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 = I highly appreciated the matches to determine the participants for next week's WWE Championship number one contender match. All three of the contests were great in their own right, but it was Riddle vs Sheamus that was the most memorable. Their encounter was stunning, serving as one of the best Raw matches of 2020. The importance of winning was clear for all to see, and I feel Riddle was truly elevated with his victory.

I did not appreciate the women's matches this week. Lana serves no real purpose in the women's division, that is unless she is being humiliated. Asuka is suffering due to her new found affiliation with Lana, which negatively impacted on their match with Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler.

SmackDown = The Street Profits vs Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode was a fine way to start the show. The Street Profits showed the ill affects of their Survivor Series contest against The New Day, whilst the challengers evidenced why they should be considered for a shot at the SmackDown Tag Team Championship by securing a pinfall victory. It is clear their next match will be just as, if not more exciting than this one.

Daniel Bryan vs Sami Zayn was a fine match, with both men coming across well. They do work tremendously well with each other, which results in contests that speak to fans on multiple levels. The finish was somewhat creative, allowing Zayn to remain as insufferable as ever.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Firefly Fun House was another riot this week, and much of that can be attributed to Alexa Bliss. She fits into the segments so well, turning an average skit into something much more memorable.

SmackDown = Roman Reigns continued to display his much improved promo skills by berating Jey Uso in such a calm and collected manner. His promos remain a highlight of SmackDown, with this week's offering coming across as extremely compelling.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = Braun Strowman was suspended following his attack on Adam Pearce, with The Monster Among Men displaying his frustration at being overlooked. It is unclear if his suspension is the result of a storyline need to change up his character, or if he has sustained some sort of injury. Either way, it is not a compelling development for him to take out a figure of authority, therefore the storyline feels rather old hat. Raw was at least redeemed in the storyline department by Alexa Bliss continuing to have the upper hand over Nikki Cross.

SmackDown = Roman Reigns' control of not only Jey Uso, but SmackDown as a whole, continued this week. His manipulation and abuse of Jey Uso is unmissable, and it remains compelling to see him use Paul Heyman to engineer matches on behalf of Uso. Reigns is by far the most intriguing and entertaining wrestler in the company at the moment.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = Raw was a clear improvement on last week's show. Although some of the show sagged in places, the pacing felt better, aided in part by the matches to determine who would compete in next week's WWE Championship number one contender match.

SmackDown = SmackDown was a good show, with a better mix of matches and promos compared to last week. The pacing of the show was great, feeling logically built around the main performers on the show.

WINNER: Raw

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for Adam Pearce calling Drew McIntyre 'Drew McInFART'. No further words are necessary!

Raw also gains points for having AJ Styles go over Randy Orton, as I really did not want to see Orton face Drew McIntyre again.

Raw also gains points for Alexa Bliss playing her character perfectly. The mental manipulation of Nikki Cross during their match was fabulous.

Raw loses points for not featuring Drew McIntyre. Although he lost at Survivor Series, there was no real reason for him to not appear on the show.

Raw also loses points for the mess that was The New Day vs The Hurt Business. It is clear there were major communication issues which hurt what should have been a solid encounter.

SmackDown gains points for Jey Uso's vicious attack on Otis. It was great to see how Roman Reigns is controlling the actions of his cousin in such a subtle manner.

SmackDown also gains points for continuing to present the Intercontinental Championship as an important title.

SmackDown loses points for failing to announce any matches until just before the show started. This results in no added intrigue for the show, which is undoubtedly causing apathy in some fans. Why should they care if WWE doesn't care?

POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+3 / -2) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)


With a score of 4 to 2, Raw wins this week's Battle of the Brands. The red brand followed up Survivor Series with a solid show, allowing their younger talent to shine over more established stars. SmackDown wasn't a bad show, but Raw's improvements were stark and very noticeable compared to recent anaemic offerings.