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And just like that, another action-packed week of WWE programming has come to an end. This week, the WWE Universe got to witness several top Superstars across NXT, RAW, and SmackDown in action. From exciting returns to surprising title matches, several interesting developments occurred over the last few days.
NXT Champion Finn Balor and Karrion Kross took center stage on the black-and-gold brand. Over on SmackDown, Sasha Banks defended her title against Carmella. Plenty of RAW superstars stood out, too. Across the board, new contenders emerged.
For the main roster, this week was another chance to gain momentum on the road to WWE TLC. Meanwhile, NXT dealt with the fallout from NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
As always, certain Superstars did such a brilliant job that they managed to outshine their colleagues on the same show. While some of them put on remarkable performances in the ring, others won the audience over with their tremendous promo skills. Either way, plenty of stars undeniably stood out.
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What were the WWE Superstars up to this week?
This week's edition of WWE RAW and SmackDown continued the build-up to the final WWE pay-per-view of the year. On the other hand, NXT transitioned into hype mode for next month's New Year's Evil show.
So, without any further ado, let's take a look at the five best WWE performers of this past week.
#5 WWE NXT star Raquel González
It's always a delight to see breakthrough performances. After Raquel González pinned the current NXT Women's Champion, Io Shirai, in the WarGames match, it started looking as if she would soon challenge for the coveted title.
To help her case, González also had a tremendous showing on the most recent episode of WWE NXT. There, she defeated former NXT Women's Champion, Ember Moon.
González always had the potential to become a leading force in the NXT's women's division. Her alliance with Dakota Kai has helped her improve her craft immensely, as she has been able to work with numerous veterans over the last few months.
Whether she will be the one to dethrone Shirai remains a question for another day. For now, her performances at WarGames and on Wednesday's NXT were sufficient enough to put the NXT women's roster on notice.
#4 WWE RAW star AJ Styles
With every passing week, AJ Styles continues to excel in his heel persona. With the massive Omos by his side, "The Phenomenal One" is fully aware of the fact that he could get away with anything. And this confidence has landed him in the WWE Championship picture.
At WWE TLC 2020, Styles will be squaring off against Drew McIntyre in a TLC match with the WWE Championship on the line. There's no doubt that this bout will be a barnburner. To give the match even more of a "big fight feel," both Styles and McIntyre are being built up as unstoppable forces.
This past week on WWE RAW, AJ Styles had a tough challenge in front of him. When he teamed up with The Miz and John Morrison, the trio took on the formidable duo of McIntyre and Sheamus.
In a surprising turn of events, Styles was able to outsmart the opposition and pick up a decisive win for his team. This development caused short-term dissension between the champion and his friend.
Currently, it seems like "The Phenomenal One" has the WWE Champion's number.
#3 WWE SmackDown Carmella
Carmella's new gimmick might not be everyone's cup of tea. But it surely is a welcome change for the two-time Money in the Bank winner. First, she attacked and talked some trash about the current WWE SmackDown Women's Champion, Sasha Banks. Then, it was time for the former "Princess of Staten Island" to back up her boastful claims inside the squared circle.
In her first WWE match in nearly eight months, Carmella challenged Banks for the title on the latest episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown. But "The Boss" lost control of herself and unleashed a beating on the former WWE 24/7 Champion. The referee ruled the bout in the latter's favor via a disqualification, but the title did not change hands.
But thanks to interference by Carmella's sommelier, the challenger was able to get the upper hand and leave the champion lying at the end of the show.
It was a perfect return match for Carmella, as she got to showcase her in-ring skills and look strong without winning the championship. From here on out, expect her to thrive with this new persona.
#2 WWE RAW star Bray Wyatt
For several months now, The Fiend has been the highlight of any WWE show that he has appeared on. Recently, he has been teasing a face turn. With the right booking, this progression could lead to several compelling scenarios. His feud with Randy Orton could complete this transition.
On the most recent episode of WWE RAW, Orton wrestled against the Firefly Fun House version of Bray Wyatt. After an interesting back-and-forth affair, it looked as like Orton would bag the victory. But as soon as "The Viper" went for the final cover, the lights went off, and Wyatt changed into The Fiend.
The show came to an end with the 14-time world champion locked in the monster's mandible claw.
Though Orton put The Fiend in a vulnerable position two weeks ago, the two-time Universal Champion got his revenge. This feud will likely get even more intense as it continues to evolve.
Many fans are hoping that their eventual clash at WWE TLC 2020 turns out better than their disappointing matches in 2017. Time will tell if the two rivals can succeed in this regard.
#1 WWE SmackDown star Roman Reigns
Some of the best WWE personalities of the last 20 years have been those with larger-than-life gimmicks. And this is exactly why Roman Reigns has been untouchable ever since he returned as a heel at WWE SummerSlam 2020. Once again, Reigns hit it out of the part this week. He has seemingly done that every time he's been on WWE programming in recent months.
After Kevin Owens cut a fantastic promo about "The Tribal Chief," the former WWE Universal Champion made a statement at the expense of Jey Uso.
However, little did Owens know that his night wasn't over. Shortly after the aforementioned segment, Reigns launched a brutal attack on his challenger. Following the attack, "The Tribal Chief" addressed Owens' family in a gripping promo where he threatened to take the food off their table. Some fans thought this segment went too far, but Reigns continues to amaze in his new persona.
This cold, calculated personality Reigns has been portraying is a joy to watch every single week. With performances like this, this character has the potential to stay fresh for a long time.
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