Seth Rollins vs. Sami Zayn and the Best WWE Matches of the Week for Jan. 26

Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn put on a performance worthy of a pay-per-view ahead of Sunday's WWE Royal Rumble 2017.

Rollins' loss that night ousted him from the event's signature Battle Royal. Zayn's win awarded him a shot at WrestleMania glory. 

The prize these men were fighting for, their breathtaking in-ring abilities and a dramatic showing between the ropes made this clash one of the best we've seen on WWE TV in 2017.

SmackDown and 205 Live provided Zayn vs. Rollins with some competition for the week's best bout. The continued collapse of The Wyatt Family led to an intriguing showdown between Randy Orton and Luke Harper. Neville provided further proof that he is indeed the king of the cruiserweights.

Read on for a look at what contests most captured fans' attention on the road to the Rumble. Stakes, story, chemistry and highlights decided the order.

Honorable Mention

• Roman Reigns vs. Chris Jericho (Raw)

Even with a few sloppy moments, Reigns' latest showdown with Jericho for the United States Championship was good.

But as well as these two guys work together, WWE has run this matchup into the ground recently. This was their seventh bout since the beginning of December, per CageMatch.net.

The post-match shenanigans featuring Reigns locking Kevin Owens in a shark cage were fun, but they weren't nearly enough to push this any higher on the list.

5. Tony Nese vs. TJ Perkins (205 Live)

Tony Nese and TJ Perkins kicked off 205 Live with a well-worked opener.

Nese overpowered his lighter foe. He preened in between dismantling Perkins, showing off more character than he has in the past.

He and Perkins meshed well together. The match was fluid, fast and fun. A gorgeous springboard moonsault from Nese was among the bout's bigger moments. 

Nese's violent tantrum after losing the match was what will have people talking.

Ending the action in that fashion benefited both men. Perkins got the win and played the sympathetic character. Nese stood tall at the end after issuing an act of destruction.

This was a solid addition to a growing library of quality contests on 205 Live. 

4. Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper (SmackDown)

This week featured matches with more high spots and displays of athleticism, but Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper offered the most unique story.

The battle between members of The Wyatt Family proved to be an odd, compelling drama. Orton and Harper weren't just slugging it out to secure a victory; they were also trying to impress Bray Wyatt. Both Orton and Harper kept glancing at Wyatt mid-match like sons hungry for their father's admiration.

This ongoing implosion of The Wyatt Family has been one of the best tales on SmackDown of late. 

On Tuesday, the narrative advanced, but it left us with another cliffhanger. Wyatt attacked Harper after his loss, seemingly punishing him for his weakness.

This match and story have spotlighted new levels of each man's character. A.V. Club writer Alasdair Wilkins pointed out, "The Orton-Harper infighting has actually managed something that seemingly nothing else could: It's made Bray seem genuinely fearsome again just by having him act above it all." 

3. Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz (SmackDown)

The Miz's career year in 2016 is stretching into 2017.

He has been one of SmackDown's top performers in recent months. That continued to be the case on Tuesday night in an Intercontinental Championship match with Dean Ambrose.

The title being up for grabs elevated the bout. The same goes for the lumberjack stipulation. The punch-happy men encircling the ring added a chaotic flair to the action.

The Miz thrived as a whiny but dangerous villain. Ambrose looked right at home in the wild setting.

Baron Corbin inserted himself into the fray after Ambrose slammed him into a ring post. That planted the seeds for the IC champ's next challenge. As good as the chemistry between The Miz and Ambrose has been, WWE would be smart to not overdo that rivalry.

The energy of this match was infectious, but it didn't have enough highlights to make it to the top of this list.

2. Neville vs. Cedric Alexander (205 Live)

As a warm-up for his Cruiserweight Championship match against Rich Swann at the Royal Rumble PPV, Neville took on the dynamic Cedric Alexander.

Their clash told the story of a vicious predator in Neville outlasting Alexander, who cost himself the match by hesitating and showboating. It played up Neville's dangerous side as he knocked his foe loopy several times before finally putting him away with the Rings of Saturn.

This was a welcome break from Alexander's focus on Alicia Fox. Noam Dar distracted the babyface, but even with that addition, this match wasn't the hackneyed type of drama we've seen surrounding Alexander of late.

Neville and Alexander were tremendous together, putting on a performance that may well top what Swann and Neville do at Royal Rumble. Higher stakes would have helped this compete with the week's top match. Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins had the advantage of each man's future hanging in the balance.

1. Seth Rollins vs. Sami Zayn (Raw)

Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn energized the Cleveland crowd on Monday with a stellar performance. The clash reminded us just how breathtaking an athlete Rollins is and how masterful Zayn is as a never-say-die babyface. 

Tim Fiorvanti of ESPN.com wrote of the bout, "Masterfully done. Great match, great story, and Sami Zayn getting a win over Rollins is huge."

The fact that the two men were fighting over a Royal Rumble spot bolstered this bout. It gave it a sense of purpose and made each near-fall significant.

The in-ring story played out well. Rollins was unable to put away Zayn. The Underdog from the Underground was resilient, focused and had The Architect reeling at times. Zayn refusing to take a cheap count-out win was a nice touch, as it accentuated his character.

The distraction finish (an overdone ending) featuring Triple H's music worked beautifully here.

It elevated Zayn while not hurting Rollins. Zayn now heads into the Rumble with big dreams filling his head. Rollins is now brimming with fury, determined to pay Triple H back.