It’s a Very Merry Talking Smackmas!

The Christmas cheer continues as Talking Smack has the big winners from Friday night! And if you saw SmackDown, you know who they are!

Kayla Braxton welcomes us back to the show!

Merry Christmas and welcome to the last Talking Smack of 2020! Kayla is with her “festive” cohost, Paul Heyman. Is he feeling jolly today? Is that a fat joke? No, she would never. But the final SmackDown of 2020, and if anyone had the best Christmas this year, it’s the NEW Intercontinental Champion, Big E! Kayla applauds on behalf of Heyman, and notes that Big E will be one of the guests tonight. But surely Heyman has words for how SmackDown began. The Universal Championship steel cage match, Roman Reigns VS Kevin Owens. For weeks, Kevin has been beat down for weeks, he is resilient, and Kayla has never seen someone fight “so freakin’ hard” and honestly, if not for Jey Uso, Kevin was going to win.

Heyman says there’s no “If” in WWE, and yet Kayla will praise the man who lost? “In the dog race of life, if you’re not in first place, the view is all the same.” Roman won the cage match and defended the title, hence Kevin lost. And in case you’re wondering if that makes Heyman think Kevin should walk around going, “Does that make Roman Reigns better than me?” The answer is YES. Roman is better as a fighter, as a wrestler, as a husband, father and champion than Kevin could ever hope to be that is why Roman is still the Reigns-ing, defending, undisputed, uncontroverted WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion, YOUR Tribal Chief, the Head of ALL Tables, in all of the WWE and sports entertainment.

Kayla thinks Heyman is leaving something out. The reason Roman is still champion has to do with the handcuffs on Kevin that stuck him to the cage! But surely Heyman will have something to say to the man who beat Jey Uso, our first guest of the night, the leader of the Yes Movement!

Daniel Bryan joins Talking Smack!

Bryan is still pumped up! Kayla congratulates Bryan again on his win and likes having him back on Talking Smack. What a great Christmas! Bryan has his smile, his hair, and Bryan heard about people being better fighters, wrestlers, husbands, fathers, etc. These are things Bryan knows he isn’t the best husband or father, but he tries to be the best he can. But if you’re comparing Bryan to someone else, Heyman, does he think Bryan is a better fighter than Roman? Or a better wrestler than Roman?

Here’s an easier one: who is the better husband and father? Does Heyman think, because Bryan isn’t first place, is focused on first place? Bryan’s “fight” with Jey may not have been for first place. There was an energy surging and Bryan feels it can fill an entire room. Every time Jey hit him and Bryan hit Jey, it felt like a fight. Bryan doesn’t care if he’s first place or not, because he feels alive! That is why he loves wrestling. Not because he’s trying to be first place, but because being in a fight of that quality makes him feel alive. What else do they have for him?

Well Kayla again brings up that Bryan wants to check off winning the Royal Rumble. The one thing Bryan appreciated about his early retirement was that it reminded him that we never know when this will end, so you have to appreciate every moment. And though it’s been a couple years already since he’s returned, he still cherishes the moments. But knowing it could end, there are things he wants to check off. In his 20+ year career, he has never won a battle royal of any kind! And he’s wrestled in crazy places where the other people weren’t very good, no one has heard of, and yet Bryan could never win a battle royal.

“But this might be my last chance, so I am making it a goal of mine to win the Royal Rumble. To win a battle royal. And if that happens, if I win the Royal Rumble, that means I would go to WrestleMania and face whoever is Universal Champion.” Bryan doesn’t lay claim to being better than many. But he’ll say this: “I’m a better fighter than Roman Reigns. And I sure as hell am a better wrestler than Roman Reigns. If I win the Royal Rumble, and face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, if he’s still the champion, I will beat him for that championship. Here’s another thing: If he’s not champion, somewhere down the line, I’m gonna beat him anyways.”

And he loves Kayla’s Christmas jacket. Thanks! And again, good luck for the Royal Rumble. Bryan wishes everyone a Happy Holidays, his kids had such a great Christmas! Just playing with the wrapping paper was fun!

Charlotte Flair and Asuka join Talking Smack!

The Grand Slam Queen and #EmpressTwoBelts are here. Charlotte says she has the OG Grand Slam because she retired the Diva’s Championship. But it’s great to have them both back on SmackDown and here on Talking Smack now that they’re both Women’s Tag Team Champions. They defended their titles on SmackDown, we’ll be seeing them both back for sure, but how does it feel to be back? Charlotte returns and takes gold immediately. Charlotte says it still hasn’t hit her back. Those six months she was gone, she wanted to be back but she was also so nervous despite having done just about everything. But it just meant Charlotte needed to prove herself again. Kayla says it’s so deserved.

Kayla asks Heyman if he wants to say something, since he’s been so quiet. Heyman watched Raw for them, the only reason why now really. But Charlotte said this was for a friend in need, and Heyman didn’t realize they’re friends. He’s happy for them, though. Asuka confirms they are “tomodachi.” But the question is then, since Kayla didn’t ask it, whose idea was this? Asuka takes full credit for reaching out to Charlotte first. And she basically begged Charlotte, and Charlotte confirms that in return. Heyman excuses the lack of professionalism as Kayla doesn’t understand a word of Japanese, so please translate. Asuka speaks more Japanese and Kayla actually does understand. What Asuka was saying was that she wanted the very best, and the very best is Charlotte.

There are many impressive tag teams in the Women’s Division now, as we saw on SmackDown. Is there a specific team out there that they are concerned about? It isn’t one team, but Charlotte is just impressed by many teams. Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke, the #SexyMuscleFriends of Asuka’s, and then Nia and Shayna, everyone’s come a long way. Asuka and Charlotte have both been SmackDown Women’s Champion, they’ve both faced Sasha Banks and Bayley many times, and then seeing Bianca Belair again, and even Carmella, it was all great. But the champs know they’ll be a hard team to beat. Kayla can’t wait to see it, congratulates them again and thanks them for being here. Wait, what is their tag team name? They come up with Queens of Tomorrow, and it’s a hit!

Big E joins Talking Smack!

“The Powerhouse of Positivity” and the NEW Intercontinental Champion shimmies and shakes his way on set and Heyman says he cannot physically dance so he apologizes. Kayla is so happy to see Big E with the belt, and he still has confetti on his shoulders. Keep it, though, it’s nice. Heyman shakes Big E’s hand and congratulates him. Big E appreciates that, and he says he still had those words Heyman told him last time. Big E said it was all very meaningful. There was a man signaling him. “Tommy” was doing something and Big E doesn’t understand. Oh, maybe it means propping the belt up.

It has been some time since he’s had the title himself. Seven years, 2013, was when he was last Intercontinental Champion. And again Big E thanks Heyman for those words he said. Many times in life, you know something, but it has to be said to you by someone else, especially someone of Heyman’s stature, that it hits home. Big E appreciates that. Sometimes you do need to be reminded of what you have. Heyman says Big E has always had it. But this is a business. You can have “it,” be here, do all the work, always show up, yet never get the ball.

We’ve seen time and time again those who have ability and do it all, but never get this shot. They become the “What ifs,” and Big E doesn’t want that to be him. Big E doesn’t want to leave and people go, “Oh, what could’ve been with that guy? He had some ability, but they didn’t do much with him, he complained, he didn’t take charge.” Big E doesn’t want to be the untapped potential of the WWE. Kayla understands and says there must be such validation. This year was so crazy, but perhaps the wildest of all was The New Day being split apart. Now Big E has the belt, is smooching and cradling it, that going solo was the right decision.

Big E says it wasn’t a decision, the WWE split them up! What did he decide? Well, the powers that be decided. Well, Kofi Kingston still become world champion with the New Day by his side, but hey. They were given lemons, they made lemonade that was good. It was not their decision, but that is this business. You take what you’re given, run with it, and sometimes take what you aren’t given and still figure it out. By no means, this is not the “I made it!” moment. The work begins now. Big E must prove he is worthy of this and more. That is what he is here for. Then is there sentimental value with that title? It was his first singles title on the main roster, after all.

Well yes, but it was his first year on main roster, and he knew he had the ability. If you haven’t advanced in seven years, then you need to do something else. Big E made those steps to be even more worthy, ready and better at everything of this job. Heyman hopes Big E is done with the “false humility.” What’s he talking about? Heyman sits up to give Big E another talk. Heyman appreciates the introspection. It’s rather humble, speaks to how Big E was raised as a gentleman. That gentlemanly nature has afforded Big E the opportunity to do a lot of press, media and charity events.

But there comes a time whether or not Big E takes the opportunity when it is given to him. Big E takes the opportunity, as he started to say, but then he backed off to show his humility and respect for the process. But Heyman sees the process this way: Big E said this is the first step, but towards what? Heyman knows the answer, and that Big E is too humble to say it because it punks Heyman out. Heyman says it for him, it’s the first step towards Roman, the Universal Championship, and becoming THE absolute number one attraction in WWE today. Heyman gets that. Big E should feel that way and is right to feel that way.

Two weeks ago, Heyman said Big E would be a singles champion, that he should go t hat way, and that Sami Zayn was a great first step. And then what did he do? Big E mowed Sami down and took the title. Now Big E will learn how much deep down he loves being a singles champion all over again. Then he’ll say that while this title is beautiful, it is not the Universal title. That is where Big E wants to be. The WrestleMania main event, the Universal Championship, but here’s how Heyman sees it. Big E is big box office, a magnificent athlete, and Heyman would love to see Big E in the ring with Roman Reigns.

At the start of 2020, if Roman looked at Big E and asked Heyman his opinion, Heyman would’ve said, “Just a tag team wrestler. Best one on the planet, but still just a tag team wrestler.” Can’t say that now. The first step in Big E’s journey, he is on his way. 2021 is around the corner, and when it comes to Heyman’s evaluation, it’s a new YEAR, yes it is. They shake hands, we relive the celebration with confetti, and that’s all for the last Talking Smack of 2020! See you in the new year!

My Thoughts:

A very good Talking Smack to close out the year. Now, much of Charlotte’s part tonight was recycled from Raw Talk, and I feel like they lean too into Asuka speaking mostly Japanese and at the very least pretending people understand. But I do like that the newest tag nickname for them is The Queens of Tomorrow, and that’s pretty good honestly. I just feel like them saying there are many teams in the women’s division right now, when the match itself was Asuka & Charlotte, a thrown together team, facing two other thrown together teams in Sasha-Bianca and BayMella! Riott Squad is the last real team standing, even if #SexyMuscleFriends are doing well right now.

Bryan had great energy and I like that he basically got in Heyman’s face about coming after Roman Reigns. It would be quite the year for Bryan to win the Royal Rumble match and add that to his great career. Of course, it would be for Big E, too. Big E and Heyman had another good segment together, and it really puts Big E’s return to singles action in a great perspective. Big E mentioned without giving names how wrestlers have come and gone in WWE and for whatever reason didn’t stick. Big E is definitely doing what he said in making sure he never leaves anything to question. He has the size, ability, charisma and dedication, he definitely should get a long reign with the Intercontinental Championship. If anything, a Champion VS Champion story should be part of Big E’s reign.