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 - May 10, 2021 - Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - May 14, 2021 – Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = The match quality on Raw was a mixed bag this week, but Rhea Ripley vs Asuka and Bobby Lashley vs Drew McIntyre were two standout matches. It is clear that all four of these wrestlers are at the top of their game, which is something that certainly cannot be said of some other members of the roster.
SmackDown = Despite WWE trying to make Natalya and Tamina’s capture of the Women’s Tag Team Championship seem important, the match itself was awful. Thankfully, the remaining matches on the show were much better, with Jimmy Uso looking like he hasn’t missed a beat since his injury.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = We saw another vignette for Eva Marie, which wasn’t much different to her previous vignette. I suspected her character would be rather one dimensional, and this was pretty much confirmed with the same stilted and bland delivery of the same themes.
SmackDown = Cesaro gave a credible promo this week, noting how he is capable of beating Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship. Slowly but surely, Cesaro is making clear improvements on the microphone.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = The upcoming Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship was featured heavily on the show, with Braun Strowman coming across as an absolute tank!
SmackDown = Once again, the show was dominated by Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Cesaro. Whilst this did lead to strong storytelling, it had a negative impact on the importance of other storylines.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw featured much better pacing this week, giving the show a true go home feel for WrestleMania Backlash. Whilst nowhere near perfect, it was a clear and appreciated improvement.
SmackDown = SmackDown was not as dynamic and enjoyable as recent weeks, suffering from poor pacing in the early portion of the show.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for the brutality of Braun Strowman taking out Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre with ease.
Raw also gains points for continuing the strange dynamic between Charlotte Flair and Sonya Deville. I just hope it leads to Deville becoming a super heel.
Raw loses points for the awkward ending to Sheamus vs Humberto Carrillo.
SmackDown gains points for keeping Cesaro strong as we head towards WrestleMania Backlash.
SmackDown also gains points for the over the top nature of Apollo Crews’ presentation ceremony.
SmackDown loses points for the disjointed segment in which Apollo Crews awarded Commander Azeez with the Nigerian Medal of Honour.
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. SmackDown had a poor week, whilst Raw saw a slight but significant improvement.
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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