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 - November 7, 2022 - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - November 11, 2022 - Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Raw featured a solid night of wrestling, however it was unable to match the heights displayed by the blue brand. Seth Rollins defending his WWE United STates Championship against Austin Theory as part of an improptu cash-in was solid, if not slightly confusing.
SmackDown = The Usos vs The New Day for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship was absolute frenetic amazement! These two teams can't have a bad match against each other, turning back the years to highlight how WWE can put on fantastic tag team matches when afforded the time. This was the standout match on the show, and by quite a large margin too.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Matt Riddle trying to get 'YEET' over equals a huge pass from me.
SmackDown = Every promo segment The Bloodline touched this week rocked! It also helped that Bray Wyatt managed to get some solid words out of LA Knight.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Bobby Lashley taking out Austin Theory and Seth Rollins to potentially set up a rare triple turn was highly intriguing, with Lashley restoring some of the credibility he lost against Brock Lesnar. I do have to question the logic of a cash-in on the WWE United States Championship though.
SmackDown = The Bloodline continue to dominate SmackDown, and to be honest, all of WWE! The Bloodline vs Sheamus, Brawlin' Brutes, and Drew McIntyre is something that I cannot wait to see at Survivor Series, and the next two weeks promise to be something special in the build up. Bray Wyatt also added to storyline development on the show by seemingly focusing his attention on LA Knight - a future recruit to his stable perhaps?
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was a solid show as always, but I feel the pacing of the show deflated as Austin Theory failed his cash-in. It seemed to end the show on a confusing point, detracting from the overall quality of the show.
SmackDown = SmackDown featured a much improved pacing this week, contributing to a very enjoyable show.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for Bobby Lashley looking like a threat again.
Raw also gains points for seemingly ending the so called 'legacy' of the WWE 24/7 Championship. No-one ever truly gave a shit!
Raw loses points for shoving Baron Corbin and JBL down our throats.
SmackDown gains points for trying something new with the SmackDown World Cup. As bland as it could be, I actually feel it is an important sideshow to other storylines in the background.
SmackDown also gains points for The Viking Raiders looking impactful on their return.
SmackDown loses points for the women's Six Pack Challenge - it was simply poor.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK!!!
Bray Wyatt headbutting LA Knight - I loved the impact of the segment as a whole.
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK!!!
Austin Theory's failed cash-in. Is his character now dead?
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = SmackDown
With a score of 5 to 1, SmackDown dominates WWE this week to win Battle of the Brands. A much more improved show, SmackDown was able to add more positive elements to it's run time than Raw.
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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