WWE Raw vs. SmackDown: Winner, Top Highlights and Botches for Week of January 4

The march to the Royal Rumble continued for both the Raw and SmackDown brands as the new year dawned, but only one could emerge the clear winner in the weekly battle for brand supremacy in the first few days of 2018.

The red brand delivered an action-packed show featuring championship defenses, first-time meetings and the reunion of three good brothers.

The blue brand countered with the latest drama involving its commissioner and general manager, a United States Championship Tournament match for a hidden gem of a competitor and red-hot tag team action.

Which show did enough to turn momentum in its favor, though, and score a pivotal victory as we head into the first event on the Road to WrestleMania 34?

Find out now with this recap of the week that was in WWE television.

Why Raw?: The Balor Club Reunites

Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson had much-needed life breathed into their on-screen personas Monday night as the trio of Bullet Club alumni reunited for a 6-Man Tag Team match against The Miztourage and Elias.

Though Balor probably sold more than he should have for the likes of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel, the energy the three Superstars brought to their performance and the excitement it generated among fans is indicative that the booking decision is one people want to get behind.

This appears to be a long-term move aimed at giving all three Superstars something to do at a time when the Bullet Club and parent company New Japan Pro-Wrestling is hot. It will also benefit the performers involved, convince fans to invest in them beyond name recognition and provide better and stronger presences on the show.

The reunited trio is one brimming with potential on WWE's flagship show.

Why SmackDown?: Tag Team Controversy

The tag team division on SmackDown Live continued to heat up this week, thanks to a bit of controversy and another strong in-ring product.

The Usos successfully defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable, though not without a referee reversing his decision and creating real debate about who the true champions are.

Gable and Benjamin surprisingly bowled over Jimmy and Jey Uso to win the titles but were stripped of the gold, and the match restarted, when it was discovered the Uso pinned was not the legal one. A technicality robbed the former amateur wrestling stars of victory and set the division on a path toward what is likely to be a series of rematches between the teams.

Not that that is a bad thing by any means.

The in-ring chemistry is strong, and Gable and Benjamin are as likely to get over with audiences based on their abilities between the ropes as they are via any ridiculously cheesy promo WWE Creative writes for them.

The competition between the ropes will carry on the tradition set by The Usos and The New Day previously by providing the blue brand with some of the hottest tag team action in the industry.

Why Raw?: An Intercontinental Championship War

There will be those who debate the logic of Samoa Joe losing cleanly to Roman Reigns in the middle of a rivalry that felt like it still had many matches left in it, but one cannot dispute the fact the match between The Big Dog and The Destroyer was a stellar way to kick off the new year.

Reigns and Joe are intense performers whose ring wars are captivating. They turn it up a notch when working with each other, and the result is a believable war that thrives on drama and feeds on a hot crowd.

Reigns went over Monday night, pinning his rival clean in the center of the ring, but it feels as though the issues between them may not be finished.

Factor in the return of The Miz on the January 8 episode and the Intercontinental Championship picture is as hot, if not hotter, than the Universal Championship scene.

Why SmackDown?: A Layered Main Event

The intertwining stories and moving pieces in the SmackDown main event scene have created an interesting and compelling product, something the blue brand has not always been considered since the brand extension of 2016.

The mounting tension between Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's manipulation of the situation and WWE champion AJ Styles' growing frustration with everyone involved and their effect on his career have combined to make a multi-layered story that wrestling does not routinely churn out.

The result is a smart, well-written program that is making the Tuesday night staple must-see television.

Considering the creative void the brand fell into in the heat of the summer, it is a welcome addition.

Why Raw?: A Victorious Empress

The first main roster showdown between Asuka and Alexa Bliss took place Monday night on Raw. A non-title bout that effectively teased a bigger, more significant match between the two somewhere down the road, the contest was a quality one that showcased the chemistry the two have together.

Bliss was presented as a champion completely out of her comfort zone and clearly unprepared for the unstoppable force that is Asuka.

She was outmatched, overwhelmed and beaten decisively by the biggest threat to her title on Raw.

While many will point to the match as the first real chapter in Asuka's story, it feels more like a launching point for a desperate Bliss to dig deep into her bag of tricks and find new ways to combat her oppressive opposition.

Either way, the overall quality of the match and the character work within was more than enough to warrant it recognition as one of Raw's best moments.

Why SmackDown?

Xavier Woods has been one of the more underrated members of the WWE Universe over the last six months. He shined bright during New Day's rivalry with The Usos in the fall of 2017 and has stood out in recent matches with Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin and the duo of Rusev and Aiden English.

Tuesday night, he advanced to the semifinals of the United States Championship Tournament, defeating English in impressive fashion.

While it is unlikely Woods will make it to the finals or win the title outright, the fact he was chosen over Big E and Kofi Kingston to represent New Day in singles competition is proof of SmackDown's devotion to giving stars who earn the spotlight the opportunity to prove themselves in bigger and more significant roles.

Biggest Botch

SmackDown Live's inability to strike a happy medium between the numerous moving pieces in its women's division leads us to the biggest creative botch of the week.

Natalya, Carmella, Tamina and Lana have come together to form The Welcoming Committee but instead of being presented as legitimate threats to The Riott Squad, Charlotte, Naomi or Becky Lynch, they were beaten down by the former and tossed aside in favor of highlighting the latter three babyfaces during Tuesday night's broadcast.

The foursome should have been in the thick of the post-match brawl, proving they will not roll over and allow the other two factions to usurp them. Instead, they were nowhere to be found—mere afterthoughts as Lynch returned and took the fight to Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan.

Fans already perceive those four to be on the lower end of importance on SmackDown, save for Nattie. Booking them as such will only confirm those suspicions.

Winner

The SmackDown brand has steadily developed its top storyline and is finding a rhythm within its midcard. It has developed a compelling main event story and provided fans with unique characters that its opposition has not.

With that said, Raw produced a show this week that felt more urgent and significant.

From the return of Brock Lesnar to the Intercontinental Championship showdown between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe, not to mention the reunion of Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, the show produced matches and moments that have a lasting impression on viewers that SmackDown simply did not.

For that reason, the red brand gets the nod this week.