4 reasons why WWE RAW currently exceeds Smackdown
WWE has six weekly shows and three major brands. The top three brands are RAW, SmackDown, and NXT. In addition to those three shows, Speed, Main Event, and Level Up also air each week.
Of the six shows and the three brands, RAW and SmackDown are by far the biggest. The Monday night show has been around for over 30 years now and is regarded as the flagship of World Wrestling Entertainment. Meanwhile, SmackDown has been around for 25 years and is the most viewed program each week.
While each show has a lot of value, many compare Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown to compare and contrast the quality of each program. While both offer a lot of good, the red brand has been outperforming SmackDown for quite some time now.
This article will take a look at a handful of reasons why Monday Night RAW is currently superior to Friday Night SmackDown. Naturally, this is opinion-based, but there are plenty of reasons why this is widely considered true by much of the fanbase.
Below are four reasons why WWE RAW currently exceeds Smackdown.
#4. WWE RAW has more time to better utilize the brand's roster
One of the biggest reasons why Monday Night RAW is better than WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes down to the length of each program. What was once seen as a detriment to RAW during the previous administration has shifted to becoming the show's greatest strength.
While Friday Night SmackDown is two hours long, Monday Night RAW has been three hours long for many years now. Many thought three hours was too long, but WWE under Triple H has managed to turn that narrative around and now many fans love a three-hour show with some of the best talent featured each week.
For example, with the exception of injuries or storyline-related delays, most talent on the RAW roster can be seen regularly. Someone like Pete Dunne can get a lot of time that maybe wouldn't be afforded to him over on SmackDown. Meanwhile, the likes of Tegan Nox and Shinsuke Nakamura aren't being used on the blue brand due to a lack of television time.
#3. The red brand has better matches
The aspect of time plays into the next reason why Monday Night RAW is often better than Friday Night SmackDown: match quality. While both brands have plenty of high-quality bouts, the blue brand's limited show length means many matches are cut short.
Sure, SmackDown has bangers like Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade and Michin vs. Nia Jax, but in general, they just don't have the quality of matches that you see on the red brand every week. Just take the latest edition of WWE RAW for example.
The show opened with an intense eight-person Street Fight pitting The Wyatt Sicks vs. American Made and fans were on their feet. The show later concluded with a fantastic Fatal Four-Way Match featuring Ilja Dragunov, Jey Uso, Braun Strowman, and Pete Dunne. SmackDown just can't compete.
#2. SmackDown may be too focused on The Bloodline
The Bloodline has been the biggest draw and most interesting part of WWE for years now. Members past and present include Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Jimmy Uso, Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, The Rock, and Jacob Fatu. Needless to say, the saga has featured some of the biggest names in pro wrestling.
While The Bloodline has undoubtedly been one of WWE's greatest storylines, it can also be slightly detrimental to SmackDown. The company dedicates so much attention and time to the stable that everything else can often fall by the wayside.
For example, when Roman Reigns shows up or The Rock returns, almost half of the show is eaten up by The Bloodline. When time is already an issue, that means a lot of talent get their time cut or are left off shows. This then hurts their storylines or character development and makes them less valuable when The Bloodline isn't around or isn't as heavily focused on.
#1. RAW has far more personal rivalries
The final reason why Monday Night RAW is better than WWE SmackDown in 2024 comes down to the most important part of wrestling - feuds. More specifically, the red brand has more personal rivalries than SmackDown.
SmackDown, of course, has some, but RAW has more and the ones that exist on the brand are more fleshed out. For example, the CM Punk-Drew McIntyre saga has been WWE's most violent rivalry of late. The storyline between The Judgment Day and The Terror Twins is also more personal than almost anything on SmackDown, thanks in large part to Rhea Ripley.
Even short-term feuds like that of The Wyatt Sicks vs. American Made and Bronson Reed vs. Braun Strowman feel more violent and heated. This makes RAW a superior show to the blue brand.