Match of the weekend? 4 reasons why NXT Heatwave was better than WWE Money in the Bank

WWE presented Money in the Bank on Saturday and NXT Heatwave on Sunday. Both events provided solid action while also pushing forward many top angles on RAW, SmackDown, and NXT.

Money in the Bank featured bouts with stars from both RAW and SmackDown, including two Money in the Bank ladder matches. Drew McIntyre and Tiffany Stratton won their respective ladder contests and guaranteed title shots.

Despite MITB being the card with bigger names and more recognition, NXT Heatwave stole the show this weekend. It was better than Money in the Bank for the next four reasons.

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#4. A physically more dominant star beats a smaller competitor

Oba Femi outlasted Wes Lee to retain the North American Championship (Credit: WWE NXT X/Twitter)

Money in the Bank featured Sami Zayn defending the Intercontinental Championship against the hard-charging Bron Breakker. Breakker has been pushed as the next unstoppable star since his debut in WWE NXT.

Sami Zayn has always risen to the occasion when it seemed like his time was up. Despite the onslaught from the brash young challenger, Zayn retained his title against Breakker.

At NXT Heatwave, North American Champion Oba Femi faced the smaller yet more experienced Wes Lee. Lee wanted to get his title back but fell to the Warrior King in a well-paced match.

On the surface, both Breakker and Femi should have won this weekend. It just proves that size and strength don't always equate to victory. Experience also matters, but Femi had a 130-pound advantage over his challenger. He would have looked foolish falling to someone that much smaller than him.

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#3. NXT Heatwave also had five matches but was shorter

Roxanne Perez took Lola Vice's best shots and left NXT Heatwave with her title (Credit: WWE X/Twitter)

WWE's premium live events are usually three hours long. The bigger ones, like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and the Royal Rumble can often push four hours. The Show of Shows is even stretched out over two nights.

NXT events usually last two and a half hours. It's usually a six-match effort, with one saved for the pre-show. That was the case for NXT Heatwave as well. The main card consisted entirely of matches with gold on the line.

Money in the Bank also booked five matches but the pacing was off. It also had a special guest host in Trish Stratus. Fans feel AEW hasn't figured out the proper length for its shows yet. Some, like Forbidden Door, are overfilled with matches and exceed five hours.

That's too long for the attention spans of most fans. A show just under three hours is short enough not to tire the fans but long enough to keep them engaged.

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#2. The NXT Tag Team Title match was the best bout of the weekend

With two sets of titles for both RAW and SmackDown, some championships are left off of premium live events. Only two championships were defended at Money in the Bank. DIY won the WWE Tag Team Titles from A Town Down Under on the go-home SmackDown. It could have been part of the Money in the Bank card.

NXT always books great tag team action. Axiom and Nathan Frazer defended their belts against Chase University at NXT Heatwave in what was the match of the weekend. The teams traded multiple near falls and insane counters. Either team could have won at several points.

When the dust settled, Frazer and Axiom proved they're becoming one of the top teams in wrestling. Showcasing the champions on the actual card highlights the titles and makes them seem more important. DIY's moment was still a great one but would have surely seemed bigger if included with Money in the Bank.

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#1. The polarizing use of the Men's Money in the Bank briefcase

One huge talking point coming out of Money in the Bank was how Drew McIntyre was booked. He won the briefcase and made good on his promise to cash in the case on the same night.

Instead of preventing cash-ins each week, CM Punk thwarted McIntyre by interfering once he gave the case to the referee. Punk's interference set up four future angles but it felt like the briefcase was a wasted prop for the ongoing feud.

Having the contract in play throughout the year makes WWE must-watch because the holder can cash in at any time. Winning the case only for it to be used in a failed cash-in on the same night was a disappointing use of the annual title shot.

Some fans may be disappointed with Trick Williams' loss at NXT Heatwave. He wasn't pinned and will probably regain it at the Great American Bash. Trick's title run wasn't hitting on all cylinders so a quick swap back will get fans on his side again. The briefcase, however, can't be won again until 2025.