This will be the roughest, the toughest, the quickest, the fastest and the most GLORIOUS Talking Smack!

Why? Because Bianca Belair, Robert Roode, Dolph Ziggler and Kevin Owens will be here! What will they have to say about Survivor Series, Friday Night SmackDown and the future?

Kayla Braxton welcomes us back to the show!

And she introduces the Special Counsel for the Reigns-ing, Defending Universal Champion, but Paul Heyman doesn’t look as jolly as usual. Is that a fat joke? He’s Santa Claus, because he’s fat and jolly? He said it, not her. But she just knows there’s been a lot of “fallout” from SmackDown and Survivor Series. Roman Reigns won, but there was still a lot of tension between him and Jey and now Kevin Owens, one of tonight’s guests. Kevin called Roman out, what are Heyman’s thoughts? Heyman takes a moment before he dares Kayla to tell us what she thinks. She’ll borrow a page from his book and respectfully decline to comment.

Good, because her opinion is irrelevant. Don’t be upset by that, because his opinion is also irrelevant. Ultimately, the only opinion that matters is that of the Tribal Chief, the Head of the Table, “the single biggest box office attraction in all of WWE,” Roman Reigns. So what Heyman has to say about Kevin, Heyman is adult enough to say it to Kevin’s face. Let’s get that over with! Let’s have the face to face! Kayla says no, that wasn’t the order of the guests. Then change it! Okay, Kayla gets it. But they’re just hosts. The guest order can’t be changed. But Kayla promises he’s later on. So allow her to introduce the first guest-

Oh well Heyman doesn’t have a lot say, does he? Allowing, not allowing. Allowing makes him a gentleman, but he doesn’t care right now! He wants Kevin Owens. Kayla calms things down and has their actual first guest, the self-proclaimed best tag team, the GLORIOUS Show-Offs, the “Dirty Dawgs,” AKA…

Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler join Talking Smack!

Kayla likes Roode’s hat. Ziggler and Roode apologize for not being Kevin, Kayla apologizes for Heyman’s bad attitude. Ziggler asks Kayla what’s going on. A staring contest with Heyman? Who wins? Kayla says Heyman wins. But Kayla says they had a big win, how did it feel? Ziggler gives “Bob” credit on that.

Roode says they should be Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Champions, if not with that weird title swap. Is that even done? These two have been here a long time. Not together. But Roode is over two decades, Ziggler’s been in WWE “for a very long time.” They’ve been in the business a long time and know how it’s supposed to be done. Friday was just a taste. They proved themselves against “those kids,” then next time will be for the titles, and you will then be looking at the next SmackDown Tag Team Champions. Yes, but there are other teams here on SmackDown, like Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura.

But they’re not guests tonight. Why is she bringing them up? She is just asking questions. Ziggler says everyone else is better at interviewing. But Kayla just asks why Ziggler and Roode feel they’re next for the tag titles. “We came to work today. That’s how it starts.” Ziggler wouldn’t be found in breach of contract. Money first, then go show everyone why you get paid more than them. Ziggler doesn’t watch wrestling, he isn’t a fan, because he comes to work and kicks ass. Kayla asks if Heyman agrees with Ziggler’s and Roode’s claim of being the best tag team. Of course. And sorry for speaking over Ziggler. But Ziggler and Roode are old enough to be seasoned veterans, yet young enough to be in their physical prime. They are the best.

Kayla accidently interrupts, but she would love to have one Talking Smack- Well Heyman would love to have Charly Caruso as a co-host, but what he wants doesn’t happen, does it? Kayla says Heyman sure is worked up. Heyman just says that the best tag team is here and yet Kayla talks about another team. Kayla says Heyman jumps on bandwagons, because when the Street Profits were here, he was very friendly with them, too. Heyman likes the Profits. Bianca Belair is here tonight, and he will admit to her that he admires the Profits. But with Ziggler’s and Roode’s combined talents, they would only want to step into the ring with great teams like the Profits, which makes you greater when you win! Like Friday. Exactly! Kayla’s turn.

Kayla then asks Heyman how to compare Ziggler and Roode- Heyman wants Kayla to talk to the guests! Does he need to write a manual for her? Yes, sure. Does he have a question for them? “Gentlemen, when you win the tag team championships from the Street Profits, in the manner that you shall be defending the championships, do you see anybody on the horizon that you would like to defend your titles against at WrestleMania?” Ziggler says first, the Profits are great. Entertaining, funny, talented. But “funny” has a shelf-life. Funny doesn’t make money, and it doesn’t main event WrestleMania like Ziggler and Roode will be.

So as they look at the roster, they always have a plan. Shinsuke and Cesaro: great team, Ziggler likes them. But they’re not Ziggler and Roode. Street Profits, the New Day, trading title, that’s not good business. That’s not main event, people clamoring for the story wanting to see who proves who are the best. That’s midcard. Main event of Mania, whoever can prove themselves to Ziggler-Roode and the WWE, that is who they will face. Kayla likes that answer and appreciates the respect given where it’s due. We can all learn from that. Kayla wishes them luck on their journey to the title. Ziggler says that was a great close. Everyone shakes hands and Roode-Dolph head out.

Kayla simply asks they take the mics, Ziggler forgets his but Roode takes it for him. Heyman says that’s called spite. He could be all happy smiley like her. Hi~ Talking Smack~! We’re all happy that you’ve joined us! Thank you for allowing us into your homes~! Well, anyway, on to the second guest. The EST always livens things up and she is back on Talking Smack!

Bianca Belair joins Talking Smack!

Third time already for Bianca and Kayla is always excited to see what she’s going to wear. This is MC Hammer and letterman. Bianca shows up and shows out, and show everyone that she’s the cute-EST. Showing out is literally what happens. Survivor Series, SmackDown, and let’s get into that with her match against Natalya. A locker room leader, a veteran of the business, and Bianca has a lot of respect for her, and that win meant so much. Bianca has been showing she belongs and that she tells the truth with the EST. Natty is the #BOAT, Best of All Time, she drew the best out of Bianca to help her prove she’s right.

Speaking of Friday, there was a certain someone else ringside. Let’s not talk about Bayley directly, just about how Bianca dealt with Bayley. Survivor Series, too, where they got at each other on social media. After Team SmackDown lost, Bianca still praised the team for sticking together. Bayley tried to get on Bianca for “blowing it” with the count-out elimination, but Bianca clapped back (with emojis) that “Captain” Bayley was the FIRST eliminated. Bianca had to feel good doing that. Yeah, Bayley was almost not part of the match, but she’s coming at Bianca. Bianca doesn’t get it. Bianca was the last one for SmackDown, Bayley should respect her by now. But Bayley just runs her mouth like always.

Maybe Bianca doesn’t get it as the new kid, but maybe Bayley feels intimidated or something. Bayley didn’t move and got hit, that’s not on Bianca. Kayla says that sure, SmackDown didn’t win, but Bianca’s performance alone was what people were talking about. How did it feel to get so much positive feedback? Bianca was just excited to be in that match and be part of that team to show the WWE Universe what she does, who she is and why she is the EST. She’ll use this momentum to keep going, prove she belongs, and that she isn’t going anywhere, no one can do a thing about it, not even Bayley. Kayla brings up that the Profits didn’t have a good night, but Heyman did say he would give proper praise.

Well yes, but Heyman needs to let Bianca know, which she surely knows, she is the future. Everyone says that, but Bianca is. She has amazing credentials that she brings to the WWE. And what she does is truly worthy of a tagline like The EST. He is in awe of the magnitude of her talent. His feelings of admiration for the Profits go for her, as well. So for her to talk about the Profits to her would be a disservice to her. Kayla says compliments like that are rare. Heyman says not everyone is worthy of compliments like that. Triple H also says Bianca is a game changer, so that praise means a lot. Bianca knows she goes on and on with her “humble brag,” but hearing all that from Heyman means so much. She thanks Heyman, and Kayla thanks Bianca for her time. The star is onward and upward!

Kayla says that was surprisingly nice from Heyman. Well it was the truth. He could put on another “veneer” if she wants. Some BS maybe. Well that wouldn’t hurt all the time. But would he like to introduce their last guest? He’d like to talk to their last guest. He’d like if she didn’t get so excited to say this stuff. Not gonna happen.

Kevin Owens joins Talking Smack!

Kayla even applauds, just to get on Heyman’s nerves. Heyman and Kevin still shake hands. Heyman wants Kevin to understand he has a lot of respect for Kevin. But sometimes, Roman Reigns doesn’t have a lot of respect until he can prove it to someone. But Heyman knows how this goes. He wants Kevin to understand that he was a fan of Kevin’s before he came to WWE, when everyone else would knock him for his ideas that were too radical, too progressive, and too violent. Heyman has always liked that about Kevin. He likes that Kevin is untrustworthy. Heyman likes that about Kevin. That people call him a “scumbag” behind his back.

Heyman likes that Kevin can’t be trusted on a team. And that Kevin is at the crossroads of his career. Kevin knows it, and he knows it’s time to pivot. Kevin can go one way, where one too many do. Kevin can cruise at a “semi-main-event” level. Or Kevin can go the other way, take inspiration from things like The Undertaker’s #FinalFarewell and say, “I want that to be me. I want my reputation to live 100 years from now. I want to be a multi-time WrestleMania main eventer. I want to be a legend above all legends.” And how you do that, and this is where it gets interesting, is at Roman’s expense. A champion is only as great as the challengers he puts down. No one else gets it, but Kevin is the #1 contender.

Heyman knows how twisted Kevin is, and that Kevin wants a chance to get at Roman Reigns and solidify his own legacy. The title? That’s great. But knocking Roman off the perch establishes the legacy. That is the trajectory Kevin is looking at. This will be a fight, and Heyman looks forward to it. Is Heyman done? Heyman seems to relish the fact they’re sitting here. After what Kevin did on SmackDown, Heyman seems to relish the fact they’re here now, like Heyman thinks this will be good for Roman. But Heyman, as much as Kevin respects and admires you, “I know you really only work for one person, and it’s not Roman Reigns.” Heyman works for Heyman.

And if Heyman thinks Kevin getting involved in this whatever it is will somehow be a positive for Roman, because the champion is only as good as the opponents he puts down… Kevin will tell Heyman this, because everything else was absolutely true. But just know this: it’s not going to be good for Roman or Heyman, because once Roman finds his balls again, and stops having Jey do his dirty work, Kevin will be there. And do you know what Kevin is? “I’m not a good guy. I’m not a bad guy. I’m THE guy that’s going to beat Roman Reigns and take the Universal Championship from him.” Mic drop, but another handshake. Heyman says this isn’t just business. This is on a personal level, too. Kevin says Heyman should do what he has to do.

Kayla isn’t sure what to say after that tense moment. Does Roman know about this being the conversation Heyman was going to have? Maybe Heyman just said things that Roman wouldn’t have approved of. Heyman says that was a lousy guest. And no one listens about the mics. Heyman tosses Kevin’s mic away and Kayla says that’s the end of the show. Heyman puts on the “veneers” again as he ends the show on top of Kayla’s outro. Yikes…

My Thoughts:

This was actually a really good episode, especially with Heyman and Kevin. That was powerful stuff from both guys, especially Kevin quoting Roman’s old catchphrase and using it to his advantage. This build is already incredible and it only just started. Roode and Ziggler had a good segment but I’m not sure if Ziggler was keeping track of the point he was trying to make. I do find it interesting they already have “Dirty Dawgs” shirts, so between that and Ziggler’s promo on Friday, that must be the name they’re trying to go for as a team. That also doesn’t make any sense when my name for them has been the most obvious one they should go with: Glorious Show-Offs.

Bianca had a good segment but the many forms of saying “show up and show out” were said too many times. It was like they were trying to push the SEO on that term up a level just so people will repeat it. But Heyman is right, Bianca is the future of the WWE Women’s Division, she should definitely be facing someone for that SmackDown Women’s Championship. They mentioned Banks VS Belair for Mania last time she was on, that could very well be the plan at some point.