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 date, there has never been a Bobby Lashley match that I have looked forward to on a card. However, all that might be set to change thanks to his recent pairing with a plucky 23-year old from 205 Live. Debuting on the main roster last week, Lio put himself forward as a hype man for Lashley in a backstage skit that was well received by fans.

Previously defined by having sisters, Lashley appeared at ease with Rush, and this small moment helped to paint a clearer picture on just who was Bobby Lashley as a character.

Fast forward to this past week’s episode, and it is now official that Lio is his manager. On paper, the idea of a twenty-three old year managing a forty-year old sounds odd.

For male wrestlers, it is typically the elder veterans taking on such a role, but I can see absolutely no problem with it whatsoever here.

Lio has bags of charisma to spare, and I could see him rising to the prominence of a Jimmy Hart or Slick in this capacity. Though not extremely experienced or a big name, there is something about him that elevates Lashley, and makes him a far more entertaining performer.

I am looking forward to seeing where this one is going.



I was sad, but not entirely surprised, to learn that Matt Hardy has now officially retired from active competition. However, unlike his brother’s current rival, this did not come out of nowhere, and has been in the motion for a few months now.

Shortly after losing the tag titles to the B-Team, Matt began posting tweets of a slightly cryptic nature that indicated that he was done. However, slight confusion arose when he continued to work house shows with Bray Wyatt, but simultaneously said goodbyes on social media. Eventually, Matt broke character to explain that long-term injuries were causing his back and hips to fuse, and his time really was coming to an end.

However, despite the nagging injury, Matt did not want to leave on an abrupt note, and decided to carry on working out the remaining house shows that he had been booked and advertised for.

Thankfully, Matt will not have to fade away and classify himself as obsolete in the wrestling business entirely, as there are reports that he may be taking a backstage position within the company. While it is not yet confirmed that he will be doing, one would expect that it will involve working with the younger talent in a trainer or producer role.

Matt has a wealth of experience, and his career is very much a success story. While never eclipsing his brother’s popularity whilst in WWE, he still held a large bounty of single and tag titles in his time, and he may have single-handedly saved TNA thanks to the innovation of his Broken universe gimmick.

It is a shame that WWE never quite realized the potential of his broken/woken gimmick, but I am glad that he got to end his ring days back where he truly belonged. Plus, nobody can deny that he and his brother had an amazing WrestleMania moment when they returned in 2017 to a phenomenal pop and won the Raw tag titles.

I am sorry to see him go, but I look forward to seeing how his influence may affect stories, characters, and matches going forward

Thank you, Matt.

It has been…WONDERFUL!


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!