B/R Belts: Top WWE, AEW Performances for the Week of November 7

The week that was in WWE and All Elite Wrestling saw superb performances from the usual suspects and a certain wrestler who has evolved into one of the better babyface workers in the industry, all of whom are acknowledged in this week's B/R Belts.

From Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair's fantastic Raw opener to an AEW Rampage main event between Adam Cole and John Silver that was nothing short of outstanding, find out which one earned best of the week honors during a week when both companies built hype for the upcoming Survivor Series and Full Gear pay-per-view extravaganzas.

Introducing the Belts

Before we get to the performers who defined the week that was in WWE and AEW, these are the B/R belts at stake and what they represent.

Hitman Hart Championship

Arguably the best to ever do it, Bret "Hitman" Hart is defined by his in-ring excellence. This belt is awarded to the best men's wrestler of the week.

Stratus Championship

A revolutionary performer who bridged the gap between generations of female performers, Trish Stratus is the namesake of this belt, presented to the best women's wrestler of the week.

Dusty Championship

The legendary Dusty Rhodes had the gift of gab and the ability to captivate an audience with his words. This belt goes to the star(s) responsible for the best promo of the week.

Gooker Championship

Pro wrestling has a long and, um, dubious history of WTF moments. This belt is awarded to the stars, match or moment that had you asking, "huh?!"

5-Star Championship

Lastly, this title is awarded to the best match of the week.

*Belts can be won by man or woman, except for Hitman Hart and Stratus titles.

**Piper and Steamboat titles for best heel/babyface have been retired because of repetition.

Hitman Hart Championship: John Silver

Initially, the Hitman Hart Championship was going to Adam Cole for his efforts Friday night on Rampage. Upon rewatching that match, though, it became clear that John Silver is a great babyface wrestler who doesn't get nearly enough credit for the growth and evolution we have seen play out since he was hired by AEW.

He is energetic and brings an intensity to the ring that he easily meshes with comedy (when applicable), and the result is one of the most easy-to-root-for performers in any promotion.

Friday night, he hung with one of the best wrestlers on the planet, looking very much his equal while doing so, and he had the fans in St. Louis believing he might score the upset of his lifetime.

He did not, obviously, but that does not extinguish what was a hell of a performance by a guy who could break free from the Dark Order tomorrow, embark on a singles run and would not look out of place while doing it.

He's a great babyface, a stronger wrestler than he gets credit for and was partly responsible for one of the best matches of this week. He earned the title.

As for his dance partner, don't be too worried about Mr. Cole. He will have plenty of other opportunities to hoist the Hitman Hart Championship if his in-ring output from the past eight or so years is any indication.

Stratus Championship: Becky Lynch

Big Time Becks earned the Stratus Championship this week following a hell of a Raw Women's Championship defense against Bianca Belair.

We had seen Lynch excel at both Extreme Rules and Crown Jewel but here, on an otherwise forgettable episode of Raw, she worked with Belair to deliver another strong entry in their series of matches, narrowly pulling off the victory after sending The EST face-first into an exposed turnbuckle.

The screwy win kept alive that program for revisiting while a backstage promo, interrupted by Liv Morgan, set up a new challenger for The Man's title.

In a week when Belair also showed out and AEW had solid offerings from Jamie Hayter, Anna Jay, The Bunny and Red Velvet, Lynch solidified her status as one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time and the undisputed face of her division on WWE's flagship show.

Dusty Championship: CM Punk

CM Punk could have walked away with this title after Wednesday's Dynamite, on which he not only called out Eddie Kingston but also propped up Jon Moxley, who entered an inpatient alcohol treatment program earlier in the week. His realness and honesty with the audience have always made him a fan favorite and one of the best talkers in the business, and that promo was brimming with all of it.

Then came Rampage and his verbal showdown with Eddie Kingston.

Kingston was on fire and probably won the back-and-forth, but there was something about Punk and that brutal realness that intensified the situation. Punk revealed that he criticized Kingston in Ring of Honor because nobody else had the balls to do it.

"I am not wrong for seeing greatness in you 15 years ago, but I damn sure am wrong for trying to hold you to that standard and expect greatness out of you because you're a bum!" Punk said, drawing oohs and aahs from the fans in St. Louis. 

He then turned down a challenge for a match at Full Gear, telling Kingston something more his speed, "like Elevation or Dark" might be better.

Of course, a high-intensity brawl broke out, but that was not the point. What was, though, was Punk's ability to remind fans that he can deliver a callous, insulting promo when he wants to. He can take on that heel edge and say things that might upset or infuriate people from time to time.

It's not all cupcakes, rainbows and happy-to-be-backs, no matter how much we all are enjoying that incarnation of the former world champion.

Punk was great this week, cutting contrasting promos on two separate nights and once again reminding the wrestling world why he is one of the industry's greatest stick men.

Gooker Championship: More WWE Releases

Breaking from the tradition of awarding these belts to things that unfold on television, we look at the most recent string of releases from WWE, which reported $255.8 million in third-quarter revenue Thursday. The same night, it cut 18 wrestlers.

If that were not a bad enough look already, the company cut some stunning names in the process.

Keith Lee and Karrion Kross both screamed money. Triple H and the NXT crew set up both of those performers to succeed. Lee was treated like an unstoppable force. Kross was given one of the best entrances in the business and, with Scarlett Bordeaux (also released) by his side, should have afforded WWE the license to print money.

Instead, they are both gone.

So is B-Fab, who was essential to the overall presentation of Hit Row, something we saw with her absence Friday night.

Nia Jax, former women's champion and tag team champion, was cut amid what she said was a mental health break.

The company has wasted so much potential that it is no wonder it cannot build new stars to go along with Roman Reigns and the plethora of legends it trots out to spice up its major pay-per-view offerings from time to time.

Perhaps it is because the star-maker himself has lost focus of the fundamentals of what it is his company does.

It is ironic, then, that Vince McMahon earns the Gooker award given it is named after another one of his many ideas that ended up going over like a Brooklyn Brawler vs. Barry Horowitz match from MSG in 1989.

5-Star Championship: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch

The first match of the week was its best, as Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair delivered a pay-per-view-worthy bout for the Raw Women's Championship. 

Lynch and Belair have repeatedly demonstrated outstanding in-ring chemistry, which is only further enhanced by the perfecting of their roles.

Big Time Becks is a great heel. Belair is a fantastic babyface. For once, they have been allowed to shine in roles that do not go against what they do so well, and the result has been an infinitely better feud than it appeared on paper.

Lynch cheating to retain her title ensures the two have unfinished business that can be revisited down the road while also giving fans a break from the pairing before their rivalry becomes stale.

A great match, even better booking and the potential for a break before their next contest resulted in a fantastic bit of business that nothing else this week was able to eclipse.

Though Adam Cole and John Silver damn sure tried.