RAW vs. SmackDown Live: Which show was better this week?
WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown Live are WWE's flagship shows and have been running on TV since 1993 and 1999 respectively. Traditionally, RAW has been WWE's favorite show. While SmackDown Live provides a "sports-oriented" show, RAW focuses on "storytelling".
Since the second brand split in 2016, both RAW and SmackDown Live are in head to head competition to provide better quality content for their audience. In the first year since the brand split (July 2016 to April 2017), SmackDown Live was the better show whereas RAW came back on top during the next cycle. After WrestleMania 34, Smackdown Live got some big stars like Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, and The Miz, and the competition is now even.
However, the weekly entertainment value of RAW and SmackDown Live varies every week. In this series, we would analyze both RAW and Smackdown Live every week and would proceed to conclude which show was better that week. Points would be awarded to each show on the parameters of match quality, promo quality, storyline progression, and non-repeatability. The brand with the better score will win the war.
So without further adieu, let's analyze this week's WWE TV and arrive at a conclusion.
Match quality
Being a 3 hours show, RAW has the luxury of having many matches whereas SmackDown Live has to be stingy in that parameter. RAW had a mammoth total of seven matches this week whereas its counterpart had just three matches. However, among those seven matches, only the Intercontinental Championship match between Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler was good.
On the other hand, SmackDown Live had just three matches - including the Women's battle royale to determine the third participant in the TLC match for the SmackDown Live Women's championship. However, that match was so good that people in the arena chanted "Thank you SmackDown". The rest of the clashes were not bad, but the main event was so overwhelming that SmackDown wins this clash.
SmackDown Live - 1
RAW - 0