AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose and the Best WWE Matches for Week of Oct. 27

Storytelling led WWE SmackDown to another victory over Raw, this time courtesy of AJ Styles locking horns with Dean Ambrose.

Monday's Raw featured talented performers doing what they do best. Cesaro clubbed his foes with uppercuts. Rich Swann soared around the ring. And Kevin Owens punished his opponent both physically and verbally.

But it was Styles and Ambrose's latest collision that was the week's best bout.

Ambrose causing his own demise, his stunned look once he realized what happened and the slimy Styles slipping away again all made for an outstanding main event on Tuesday night. Creative booking and a story that continues to leave the audience wanting more has the Ambrose vs. Styles feud thriving.

Cesaro, Swann and Owens, meanwhile, battled for second place behind that match in this week's rankings. The quality of the angle, action and moments decided who sat where.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho (Raw)

Seth Rollins had to face two enemies at once as a Triple Threat match become a battle for survival.

Rollins' Hell in a Cell opponent Kevin Owens and the universal champ's best friend Chris Jericho ganged up on the babyface on Monday's Raw. The Architect managed to score a win over both men, rolling up the heels at the same time.

That surprise moment and Owens' in-ring mockery entertained, as did the bout's aftermath. 

Owens assaulted Rollins after the bell. An enraged KO blasted Rollins' back on the ring apron.

The match itself, though, was more solid than spectacular. Fans have seen far more electric performances from these men.

Deeper stories and higher stakes pushed other matches past this one as a result. 

5. Rich Swann vs. Brian Kendrick (Raw)

Rich Swann and Brian Kendrick thrived in a match on Monday's Raw as the cruiserweight created electricity with fast-paced action.

Kendrick's pursuit of momentum ahead of his Cruiserweight Championship bout against T.J. Perkins at Hell in a Cell hit a roadblock, though. Swann withstood Kendrick's best effort before pinning the No. 1 contender.

That helped announce Swann's presence, but was meant to also lead to Kendrick growing more desperate and unsure of himself. Kendrick would later proposition Perkins to drop the title bout.  

If WWE was trying to tell the story of the veteran's descent, it worked to a point, but it missed a beat or two. This loss didn't feel enough like a part of that fall. 

The athleticism on display was plenty prominent; the narrative of Kendrick's tailspin needed to be more pronounced. 

4. Nikki Bella vs. Natalya (SmackDown)

SmackDown spent much of Tuesday night leaning on high stakes, Nikki Bella and Natalya's battle included. 

The winner would become the captain for SmackDown's Survivor Series female squad. The loser wouldn't make the team at all. That setup alone boosted the bout, as victory meant so much more than normal here.

An aggressive Natalya looked to outwrestle the babyface. That dynamic clicked. Tonya Rodgers wrote for Cageside Seats: "I quite enjoyed Nattie playing a technical bully to Nikki during this match."

Natalya put her foe in a surfboard hold and controlled much of the action. Bella won, however, by outmaneuvering her on the mat. She introduced a new finisher as well, wrenching Natalya's neck with a modified STF.

This bout was a reminder that match quality isn't all about fast moves and big spots. Story and purpose are mighty powerful elements in wrestling. 

3. The New Day vs. Sheamus and Cesaro (Raw)

The New Day collided with Sheamus and Cesaro in such a hard-hitting, thrill ride of a contest, one has to wonder what these teams will do when they meet at Sunday's PPV.

It was an odd choice to give the bout away like this. It felt like an extended movie preview that gives away too much of the good parts.

Sheamus and Cesaro finally started to show some cohesion. The reluctant tag team partners stopped fighting just long enough to become a formidable force.

Cesaro batted Kofi Kingston out of the sky with a glorious uppercut. Sheamus barreled through his opponents. The Europeans proved to be among The New Day's best opponents ever.

The titles not being on the line kept this from being several notches better. But on an off night for Raw, these two teams came through for the show's best outing. 

2. T.J. Perkins and Kota Ibushi vs. Mustafa Ali and Lince Dorado (NXT)

The first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic climaxed on Wednesday's NXT with one of the tournament's best matches so far.

Cruiserweight champ T.J. Perkins and Kota Ibushi teamed up to take down Mustafa Ali and Lince Dorado to advance. Their dynamic as a unit intrigued. Ibushi was supposed to wrestle alongside Hideo Itami, but injury kept him from competing.

In stepped Perkins, the man who eliminated Ibushi from the Cruiserweight Classic this summer.

A mutual respect bonded them together. Perkins and Ibushi then went out and flourished in a match heavy on high-flying.

Minimal history between the opponents meant that the action had to carry the bout. And it did. These four men's athleticism wowed time and time again.

But a rivalry on a roll outdid Perkins and Co. Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles' strange saga was a more fulfilling experience thanks to a deeper story.

1. AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose (SmackDown)

Dean Ambrose's hunt to seize the WWE World Championship back from AJ Styles has emerged as SmackDown's best story and the most compelling WWE has going right now.

On Tuesday night, their feud continued with a high-stakes matchup. If Ambrose beat Styles, he would become the No. 1 contender to the world title.

And so two first-rate performers at the top of their game got to work, putting on a work of art to close SmackDown.

The Lunatic Fringe was the aggressor. It seemed inevitable that victory would be his, but an outside force tripped him up.

James Ellsworth, the scrawny underdog Ambrose had been using to irritate and embarrass Styles, played a huge role in this story once more. Ambrose invited Ellsworth to ringside, but the cheerleader ended up costing him the match.

Ellsworth retaliated after Styles bowled him over, and when the lovable loser superkicked the champ, he immediately realized the gravity of what he had done. He had run over his friend's dreams with a truck.

The drama of that moment alone, with Ellsworth screaming and Ambrose burying his face in his hands, made the bout a stirring success. 

The whole package hit all the right notes. Indy wrestler Gran Akuma was spot-on when he tweeted: "Styles/Ambrose should have been on PPV. Might have been the most crisp I've ever seen Ambrose. Do not skip."