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 3, 2022 - Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - October 7, 2022 - DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Most matches were straight up fantastic this week, including Judgment Day's best match as a team against AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio. Mustafa Ali stood up well to Bobby Lashley, but for me, the best bout of the night was Otis vs Johnny Gargano, which was a solid David vs Goliath contest. Raw continues to serve up solid matches each week, and I love that!
SmackDown = Although GUNTHER vs Sheamus was not as strong as their effort at Clash at the Castle, it would have taken a herculean effort to match that. This is not to say the match was bad - far from it. It just lacked the pageantry and stylistic strength of being a phenomenal match at a live premium event. It basically made a show filled with poor matches come off as a decent effort overall.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Edge's promo against Judgment Day was great, although it clearly telegraphed the manner in which he would invariably lose to Finn Balor at Extreme Rules.
SmackDown = Although Logan Paul is an absolute dipshit on the microphone, Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman rescued the opening segment. Paul's facial expressions made me want to hit him, not because he is a heel, but basically because he looks like he couldn't be interested in the position he has been granted. It was evident in his words, which is why I cannot wait to see Reigns destroy him at Crown Jewel.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = As an overall product, Raw is fantastic at creating a sense of long term and short term intrigue for the feuds on the show. Damage CTRL continue their amazing character work, whilst stars like Matt Riddle, Seth Rollins, Judgment Day, and Johnny Gargano shine with real purpose.
SmackDown = Legado Del Fantasma debuting on SmackDown with Zelina Vega was fantastic! Vega looked to be rejuvenated, and thankfully for fans, she seems to have abandoned the awful Queen Zelina gimmick. This was the perfect way for the team to be presented, allowing them to rise to the top of the tag team division almost immediately, whilst Santos Escobar is certainly a threat to be feared. The next few weeks for this faction promise to be amazing!
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw once again excelled as a show that was dynamic and exciting.
SmackDown = The show was fine, with no particular section or segment of the show coming across poorly.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for Iyo Sky vs Alexa Bliss. It was pretty much what I expected it to be, which is a positive thing.
Raw also gains points for rehabilitating Mustafa Ali as a character.
Raw also gains more points for setting up Seth Rollins vs Bobby Lashley as a mountain that Rollins needs to overcome.
Raw loses points for Candice LeRae losing this early into her Raw tenure.
SmackDown gains points for Max Dupri returning to the LA Knight gimmick. Please, please, please... let this be a permanent decision going forward.
SmackDown also gains points for Zelina Vega's fresh look. I will admit I was not a fan of her look initially, but that blonde hair is slowly growing on me.
SmackDown loses points for Ricochet and Solo Sikoa coming across as a bit lethargic in their bout. I felt they were purposefully holding back on what could have easily been a television classic.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK!!!
The sight of Damage CTRL posing on the ladders with the titles to close out the show. Perfection!
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK!!!
Liv Morgan. Enough said.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+3 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = Raw
With a crushing score of 6 to 0, Raw easily wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Simply put, Raw was a fabulous show this week that outshone SmackDown in every single area. The blue brand clearly has some room for improvement, especially with the lack of top tier talent on offer.
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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