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 - October 18, 2021 - Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento, California
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - October 22, 2021 – Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Considering that Crown Jewel was a few days away, most of the matches delivered in providing entertainment. This was clear when Xavier Woods defeated Jinder Mahal to reach the finals of the King of the Ring tournament.
SmackDown = Drew McIntyre vs Sami Zayn was an excellent match, as too was Hit Row's squash debut. The issue I had was the sheer lack of urgency to put matches on, with the show taking what seemed like forever to give us a match.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Goldberg's promo against Bobby Lashley was so bad, that it actually crossed over and became oddly enjoyable. The rest of the show featured mainly short but sweet promos, allowing matches more time to breathe.
SmackDown = Although the show opening promo from Roman Reigns was stellar, the show closing promo between Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch was highly lacking in drama, intrigue, and ultimately, enjoyment.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Raw was successful in promoting the relevant storylines for feuds heading into Crown Jewel. This included solid development for Big E vs Drew McIntyre.
SmackDown = Once again, Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns dominated the show, with Paul Heyman's allegiances still to be fully explored. Which is a fabulous way to maintain the storyline. Lesnar's suspension means their feud will be paused, but it has been a genuinely enjoyable feud to see so far.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was fairly paced this week, ensuring that most relevant feuds and storylines had time to breathe as we headed towards Crown Jewel.
SmackDown = SmackDown was poorly paced this week, coming across as extremely slow and plodding.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for pulling the trigger on Xavier Woods!
Raw also gains points for allowing Bianca Belair to shine once more in the main event.
Raw loses points for the shitshow that was Doudrop vs Shayna Baszler.
SmackDown gains points for presenting Hit Row as a breath of fresh air to the main roster.
SmackDown also gains points for maintaining Brock Lesnar's current aura as an ass kicking face.
SmackDown loses points for Sonya Deville failing to come off as a believable evil authority figure.
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. Raw was more dynamic than usual, whilst SmackDown carried the burden of Crown Jewel jet lag, resulting in a lethargic 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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