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 = Raw featured Apollo Crews vs Shelton Benjamin in yet another solid outing for the United States Champion. Benjamin still has the ability to make his opponents look good, however Crews more than holds his own at the moment. This was a fun match to once again reinforce how good Crews actually is.

The IIconics put in one of their best ever performances inside a WWE ring by defeating Liv Morgan and Natalya. They showed a fire and passion that has been sorely missing from their work, underlining just how potent they can be. Their in ring ability may not match that of Asuka, but as a tag team they gel well.

SmackDown = SmackDown featured an amazing main roster debut for Matt Riddle as he surprisingly defeated the new Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles. The action was exciting and unpredictable, whilst weaving multiple storylines into one single match. This match may have already legitimised Riddle, which is surprising considering the high mortality rate of NXT promotions.

A highly emotional Nikki Cross faced off against Sasha Banks in a very credible match. Although Banks was victorious, Cross once again evidenced just how talented she is as an all round performer. The match quality was great, whilst Cross also excelled with her character work.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Randy Orton and Christian shared a great promo together as Orton goaded Christian into one more match. The emotion from both wrestlers was palpable, which helped make the segment feel much more important than it perhaps should have been.

SmackDown = Bray Wyatt revived his former persona as he once again set his sights on Braun Strowman via his Firefly Fun House promo. The quality of his promo was amazing, with Wyatt proving how invaluable he is to the blue brand.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = A few of Raw’s storylines were advanced this week, with Dominik taking out Seth Rollins in quite a decisive manner. Not only did he outsmart Rollins, he also showed maturity in the way he approached the situation. It was also noteworthy to see Zelina Vega walk out on both Andrade and Angel Garza, which made for extremely compelling viewing. It will be interesting to see where this narrative goes, as Andrade has been inextricably linked with Vega for so long that it only feels natural to see them paired together.

SmackDown = Bray Wyatt returned to SmackDown and immediately set his sights upon Braun Strowman, whilst Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose resumed their feud. It is clear both feuds have so much more mileage left in them, with Wyatt and Strowman capable of creating an extremely compelling storyline narrative over the next few weeks. SmackDown is currently favouring the slow burn style for it’s feuds, which is only benefitting the overall product.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = Raw was a fun show this week, although the finale to the show was very divisive. Some fans loved it whilst others hated it, as Orton essentially destroyed Christian and deprived him of a true return match. This issue aside, Raw was a great show to watch.

SmackDown = SmackDown was a great show this week as it featured a good mix of matches and promos. The increased attention on promos this week benefitted the show as it felt better paced than recent editions.

WINNER: SmackDown

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for attempting to remove all traces of Lana’s association with Bobby Lashley. He has found his calling as MVP’s associate, therefore a divorce with Lana is the perfect way to remove any unwanted distractions.

Raw also gains points for resurrecting Randy Orton’s vicious streak. The way in which he took out Christian was a callback to how his feud with Edge started earlier in 2020. He appears to be back to his best, which can only mean pain for whoever gets in his way.

Raw loses points for featuring Akira Tozawa and his ninjas. This angle needs to die, and die quickly. This is grade A bullshit!

SmackDown gains points for revisiting Bray Wyatt’s previous persona, as it was believed he would be returning as The Fiend. This will allow Wyatt to display even more flexibility in his work than ever.

SmackDown also gains points for a solid edition of Miz TV. This segment allowed the burgeoning feud between Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose to heat up further, with both women coming across extremely well.

SmackDown loses points for Jeff Hardy’s redemption promo. It just did not intrigue me at all, coming across as bland and uninteresting.

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


With a score of 4 to 2, SmackDown wins this week’s Battle of the Brands. Both shows were interesting, although Raw appeared to live and die by it’s advertisement of one more match for Christian. Neither show was perfect, but at least they were both entertaining. Matt Riddle’s victory allowed SmackDown to win as it is a sign WWE are serious about pushing him.