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 = Becky Lynch successfully retained the Raw Women's Championship against Asuka in a contest that once again did not disappoint. Lynch has her detractors, but she rose to the occasion and put on a thrilling match with Asuka. This also made the post match beatdown by Shayna Baszler feel even more important.

Rhea Ripley defeated Sarah Logan in a comprehensive squash match, whilst Aleister Black defeated Tozawa quickly to underline how dangerous he is. Both of these squash matches served their purpose well, which unfortunately cannot be said of Angel Garza vs Cedric Alexander, with Alexander losing easily to a much less established wrestler. Overall, the match quality was good, with Lynch vs Asuka the undoubted highlight of the night.

SmackDown = SmackDown only featured 3 matches, however each of these matches were fun to watch. Bayley vs Carmella was more entertaining than I initially believed it would be, with Carmella looking strong and capable. Rather than beat Carmella decisively, Bayley needed to use the ropes for leverage to win.

Sheamus defeated Shorty G and Apollo Crews in a handicap match, which was a fun little sprint to underline how strong Sheamus is. However, the highlight of the night was the tag team match between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan vs John Morrison and The Miz. Morrison looked incredible, whilst Reigns and Bryan wowed the crowd with their actions. It was a fun way to end the night, although Morrison and The Miz perhaps shouldn't have been defeated in such a clean manner.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Seth Rollins continued to preach his delusional views on wrestling, with his Monday Night Messiah gimmick going from strength to strength. Rollins has carved a niche for himself as a delusional and questionable heel, with his promos each week becoming a highlight of the show.

The VIP Lounge returned to Raw, with MVP offering his support to Drew McIntyre. McIntyre however underlined how he is his own man, therefore needs no support from anyone. This promo segment allowed McIntyre to flourish, with his new face character being warmly received by fans. This was an effective way to use MVP whilst elevating McIntyre in a way that will benefit his journey to the WWE Championship.

SmackDown = SmackDown opened with A Moment of Bliss, which allowed Carmella to shine on the microphone. Bayley interrupted to run down the women's division, which fired Carmella up for her immediate match with Bayley. This segment did outstay it's welcome at times, but Carmella did benefit from her interaction with Bayley.

Hulk Hogan delivered an interesting promo of his own before being interrupted by Bray Wyatt, who delivered a threat to Hogan. Wyatt informed Hogan that he has the power of The Fiend to help him defeat Goldberg, adding that there is always room on his wall for Hogan. This was a highly effective way to use Hogan, with Wyatt continuing to look like an absolute star.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = Rhea Ripley once again appeared on Raw, defeating Sarah Logan easily to send a message to Charlotte Flair. Flair insisted on watching the match in person which spurred Ripley on to compete more aggressively, with Flair still refusing to agree to a match at WrestleMania 36. It is compelling viewing to see what lengths Ripley will have to go to in order to secure the match she desires.

Matt Hardy came out to question Randy Orton's destruction of Edge 2 weeks ago, only to be taken out in the same manner by The Viper. Orton's destruction of multiple wrestlers is shocking, especially as the conchairto looks absolutely dangerous. Orton is building towards his match with Edge well, which makes for genuinely compelling viewing on Raw.

SmackDown = King Corbin continued his crusade against Roman Reigns by taking him out to close the show. His sceptre has quickly become his signature weapon, and he used it to great effect here. Reigns continues to look strong in his matches, whilst Corbin looks dastardly for always finding an opportunity to hurt Reigns.

Otis had prepared for his Valentine's Day date with Mandy Rose, only to be devastated to see her sitting with Dolph Ziggler in the restaurant. This was heartbreaking to see as Otis plays his character well, with Ziggler becoming even more loathsome as a result. It is unclear where this leaves the overall storyline, but I hope Otis is able to gain a level of revenge over Ziggler.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = Raw wasn't a bad show this week, however it didn't live up to the high levels of entertainment from previous weeks. No match was poor or lacklustre, and every promo segment felt well placed.

SmackDown = SmackDown was a great show this week, with the 2 hour run time flying by. The show didn't drag, however the opening promo segment could have been condensed. Other than this, it was an easy show to enjoy.

WINNER: SmackDown

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for building Drew McIntyre up as a fan favourite. He has started to carve a niche for himself since his Royal Rumble victory, with his new character seemingly adored by fans.

Raw loses points for featuring a Cedric Alexander burial. He was on the verge of something special last year, but his stock has dropped so low in WWE that he may as well move elsewhere. He didn't deserve to lose so comprehensively, especially to someone who is yet to be fully established on the main roster.

Raw also loses points for the manner in which Shayna Baszler took Becky Lynch out. The blood was too over the top and made her look cartoony, which is hugely disappointing considering how dangerous Baszler is in her own right.

SmackDown gains points for Bray Wyatt utilising a logo inspired by the nWo design. It was a small touch that looked incredible.

SmackDown loses points for the Otis and Mandy Rose segment, as it felt less comedic than it should have been.

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


With a score of 2 to 1, Raw wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Both shows were good, however they were a step below recent weeks. Raw is a great show, however there are a few glaring issues that hold it back from being even better. SmackDown was a fun show, however it had less substance than Raw in terms of promos and storylines.