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?


I was heartened to see The Big Show return to action on Monday Night Raw. Not a statement many would probably have expected to say in 2016, but this felt good for a lot of reasons. Firstly, he looked happy and healthy having lost over 100 lbs since we last saw him. In addition, this slim-lined Show moved far quicker than I have seen in years, and it made his match with Seth Rollins all the more entertaining to watch.

But match and looks aside, I was happy to see Big Show get respect from the audience following months of "please retire" chants, and the way that he was happy to give the win to Seth Rollins was a good move that fitted his new zen like agenda.

In a backstage interview after the match, Show explained that he was not out to prove anything. He did not care about winning the championship again, did not want to get in the way of the new guys, and that he was really just here as enjoyed wrestling. It was a candid, frank, and very likeable interview from the one-time son of Andre.

Big Show. Please don't retire. Not just yet anyway.



I was sad to see that the Cinderella story of Beauty and The Man Beast has come to a close. Heath Slater and Rhyno's crowning as the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team champions was a real feel good story, and really helped usher in the new era. In a world where the old guard can often face scorn for holding on too long, who have thought that Rhyno would be such a hit 15-years on from his initial WWE debut? Who would have also thought that Heath would finally elevate himself above permanent jobber status?

Though their implied break up was a compelling segment (Heath is a very natural actor) I wish they could have stuck together longer. I feel that there was more mileage to this team, and unless they have something planned for Health, I am not sure what purpose this serves. Rhyno will be fine, as he is at a stage of his career where he seems happy to help out where he can whilst pursuing political office aspirations (I'd vote!) but what will become of Heath?

I do still harbor some hope that a reconciliation of the fairy tale duo is not entirely out of the question, but failing this, I do hope WWE does not forget about him, and once again, force Beauty to sleep.


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!