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 - March 8, 2021 - Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - March 12, 2021 – Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Drew McIntyre and Sheamus went to war with each other this week in a No Disqualification match. Although the result of a no contest was bitterly disappointing, the action was violent and intense, which played well into the finish. Bobby Lashley defeated The Miz in a match that was better than it had any right to be, but the main event of AJ Styles vs Randy Orton was a sleeper hit, successfully capping off the show. Overall, Raw featured a solid night of matches.
SmackDown = Match quality was decent this week, but no single match was outstanding. This was a direct result of the emphasis on storyline development, however, the 8 man tag tem match was an enjoyable romp that allowed The Street Profits to shine. Big E defeated Sami Zayn in the main event to successfully retain his WWE Intercontinental Championship, with both men putting on a solid contest. Whilst they have had better matches, this was still fun to watch.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Call me a glutton for punishment, but I actually enjoyed The Miz’s show opening promo. There is something entertaining about The Miz when he is whiny and aggrieved, and he once again played his role to perfection here.
SmackDown = Edge and Daniel Bryan engaged in a stunning promo battle to open the show, with both men displaying a large amount of passion. I love the continued tease that Edge's match at WrestleMania 37 may be a Triple Threat match, whilst Edge's unique promo delivery is something that has been sorely missing from WWE television.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = The Fiend continues to be a menacing presence on Raw, even though he has been missing in action since he was burned alive. Alexa Bliss and Randy Orton are working hard to keep the storyline alive, which says more about their talent than anything else. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus also continued to feud, showing no signs of reconciliation.
SmackDown = The show was understandably dominated by the Fastlane storylines, creating a sense of intrigue and excitement for the upcoming event. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair furthered their underlying issues, whilst Roman Reigns, Edge and Daniel Bryan all had their say about the WWE Universal Championship picture.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was a better booked show this week, noticeably tightening up the pacing of the show. Whilst not perfect, Raw at least felt like less of a chore.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a fairly decent show this week, and whilst it didn't hit the heights of last week's offering, the pacing and scheduling was good enough to ensure it was still an entertaining episode.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for the level of violence on display between Sheamus and Drew McIntyre.
Raw also gains points for the effort made to present Bobby Lashley as the centrepiece of Raw. I really appreciate the effort to highlight how Almighty he is.
Raw loses points for continuing a trend of having no contest outcomes. Used sparingly, it is an effective storytelling device, but Raw seems fixated with using it as a way to end matches every week.
SmackDown gains points for having Roman Reigns experience difficulties on the Road to WrestleMania. This is important, as it creates the idea that he may finally face his comeuppance and lose the WWE Universal Championship.
SmackDown also gains points for keeping the feud between Apollo Crews and Big E compelling. As much as Big E needs to remain in the upper midcard, it is important for Crews to be seen as a legitimate threat.
SmackDown loses points for Nia Jax's shopping spree with Reginald. What the hell was that?!?
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. The red show was a tighter show this week than SmackDown, featuring a higher focus on match quality. Whilst SmackDown successfully progressed numerous storylines, the lack of a standout match hurt the overall enjoyment of the show.
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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