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 - June 6, 2022 - Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin
WWE Friday Night SmackDown - June 10, 2022 - Raising Cane’s River Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:
RAW vs. SMACKDOWN
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
Raw = Although Becky Lynch vs Dana Brooke was trying to acheive something different, it was an extremely poor showcase of Raw's women's division.
SmackDown = Riddle vs Sami Zayn was a sublime television encounter, whilst Ricochet losing his WWE Intercontinental Championship to GUNTHER was fantastic! Whilst not every match was as dynamic, the quality of these two contests was enough.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
Raw = As much as the decision to replace Edge with Finn Balor in Judgment Day makes absolutely no sense at all, the promo segment was fantastic viewing. Balor looks as deadly a threat now as he did in NJPW as Prince Devitt.
SmackDown = Ronda Rousey + microphone = awful and terrible promo.
WINNER: Raw
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
Raw = Admittedly, Edge's ousting at Judgment Day was cool, but it also made no sense at all. It was such a spurious decision that I still cannot fully comprehend just why they did it.
SmackDown = Riddle's continued emergence as a top star against The Bloodline continued, creating a strong sense of acheivement on the blue brand.
WINNER: SmackDown
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
Raw = Whilst not outright bad, Raw's pacing was lacking in real excitement.
SmackDown = This week marked a much more coherent show, with a better sense of pacing.
WINNER: SmackDown
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
Raw gains points for the beating Edge took - it was delectably delightful to watch.
Raw also gains points for Seth Rollins being presented as an utter bastard by taking out an injured Cody Rhodes.
Raw loses points for the chaotic mess that was Becky Lynch vs Dana Brooke.
SmackDown gains points for presenting Riddle as a genuine threat to Roman Reigns, with the superb way he has been presented genuinely elevating him to the main event scene.
SmackDown also gains points for crowning GUNTHER as WWE Intercontinental Champion. Maybe this time, he can restore some prestige to the once fancied and adored title.
SmackDown loses points for Ronda Rousey vs Shotzi coming across as a car crash!
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. The blue brand was helped by the strength of it's bigger matches, creating an exciting and ultimately enjoyable show.
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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