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?


To nobody's surprise, Randy Orton turned on Bray Wyatt in the most dastardly way possible by burning down the Wyatt Family compound and desecrating the remains of Sister Abigail (I guess that we are not getting her as a character after all!)

It had to go down this way. A simple RKO out of nowhere really could not have sufficed to break the pair apart. It had to be far more impactful than that, and I do not think WWE could have came up with anything more appropriate.

The acting and intensity in this segment was spot on. Randy Orton—who is often accused of looking like he would rather be elsewhere—ramped up the cold-blooded snake vibe to full throttle as he revelled in explaining his evil plan. Meanwhile, Wyatt—a normally unflappable being—was reduced to tears as he watched. Sister Abigail was his version of the urn, his anchor, and his motivation.

While we have seen Bray get angry or frustrated, never have we seen Wyatt truly upset, and it brought a whole new dimension to his character that made me like him even more.

What is even more impressive is how well this story flies in 2017. Cults, dead sisters under the floorboards, and brainwashing were common occurrences in the previous two eras, but not your traditional modern day WWE stories. Yes, it requires maximum suspension of disbelief, but it still somehow came across as more realistic than much of what creative often make wrestlers say...



Sigh. I applaud WWE for being quick off the mark getting an Oscar mix up joke in so soon, but I think most would agree that they need not have bothered. For those that missed it, the gag was that The New Day were supposed to fight The Shining Stars on Monday Night Raw, but only to discover that there had been a mix up with the envelopes, and The Shining Stars had to face The Big Show instead.

That was it.

A plus point for being relevant, but minus ten points for a joke that went down as well as a fart in church. The crowd could not have reacted less if they tried. The only saving grace of the segment was Big E's quip that he didn't write it. Speaks volumes that he felt the need to dissociate himself with the very joke that he was telling.


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!