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?
CHEAP POP OF THE WEEK:
THE STUDENT AND TEACHER TEAM
Otis felt somewhat adrift after the loss of his best friend, girlfriend, and Money in the Bank briefcase, and it was clear that there were no plans for him whatsoever. However, fast forward a few months, and it would seem that we might be in the midst of something with a glimmer of hope.
Yes, WWE have gone down the throw him in a random tag team trope, by pairing him with Chad Gable, but there is something of a story brewing here that has actually caught my attention. Gable is his self-appointed strategist and coach, but his methods are not actually all that, with his advice previously costing them a tag match, and nearly costing Otis a victory against Shinsuke Nakamura.
Bizarrely, Otis turned the match around by doing his own thing. It feels backwards, yet there is something funny about Otis triumphing by following his ample gut, and not the Olympian's advice. In addition, Gable is giving full Kurt Angle goof mode vibes here, and that is something I am very much down for.
CHEAP HEAT OF THE WEEK:
A RAW RATING
This past week saw WWE Raw hit an all-time ratings low, which is either going to give them the kick up the ass that they need, or, more likely, cause knee jerk reactions with some unfortunate consequences.
Of course, there are mitigating factors, such as the episode clashing with a major NFL game, but it would hardly be the first time that they have faced big sports based competition, but, regardless, Vince McMahon and co are not happy, and some big decisions are coming.
My biggest concern? That Vince will suddenly sour on Drew McIntyre as WWE champion, and start to question whether he should hold it. After all, it was technically on his watch that this happened. Similarly, I really hope that Asuka, savior of the empty arena era, does not get a finger pointed at her for this either.
Of course, Drew and Asuka have done some outstanding work this year, and this is no way their fault, but we all know that rational thinking and Vince's decision-making do not go hand in hand.
Fingers crossed that this will merely lead to some formula and story tweaks in the right direction, but be ready for some potentially questionable changes before the year is out.
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!
Subscribe to Smark Out Moment on YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
0 comments: