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 31, 2021 - Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - June 4, 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, but the highlight of the night was Drew McIntyre vs Kofi Kingston, as both men put in a 110% effort to put on a contest that was exciting and compelling. Nikki Cross once again upset the odds by outlasting Charlotte Flair, but Cedric Alexander vs Shelton Benjamin was an absolute embarrassment of a match.
SmackDown = There wasn't a single match on SmackDown that came across poorly, with every contest serving it's purpose well. Kevin Owens fought valiantly in a losing effort against Apollo Crews, but the WWE Intercontinental Champion was in particularly dangerous form. Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championship twice against The Usos, with each match displaying just why all four men are currently at the top of their game. Even Carmella vs Liv Morgan was a solid contest, giving Carmella yet another reason to gloat over the rest of SmackDown's women's roster.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Miz TV was a poor segment to open the show, with no other promo really making much of an impact.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns once again gave a fantastic promo to open the show, whilst the short but sweet promos from Carmella and Seth Rollins were highly effective.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = It appears that Alexa Bliss' first real opponent in her current guise will be Shayna Baszler, which is a genuinely intriguing prospect. But only if they can pull it off correctly, as there is no logical reason why Bliss would be able to defeat Baszler without the use of the powers bestowed upon her by The Fiend. It was also heartening to see Nikki Cross receive more positive exposure as she played an important role in the storyline between Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns' continued manipulation of both Jimmy and Jey Uso was once again on full display, which created a highly uneasy dynamic on the show. However, this was absolutely compelling to watch, and rightly was the highlight and focus of the show. Apollo Crews and Kevin Owens resumed their rivalry, with Commander Azeez playing a vital role in allowing Crews to retain his WWE Intercontinental Championship. It was also interesting to see Sami Zayn make his mark on a prone Owens post match.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was a middling show again this week, with a poor level of pacing. It was an improvement, however, that the main event and closing angle didn't revolve around Reginald.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a well paced show, featuring a strong logical storyline progression throughout the entire night.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for continuing to give Nikki Cross the rub from her matches with Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair.
Raw also gains points for Ricochet and Humberto Carrillo having something positive to do on the show for once.
Raw loses points for not giving Kofi Kingston the opportunity to face Bobby Lashley at Hell in a Cell.
SmackDown gains points for Roman Reigns looking like an absolute monster as he disposed of both Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio with ease.
SmackDown also gains points for Carmella re-igniting her character in a manner which is sure to garner much heel heat.
SmackDown loses no points as there wasn't anything on the show which was poor.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -0)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = SmackDown
With a score of 6 to 1, SmackDown wins this week's Battle of the Brands. SmackDown was a highly intriguing and entertaining show, whilst Raw was once again a sum of it's inherent problems.
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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