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 15, 2021 - Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - November 19, 2021 – XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Raw was a show full of consistently decent matches, allowing wrestlers to showcase their talents well. Quite simply, it was a night filled with entertaining matches that weren't a drag on the show overall.
SmackDown = Each match on the blue brand was better received this week, that is with the exception of the women's tag match. This left such a bad taste in my mouth that it almost invalidated the athletic contests on display for the rest of the show.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Becky Lynch's response to Charlotte Flair was perfect, allowing her to regain some fire before their match at Survivor Series.
SmackDown = The Usos, Roman Reigns, and Xavier Woods delivered a strong promo segment to start the show, creating another compelling layer of storyline narrative in their feud.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Big E vs Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins was developed further, allowing Big E the opportunity to truly step up as WWE Champion.
SmackDown = The Bloodline vs The New Day was the prominent storyline, as always, but Sonya Deville's shitty heel character continues to ruin the show.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was a consistently paced show, coming across as a genuinely entertaining night of wrestling.
SmackDown = SmackDown had better pacing this week, serving as a solid go home show for Survivor Series.
WINNER: Raw
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for having Kevin Owens regain his fire as a heel.
Raw also gains points for pushing Liv Morgan hard.
Raw loses points for Veer. I just don't care!
SmackDown gains points for ending the show on a compelling note for Survivor Series.
SmackDown also gains points for creating an intriguing dynamic between Sheamus and Ridge Holland.
SmackDown loses points for continuing to focus on Sonya Deville's shitty heel character.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = Raw
With a score of 5 to 1, Raw wins this week's Battle of the Brands. As a much more consistent show, Raw came across as the better viewing experience 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!
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