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?


There was much concern when Shinsuke Nakamura debuted on SmackDown Live. Would WWE know how to utilize such a star? After all, English is not his first language, and we all know that the biggest WWE Superstars are those who can hold their own both in the ring and on the mic.

How long before Vince gives him Funaki's dubbed voice gimmick? Or paired him up with Jack Gallagher as some sort of humble man servant a la Tajiri and William Regal.

While it is early days, I feel that the fears are unfounded. As evidenced in his exchange with Dolph Ziggler, his reaction and movements more than adequately do the talking for him. His gurning facial expressions are top class, his seamless spins and graceful movements are entrancing, and that is all before he actually starts dishing out any form of punishment.

Dolph Ziggler saying that he is really Michael Jackson was a bit odd, but Shinsuke more than made up for the awkwardness of the comedy by selling his confusion in a way that even those in back row could not have failed to see. This man is hugely entertaining to watch, and has me invested before he has even had a main roster match. Yes, I already know what he is capable of, but you have to remember that there are plenty of WWE fans who do not subscribe to the network or watch NXT. First impressions count, and Nakamura is doing well with his.



You would be forgiven for not knowing that Payback is this Sunday, because Monday Night Raw was one of the most feeble go-home shows in a long time.

With their opponents on SmackDown, Bray Wyatt and Chris Jericho could do little to build much buzz for the House of Horrors and United States Championship match—not great when you consider that one is likely to be the main event.

Instead, Bray descended back into the realms of mad promos about nothing, and then turned up later in the night to join The Miz as his tag team partner against Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho—a move that confused many, and had no real relevance for his House of Horrors match.

In contrast, Sheamus and Cesaro have done a good job in building to their match against The Hardyz. Though, to be fair, it is easier to build interest in a feud when one can actually interact with one's opponent.

Hopefully, the weak build for Payback is merely down to it being the first post shake up event, and feuding with people not on your brand will not become the norm After all, remember how meaningless the brand split was after Raw started Supershows on a regular basis?


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!