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 14, 2022 - KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - November 18, 2022 - XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Aside from a solid main event between Seth Rollins and Finn Balor, Raw's matches fell rather flat this week. Austin Theory vs Dolph Ziggler was an egregious example of this, as they disappointed me thoroughly.
SmackDown = As part of the SmackDown World Cup, Ricochet vs Mustafa Ali was everything that it needed to be. Both men are extremely talented wrestlers, which was once again evident in their dazzling array of moves. This was in stark contrast to Karrion Kross' squash victory over a rather dull Madcap Moss, but the match quality was rescued by a solid main event. Overall, SmackDOwn featured some solid matches this week to ensure fans had an enjoyable experience.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Seth Rollins' show opening promo was the solid kick off the red brand needed this week. Rollins is always a solid talker, which makes his interactions with Austin Theory, Mustafa Ali, and Bobby Lashley more impactful. Miz TV, however, was the drizzling shits!
SmackDown = Bray Wyatt brought out the best in LA Knight, with their promo interaction creating a sense of intrigue for their feud. I just love how Wyatt was able to physically present his feelings in such a clear and menacing manner.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Raw felt lacking in overall storyline development this week, especially when compared to the SmackDown dominated feud between The Bloodline and Sheamus' cohort of allies. Although Seth Rollins is trying his best, Raw needs to focus on a better level of storyline development across the entire show.
SmackDown = The Bloodline vs Brawlin' Brutes, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens was superbly expanded upon this week. Not only did they set the stage for Survivor Series, they also allowed the faces to get some sorely needed heat on the blue brand. Bray Wyatt's feud with LA Knight continues to bubble along, which ensured LA Knight continues his upward mobility on SmackDown.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Whilst a solid show this week, Raw was missing the usual level of excitement and vibrancy it is known for, especially when compared to the blue brand's offering.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a greatly improved show this week in relation to scheduling and pacing, allowing the show to chug along rather nicely.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for making the WWE United States Championship scene feel like a World Championship level of competition.
Raw also gains points for Iyo Sky enjoying a delecatable squash victory over a poor Dana Brooke.
Raw loses points for Tamina's appearance. I cannot stand when precious television time is wasted on her so called 'talent'.
SmackDown gains points for the subtle movements made by Bray Wyatt in the background of promos this week, prior to the attack on LA Knight. These little moments of clarity that his dark alter ego has keep fans tuning in every single week.
SmackDown also gains points for Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn having a staredown - it gave me shivers!
SmackDown loses points for Emma losing credibility through her association with Madcap Moss.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK!!!
Kevin Owens' return from injury was quite the impactful surprise.
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK!!!
Austin Theory vs Dolph Ziggler. I expected a much better contest than we received.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = SmackDown
With a score of 5 to 1, SmackDown easily wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Aided in part to the main feud heading into Survivor Series, the blue brand presented a much more complete and enjoyable 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!
Subscribe to Smark Out Moment on YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
`
0 comments: