WWE Raw vs. SmackDown: Analyzing Which Show Won the Week of September 19

With Sunday's Clash of Champions just six days away, the pressure was on for a Raw brand tasked with presenting an episode that enticed fans to subscribe to the WWE Network in time for the extravaganza.

SmackDown, on the other hand, presented a show that was stress-free and set up the biggest matches for the October 9 No Mercy pay-per-view.

Raw featured a Steel Cage match between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens, a rematch from last week's outstanding main event. Not to be outdone, SmackDown countered with a marquee match pitting John Cena against Dean Ambrose.

Seth Rollins battled Rusev Monday night, punishment for both men's involvement in the Reigns-Owens war from the week before. Over on the blue brand, Dolph Ziggler and The Miz looked to settle their differences in an Intercontinental Championship match.

Each show had different objectives, and both achieved them.

Which one did so the most effectively and earned the win in this week's showdown between the two prized WWE brands?

Match Quality

The Reigns-Owens Steel Cage match that headlined Monday night was another in a string of excellent bouts featuring those two Superstars. It came on the heels of a Rollins-Rusev match that allowed The Architect to showcase the type of worker he will be as a babyface.

More importantly, that war with The Bulgarian Brute earned Rollins the babyface reaction he needed heading into Sunday's match.

Factor in another strong effort from Cesaro and Sheamus and an explosive first showing from the cruiserweights, and you have a Raw that was as good from an in-ring perspective as any show the company has produced in weeks.

SmackDown continues to come in second to its predecessor, its two-hour run time not as conducive to lengthier matches. Its bouts do not have the opportunity to build and develop into the pay-per-view-quality matches that Raw's do.

As a result, matches like American Alpha vs. The Usos, Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz and John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose are wildly entertaining but are more concerned with storytelling and angles than complete contests.

Raw wins this one, though not without a stiff challenge from Ziggler, Miz, Cena and Ambrose.

Winner: Raw

Creative Direction

One thing Raw did outstandingly on Monday night was lay the foundation for dissension within the happy marriage between Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

Seth Rollins' stirring the pot, getting back at the authority figures who manipulated him for the better part of two years, was a fantastic little touch to the ongoing rivalry between The Architect and Triple H's new pet project, Kevin Owens.

More importantly, it set the stage for a long-running program that can serve as the centerpiece of the show.

Over on SmackDown, the writing staff set up American Alpha for the long haul.

It was preferable to having the duo defeat The Usos and head to No Mercy for the tag titles, a hotshot bit of booking that would have killed any attempt the company could make to really get the act over.

By having them lose in the manner they did, with Jason Jordan sacrificing himself to save the health of partner Chad Gable, WWE will generate more sympathy from fans. Watching the team miss out on tag title opportunities after coming so close will build anticipation for an eventual win and make the moment more special than it otherwise would have been.

Because of the Clash of Champions pay-per-view, Raw was able to focus more than it typically does, and the result was a rare victory in this category.

Winner: Raw

Booking Decisions

Raw's decision to have Roman Reigns defeat Kevin Owens in the main event was questionable, even if it was done in a way to retain both men's heat.

Owens, the new WWE universal champion and the heel the main event is built around, should be winning those matches to strengthen his claim on the top spot on the show.

Conversely, the brand's decision to put Brian Kendrick over in the cruiserweight Fatal 4-Way was the right one. A Superstar with built-in credibility among longtime WWE fans, he is a recognizable name who will create interest in Sunday's championship match against T.J. Perkins.

WWE Creative put The Usos over American Alpha, setting the heels up to battle Heath Slater and Rhyno for the tag team titles in a rematch of Backlash. While that may not seem like the most explosive match on paper, it plays off the controversial conclusion of their previous bout, where Rhyno delivered a Gore and allowed Slater to secure the victory.

Putting Dean Ambrose over John Cena clean was a bold move that allowed Ambrose to regain momentum and set him up for his championship rematch against AJ Styles next week. As the face of the brand, the win will help him rebuild momentum for his character after his title reign essentially stripped him of every interesting attribute he once had.

Raw wins this week, but only because of the way it managed to put its talent in the right position to succeed heading into Sunday's show. From booking Rollins as the featured babyface to protecting Rusev, Owens and Reigns ahead of the event, the red brand's creative team just did more to make its show feel important than SmackDown's did.

Winner: Raw

Winner

Raw swept SmackDown this week, but it was not because the blue brand presented anything even remotely close to a bad show. It was simply the strength of Raw that overwhelmed what SmackDown was able to accomplish that earns it the victory.

From the opening contract signing to the main event of Cena vs. Ambrose, SmackDown was a great show that continued the brand's hot streak. But on this week, it was Raw that left the greatest impact. Considering the first red-brand-exclusive extravaganza is coming up Sunday, it bodes well for the show.

Whether Raw can build on the show and even up the scorecard next week is the question.

Winner: Raw

Scorecard

SmackDown: 4, Raw: 3