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 - January 3, 2022 - Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - January 7, 2022 – Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = The Fatal Four Way was the undoubted highlight of a show that featured largely underwhelming matches. Raw felt similar to the go home show before WrestleMania, where there is a noticeable drop in quality and effort within matches.
SmackDown = SmackDown featured a solid main event, which had better supplementary matches compared to Raw. Charlotte Flair vs Naomi wasn't bad, but The Usos vs The New Day was yet another classic.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman were superb on the microphone, perfectly straddling the line between face and heel.
SmackDown = The show opening promo was solid, but it was not as entertaining as what Raw delivered.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Aside from the WWE Championship picture receiving solid attention, it was great to see the WWE Raw Women's Championship receive additional development.
SmackDown = Outside of Roman Reigns, this show fell flat in terms of storyline development.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was solidly paced from start to finish this week.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a fairly paced show this week, although 'Happy Talk' was a giant mistake.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for setting the stage for Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley.
Raw also gains points for adding Doudrop to next week's number one contenders match.
Raw loses points for the poor manner in which multiple matches ended.
SmackDown gains points for the quality interaction between Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and Paul Heyman.
SmackDown also gains points for the reveal of Seth Rollins as the next challenger to the WWE Universal Championship.
SmackDown gains further points by showcasing a competent cameo from Johnny Knoxville.
SmackDown loses points for announcing such a large amount of competitors for the women's Royal Rumble match.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+3 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = Raw
With a score of 4 to 3, Raw wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Match quality aside, the red brand put on a great show this week.
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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