SmackDown Vs Raw: Which Brand Won The Superstar Shakeup?

Now that the Superstar Shake-up has come and gone, it's worth taking a look at which brand won the event. Raw got the quantity of the performers adding 19 new names while SmackDown Live perhaps added fewer names but have some exciting new additions. With the additions of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, the Riott Squad and Bobby Roode, did Raw end up on the plus-side of the equation? Or, did Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, The Miz, Asuka, Big Cass and The Bar tip the scales in the blue brand's favor?

Using different criteria to measure, we'll give our honest opinion on which show improve and by how much over the other one?

Here is, "SmackDown Vs Raw: Which Brand Won The Superstar Shakeup?"

Big Name Talent

In terms of titles, marquee reach and drawing power, both shows acquired some serious talent. But, in the end, the edge likely needs to go to SmackDown Live who added arguably the greatest Intercontinental Champion in The Miz, a hugely successful tag team in The Bar, an Empress of Tomorrow and the new United States Champion in Jeff Hardy.

Owens, Zayn, Roode, and Mahal were given serious consideration but of the 19 names moved, more than half of those that came to Raw was the talent who have a potentially strong future but have a ways to go before removing themselves from the status of enhancement talent. The fact that Bobby Roode was advertised as the red brand's "huge get" doesn't bode terribly well for Raw. The blue brand appears to have acquired talent who can make more of a dent on Tuesdays.

Winner: Fairly Even but the edge to SmackDown Live

Women's Division

Again, this one was a wash with Absolution going one way and The Riott Squad going another so it came down to Asuka vs Natalya. Natalya has the legacy but Asuka was undefeated up until WrestleMania 34 and the buzz is clearly on her side.

If Asuka continues to get her push, she alone changes the face of the SmackDown Live Women's Division and it's next to impossible to rule against the show that ended up with her.

Winner: SmackDown Live

Tag Team Division

How can one not look at SmackDown Live's roster now and think they aren't loaded with unbelievable tag competitors? The minute The Bar moved, the blue brand's roster of tag talent became second to none and any show that offers a combination of New Day, Good Brothers, Usos, Bludgeons, The Bar and the soon to be debuting Sanity is going to be the top show as far as tag team wrestling is concerned.

Raw received Breezango and the Ascension and while some will argue Kevin Owens and Zayn are a team, that's not likely going to stay the case for the long-term. This one wasn't terribly close and the winner here is the blue brand.

Winner: SmackDown Live

NXT Graduates and New Faces

If we take into consideration the week before and the post-WrestleMania shows, there is an argument to be made that Raw won here. With the additions of Bobby Lashley, No Way Jose, Ember Moon and Drew McIntyre, Raw did quite well over the course of two weeks. If we're looking at just the Shake-up, SmackDown added Andrade "Cien" Almas and announced that Sanity was coming.

This decision comes down to which Superstars you like better and who you think has the brightest future. No Way Jose will likely be an enhancement talent within months of this writing but Ember Moon has the potential to shake-up the Women's Division with McIntyre looking like he's the real deal.

Winner: Raw

Reclamation Projects

Raw clearly won here if you consider getting a ton of talent who is looking to revive their careers a win. The red brand got Dolph Ziggler, Breezango, the Ascension, Zack Ryder and Baron Corbin. SmackDown Live got R-Truth.

Winner: Raw

Overall, SmackDown Live appears to have gotten the bigger names, the better tag teams and won the debate as far as female competition goes. It's close when you consider NXT talent and Raw got more names needing a retooling.