Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Cheap Pop and Cheap Heat from Smark Out Moment! Each week, we break down the world of professional wrestling and examine two of the polar opposite ends of the spectrum: one thing that was by far the worst thing (Cheap Heat) and the best thing (Cheap Pop) to happen over the past 7 days in sports entertainment. So, what went down this week that we loved and hated about the business?


Shane McMahon's almighty leap from the turnbuckle to table got many tongues wagging this week. While many were quick to point out that his elbow barely grazed The Undertaker, I feel that this is missing the point (a little like Shane's elbow…)

What does matter is the promise it shows for their upcoming WrestleMania match. If Shane is willing to attempt this on Raw, just think what he could potentially do at WrestleMania. The former European Champion is no stranger to death-defying leaps, and it looks like he is prepared to maintain this legacy.

While I am still a little fuzzy on the story build-up to this match (The Undertaker is the heel, right?) I am nonetheless still looking forward to it on a spectacle basis.



This past week saw WWE attract a fair degree of criticism over its choice of cancer survivor Joan Lunden for the 2016 Warrior Award.

The award—designed to honor The Ultimate Warrior's legacy—was first awarded posthumously to Connor Michalek—the eight-year old boy who captured the hearts of the WWE Universe and Superstars alike.

Although Warrior had wanted the award to recognize the tremendous works of backstage staff, nobody disputed Connor getting the first one. However, the choice of Joan Lunden has not gone down the same way.

Many feel that it is an insult to Warrior's wishes for the unsung heroes to get their recognition, for by Lunden's own definition she is "one of America's most recognized and trusted television personalities." That's not exactly an unknown unsung hero. Therefore, does the choosing go against the ethos of what Warrior wanted?

A check on social media reveals that Dana Warrior is as behind the winner as WWE, but it is not hard to see how the choice has gone down the wrong way with fans.

In addition to going with someone who has a massive media following, some dismiss it as a PR stunt on WWE's part due to their connection to the Susan G. Komen charity.

WWE might have thought choosing Joan Lunden would be big PR — and they would be right —  but just not the type they were looking for.


So there you have it, my two choices for the week. What do YOU think are the Cheap Pop and Cheap Heat this week in professional wrestling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!