Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Battle of the Brands from Smark Out Moment, where we compare this week's episodes of Raw and SmackDown and determine which one of the two was the better show.

BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:

RAW vs. SMACKDOWN

FACTOR 1: CROWD

Memphis is such a historic city for the world of wrestling. So many superstars, so many high-profile feuds, and of course it was ran by Jerry "The King" Lawler. But, man... That crowd Monday night could not have cared less about Raw. It isn't even that SmackDowns crowd was good, but they at least made sounds. You could have thought that Raw was in Japan with how quietly everyone sat there.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 2: COMMENTARY

I am really just not overly enjoying anything the Raw team is doing on commentary right now, but I like what SmackDown has going on. So I'll take them.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 3: MATCHES

Cedric Alexander should be on the list of best pure performers on the roster. The dude is a stud, plain and simple. Samoa Joe should have gold at some point, and Balor Club vs. Rollins, Reigns, and Jordan is fun. Even though it would be better with Ambrose no doubt about it.

I really hope they do something with The Bludgeon Brothers because they have so much potential to super awesome players in the tag scene. Bobby Roode better be US Champ(I'll get into that later), and the handicap main event was fun.

However, this is a scenario where the cruiserweights helpRaw get a win. Alexander is a real star in-ring, and once he gets just a tiny bit better on the mic he should be in the running for main titles like United States and Intercontinental.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: PROMOS

Outside of a fun opening promo with KO, Sami, and AJ all SmackDown had was a weird blabbing promo with Gable & Benjamin and DB.

Raw had a decent opening promo. Really escalating peoples hatred of Jason Jordan. I love the Balor Club as faces, and people actually seem to care about what Anderson & Gallows have to say like they should have all along. The Miz is back, and you're crazy if you think he isn't one of the best promos in the business today. Paul Heyman did his thing, and give Samoa Joe a mic and its the closest thing we have currently to CM Punk.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 5: STORYLINES

I hate the thought of a handicap title match the more I think of it. I think it is kinda silly. It is going to boil down to Jinder and Roode for the US Championship and I really want it to be Bobby Roode, but somewhere and somehow Dolph Ziggler is going to come back into play on this. I like The Usos and Gable & Benjamin, so whoever wins there doesn't matter to me. I'm starting to care less and less about each women's division sadly, but I think that Ronda Rousey might change that interest for me.

I'm loving the triple threat for the title on Raw. I want Braun to win so badly, but have a feeling that Lesnar is holding the belt until WrestleMania. I would love to see The Miz regain his IC Championship and truly challenge Jericho as the best IC Champ ever. Rollins/Jordan just isn't one of my favorite teams. It isn't gonna happen either. I want The Revival back so desperately. Asuka is going to be the champ. That is why I think that Rousey has to be SmackDown bound if these rumors are true. Asuka has been built up to be too strong to face Rousey right away. You cannot beat Ronda immediately, and she shouldn't beat Asuka right away(or ever possibly).

I'm more intrigued by Raw. Somehow I've managed to forget about Carmella and her briefcase. Asuka is best for business there, but these Rousey rumors have me so intrigued about a clash there. They have Strowman and Finn and his club. They've got more going for them outside of not having AJ Styles.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 6: SCHEDULING / PACING

SmackDown always seems to have the better pacing.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 7: VISUAL PRESENTATION

Braun Strowman, grappling hook. Enough said. I know that this stuff is mostly set-up to look cool, but the man is a real life monster.

WINNER: Raw

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Nada.

POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+0 / -0) / SmackDown (+0 / -0)


Raw scrapes by with a 4-3 win, but SmackDown will have every chance to redeem themselves in the coming weeks. I'm hoping they can find something fro Balor Club and "Champions Club" to do until Dean gets back or that will never reach its full potential. We're inching closer to the Rumble and it's surprise entrants, and as of now Raw holds a small advantage.