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 - September 26, 2022 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - September 30, 2022 - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Iyo Sky vs Bianca Belair was much better than I anticipated it would be, but not because I didn't have any faith in them, I just felt that as a starter to their overall feud, much more would be left for a sequel. Thankfully, they went at each other with a vigour that I instantly fell in love with. Seth Rollins vs Rey Mysterio was a fantastic slice of nostalgia, whilst Alpha Academy vs Johnny Gargano and Kevin Owens was memorable for all the right reasons. Raw really hit a home run this week.
SmackDown = The trios match to end the show was great, as was Bayley's destruction of Shotzi. However, I felt disappointed with the level of quality on offer for the rest of the card, which is a real shame as SmackDown could benefit from a higher level of in match action.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Raw was lacking in truly strong promos this week, but I do have a soft spot for Finn Balor informaing AJ Styles that he could have ended his career, but chose not to do so. Sly, and oh so glorious!
SmackDown = Sami Zayn. That's all I need to say. He remains absolute gold whenever he is on screen at the moment. Low key, he is the MVP of SmackDown.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Bianca Belair vs Damage CTRL continues to be the highlight of the red brand. Not only is everyone succeeding in creating a compelling narrative, but they are striving to bring out the very best in each other. Bayley becoming the female version of Roman Reigns is something I can totally get behind. It also helps the show overall that Edge has returned to take on Finn Balor, which makes Judgment Day come across as a genuine threat to the Rated R Superstar.
SmackDown = Jey Uso vs Sami Zayn is pure gold! The looks, the jabs, the absolute level of disrespect from Uso towards Zayn is some of the best television in wrestling to watch today. Unfortunately, SmackDown features such a dire women's division that it detracts significantly from the level of entertainment the blue brand provides.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw featured yet a nother week of great pacing, giving appropriate time and attention to the areas of the show that would provide a higher level of viewer satisfaction.
SmackDown = I didn't feel that SmackDown flowed as well as it should have, with some glaring issues in the scheduling negatively impacting on the overall enjoyment of the show.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for Candice LeRae's return feeling like such a huge deal. She deserves to be promoted well within WWE, and it was a frankly awesome surprise.
Raw also gains points for Judgment Day running the show. I love it!
Raw loses points for Omos being relegated to squashing nobodies.
SmackDown gains points for Drew McIntyre pulling double duty as the physical embodiment of everything SmackDown needs to take on Roman Reigns and The Bloodline.
SmackDown also gains points for Hit Row coming across as a solid unit.
SmackDown loses points for Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey failing to inspire me.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK!!!
Candice LeRae's debut. It was clear it meant so much to her and the WWE Universe. This is an extra point added for Raw this week.
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK!!!
Liv Morgan continuing her downward trajectory as WWE SmackDown Women's Champion. This is an extra point deducted for SmackDown.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+3 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -2)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = Raw
With a score of 5 to 1, Raw easily wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Simply put, the show was extremely exciting and competitive, whilst SmackDown just could not match the high level of entertainiment offered by it's rival.
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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