WWE Raw vs. SmackDown: Winner, Top Highlights and Botches for Week of August 31

The battle for brand supremacy between Raw and SmackDown Live was a one-sided one this week, thanks to a greater sense of urgency by one brand, not to mention explosive segments and a quality main event.

The red brand featured Roman Reigns and John Cena hurling verbal pipe bombs at each other, a warning from Brock Lesnar to Braun Strowman and a championship main event.

SmackDown Live meekly countered with a contrived tag team main event, questionable booking and the disappointing return of the United States Championship Open Challenge.

Delve deeper into the week that was in WWE programming and find out exactly why Raw was able to overcome its Tuesday night opposition with this recap of the company's two flagship shows for the week of August 31. 

Why Raw?

The march toward No Mercy on September 24 continued this week as Raw presented a strong show that built anticipation and excitement for the most prominent rivalries it has to offer.

Roman Reigns and John Cena's Verbal War

The most buzzworthy topic coming out of Monday's broadcast was the contract signing between Roman Reigns and John Cena in which the top stars in all of WWE took to insulting each other like two fifth-graders on the playground.

The insults they threw at each other were reflective of the criticism internet fans have made toward them for quite some time, generating buzz around the social media portion of the audience.

While everything was absolutely scripted, according to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, it was believable enough for fans to sense real dissension and dislike between the franchise and The Big Dog.

A feud that did not necessarily need the scripted shoot comments thanks to the star power involved, it became even hotter and the match more anticipated as a result of the work by Reigns and Cena during their promo segment Monday night.

Brock Lesnar's Words of Warning

From one promo that may have included a bit too much talking to another that was short, sweet and to the point.

Brock Lesnar grabbed the microphone from advocate Paul Heyman in the middle of a rant directed at Braun Strowman on Monday night, looked into the camera and said three words that fans are more than familiar with: "...Suplex City, bitch."

Lesnar rarely talks. When he does, it is usually something profound and while there is nothing new about the warning he issued Strowman, the delivery and look on his face when he said it suggested The Monster Among Men is in for hellish pain and punishment come September 24 in Los Angeles.

The Beast Incarnate's brief promo lent gravity to the situation and added to the anticipation for the showdown.

Battle Royal

A Battle Royal is hardly the most exciting match in the WWE catalog, but Monday night's version featured some storytelling throughout that elevated it beyond the typical shlock.

Finn Balor was on his way to winning the match and earning a shot at The Miz's intercontinental title when Bray Wyatt emerged from wherever the hell it is Bray Wyatt hides out and cost him the opportunity, ensuring their rivalry continues.

Jason Jordan continued his losing ways and Jeff Hardy surprised the world, earning a championship opportunity on Labor Day.

The match did little to set up any long-term programs, but it did create a match that may carry genuine interest in Hardy vs. Miz for a show that may be one of the lower watched of the year, thanks to the holiday.

Alexa Bliss Wins Gold and Nia Jax's Shocking Betrayal

Alexa Bliss defeated Sasha Banks in Monday's main event. The match itself was strong and continued to exhibit the in-ring chemistry that exists between the two. Bliss won clean, ending Banks' most recent reign with the gold in just eight days.

More importantly, though, the post-match angle seemingly set up the upcoming rivalry between Little Miss Bliss and Nia Jax.

Despite a friendship stronger than most, a friendship on display across social media, Jax marched to the ring after Bliss' victory and proceeded to dump her on her back. She left her lying and raised the Raw Women's Championship high overhead, an announcement to the world that she is tired of waiting for her opportunity.

That rivalry not only freshens up the division but sets the stage for a more emotional rivalry than the one built on genuine dislike between Bliss and Banks.

Why SmackDown?

The August 29 episode of SmackDown Live stayed the course, presenting stories it had been building for weeks, continuing the rise of Bobby Roode and delivering a tag team main event featuring the WWE champion and his top two contenders.

The Singh Brothers

Sunil and Samir Singh degraded themselves in a display of sincere apology to WWE champion Jinder Mahal. While it was a small moment in a two-hour show, it was representative of the lengths to which they will go to support The Maharaja.

The brothers have been essential to Mahal's growth and success as a villain. They have repeatedly interfered on his behalf and endured some hellish bumps in the name of preserving his title reigns. To see them willing to kiss his feet in the name of apology was a further look into the motivations of the team.

Little things such as that will make the moment they stand up to Mahal, be it sooner or later, even more significant and memorable.

Bobby Roode Rolls

The Glorious One made his second appearance on SmackDown Live and defeated Mike Kanellis in singles competition.

While it is somewhat curious that WWE Creative would introduce him as a babyface given how successful he was in NXT as a villain, it has done a phenomenal job treating him as if he is a huge deal.

Rightfully so.

Roode carries himself like 1986-era Ric Flair. He looks like a star, acts like a star and believes himself to be a star. The fans react accordingly.

If WWE Creative did that with every one of its Superstars, the success rate for men and women coming out of NXT may be higher than it is currently.

Shelton Benjamin's Triumphant Return

Whether or not you like the idea of Chad Gable being shoved into a tag team after a few inspiring singles performers, his team with the returning Shelton Benjamin was off to a hot start Tuesday night.

They rolled over The Ascension, as most teams do at this point, but it was Benjamin's energy that elevated the match past the standard fare.

The former intercontinental and United States champion exploded into the match and took the fight to Konnor and Viktor. While he was a step slower than he had been in the past, he still showed off the athleticism that helped him rise to prominence over the course of his career.

It remains to be seen if Benjamin and Gable are a long-term team or if their duo is laying the foundation for a feud between the two, but the former showed off why he was once one of the most promising young stars on the roster.

Biggest Botch

The United States Championship Open Challenge has been responsible for some extraordinary in-ring content, specifically when Cena carried the title in 2015.

There are certain expectations when it comes to that gimmick that were not met Tuesday night when WWE Creative used it as the background of the latest developments in the AJ Styles-Baron Corbin feud.

The Lone Wolf attacked Tye Dillinger before a match with Styles. The Perfect 10, eager for his title opportunity, was beaten in short order and laid out at ringside for a second time by Corbin.

By the time Styles blasted Corbin with a forearm, any energy surrounding the concept had dissipated and fans were left underwhelmed by the return of the challenge.

That is a major disappointment.

SmackDown needed a strong segment, match or development to overcome Raw this week. The U.S. title match could have been it. Instead, it was used to further a program few are outwardly excited about.

A major misstep for the blue brand and a lackluster addition to the open challenge gimmick.

Winner

Monday's Raw obliterated SmackDown Live this week, thanks to the continued builds of Cena-Reigns and Lesnar-Strowman and the Women's Championship match between Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks.

The show was more focused than its opposition, understood the need to create buzz for a show it hopes will help sustain ratings at a time when the NFL season is preparing to kick off. The urgency with which it was approached helped its overall quality and led to a better, more exciting and entertaining broadcast.

SmackDown felt like it was in a holding pattern, waiting for the right time to start building toward Hell in a Cell on October 8.

A one-dimensional tag team main event and lack of energy doomed it to second place.

It will remain that way until they recognize the significance of creating excitement around the brand, something that has been missing from Tuesday nights in recent months.