WWE Raw vs. SmackDown: Winner, Highlights and Botches for Week of December 26

The final week of 2016 brought with it two WWE brands headed in opposite directions as the new year approaches.

One features a main event scene with the same four Superstars who have dominated headlines for the last four months, creating a staleness to the product that does not appeal to an exhausted audience.

The other is riding a wave of momentum, delivering weekly programs that are compelling and interesting, despite the next pay-per-view being a month away.

With just days until the end of the year, which brand was able to craft a show that fueled it to victory in the weekly battle for brand supremacy?

Why Raw?

The red brand continued to deliver a quality in-ring product, if only because of the three-hour run time.

Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens worked a match that exceeded their disappointing Roadblock: End of the Line effort. On that same note, The New Day again clashed with Cesaro and Sheamus in a match that proved their undeniable in-ring chemistry and inability to have a bad match with each other.

Beyond that was the continuation of Neville's heel turn, as he pummeled Rich Swann to set up their match on 205 Live.

Nia Jax's demolition of Scarlett Bordeaux furthered her new feud with Sasha Banks, which could provide the women's division with much-needed freshness after a seemingly unending string of matches between The Boss and Charlotte Flair.

The greatest element Raw has going for it at this point is the growth and evolution of Braun Strowman.

The monstrous big man has torn through the roster in record time. This past Monday, he laid waste to Darren Young, Bo Dallas and The Shining Stars for no reason other than his demand for another shot at Sami Zayn. Speaking of The Underdog from the Underground, his sneak attack on Strowman was booked to perfection.

Their story is the most intriguing on the show.

Why SmackDown Live?

SmackDown Live delivered the best television show WWE produced all year on Dec. 27.

Dubbed the "Wild Card Finals," it featured three championship bouts, the intensification of the Dean Ambrose-The Miz program and the elevation of one of wrestling's most talented big men.

American Alpha shocked the wrestling world by unseating The Wyatt Family atop the tag team division. Its championship victory over Randy Orton and Luke Harper not only paid off its story, but it also wrote the latest chapter on the dissension that exists between The Viper and Bray Wyatt's most loyal henchman.

Becky Lynch was screwed out of the women's title during her bout with Alexa Bliss, as she was attacked by a mysterious masked woman whose costume looked eerily similar to the one worn by The Lass Kicker just one week earlier.

The mystery of which female competitor lies under the mask is one fans can sink their teeth into.

The main event of the show was a pay-per-view-quality bout that pitted WWE champion AJ Styles against Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin in a Triple Threat match. There was no denying the abilities of Styles or Ziggler, but Corbin was a revelation—a young star who proved himself capable of hanging with two of the best workers in the industry.

It was a quality match that not only provided fans with a main event worthy of the final show of 2016, but it also elevated one of the competitors at the same time, which is exactly what WWE needs to produce more regularly.

Corbin is better off now than he was entering the match, and that is a testament to both Styles and Ziggler, who went out of their ways to make sure he was spotlighted and put in a position to look like a beast ready to conquer the brand in 2017.

Biggest Brand Botch

This week's dubious distinction is bestowed upon the Raw brand, which featured a backstage vignette that flirted with bad taste.

Bayley caught up with Goldust and R-Truth backstage and presented the former with a teddy bear adorned in the black and yellow polka dots formerly worn by his father, the late "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. It was a touching gesture and one that moved the veteran competitor.

Unfortunately, instead of ending the segment there, WWE Creative booked an angle in which Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows mocked the proceedings and ripped the head off the bear.

Again, the company exploited a real death for a fake storyline.

Rhodes' son, Cody, was especially upset with the ordeal, taking to Twitter to express his displeasure.

In a day and age where WWE touts its family-friendly image, continually presenting angles such as this is disrespectful to the families of the deceased Superstars, hypocritical of Vince McMahon and the company and unnecessary, given the sheer talent of the men and women on the roster.

Winner

SmackDown Live runs away with the win this week.

Its Tuesday episode was the best broadcast produced by WWE this week. From beginning to end, it featured strong in-ring performances and angles, all of which meant something and will directly influence the creative direction the brand takes in the new year.

Raw was unable to do the same, presenting a show that felt more or less like a placeholder—another broadcast necessary to fill time before the brand amps up its build to the Royal Rumble, beginning with next week's return of Goldberg.

If things continue to follow this pattern, expect the blue brand to mount a considerable lead over Raw as WrestleMania approaches.

Scorecard

SmackDown: 11, Raw: 7