How/why does NOD32 stop malware before...

Spy Sweeper, AVG-Anti-Spy ware, BOClean and Windows defender. I know, I know, overkill! However, Spy Sweeper is my "chosen" anti-spyware app; AVG A-S I have schedule to run two memory scans/day which somehow returns leaked memory; BOClean was free and when I searched info on it I found many NOD users have it enabled also; and last (maybe least) WD is free and I like its gui for disabling start programs I don't want. Have never seen any slow down in my system or while surfing and they all seem compatible. Now back to my point and question! Lately NOD has flagged several malwares at Rivals.com, a college sports forum. The most recent: IMON file {Snipped - let's be very circumspect regarding the posting of a flagged link - Thanks, Blue} virus Connection terminated
My question: is NOD this much better than these other applications or does it somehow "filter" before the others. Also, is the above just adware or is it really a virus and would that be the reason NOD caught it while the others didn't? Thank You!

 

Hi ratchet,

NOD32 has detected the threat before it even finished reaching your HDD which would be the earliest that any of the others could have.

HTH

Cheers