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This past week of WWE programming featured the return of the Fight Pit, multiple Championship matches, and the progression of numerous heated rivalries. And it's safe to say that WWE performers managed to hit it out of the park yet again.
The latest edition of WWE RAW was quite decent, considering the unavailability of several top Superstars such as Drew McIntyre, Keith Lee, The Fiend, Edge, etc. Numerous intriguing matches were the highlight of the show. These matches included Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka and AJ Styles vs. Ricochet.
On NXT, fans were treated to several high-octane first-round matches in the annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. On the other hand, NXT UK continued its streak of running action-heavy episodes.
On Friday, another star-studded edition of WWE SmackDown took place. Even though the in-ring product this week wasn't on par with the Blue Brand's recent outings, the storyline progressions made up for it.
That being said, let's take a look at the five best WWE performers of this week.
#5 Kay Lee Ray (Successfully defended the WWE NXT UK Championship yet again)
At this point, it's fair to assume that Kay Lee Ray will remain the NXT UK Women's Champion forever. After all, she has held the title for over 500 days. Her illustrious reign has seen her toppling numerous challengers such as Piper Niven, Toni Storm, and most recently, Jinny.
Jinny was quick to insert herself into the title picture following the culmination of the Kay Lee Ray/Piper Niven feud. And the two ended up squaring off on the latest edition of WWE NXT UK.
Even though the match quality didn't surpass some of Ray's best bouts, it was an intriguing back-and-forth affair.
And when all was said and done, the Scottish Sensation did what she does best and that is to retain her Championship against all odds. It will be exciting to see if Kay Lee Ray manages to hold on to the NXT UK Women's Championship through 2021.
#4 Tommaso Ciampa (Competed in the WWE NXT Fight Pit II)
Ever since Timothy Thatcher beat Matt Riddle in the first-ever WWE NXT Fight Pit, fans have been clamoring for another similar bout. And this wish of the fans was granted on the latest episode of NXT when Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher stepped into the pit.
Unlike the first Fight Pit, this one was more of a clash of styles. On one hand, Timothy Thatcher stayed true to his technical roots. On the other, Ciampa mainly focused on showcasing his brutality.
For a rivalry as heated as that between Thatcher and the former WWE NXT Champion, the Fight Pit was the only logical culmination. And it would be an understatement to label both Superstars' performance as anything other than impressive.
Even though Ciampa didn't manage to secure a victory in the highly-physical bout, he put on a stellar performance. And if that wasn't enough, the fans witnessed the aforementioned rivals turning into allies following their intense match.
It will be interesting to see how the volatile team of Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher fares in the Dusty Classic.
#3 AJ Styles (Prevented Richochet from entering the upcoming WWE Royal Rumble match)
Ever since moving to WWE RAW last October, AJ Styles has truly been, no pun intended, phenomenal. The two-time WWE Champion has been nearly unstoppable with the gigantic Omos by his side. So far, his 2021 record is 3-0.
Lately, Styles has been using his talent to keep other Superstars out of the WWE Royal Rumble match. First, he foiled Drew Gulak's plans of entering the 30-man bout. Then, on the latest episode of WWE RAW, Styles took on Ricochet in a bout that had the latter's Royal Rumble spot at stake.
There was no doubt that a match featuring AJ Styles and Ricochet would turn out to be amazing. And to top it off, the bout featured one of the best versions of the "Styles Clash" that the WWE Universe has seen in recent years.
In the end, The Phenomenal One grabbed the victory to keep Ricochet out of the Rumble.
With momentum by his side, it will be interesting to see how AJ Syles performs come Sunday, January 31.
#2 Bianca Belair (Stunned the WWE Universe by running an obstacle course)
If there is one Superstar whom WWE can build their roster around for years to come, it's Bianca Belair. The EST of WWE boasts all the tools required to climb to the top of the mountain known as sports entertainment. From unrivaled strength to a charismatic presence, Belair has it all.
This past week on WWE SmackDown, Bianca Belair and Bayley squared off in an obstacle course challenge. The said course was put together by none other than the former and longest-reigning SmackDown Women's Champion herself.
Bayley announced that she would run the course first. The 'Ding Dong, Hello!' host completed a fairly easy course in about 72 seconds. However, when it was time for the EST of WWE to run, Bayley revealed that the course would be altered to suit the capabilities of Belair.
Despite being at a disadvantage, Belair ran the course faster than Bayley. The highlight of the segment came when the EST of WWE lifted Otis over her shoulders with ease.
#1 Timothy Thatcher (Extended his WWE Fight Pit record to 2-0)
Timothy Thatcher's WWE booking has been quite inconsistent so far. Since defeating Matt Riddle in the first-ever Fight Pit, he has lost most of his momentum. However, things are looking up once again for Thatcher now that he has racked up sufficient momentum, courtesy of a hard-fought victory in the Fight Pit.
After feuding for several weeks, Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa decided to settle their differences inside the pit. Not only was the hype surrounding the fight unreal but the match itself was a violent clash of styles.
In the end, the submission specialist tapped out the former WWE NXT Champion. In just one night, Timothy Thatcher reminded the fans why he is the best at what he does.
Following their collosal encounter, Thatcher and Ciampa agreed to put their differences aside and compete in the ongoing Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Fans can't wait to see how the company books this unlikely team going forward. Here's hoping that the catch wrestling specialist continues to look credible until the return of the Fight Pit.
