5 Reasons why Smackdown is better than Raw in the new Brand Extension
Now that the brand extension has been in effect for a little bit, it is clear that Smackdown is gaining the upper hand.
The blue brand has had a strong first PPV, and the storylines presented gives a refreshing aura about the show. Smackdown is more pro wrestling oriented and it was like that even in the original brand extension. The roster has certainly been reaping the benefits from it.
Along with the positive attributes, several careers seem to have resurrected.
Also read: Vince McMahon reveals the success of Smackdown Live since the brand split
Heath Slater, The Miz and Bray Wyatt are some of the revitalised talents that come to mind. Others such as James Ellsworth and Alexa Bliss are benefitting from quality TV time thanks to their involvement with their respective Championship storylines. All seems right on the blue brand, with good reason.
I find the show much more enjoyable versus Raw. Two hours of my time is well spent and I find myself more entertained throughout.
Perhaps it is because there isn’t as much to follow on Smackdown as there is on Raw. I seem to get lost on Raw all the time; I feel like there is so much going on that it’s hard to keep up with it. Whatever it is, it is a good thing that the two shows are different in their own right.
What are some of the reasons why Smackdown is better than Raw in the new brand extension? I came up with five reasons as to why it is overall better than the flagship show.
#1 Working with what they have
Raw got the most of the talent pool while Smackdown didn’t get near as many for their roster. However, with the show only being two hours it was certainly for the best. Even though the lack of depth is one of the negatives for Smackdown, the positive thing here is that they work with what they have.
For example, having Ellsworth involved with Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles was a good idea to extend their feud past No Mercy.
Also read: 5 things RAW does better than Smackdown Live
Another example is with Alexa Bliss and Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Even though Lynch had a small injury last month, Tuesday night’s controversial finish in Glasgow adds drama and excitement to the Women’s Championship.
The secondary feuds are benefitting as well. One of my favourite feuds right now is Nikki Bella and Carmella. I couldn’t even put Nikki Bella and favourite in the same sentence a year ago. Not having her in the title picture helps her overall and it also helps establish Carmella as a legit threat to the Women’s Division.