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.
WWE Monday Night Raw - February 1, 2021 - Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - February 5, 2021 – Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Bobby Lashley vs Riddle was everything that it needed to be, with Lashley coming across as an absolute monster, whilst Damian Priest enjoyed a strong victory in his debut match on Raw. All attention was on Edge vs Randy Orton, which was a fantastic way to end the show as both men put on a strong match. Orton may have lost, but he didn't lose any credibility in defeat, especially when considering the fact he was distracted by Alexa Bliss. Edge is The Ultimate Opportunist after all. Overall, Raw featured a strong set of matches this week.
SmackDown = Cesaro vs Daniel Bryan was the highlight of the night, with Cesaro once again winning to underline just how talented he is. Both men worked hard in the ring, but it was Cesaro that came acros as an absolute unit. Big E defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against both Apollo Crews and Sami Zayn in a thoroughly entertaining match, coming out on top to prove how resilient he can be. Overall, the matches on SmackDown were good, but they were a step below Raw's offerings.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = The promo battle between Drew McIntyre and Edge was fascinating to watch, with Edge coming across as a cool tweener against McIntyre's white meat babyface persona. Their interaction had me intrigued for a possible WrestleMania 37 clash, whilst also reminding me just how talented Edge is on the microphone.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns' show opening promo against Edge was everything it needed to be, as he came across as the dominant asshole that he has been for so long. However, it also hinted at how Edge has unsettled the WWE Universal Champion, which was a compelling and subtle note to the promo.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Bobby Lashley turned into a monster this week by destroying Riddle, whilst there was clear dissension within the rest of The Hurt Business. As long as this leads somewhere, then I am game for such shenanigans. The most important storyline development of the night, however, was the attack on Drew McIntyre by Sheamus. By turning on his best friend, The Celtic Warrior has booked himself a WWE Championship match, and I cannot wait to see how their issues boil over in the coming weeks.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns set up a potential match with Edge at WrestleMania 37 by demanding the 2021 Royal Rumble winner give him an answer that night. Reigns came across as an asshole, but an asshole that was slightly scared about what choice Edge would make. This seems like the first real chink in Reigns' armour.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was a much stronger show than recent weeks, feeling fresh and strongly paced.
SmackDown = SmackDown was paced well, however the segment from Hulk Hogan was both unwanted and a distraction which hurt the show.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for the competent manner in which Sheamus attacked Drew McIntyre. It came off well, setting up Sheamus as the next challenger to McIntyre's WWE Championship.
Raw also gains points for springing a suprise result in the women's tag team match, as Naomi and Lana were not exactly the favourites to win.
Raw loses points for Alexa Bliss' interaction with Randy Orton at the end of the show. Slowly, this angle is starting to die a painful death.
SmackDown gains points for the fantastic manner in which Bianca Belair was presented. It is clear she is the future of WWE's women's division, and the way in which she conducts herself is so endearing.
SmackDown also gains points for featuring Cesaro's rise up the card.
SmackDown loses points for the commentary from The Street Profits during Otis and Chad Gable vs Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. It was distracting, although I understand it was meant to feel different.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = Raw
With a score of 4 to 2, Raw wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Overall, it was a strong week for WWE television, but it was Raw which was the tighter show overall. As the start of the Road to WrestleMania 37, both shows did well in garnering interest and intrigue for the possible card at the Showcase of the Immortals.
That's my pick for the better show of the week, but how do YOU stand?
Which was better, Raw or SmackDown?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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