WWE Raw vs. SmackDown: Winner, Top Highlights and Botches for Week of January 9

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels returned to WWE Raw this week, setting in motion some of the creative plans the red brand has for Royal Rumble and, further down the line, WrestleMania, but were the grizzled veterans of a bygone era able to boost the flagship show and earn it a victory over SmackDown Live in this week's battle for brand supremacy?

John Cena's return to the squared circle and showdown with Baron Corbin capped off another superb episode of SmackDown that hyped Royal Rumble and promoted matches and segments for next week's show that will ensure fans tune into USA Network next Tuesday.

Would the consistency of the blue brand's creative team and the passion of its stars be enough to overcome the heavy hitters pulled out of mothballs by Raw?

If so, why? If not, how come?

With such a monumental event as Royal Rumble on the horizon, which brand was able to produce the type of show that generates buzz and anticipation in this week's brand battle?

Take a look for yourself.

Why Raw?

The Raw brand continued to make improvements to its weekly broadcast this week, delivering a more focused show that avoided filler and promoted some of the top rivalries as Royal Rumble approaches.

There were two significant stories to come out of this week's show, the first being the return of The Undertaker. The Deadman was seething as he entered the Royal Rumble match, warning Stephanie McMahon that no man or woman tells him what to do.

Of greatest interest was the bit of foreshadowing WWE Creative laid on us by cutting to Braun Strowman watching in the backstage area. That match, a dreadful proposition just five months ago, is an intriguing one following the stellar manner in which Strowman has been booked in that span.

The other major story Monday night was the United States Championship victory by Chris Jericho, who teamed with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns in a handicap match. The win represents a reward from management for Jericho's outstanding year—one in which he once again proved himself to be one of the most adaptable and constantly evolving performers on the roster.

A strong match between Strowman and Seth Rollins helped strengthen the in-ring portion of the broadcast, while storyline developments involving Bayley and Charlotte Flair, as well as tag team champions Cesaro and Sheamus and The Club, helped strengthen Raw's case for victory this week—even if Shawn Michaels' return to the flagship was a major disappointment.

Why SmackDown?

The elevation of Baron Corbin. The intensification of the rivalry over the Intercontinental Championship between Dean Ambrose and The Miz. The dissension within The Wyatt Family. Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss headed for a showdown inside a steel cage.

These are just a few of the ongoing stories that have helped make SmackDown Live the best television show produced by Vince McMahon's company on a weekly basis.

Whereas Raw is disjointed from week to week, with Superstars being booked questionably when they should be featured as prominently as possibly to get their stories over, SmackDown does not relent. From the first segment through the closing moments of the show, everything that happens matters.

This week, John Cena returned to the ring to face the red-hot Corbin in singles competition. The franchise star beat The Lone Wolf, reclaiming his spot as the undisputed top contender, and set up the Royal Rumble match with AJ Styles for the WWE Championship perfectly. 

Dolph Ziggler's descent into madness saw him brutalize Kalisto and Apollo Crews with a steel chair, introducing a side of himself that will play heavily into prominent storylines in the coming weeks.

Even the brawl between Natalya and Nikki Bella was executed well despite the latter's inability to consistently sell her injured knee.

There is never an instance on SmackDown where fans are left to twiddle their thumbs, unimpressed or disinterested by what is going on in front of them. That was the case Tuesday, as the show continued to promote compelling stories that viewers have genuine interest in seeing unfold in the coming weeks.

Biggest Botch

The biggest botch this week involved the use of Shawn Michaels in his first Raw appearance in quite some time.

Sure, The Heartbreak Kid is starring in a new movie from WWE Studios, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, and he would understandably want to promote it. Unfortunately, he did so as goofy Michaels and then proceeded to get involved in the floundering rivalry between Enzo Amore, Big Cass, Rusev and Jinder Mahal.

His Sweet Chin Music to The Bulgarian Brute may have provided rub to Rusev in the eyes of fans who argue that working with Michaels is a big boost, but in reality, it was another case of a part-time star coming in and popping the crowd at the expense of one of the best heels Raw has at its disposal.

At some point, the spears from Goldberg and Sweet Chin Music from Michaels will hurt the credibility of the wildly talented Rusev, and the result will be a WWE Universe that greets him with apathy rather than legitimate heat.

In a day and age where WWE is not exactly churning out new stars with any sort of consistency, booking Rusev the way it did and so shoddily using Michaels' star power to elevate a younger Superstar is inexcusable.

Winner

SmackDown is beginning to pull away in this war for weekly supremacy as it extends its lead on Raw.

The lead the blue brand has over its much more hyped Monday night opponent is almost insurmountable, especially given the creative inconsistency with which the flagship is faced.

SmackDown's condensed run time and smaller roster allow the show to focus on its elite crop of talent, concocting stories for the Superstars every week that help elevate them without relying on 50-50 booking to keep everyone over.

It is a common argument that is made all too often, but three hours of Raw is too much. Whether you are a fan of the product or not, WWE Creative has consistently shown an inability to produce a show that captures the attention of fans for that time span.

The result is an uneven, disjointed show that realistically has no shot at derailing SmackDown at this point.

The only way this score will tighten up is if SmackDown Live's creative team hurts itself.

Scorecard

SmackDown 13, Raw 7