Monday Night Raw Recap: SmackDown Live roster invades and attacks Raw's superstars

Professional wrestling is about the moments. Whether it's a spectacular high-flying move, a line or a moment from a promo or a backstage segment that's only tangentially (or completely not) related to wrestling, these snapshots in our minds are what we as fans hold onto as the reason we keep investing so many hours into this thing we hold dear.

WWE has every reason to provide these moments at regular intervals to drive the passion of their fan base, and they certainly delivered on that promise at the end of Monday Night Raw.

Shane McMahon, who had appeared randomly backstage earlier in the night, came through the crowd in Green Bay during the final segment with a legion of SmackDown superstars -- each clad in blue. On his signal, he sent them backstage for a sneak-attack on as many members of the Raw roster as possible.

With Survivor Series just a few weeks away -- and that entire night based around Raw versus SmackDown matches that were revealed earlier in the night -- there's certainly some level of motivation to grab the upper hand on their soon-to-be opponents. But it's hard not to get too bogged down in why a guy like Baron Corbin would work alongside a rival like Tye Dillinger to beat up the same guy from Raw, or why "good guys (and girls)" like The New Day or Becky Lynch would revel in a sneak-attack and blindsiding their competition in such an underhanded fashion.

It mostly boils down to whether or not you buy into the brand rivalry, something that's come up every year there have been cross-branded matches at Survivor Series, or in the two years they put on the now-defunct Bragging Rights event.

What do the superstars of SmackDown really have to gain from gaining an edge on Raw? More money? That's a bit of cynical reason, but OK. Maybe Shane McMahon is upset he was put in charge of the brand that's viewed as "lesser than" and carries a chip on his shoulder, which trickles down to those under his employ. Or maybe, beneath the surface, he's on a mission to avenge a long-ago moment when Angle threw him through a pane of glass, and Shane will go to any lengths and costs to gain his revenge.

Something real and tangible on the line would go a long way towards making this sudden cohesion as a team beyond "bragging rights" make sense. Maybe all the winners earn title shots, and that's why they want the edge. Put Royal Rumble spots on the line, and make it survival of the fittest.