Both WWE Raw and SmackDown boast some of the best professional wrestlers in the world today. On WWE Raw’s side, we have stars like CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Bron Breakker, Seth Rollins, Liv Morgan, Penta and more. SmackDown has Gunther (who recently joined the brand from Raw), Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Trick Williams, Rhea Ripley and others.
Despite that, there are some major differences in terms of storylines and star power between these two brands.
WWE Raw Feels More Consistent Than SmackDown
Take WrestleMania 42 for example. SmackDown’s biggest storyline was the feud between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. This is a rivalry with 20 years of history behind it, but what did fans get? They got appearances from Jelly Roll and Pat McAfee for some reason. Needless to say, Night 1’s main event was a pure disaster compared to Night 2, where CM Punk and Roman Reigns battled for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Oba Femi has been booked perfectly as well since his arrival on the main roster. Sol Ruca recently joined the red brand as well, and she’s doing great against Becky Lynch. On SmackDown, we got Fatal Influence, Trick Williams, and others who’ve been well received by the fans.
But Williams hasn’t really done much since winning the United States Championship. Despite being a champion, the wrestler declared himself for the King of the Ring tournament, showing that the US Title isn’t his main priority, but that a World Title is. In hindsight, this makes sense. The WWE Championship is the biggest prize in pro wrestling, but as a champion, you’ve got to put effort into making it feel prestigious. When Carmelo Hayes was the champion, he was handing out open challenges every week, and that’s what made his reign so special. It’s looking like Hayes is back in the United States Championship picture after his win over Saints on the most recent SmackDown, however.
WWE Raw’s side has Penta as the Intercontinental Champion, and he’s had numerous great matches against the likes of Je’Von Evans, Ethan Page, El Hijo del Vikingo, Kofi Kingston, and more in recent times. It’s something that the SmackDown brand is missing right now.
The tag team division is also better on Monday Night Raw. They’ve got The Street Profits, Judgment Day, The Vision (although half of the group is currently injured), The Usos, and more. SmackDown’s side has Wepa Up, The Miz and Kit Wilson, MFTs, and more. But R-Truth isn’t medically cleared, and Damian Priest is feuding with Royce Keys.
And it’s not even about the roster. Both brands have a ton of star potential, but every week, it seems that things are just paced better on WWE Raw. Friday nights being 3 hours long doesn’t help either, although SmackDown is returning to 2 hours in a few weeks.
It’s almost as if SmackDown is relying more on just a few stars to carry the show every week, when they should be working on building a sustainable creative ecosystem that makes the entire 3-hour block feel essential, rather than just a holding pattern for the final segment. On the other hand, Raw is future-proofing the brand with the likes of Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, Sol Ruca, Joe Hendry, and more. They still save the big stuff for their main stars, but the entire show just feels more streamlined.
WWE Raw airs every Monday on Netflix in the United States. These are the dates for the next couple of episodes of it:
- June 1 – Inalpi Arena, Turin, Italy
- June 8 – Accor Arena, Paris
- June 15 – CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore
- June 22 – The O2, London
- June 29 – Jim Whelan’s Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
- July 6 – Allstate Arena, Chicago
For all your orthopedic needs, you can visit Dr. Watson orthopedic specialist in Orland Park.
For more on WWE Raw and pro wrestling (WWE, AEW, etc.), you can check out this page. If you’re new to watching wrestling, check out our WWE streaming guide, which is updated for 2026.
Main image credit: WWE
Wrestling news reporter.