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 - August 1, 2022 - Toyota Center in Houston, TX
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - August 5, 2022 - Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Pretty much every match this week was a fabulous contest to drive home the fact that Triple H is in charge. Wrestlers seemed to carry an extra level of confidence this week, which was especially evident on the red brand.
SmackDown = Despite the best intentions for the women's Gauntlet match, it didn't really do much to make the women involved look like stars. The whole segment felt rushed, although I was pleasantly surprised to see Shayna Baszler win.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair shared a show opening promo that all but solidified them as the top two women in WWE at the moment.
SmackDown = Let's be honest - Liv Morgan does not deserve to be shit on by a live crowd, and it saddens me to see fans turn on her in such a peurile and pathetic manner. She is meant to be a beloved superstar, however, she felt disrespected this week in a manner that she definitely did not deserve.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Tommaso Ciampa felt like a huge deal as the next challenger to Bobby Lashley's WWE United States Championship, but it was Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky who ended the show as the biggest beneficiaries of Triple H taking over in creative. They felt like the biggest deal in the women's division since the orginal 'women's revolution'.
SmackDown = Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre was slightly advanced this week, but Karrion Kross returning to take out McIntyre is a wrinkle to this feud that I cannot wait to see unfold. The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match needed something to make it more compelling, and thankfully, we now have that level of intrigue.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = This week's Raw was essentially the show I have wanted it to be for years. Yes, it was not perfect, but it was clear that positive change has already been made within the company, creating a show that was highly entertaining and fantastically paced.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a better paced show than it has been for a number of weeks, but it could not match up to the excitement and consistency of Raw.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for continuing to book Bayley's return in the best possible fashion. Her association with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky is damn near perfect!.
Raw also gains points for Tommaso Ciampa's rise this week - he could really be onto something on Raw.
Raw loses no points this week.
SmackDown gains points for appearing to revert to Karrion Kross' original NXT gimmick. A more realistic form of that could be just the tonic to finally get him over on the main roster.
SmackDown also points for keeping the interest in the feud between The Viking Raiders and The New Day at a decent level.
SmackDown loses points for fans shitting all over Liv Morgan - she does not deserve that grave injustice!
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -0) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = Raw
With a score of 6 to 1, Raw crushes SmackDown this week to win Battle of the Brands. Raw was simply a fantastic product, and whilst SmackDown featured an overall improvement, it could not come close to it's bigger brother in terms of excitement and consistency.
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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