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 = The match quality on offer this week was great, with Aleister Black once again showing why he should be in contention for the WWE Championship. His match against Seth Rollins may have been short, but Black put in a fabulous performance to capitalise on his victory over AJ Styles at Elimination Chamber.

Rey Mysterio was tasked with taking on the upstart Angel Garza, and their match did not disappoint. Garza has slowly become a focal point of Raw, and once again he displayed the high level of talent he has at his disposal. Despite losing this contest, Garza left an impression on fans.

SmackDown = There wasn't much substance to be found in any of the matches on SmackDown this week, which was due to the relocation to the Performance Center, in addition to the general apathy found on the blue brand. Jeff Hardy's return match felt inconsequential, whilst the women's tag team match was set up to allow Asuka to interfere. SmackDown has been very hit or miss in recent months in regards to match quality, and unfortunately, this week fell into the miss category.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Becky Lynch delivered a passionate promo against Shayna Baszler, displaying a fire that has sorely been missing over the past few weeks. The meme version of Lynch that has been featured on Raw appears to have died, and this promo serves as proof as to why this can only be a positive thing. A serious Lynch makes for a better performer, which will be absolutely necessary against Baszler.

The Kabuki Warriors delivered a promo in Japanese, however this remains an intriguing part of their gimmick as it leaves fans intrigued as to what is actually being said.

SmackDown = Roman Reigns delivered a quality promo to build towards his match with Goldberg at WrestleMania 36, which was great to see considering how much he can struggle on the microphone. The result of their upcoming match seems like a mere formality, but at least The Big Dog seems motivated and hyped.

Bray Wyatt responded to John Cena's promo with one of his own, and it was arguably the best promo he has delivered in months. Wyatt transitioned from happy to vengeful so effortlessly, which increases the appeal of their WrestleMania 36 match. Wyatt may no longer be the WWE Universal Champion, but he remains the best promo on the blue brand.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = Edge’s appearance was quite simply amazing. Not only did he look healthy and strong, he also looked more focused than ever before. He took out Randy Orton with more anger and purpose than he had back in the mid 00’s, which was absolutely compelling viewing. This feud has all of a sudden become the best booked feud in WWE.

Rhea Ripley made an appearance to show Charlotte Flair that she still means business, and this was fully achieved with Ripley’s swift punch to Flair’s head. Their feud remains one of the best booked storylines in WWE, with Ripley coming across as a bona fide star.

SmackDown = Storylines were understandably not the focal point of this week's SmackDown, however Asuka interfered in the women's tag match to take out Alexa Bliss. This means there is a strong chance Bliss and Nikki Cross will be part of the Women's Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania 36.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = Raw was an extremely enjoyable show to watch this week, with most of the matches and promos on offer coming across well. Raw has been a consistently entertaining show for quite a while now, and this week was no different.

SmackDown = SmackDown felt different this week due to the presentation of the Performance Center, which was always going to be the case. The pandering to a non existent crowd was also off putting. If this is to be the backup for future WWE shows, the presentation needs seriously improving as this did nothing for me.

WINNER: Raw

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for continuing to push Angel Garza. WWE, you clearly have your next Hispanic star, so please do not mess this up!

Raw also gains points for keeping Aleister Black relevant on Raw, as he truly has the potential to challenge for the WWE Championship over the next few months.

Raw loses points for seemingly struggling to pair Natalya with anyone relevant to her character. She has had so many different tag team partners over the past year that no fan can take her matches seriously.

SmackDown gains points for giving us one of Bray Wyatt's best promos in his current persona. It really resonated with me and reminded me that there is a strong personality bubbling beneath the surface.

SmackDown loses points for going ahead during the Coronavirus outbreak. This is now a crucial time for the virus, and unfortunately Vince McMahon fails to understand that shows should be cancelled in order to minimise the risk.

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


With a score of 4 to 1, Raw easily wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Even if SmackDown would have gone ahead in Detroit, there is no doubt the show would have been as anaemic as it was within the Performance Center. The road to WrestleMania 36 is only benefitting Raw, which ensures it remains the best main roster show in WWE.