Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Dallas Allsopp, Callum Wiggins and Ben Williams will be giving their opinions on the first episode of SmackDown on Fox, in addition to previewing Sunday's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.

This week SmackDown will be debuting on Fox, with Kofi Kingston defending his WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar. This match may not have received a large amount of build, but it will be intriguing nonetheless. In addition to this, Hell in a Cell takes place on Sunday in what promises to be one of the best events of the year.


ALLSOPP: I certainly do. Brock Lesnar is by far the most dangerous wrestler on the roster, and it is this quality that SmackDown on Fox needs in order to succeed. Lesnar’s name still carries weight from when he was UFC Heavyweight Champion, therefore he is WWE and Fox’s best option to bring casual viewers in. That, and he is an absolute beast who is capable of destroying Kofi Kingston with little to no effort.

WIGGINS: I see one of two things happening. The first option, and by far the more likely, is that Brock Lesnar defeats Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship after a gutsy effort from the current champion. Lesnar would appear intermittently on SmackDown as the champion, defending the title once every couple of pay-per-views. Option two is that Kingston retains after losing by DQ, with Lesnar's opponent for Crown Jewel costing him the gold.

WILLIAMS: I see Brock Lesnar either winning the title decisively here, or Kofi Kingston retaining by the skin of his teeth. Obviously a big title change, onto Lesnar no less, is a huge moment for a debut episode, but Kingston has also been heavily promoted by WWE and Fox so I can’t see him remaining in a high spot without the WWE Championship.


WIGGINS: I think as they've booked themselves into a position where The Fiend is challenging for the WWE Universal Championship, he has to win it. They've invested a lot of time into this new iteration of Bray Wyatt's character, and having him lose in only his second match would tarnish most, if not all, of that effort. If they see a lot in The Fiend character, they should strap the rocket to him and see what happens, because what benefit would there be to Wyatt, Seth Rollins, or WWE in general if the championship didn't change hands here?

WILLIAMS: Similarly to Kofi Kingston, Seth Rollins has chased after or held his title for the majority of 2019. There aren’t many heel acts he could face on the current roster that people would really get invested in. The Fiend is one of the hottest acts in wrestling in 2019, and it would be beyond ridiculous for WWE to book any other result than Bray Wyatt standing over a deceased Rollins at the end of Hell in a Cell.

ALLSOPP: I am hoping beyond hope that WWE will make The Fiend WWE Universal Champion. As the most compelling character in WWE, in tandem with being a huge merchandise seller, Bray Wyatt’s dark alter ego needs to be rewarded with the championship. Without it, The Fiend character will continue the trend of inconsequential booking that Wyatt previously suffered from, turning the character from a dangerous prospect into an ineffective caricature.


WILLIAMS: If Sasha Banks is not victorious over Becky Lynch, then I question WWE’s entire creative process for this feud. Banks' absence and ultimate return was one of the biggest talking points of 2019, therefore WWE must capitalise on that. Lynch has been holding a championship of some sort for almost a year, and has more than established herself as a top level player. Similarly to Roman Reigns, Lynch no longer needs a title to keep her in the spotlight, which means she is made for life at this point. Banks is the better performer, a fresher act, and a more interesting champion. This result should be a no brainer.

ALLSOPP: This match is set up to be all about Sasha Banks, especially as she has the momentum and experience going into this match. The Hell in a Cell stipulation always seems to favour the heel, especially one such as Banks, who seemingly has a point to prove. Without the handicap of this being the first ever women’s Hell in a Cell match, I feel Banks and Becky Lynch will easily surpass the quality of Banks vs Charlotte. Everything is perfectly set up for this to be the match of the night.

WIGGINS: I imagine Fox are clamouring to bring Becky Lynch over to the blue brand, therefore I am fairly convinced Sasha Banks will claim the Raw Women's Championship at Hell in a Cell. With regards to it surpassing the previous women's Hell in a Cell match, I'd say it has a strong chance of doing so, considering the previous one was rather overbooked and it's finish was messed up. So if this doesn't exceed that quality, I'd probably view it as a disappointment.