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: MATCHES

Raw = It felt like a better week for matches on Raw, as they helped build to matches at Stomping Grounds and had a 50% increase in matches compared to last week. However, 6 matches in 3 hours of programming leaves fans feeling short changed, especially as 2 of these matches came in at under 3 minutes. Although they served a purpose, it didn't feel like compelling viewing. The IIconics (and the women's tag team division) come across as uninteresting and neglected.

I will, however, give praise to the United States Championship scene, which feels invigorated with so many stellar names wanting to dethrone Samoa Joe. This has given the ongoing storylines (like Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman, and Cesaro and Ricochet) a natural progression. Sometimes, it is so satisfying to weave multiple storylines into one match, especially when it results in a match that was fairly entertaining. Overall, I cannot fault the wrestling, but the Raw Tag Team Championship match was a notch above everything else on offer.

SmackDown = 7 matches in 2 hours sounds better on paper, but once you realise that one of these matches went 10 seconds whilst the remaining matches felt uninspired means WWE has failed on either show to provide a high quality show filled with intriguing matches. The Miz continues to look stupid and Dolph Ziggler has all the credibility of a jobber.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = We had a Paul Heyman promo, so need I say more? Yes, we have heard variations of the same Paul Heyman promo over the past few years to help bridge the gap between Brock Lesnar appearances, but this promo felt genuine and interesting. As a result, it came across really well and had me yearning for Lesnar to return to deliver on Heyman's guarantee. But Shane McMahon...can you please just stop wrestling immediately? Everything he touches at the moment is pure garbage, with his promo leaving me on the verge of falling asleep as it was that bad. Drew McIntyre and The Revival are in danger of becoming a joke with their association to Shane which is a concern.

Firefly Fun House continues to be the best part of WWE programming, with this week's episode leaving me both laughing and cringing for all the right reasons. Sometimes being a wrestling fan is all about having fun.

SmackDown = The New Day Promo segment felt very lacking and didn't seem to truly reflect the importance of Big E returning. I did, however, enjoy the brief segments with Daniel Bryan and Alexa Bliss, who continue to be a delight when on the screen in any capacity.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = Seth Rollins and Baron Corbin continue to bore me, and this is because there is no heat whatsoever in their feud, whilst Corbin continues to be the world's biggest charisma vacuum. At least the Lacey Evans and Becky Lynch feud feels more interesting as it incorporates both Women's Championship feuds and is a great way to keep them fresh and interesting. Nothing else is succeeding storyline wise for me at the moment on Raw, which can be attributed to the post-WrestleMania lull.

SmackDown = I find the Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler feud more interesting than the Rollins and Corbin feud, however, both feel like they could be booked better. There is a distinct fire missing from their interactions and it showed in the six-man tag team match. I did, however, enjoy Bayley regaining momentum by defeating Bliss' sidekick Nikki Cross, but the chore that is watching Shane McMahon reared it's ugly head and made for more irritating viewing.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = Raw continues to be a slog to get through, and one of the main issues I have is that every week starts with the same tired interactions and promos rather than treating fans to actual wrestling matches. Everything feels forced and the lack of spontaneity is simply hindering the show.

SmackDown = SmackDown continues to feel easier to watch, in part thanks to the 2-hour run time. However, starting with a promo means SmackDown still feels like Raw-lite rather than forging its own identity. It is easier to watch than Raw but only just.

WINNER: SmackDown

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for reviving the tag team division, with The Revival's championship victory hopefully signalling the start of an epic series of matches with The Usos.

Raw loses points for the first genuinely unfunny 24/7 Championship skit. R-Truth and Carmella are comedy gold in their current roles, but being stuck in an elevator with uninterested talent really stifled their creativity this week. Raw also loses points for not having Beatbox Lesnar appear.

SmackDown gains points for not pandering to the comedy scene that is currently the 24/7 Championship.

SmackDown loses points for delivering the same Aleister Black promo and actually making him seem boring. Get this man a match and have him tear it up like he did in NXT.

POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+1 / -2) / SmackDown (+1 / -1)


Raw wins 2 points to SmackDown's 1.

Raw wasn't incredible this week, but it had more interesting segments overall than SmackDown. Raw needs to remove Corbin from the main event scene as soon as possible and SmackDown needs to restore their reputation as the better wrestling show. Here's hoping that we have better shows next week to build to Stomping Grounds on June 23, 2019.