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: MATCHES

Raw = 7 matches is not a bad total, especially when compared to how few matches have been on display over the last few weeks. The problem is one of these matches was a 35 second squash, whilst the main event between Seth Rollins and Daniel Bryan was restarted due to a DQ. Positively, the quality of the matches on offer has been a clear improvement, with Ricochet and Rollins showing once again why they are two of the most consistent performers on the roster. Ricochet continues to delight the crowd, showing fans just how vibrant and unique his moveset is.

The New Day's clean sweep over Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens was entertaining, which is not something you here from a match involving Corbin. True, the match entertained in spite of Corbin, but as a free match on TV it served it's purpose well. The crowd reactions also showed just how over The New Day remain, which is a positive sign if Kofi Kingston is to retain his WWE Championship.

SmackDown = Dolph Ziggler vs Xavier Woods was great as it reminded me of just how good Dolph can be when he puts effort into his performances. Since his unexpected return, Dolph has been on a run of great performances, with the interest in his Steel Cage match at Stomping Grounds increasing to a whole new level.

The main event was also a fun and interesting match, with Seth Rollins and Kofi Kingston rightly defeating Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. The only issue I have with this match is the 2-0 scoreline, which does no favours at all for Sami and Kevin as they prepare for their match at Stomping Grounds with the remaining members of the New Day.

I was even entertained by Heavy Machinery. Yes, I cannot believe I enjoyed their match.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Firefly Fun House had an interesting theme this week, highlighting the cult like nature of Bray Wyatt's Firefly Fun House. The creepy vibe from previous weeks was dialled to an all new high, and this creates a high level of intrigue as to where the character will go once he makes his live return to WWE television. The high level of character work continued, with Wyatt's commitment to his character shining through.

Paul Heyman delivered basically the same promo as last week, which is becoming an issue as it is starting to suck some of the fun out of Brock Lesnar's revitalized character. If Heyman is going to deliver the same promo week after week, fans will start to turn off no matter how good he is on the mic.

Finally we have a promo from Roman Reigns which actually managed to make him appear as a fan favourite, which is not hard to do when you are opposite the charisma vacuum that is Shane McMahon. Roman appears to be on a journey of redemption since his return from leukaemia, and if he is to be organically built as a fan favourite to root for, he will need to continue to display the ruthlessness that was on show against Shane.

SmackDown = A Moment of Bliss made me care again for Alexa Bliss vs Bayley, however I still don't feel invested in this feud. As good as Bliss is on the mic, there are concerns she may be finished from an in ring perspective. At least this was a great segment, and the slow burning storyline with Nikki Cross continues.

Just how Paul Heyman sounded the same this week on Raw, Aleister Black delivered basically the same promo he has delivered since he moved to SmackDown. I love his character, but he should be kicking ass, not reciting his favourite poetry. Unfortunately this is a big thumbs down for his performance.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = Seth Rollins vs Baron Corbin is likely to be one of the worst main events in WWE history, such is the level of universal disdain for Corbin. He is uninteresting in every way imaginable, and this has resulted in Rollins having to carry the feud alone. Rollins' desire to take out anyone who dared even consider becoming the special guest referee for his match at Stomping Grounds was an entertaining delight, one that highlights just how far his fan favourite character has come.

I am not, however, a fan of the way the women's feuds are being presented. Becky Lynch vs Lacey Evans feels extremely tired, whilst Bayley vs Alexa Bliss almost feels like an afterthought, such is the amount of time devoted to the dynamic between Nikki Cross and Bliss. Neither feud feels like it is being given a 100% effort by the performers, and it is a shame as there are some incredible storylines that are available to be explored.

Shane McMahon continues to stink up Raw in the worst possible way. Nothing he touches is entertaining, aside from seeing Roman Reigns absolutely destroy him. More of this please Roman if we really must have Shane on television.

SmackDown = Dolph Ziggler vs Kofi Kingston was built to in a great manner, with Dolph and Kofi winning their respective matches. As the premier feud on SmackDown, it feels as though the appropriate effort has been put in to make fans care. I doubt many fans believe Dolph will win at Stomping Grounds, however both wrestlers are making myself at least care about the match, which is more than can be said about Rollins vs Corbin.

Unfortunately, there aren't many captivating storylines on SmackDown at the moment, and this shows with the lack of depth to the feuds. Heavy Machinery should be nowhere near the SmackDown Tag Team Championship scene, and once again Finn Balor is nowhere to be seen. Why should fans care when the Intercontinental champion isn't even in a placeholder feud?

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = The problem with a Raw that lasts 3 hours is how much of a chore it feels to get through at the moment. Without consistently interesting storylines, Raw is being reduced to showcasing wrestlers who fans have no attachment to. The show continues to fail in giving me a reason to care about what is going to happen next, which is a shame as I want to feel like anything can happen at any time on the show. The 24/7 Championship should have been an answer to this issue, however it has already been reduced to a joke, leaving anyone not named R-Truth without credibility in the quest for the new championship.

SmackDown = As always, SmackDown is the easier show to watch. It isn't just the shorter run time that helps, but it seems to have a logical flow to the show. Raw often feels re-written at the last minute, whereas SmackDown feels like it was planned a few days in advance.

WINNER: SmackDown

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for EC3 channeling best 'Weekend at Bernie's' impression. Not only was the entire segment poorly acted, but it was entertaining in spite of just how stupid it looked. He gets 2 points here just for making me laugh at something that looked so stupid. Sometimes in wrestling you need to remember it is just important to laugh and be entertained.

Raw loses points for turning The Revival into comedy characters. Serving as Shane McMahon's lackeys is not something they should be doing, and if this association is to continue, I worry for the long term prospects for them.

SmackDown gains points for Drake Maverick winning the 24/7 Championship. Yes, it was funny, but please can we start to move towards a more serious champion in the same vein as Steve Blackman?

SmackDown loses points for continuing to provide a platform for Shane McMahon to bore fans twice a week. Please just keep him off what is, in my eyes at least, the better show.

I will also deduct an extra point for reuniting The Awesome Truth, only to have them lose in a meaningless match. R-Truth deserves better!

POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+1 / -2)


Raw wins 3-1 this week, in part thanks to the better manner in which they presented their storylines, in addition to the better promos this week. Special thanks goes to EC3 for his award winning performance that awarded Raw the 2 extra points they needed to win. Don't quit the day job EC3.