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 excitement in the wrestling fandom this week when Seth Rollins busted out a former fan favorite finishing move during a match on Monday Night Raw.

We have not seen him using the Curb Stomp in nearly two years, and I can recall its removal from his repertoire being featured in my heat column at the time. It had been a popular move for the sheer blunt force and realism behind it. Critics of wrestling love to point out that in a real fight there is no point doing a flip before jumping on someone, but the Curb Stomp is a move grounded in reality. Your head forcefully bangs against the floor very quickly. The end.

While the change to using the Pedigree made perfect sense for his character and story within The Authority, the change over to the Rainmaker was never quite as impactful. Something about it did not resonate with the audience. The Curb Stomp and Pedigree give a few seconds for us to take it in and realize it was coming, but the Rainmaker never really gave that build-up of excitement. It felt far too much like a regular move and just not befitting for one as talented as Rollins.

Like an RKO, the decision to unban seemingly came out of nowhere, but I am very glad it has.

Finn Balor, however, may beg to disagree.



Very sad news this past week with the rumbling rumors that Paige may be forced to retire from her in-ring career following an injury received at a December 27th house show.

Accidents happen, but what a sorry ending this would be given Paige's only very recent return to the ring following extensive injury and personal problems.

I cringed and feared the worst when she took up with Alberto Del Rio, and was so sure that Paige's situation was a car crash waiting to happen, and sure enough, wellness policy violations and a leaked porno incident followed.

Yet, WWE did not give up on her, and she paid back their faith, by quitting the relationship and getting herself back to good place physically and mentally.

Of course, this is all still speculation at this stage, and neither WWE nor Paige have made a formal official statement, but Paige's recent tweet of a black and white photograph of her standing on the turnbuckle thanking the fans seems somewhat of a coincidental happening.

Thankfully, there are further rumors that WWE has already offered her a non-confrontational role within the company, but what this this might be remains to be seen.

If she has the aptitude, an assistant coach at NXT may be a possible option. While she is just 25, Paige has been wrestling for ten years all around the world, and could have a lot to offer for young hopefuls coming up.

So, if this is it for her as a performer, which I highly suspect it is, then all I can say is thank you, Paige. Thank you. While never quite acknowledged like the others, it was your work with AJ Lee which I will always credit as a major early turning point that helped usher in the women's revolution.


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!