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 - July 5, 2021 - Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - July 9, 2021 – Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Ricochet vs John Morrison was yet another example of how blind WWE is to it’s wrestlers and audience. Losing via count out made Ricochet look idiotic, whilst Morrison didn’t exactly benefit from his victory. Eva Marie once again stumbled into victory, but at least the main event of The New Day vs Bobby Lashley and MVP featured some real quality.
SmackDown = SmackDown showcased a small amount of matches, with Seth Rollins’ victory over Cesaro the undoubted match of the night. These two men can seemingly do no wrong when they compete against each other, although the outcome may have been obvious. The women’s tag team match was poor, but in all honesty, nearly every Natalya and Tamina match is torturous.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = The New Day spoke well as they highlighted how much better Kofi Kingston is than the WWE Champion. The issue was that the rest of the promos on the show just did not feel interesting or compelling.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns and Edge both delivered stunning promos, allowing their dangerous threats to carry the bulk of their feud and the show as a whole.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Eva Marie claiming responsibility for her victories. Ricochet failing to understand what a countout is. Drew McIntyre vs Jinder Mahal. These are all examples of the piss poor storylines featured on Raw. Outside of the main event scene, it genuinely feels like the writers just do not care.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns vs Edge was once again the clear highlight of the show, creating a genuine level of excitement for their upcoming match. The Usos remain an intriguing subplot in what is easily the best current storyline in WWE.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was not an easy show to watch this week, showcasing a number of poor feuds and matches that ultimately resulted in a difficult show to watch.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a fairly easy show to watch, with a solid level of pacing that didn’t make the show feel torturous or boring.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for MVP effortlessly sliding back into wrestling, by more than carrying his own in the main event.
Raw loses points for the show as a whole feeling like an afterthought.
SmackDown gains points for having Baron Corbin circle the drain once more.
SmackDown also gains points for keeping Seth Rollins strong as we head towards Money in the Bank.
SmackDown loses points for evidencing how their women’s division is poor. With Bayley’s injury, it is now starkly obvious that there is a lack of strong women.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+1 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = SmackDown
With a score of 5 to 0, SmackDown wins this week’s Battle of the Brands. SmackDown was a fairly successful show, yet it still featured some glaring issues. In comparison to Raw, however, it was at least somewhat interesting.
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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