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 22, 2021 - Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - November 26, 2021 – Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Raw's matches were, for the most part at least, entertaining and meaningful contests. This was epitomised by the WWE Championship match between Big E and Austin Theory, even though the result was never in doubt.
SmackDown = The blue brand lacked in meaningful matches this week, especially in comparison to the offerings from Raw. The Battle Royal, at least, was enjoyable.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan duelled over the microphone, solidifying their feud as something with real substance.
SmackDown = As ever, the quality of promo delivery from Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman was magical. I also enjoyed the small touch of Kayla Braxton gleefully announcing that Brock Lesnar is no longer suspended.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Austin Theory's unlikely ascent into the main event picture was the highlight of the show. Is it deserved? Perhaps not, but it was at least a fresh change.
SmackDown = The show was understandably dominated by Brock Lesnar's potential return, but it was also a strong move to feature Drew McIntyre as a prominent part of the show.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Raw was fairly well paced, but it felt lacking in some areas.
SmackDown = SmackDown was a very cohesive and well paced show this week.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for creating a new star in Austin Theory.
Raw also gains points for using their victory at Survivor Series as a springboard.
Raw loses points for featuring more of the stupid golden egg storyline.
SmackDown gains points for having Sami Zayn win the Battle Royal, which was a genuine surprise.
SmackDown also gains points for ending the show with Brock Lesnar's suspension being lifted.
SmackDown loses points for once again failing to disegard the shitty Sonya Deville storyline.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = SmackDown
With a score of 4 to 2, SmackDown wins this week's Battle of the Brands. Both shows were watchable, but SmackDown was a noted improvement 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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