Talking Smack Throwback: Episode 4 (08/23/16)

Talking Smack Throwback: Episode 4: (08/23/16)

-I started covering Talking Smack for this site in Nov 2016 so I missed covering the first 3 months or so of the shows run. With news that The Miz is heading back to SmackDown it seems only right that I go back to the episode that made Talking Smack must see and reignited the Miz/Daniel Bryan feud that apparently will be getting a long awaited blow-off. The amazing part is the Miz/Bryan feud has been around for 8 years (with Miz being Bryan’s pro on the reality contest version of NXT) and they are perfect foes for each other in every way.

-As a point of reference this show is right after SummerSlam 2016 and is building towards Backlash with Dean Ambrose defending the WWE Title against AJ Styles.

-Renee welcomes us to the show and she touches on the closing of SmackDown with a Styles/Ambrose face-off and Bryan is excited for that title match at Backlash. Bryan talks about all the things he was able to do while in New York for SummerSlam and mentions he went to an independent show held by Evolve where he saw a lot of the Crusierweight Classic guys. He is thrilled that Cena and Styles stole the show at SummerSlam for SmackDown. They discuss Cena leaving his wristband in the ring and Bryan mentions that Cena has said he has been waiting for someone to come and take his spot.

-They touch on Lesnar vs Orton at SummerSlam and Bryan says the ending to the match made him angry. He won’t say things here on the air, but he is proud of Randy. He puts over Orton huge and says again that he is proud of him.

-Renee talks about the new titles announced tonight: The SmackDown Tag Titles and SmackDown Women’s Title. Daniel gets in a shot at the design of the Universal Title and puts over how the fans reacted positively to the design of their new titles. Bryan taking shots at RAW was another one of those things that made this show awesome.

-Our first guest is Nikki Bella (Bryan’s sister in law) and she hugs Bryan which he mentions that she knows he doesn’t like. Bryan talks about how serious the neck surgery was that Nikki had and he was there to watch her go through it. She talks about the injury and says that she didn’t want to miss out at a time when the women are gaining momentum in the WWE. She had just returned at SummerSlam and Renee brings up the point that Daniel may favor Nikki since she is his sister-in-law. Bryan jokes that she is his favorite sister-in-law and Renee calls him on Nikki being his only sister-in-law. Nikki talks about being taken out tonight by “bootleg Nikki Bella” (Carmella). Who would have guessed that Carmella would win a title before Nikki ever got his hands on it again.

-Carmella is out and attacks Nikki on the set and it’s awesome. One of the Usos come out to break up the fight and Daniel helps separate the girls as Renee checks on Nikki.

-Both ladies are soon gone as Renee and Daniel get back to the desk a little frazzled. The LED board on the set keeps fading in and out which adds to the chaotic nature of what has happened. Renee isn’t sure where to go next as she keeps asking if Carmella is gone.

-The Usos are out next to add some levity and it’s Sweet Beets before they were given that name. The Usos showed off so much of their natural charisma on Talking Smack and were always amazing on this show. Daniel gets in another shot at The Universal Title design as he talks about the design of the SD Tag Titles and The Usos love the design. They talk about American Alpha and they laugh at the idea that AA thinks they are the best tag team in the WWE. The new Tag Champions will be crowned at Backlash in the finals of the tournament. The Usos know they will be in the finals and the new tag titles will be coming home with them. They foreshadow the coming heel turn as Daniel brings up that at times the fans aren’t behind them and Jimmy says part of it is their recent association with Roman Reigns, but he handles it well. Daniel asks if they are resentful because they have carried the division, and they keep the focus on the new SD Tag Titles.

-Daniel takes more shots at RAW as he plays down their tag division and asks The Usos if any team on RAW is better than them and after some joking, of course the answer is no. They talk for a few seconds about what it would mean for them to win the Tag Titles and Naomi winning the SD Women’s Title. Jey says it will make for a hell of a barbecue.

-The Usos take their leave and Bryan hypes the upcoming Styles/Ambrose WWE Title match at Backlash. Bryan continues to namedrop other promotions and talks about Ambrose competing in barbed wire matches in CZW. He is a fighter that fights with blood and guts while AJ is more like him, and is all about the technique.

-The Miz interrupts and here we go! He is pissed that the IC Champ was left off of SmackDown. He is angry that a title with as much history as the IC Title is left off the show. He talks about how the IC Title is the last title Bryan ever held and how he promised to make the title relevant. Bryan counters back that he has respect for the IC Title, but just not the current champion. Damn! The Miz rightly asks why and asks what did he do so wrong in the WWE? Bryan says he doesn’t like the way he wrestles. The Miz talks about pinning Apollo clean at SummerSlam. Daniel is proud of both of them for having a good match, but he was more impressed with Apollo. The Miz is stunned as he rightly mentions that Apollo lost and Bryan shoots back that The Miz wrestles like a coward. He wrestles like someone who doesn’t want to get hit. Renee is just sitting back and enjoying the show at this point.

-The Miz wants his chance to talk as he says he wrestles the way he does so he can be on the show each and every week. He never gets injured and has to miss 6 months. He calls Bryan the coward for telling the WWE Universe he would be back to reclaim this title and he never came back. Bryan shoots in that he would be back if they would let him. The Miz is just on fire as he continues to rage on about how if Daniel loves to wrestle so much why doesn’t he quit and go back to the bingo halls to wrestle. Hot Damn! Renee tries to get things back on track, but Miz is having none of that as he says that he and the GM are handling this. The Miz says again that Daniel is the coward for not getting back in a WWE ring and that is enough for Daniel to walk off the set. The Miz has the camera focused on him as he blows a gasket in epic fashion. He goes off talking about his epic run as the IC Champion, yet the show is focused on the kids in the tag division and the women. SmackDown is his show and he has to deal with his GM calling him a coward and he is sick and tired of it. He is the one here day in and day out beating people up. He slams down the mic as he walks off with Maryse.

-Renee wraps the show and we are out!

-Just an amazing show with an ending that had everyone talking. As I mentioned this is the show that made Talking Smack must see and made the world want to see Miz/Bryan. The Miz was on his A game and this is by far the best promos he has ever cut. Word came out that he was legit pissed that he had been left off of SmackDown and took this show as a chance to show that frustration. From this point on Miz/Bryan segments were always fantastic and they constant jabs they threw at each other were fun, but looked destined to have no payoff….until now. This show is remembered for the Miz promo (with good reason), but the Carmella attack on Nikki made for chaotic TV and The Usos gave us a taste of the greatness they were about to unleash on this show and the tag division.

-Thanks for reading and perhaps I need to go back and fill in the gaps from the shows I didn’t cover during this show’s run.