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:
24/7 LEVELS UP
The 24/7 Championship is, by default, WWE's tertiary title. I qualify it with by default, as you are unlikely to find many putting it on the same level as European or Hardcore titles.
But could it get there?
Ok, maybe that is bit much to hope for, but I have been super impressed by Reggie's contribution to the division thus far, and I am loving WWE's renewed interest in the division. There has been a lot to enjoy! R-Truth's in-ring commentary, Reggie's insane acrobatics, and a greater focus on in-ring matches for a start.
I accept that it does not make too much sense to have scheduled matches where the 24/7 rule does not apply, but, let us be real.
This is leagues ahead of the endless roll ups by the no-name sports anchors.
CHEAP HEAT OF THE WEEK:
ALMOST A CHAMPION FEEL
Remember when I wrote about how having debuting superstars lose their first match was rarely a promising start? Well, do you know what the companion situation to this guideline is? Having your newly minted champion lose their first (televised) match.
Sadly, that is exactly what WWE decided to do with Nikki A.S.H on Raw. Following on from reports that crowd reception at live events has been somewhat muted, this is not boding well for her reign.
Had she won the title as crazy excitable Nikki Cross, I think that the situation would be very different. I know that Nikki is proud of her gimmick creation, and I am sure that there will be kids who love it, but the whole almost a super hero thing does not yet feel like championship material.
Sadly, all it does is make me yearn for Hurricane Helms and Mighty Molly. They literally acted like they were comic book superheros, and it somehow fit right into the Attitude Era. It was goofy, but people accepted it for what it was, and they were over for it.
This half-way house approach? Well, I find it far from super.
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: