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 11, 2021 - Chase Center in San Francisco, California
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - October 15, 2021 – Toyota Arena in Ontario, California
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Xavier Woods advanced to the next round of King of the Ring, creating an instant classic with Ricochet. The match was exciting and filled with drama, which is the opposite of Kofi Kingston vs Jinder Mahal, which was insultingly bad. The Queen's Crown matches were awful, but this is symptomatic of a tournament with no confidence behind it.
SmackDown = Finn Balor vs Sami Zayn was easily the match of the week. Balor deservedly won, but both men excelled with the time they were aforded. The SmackDown Tag Team Championship Street Fight was excellent, as The Usos underpinned their dominance over the division.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Raw didn't feature any standout promos this week, which was in stark contrast to SmackDown.
SmackDown = SmackDown was on point with it's promos this week, with Edge and Seth Rollins both engaging in monlogues that were gripping and pulsating.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Big E vs Drew McIntyre was advanced this week, but it never really felt engaging. In general, most feuds on Raw feel stuck in a holding pattern, which is not positive at all.
SmackDown = Brock Lesnar once again sowed a seed of doubt in Roman Reigns' confidence in Paul Heyman, which leaves their Crown Jewel match as intriguing as ever.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was decently paced, but some of the scheduling had a negative impact on the overall quality of the show.
SmackDown = SmackDown was perfectly paced, never once feeling bloated despite the added 30 minutes.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for keeping Shayna Baszler strong.
Raw also gains points for giving Xavier Woods the platform he needs to succeed.
Raw loses points for the Queen's Crown matches being absolute shitshows.
SmackDown gains points for creating more tension between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar without resorting to fisticuffs.
SmackDown also gains points for taking a chance on Zelina Vega as a Queen's Crown finalist.
SmackDown loses points for the god awful presentation of Zelina Vega vs Carmella.
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 by featuring a much more cohesive show overall.
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: