Smark Out Moment

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.

BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:

RAW vs. SMACKDOWN

FACTOR 1: CROWD

Both crowds seemed dead this week. WWE is struggling right now, but it is hard to believe they aren't selling out shows like they used to. However, Raw still had a somewhat loud crowd. So we'll go with them, I guess.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 2: COMMENTARY

I love Renee Young on commentary so much. I feel like her a Corey work well together. It is just a nice feeling having her on the team when the show is just such garbage.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 3: MATCHES

Raw loses this category outright. Lucha House Party, the babyface team, beat Scott Dawson, part of the heel team, in a 3-on-1 handicap match. What? In what way does that make any sense? And then Drake Maverick gets a win over Bobby Roode... Remember when The Revival and Bobby Roode were running NXT? What is happening? I don't even care what happened on SD Live.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 4: PROMOS

I like Raw on the promo side. The promo involving McIntyre, Ziggler, and Corbin was good and then the Dean Ambrose stuff was fun too.

But, SmackDown was better. Becky and the contract signing was good. Rusev cut an old school feeling promo on Shinsuke, and then MIZ TV was kind of fun too. So, SD Live takes the cake.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 5: STORYLINES

I hate this stupid Baron Corbin character, The Revival and Finn Balor and Bobby Roode are all getting awful treatments on Raw, and Lesnar still holds gold while Strowman and Reigns are still out. Raw honestly does not stand a chance here. I love Ronda as champ and Dean and Seth are doing their best, but it is time for some major changes. McIntyre could easily be Universal Champ, and that would change a lot of things, but right now it doesn't matter. Raw is in a rough spot.

I'm looking forward to a Miz vs. Bryan vs. AJ match. That'll be fun. The Man, Becky Lynch, is still on fire with Charlotte. I don't hate the fact that heel Charlotte is involved here, but I also wouldn't mind if they transitioned to someone else being the contender after TLC.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 6: SCHEDULING / PACING

Nothing new here.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 7: VISUAL PRESENTATION

Neither show did anything to distance itself to get a win here.

WINNER: Nobody.

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Taking points away from Raw until The Revival and Bobby Roode stop getting screwed each week.

POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+0 / -1) / SmackDown (+0 / -0)


I want to be clear here, SmackDown is not winning because they have a great show. It is definitely worth the two hours to watch it, but they haven't been anything special either. However, Raw is so so bad that SmackDown would have to try to be worse. Something needs a drastic change, or ratings and crowds are just going to keep dwindling. SD Live wins with a 4-1 tally.