'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This week, WWE and AEW both put on powerful shows with RAW, SmackDown, NXT, Dynamite and Dark Elevation respectively.
A new contender has emerged on WWE SmackDown for Roman Reigns' Universal Championship. At the same time, RAW saw the return of dominant champions with the tag team division now looking unbeatable.
Meanwhile, AEW Dynamite and Dark saw some incredible matches. Dynamite also had the rather controversial Blood and Guts match, which though fantastic, soured some fans thanks to the ending.
Finally, WWE NXT delivered on every count, crowning new champions and creating some indisputable stars thanks to the quality of some of the matches.
Trending
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
Some of the matches, however, were better than others and saw some stars being made. The wrestlers stood out from the crowd and showed what they could do in the ring.
Here are the five wrestlers of the week who managed to create an impression in WWE and AEW.
#5 Best of WWE and AEW: AJ Styles and Omos
AJ Styles and Omos might be RAW tag team champions for a long time. AJ Styles' experience in the ring combined with Omos' fierce power is something that very few may be able to overcome.
The power that Omos brings to the ring is unstoppable, something that Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods discovered the hard way. Yet again, as it had been at WrestleMania, the two were completely overpowered by the giant.
Meanwhile, AJ Styles used his new tag team partner to his best advantage. He took every opportunity presented before him to dominate New Day during the opening match of WWE RAW.
They defeated one of the best tag teams of all time in Kingston and Woods. After the match they stood tall, and it seems that there might not be anyone who can stop them now. With the combined power of both stars, it may be too much for any single tag team.
#4 Best of WWE and AEW: Sammy Guevara
This week, AEW and WWE superstars brought out all the stops. But one wrestling youngster stood out for his performance.
The Inner Circle might have lost the Blood and Guts match against The Pinnacle, but it was not without some of them standing out as the better performers.
Sammy Guevara stole the show. He was in the structure from the very beginning, and where others would become tired easily thanks to the strenuous nature of the match, he remained steadfast.
Guevara has been looking to break through in AEW for a long time. Multiple times, it has appeared that he would. With the Blood and Guts match, he managed to stand out from the crowd at a time when there were multiple other wrestlers taking up the spotlight.
Guevara was not even included in the big finish of the match. Regardless, his performance signaled that he could be very close to breaking through to the level that the fans and AEW know that he is capable of.
2021 could be the year that he finds his place and maybe even gets a title reign on the AEW roster. He could be one of the standout stars of the year, even when compared to other stars from WWE as well.
#3 Best of WWE and AEW: Isaiah "Swerve" Scott
For a while now, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott has seemed like the perfect star that WWE NXT has been waiting for. His ability to speak is complimented by his attitude and the charisma he brings to the ring.
This week during NXT, he opened the show with a Falls Count Anywhere Match against Leon Ruff. Both wrestlers were equally athletic in the ring, but Swerve seemed to bring something extra into play. He managed to stop Ruff early on and dominated large parts of the match.
While Ruff did fight back, there was charisma oozing from Scott every moment he was out there. While Scott won thanks to interference from AJ Francis, he proved with this match what he can do as a performer.
For a long time, while he has not been underrated in WWE NXT, he has not found the right matches to show fans what he is capable of. This week provided that opportunity for him, as he took a step forward. If Scott keeps performing in the same manner, he could be one of the biggest stars of NXT before the end of the year.
#2 Best of WWE and AEW: Britt Baker
While WWE has seen the rise of its women's division for some time, the AEW women's division has been under the microscope of wrestling fans since the start of the promotion. They have been criticized for every major mistake made by them, and thanks to the pandemic and the lack of stars available at the time, there have been many issues.
However, in recent months, AEW seem to have taken these criticisms to heart and their women's division has improved a lot. One of the women responsible, other than the champion Hikaru Shida herself, is none other than Britt Baker.
Baker spent a long time away from the ring thanks to the injuries that she sustained last year. Despite that, she remained entertaining from the sidelines.
Since returning to the ring, Baker has become a force to be reckoned with. Her match against Thunder Rosa might be one of the best matches in AEW history. While there's a lot that needs to be improved, Baker has been dominant in the women's division as well.
This week she defeated Julia Hart without any issue, almost toying with her. For now, Britt Baker is the name to beat in women's wrestling, be it in WWE or AEW.
#1 Best of WWE and AEW: Cesaro
By far, the best wrestler from WWE this week was Cesaro.
Seth Rollins attacked Cesaro early on. The two then ended up in a match against each other. Flanked by Jey and Jimmy Uso at ringside, Rollins attempted to extract revenge for his loss against the Swiss superstar at WrestleMania.
Unfortunately, the distractions from The Usos proved costly for Rollins. He got in their face and for his troubles, ate a superkick. Cesaro took advantage and hit him with a Neutralizer to defeat him once more.
Later in the night, when Roman Reigns confronted Jimmy Uso about picking a side, fans thought they would find out what will happen to him next. However, Cesaro had other plans. He made his way out and attacked all three superstars.
Thanks to his win against Rollins, Cesaro will now challenge Roman Reigns to a match at WrestleMania Backlash. WWE SmackDown's Universal Champion was upset, but couldn't do anything about it. His opponent stood tall at the end of the night, having beaten down three men and sent them into retreat.
