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 = For a TV match, Ricochet vs AJ Styles was a pure delight to watch, and reminded me just how interesting the roster is. Ricochet is being pushed, that much is clear, and despite the loss, he looked like a star here. AJ further cemented his position as one of the best workers in the company, and their encounter left me eagerly anticipating the sequel. If these two are to battle over the United States Championship, then we have a five star feud on our hands.

However, the rest of the show was lacking in match quality. The elimination tag team match was fun, but felt out of place, whilst the farce that is the 24/7 Championship continued to bog down the show. What was even more farcical was the Tug of War match between Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman, a segment so horrible you would believe this was 2003 era Scott Steiner taking part. Strowman's character has been cannibalized with such terrible matches that he doesn't even feel like a threat anymore.

SmackDown = The better matches were on SmackDown this week, with the 2 out of 3 falls match between Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler a real highlight. Not only was it better than their Stomping Grounds match, but it confirmed that Dolph will not be facing Kofi at Extreme Rules.

The New Day vs Daniel Bryan and Rowan was a highlight, with the match highlighting how loaded the tag team scene is on SmackDown. Finally, with the Nikki Cross victory over Bayley, this show had some real quality in terms of matches, and what those matches meant to their overarching storylines.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Outside of Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch taking Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans to task, this show felt low on promo time. This may not have been the worst thing however, as it allowed for more time for matches which is something I am a fan of. The Rollins and Lynch interaction however feels organic, and I am curiously looking forward to how far this angle will go. Lacey Evans continues to shine on the mic, and her character is going from strength to strength.

SmackDown = Despite a terrible opening promo by Shane McMahon, there were multiple highlights to enjoy. Kofi Kingston delivered a passionate promo alongside Dolph Ziggler, and Aleister Black teased his next opponent. It was definitely a case of quality over quantity this week, and for me it is the blue brand that just about edged the quality.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = The slow burning Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross storyline was further enhanced, and in my eyes it is one of the most intriguing angles on TV at the moment. This is because there are such subtleties to both characters that have been allowed to develop, and real praise has to be given to everyone involved.

The real criticism I have for Raw is the continued hype given to Shane McMahon. His character is awful, his wrestling is awful, and the the manner in which he is bringing down Drew McIntyre is offensive. Roman Reigns and McIntyre both deserve a better platform than being involved with Shane, however with the addition of The Undertaker to this feud, it would appear the end of the torture is not in sight.

SmackDown = Kofi Kingston and Samoa Joe didn't really expand on their interaction from Raw which was disappointing, however it was positive to see the apparent conclusion of his feud with Dolph Ziggler. Nikki and Alexa's storyline took a natural progression, with Nikki still prepared to do anything for Alexa's approval. This storyline can do no wrong at the moment.

The tag team division feels like it has a clear narrative, which is something to cheer as the tag team division on SmackDown has been struggling for a while. We had 4 teams competing for supremacy, and I hope this narrative continues over the next few weeks as we build to Extreme Rules.

However, I am hoping for a more interesting storyline than the one we have for Sonya Deville and Ember Moon. Both women deserve better, and the storyline just feels a little off. Hopefully this improves before their next match.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = With more emphasis on matches this week, the show didn't drag as much as it has done recently. The show wasn't perfect at all, but it felt like a real improvement. My only issue is how forced the 24/7 Championship segments feel, with no real cohesive storyline outside of R-Truth and Drake Maverick. This makes the entire interaction feel like a forgone conclusion that R-Truth will retain via shenanigans.

SmackDown = Not being a slog to sit and watch, SmackDown continually has the better pacing, and this is further supported by the lack of 24/7 Championship shenanigans that have been holding Raw back. It also feels as though every interaction on SmackDown this week had a purpose, and as such, the show felt like a natural progression of storylines and matches.

WINNER: SmackDown

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for giving EC3 his first championship in WWE, which was surely his reward for last week's heroics. Raw also gains an extra point for an unannounced appearance by The Undertaker, as the man can still pop a crowd like no other.

Raw loses points for the emphasis on multi wrestler matches. These can be fun, but it felt like overkill this week.

SmackDown gains points for ending the Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler feud. Kofi deserves better and Dolph needs a character makeover if he is to remain on the roster.

SmackDown loses points for once again not having Finn Balor compete. He should be one of the focal points of the show, however he has been given little to no attention in recent weeks which is a real shame. He had a brief appearance here, but please can we see him wrestle soon?

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


SmackDown wins this week 3-2, and most of this is down to just how easier it is to watch than Raw. Neither show is perfect, however there seems to be a return to form for SmackDown, and I am eagerly awaiting how they build to the WWE Championship match between Kofi Kingston and Samoa Joe, in addition to who Aleister Black will choose as his opponent. Raw is sufficiently building up Ricochet, which is a delight to see, but whilst Baron Corbin is in the main event picture on Raw there will be severe problems with the interest fans keep in Raw.