Way match to determine the No. 1 contender to the Cruiserweight Championship. While it was odd that the titleholder they were set to battle at Sunday's Clash of Champions (T.J. Perkins) was not present, the collision for a chance at gold was stellar entertainment.

Kendrick played a savvy opportunist. He was vicious, focused and would do anything to win, including trapping Swann's leg into the ring steps and stomping on it with no mercy.

The pace of the bout woke up a sleepy Raw. It featured athleticism abound, high drama, convincing near-falls and each foe flying at each other. It was a great showcase for all four competitors.

The action combined with the opportunity awaiting the winner made for the week's most engaging WWE showdown.

Raw will be a much different beast should Alexander and his peers pull off this kind of performance each week. Here's hoping that's exactly what happens. Monday nights could certainly use a steady dose of adrenaline like this.