SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE TALKING SMACK
DECEMBER 12, 2020
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REVIEW BY NICK MORGAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosts: Kayla Braxton and Paul Heyman
This week’s guests: The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins), Carmella, and Big E
– As Kayla welcomed us to Talking Smack, touted the TLC pay-per-view next Sunday and introduced her co-host, Paul Heyman. After dumping on Kayla’s bright outlook about everything, including TLC, Paul made it clear that TLC was not some happy thing, but an event where weapons (table, ladders and chairs) are legal and went on to build up the TLC match between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens. While Paul has been keeping his verbiage to a minimum on Smackdown, here on Talking Smack, he is unleashed, and in this segment, he was vintage Paul, creating a picture with words as only he can. Just as an example, Paul said the following: “Kevin Owens should marinate in the mindset of being mutilated.” So perfect!!
– After Paul’s entertaining monologue, Kayla moved the show along, highlighting the upcoming matches on TLC and introduced the first guests: Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins – The Street Profits. After some rather juvenile double entendres regarding the size of Ford’s blue cup, compared to Paul’s cup and the fact that Ford’s cup gets bigger each week, Kayla quickly changed the subject, thank you!
– Kayla brought up the fact that The Street Profits have lost to Dolph Zeigler and Robert Roode in singles matches over the past two weeks. Dawkins gave a good serious answer that coming up the Street Profits were going to take care of Zeigler and Roode. Unfortunately, Kayla brought up the whole “Funny does not draw money” thing, which is just a stupid angle, but Kayla asked anyway and asked if the Profits were going to get “more serious”. Montez Ford went off and started banging the table and saying that the Profits are serious and that they will WIN next week. Yup, they totally played into this ridiculous angle and were all “serious” tonight. Was this heavy handed? Yes. Was this effective? No. Did this do any favors for the Street Profits, whose whole shtick is about celebrating with the fans? Absolutely not. WWE needs to run away from this angle fast.
– With that, the Street Profits left the set, with the camera staying on Montez Ford as he made a clear effort to gather up his and Dawkins’ mics to take them off the set. What, What? Both Talking Smack and Raw Talk have a real hang-up about the mics, it could be a COVID-19 thing so that people don’t use the same mics, but it is just stupid to keep focusing on it. Sigh.
– Interestingly, after the Profits left, Paul did a short speech on how the Profits were never defeated for the Raw Tag Team belts and they have not been defeated as Smackdown champions. Was this scripted? I don’t know, but I like that Paul did his best to shine up the Street Profits as a real force on Smackdown and in the ring. Anyway, next up: Carmela.
– While Paul was ending his talk about the Street Profits, Carmella interrupted him and made out all indignant that Paul did not notice her. Carmella went on a rant about Sasha Banks and how disrespectful and crazy Banks has been and is being and then quickly left the set. Carmella is really trying with this character of hers and she is doing a pretty good job, but the character is so derivative that it just kind of lands a bit flat. Hopefully, the powers that be and Carmella herself will tweak this character and make her more than just another blonde bombshell. Here’s to hope.
– Both Kayla and Paul seemed at a bit of a loss. Paul then just spouted out his quaid that she really didn’t know how to follow up on Paul’s statement, and Paul simply said, you don’t have to, just say good night and we will see you next week. And that is just what she did, and Talking Smack went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A pretty short Talking Smack this week at a little under 22 minutes and one in which Paul did most of the talking and all of the guests put on a serious persona. This Talking Smack was all about mission statements. I really thought this was good and I regret that they don’t put these sorts of promos on Smackdown and really position these wrestlers in a sports-like environment, where as the viewer, one can see that all this really means something to them. Everyone tonight really brought some focus and meaning to their characters and I really enjoyed and appreciated it.
I will say that it was mostly Paul doing the heavy lifting, which is fine, he is an expert at framing motivation and desire and if Paul is what’s needed to bring this out of these wrestlers, I say keep going with this.
One note here, I continue to love the relationship and rapport that is growing between Paul and Kayla and Paul’s ability to compliment Kayla while also signaling that he thinks some of what she is saying is just out there, adds so much and is a pleasure to watch.
If you like Paul Heyman’s stuff this was an “A+” show this week and a must watch, if you are a little cooler on Heyman the show was still very good and worth a watch.
Well, that is it for now, see you all next week. Until then, take care and stay safe.
I loved the part in this recap where you cover Heyman and Big E. Jesus, if the writers of this site don’t read their shi…stuff why should they expect others to?