Are you ready to rock with the King of Strong Style?

The Mysterios, Zelina Vega and KING Shinsuke Nakamura are all gonna be Talking Smack on what we witnessed in Minneapolis!

Matt Camp and Peter Rosenberg welcome us back to the show!

The Summer of Cena continues, and John Cena made his intentions very clear. But he had to acknowledge that Finn Balor was the one Roman Reigns was allowing to sign the contract with him. Of course, it didn’t happen that way. Matt & Peter are back in the Global Headquarters and Matt asks if Peter’s ever signed a contract his name wasn’t on. Peter has not, but he didn’t think Cena would find a way into SummerSlam, and he did it in a way that truly surprised us all. Cena’s a busy man but he apparently studied up on law to find a loophole. Even though Finn’s name was on the paper, Cena’s signature got on it! We’ll see Roman VS Cena for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam in Las Vegas! Cena gets his wish, more on that in a moment.

There was also a big Six Man Tag with the six men we saw get into it last week, and it was Shinsuke Nakamura getting the pin for his team with Cesaro and Big E. We’ll hear from the King of Strong Styles in a moment, too. But that main event, the SmackDown Women’s Champion and the returning Sasha Banks took on Carmella and Zelina Vega. Things didn’t really go Bianca Belair’s way after winning, though. Peter agrees, Sasha got Bianca with a Bank Statement to make a statement, and we’ll hear Zelina Vega’s thoughts on that tonight. Then there was Rey Mysterio getting a big revenge victory over Jimmy Uso, using some veteran savvy like he taught Dominik.

Now, the Mysterios and Usos have been going back and forth a lot lately. Matt notes the Usos stole the SmackDown Tag Team Championships at Money in the Bank, but the Mysterios learned from those losses and flipped the tables. Peter agrees, and knows the Mysterios are learning a valuable lesson: if you make the same mistakes, you’ll be doomed to the same results. But the Mysterios made a change and it paid off. Matt says if you’re the Mysterios, you fight fire with fire. The Usos don’t care how they win, they just want to remain champs and keep the Head of the Table happy. Matt isn’t sure if Roman is that happy about the loss but he had more to handle on his plate. But standing by with the Mysterios is Kayla Braxton.

Kayla thanks the guys and sits with the Mysterios while Rey eats up a small dinner. It’s a protein donut. No better way to go. And he apologizes for talking with his mouth full. Kayla says it’s fine, and she talks about the win over Jimmy Uso. They have to be making their way back towards those tag titles, right? Rey isn’t sure if people noticed near the start of the match, but he was talking with Dom to step his game up. Dom’s on 11 months in the ring. You make mistakes, that’s normal, but today, Dom proved he could step up. They needed this win tonight to get back towards getting those titles back.

Kayla brings up that obviously, kids don’t always listen to their parents, but Dom’s dad being a legend, what is it like receiving that advice tonight? Dom says whenever Rey talks to him, Dom is all ears. Dom listens best as he can, and Rey is a legend, so Dom just listens. Dom admits he was making those rookie mistakes, but after tonight, they’re back on track. Kayla notes that just before this, Rey let her in on a little something: SummerSlam 2021 will mark exactly one year since Dom started his in-ring career. What a way to celebrate that if they can win back the tag titles.

Rey says they gotta get that opportunity first, but today was the beginning of the Usos wanting another match with the Mysterios. The Mysterios are ready for that to happen at SummerSlam. Any last words they have for the Usos? “Watch your backs. Because the Mysterios are coming.” Kayla thanks them for their time and we go back to the studio.

Matt says the Mysterios are clearly dead set on getting the titles back, but does Peter feel they’re deserving? Peter does, and knows they will. He also gives kudos to Kayla for getting that personal moment with the Mysterios. Peter says Rey is reinvigorated because he has Dom with him. And we finally saw the learning tree in effect. Dom picked up tricks from his dad and they got the win. We’ll see if that’s what happens for SummerSlam, but after the break, we hear from La Muneca!

Talking Smack returns to talk the SmackDown Women’s Division.

Just as Carmella and Zelina Vega were mugging Bianca Belair, THE BOSS returned! Sasha Banks fought off Mella and Vega, then surprisingly hugged Bianca. For the first time since Night One of WrestleMania 37, Sasha was back in the WWE, and Minneapolis went crazy! Then we’d see Sasha and Belair tag in the main event. Peter says it was all good just a week ago as Bianca beat Mella again, but a rough couple of weeks for Mella. Mella wants another title shot, Vega wants hers, but they didn’t see Sasha returning. Sasha got the win in that match, but before getting to the post-match moment, we throw it over to Kayla.

Kayla is with Zelina Vega and notes that she and Mella weren’t victorious. Yeah, because Mella tapped out! Vega didn’t lose, get that right. And if there’s anything to remember from tonight other than Vega not losing that match, it’s that she stood right up to Bianca and challenged her for the title and Bianca accepted. That is the most important thing. Kayla brings up Sasha’s return but Vega doesn’t care about Sasha. You know why Sasha calls herself “The Conversation” is because the conversation circles around how everyone hates Sasha! Vega won’t call Sasha “The Boss,” she ain’t the boss of Vega!

Vega says right now that if someone mentions Sasha in Vega’s presence gets smacked in the face. Starting now. Kayla thanks Vega for her time and sends it back to the studio.

Peter loves Kayla’s work but she should’ve known better than to mention Sasha around Vega. Matt agrees, you gotta be smart. But Kayla is smart, so she’ll surely be more careful. But every woman is lining up behind the champion, from Vega to Mella, but after that main event, Sasha made things crystal clear! It was a big celebration for the successful in-ring return after Sasha’s been gone since WrestleMania, but what happened at Mania? Sasha lost the title, so she wants it back! Sasha waited and waited until she could have a moment like this.

Bianca got bit by her inexperience, in Peter’s opinion. A little naïve about this situation, too. They were having their little dance-off, all that fun, but Peter was thinking, “This isn’t Sasha Banks.” Sasha Banks is too much of a competitor, you know she’s still angry about WrestleMania. Sasha lost at Mania, but Bianca’s at 111 days as champion. At the ESPY’s, they shared the moment and the spotlight of winning that award. But that moment was a loss for Sasha so there was no chance Sasha was gonna share the spotlight any longer. Sasha says SmackDown is her show, that title is hers, so Matt likes this Sasha coming back.

Peter says this is Sasha. Sasha knows what she’s doing. She’ll play nice at the media opportunities, show there’s unity in WWE, but she’s a competitor, an all-time great, and you knew she was just biding her time. Sasha’s back, Matt feels Bianca just got a wake-up call. Bianca’s beaten some good contenders, but Sasha’s jumping to the head of the line. We’ll see if they do WrestleMania all over again soon. And after the break, KING Nakamura!

Talking Smack returns to talk the Six Man Tag.

The origins of that match was last week in Cleveland, but it was this week where we saw King Nakamura, Big E & Cesaro face Robert Roode, Dolph Ziggler & the WWE Intercontinental Champion, Apollo Crews. However, Peter, Rick Boogs did get involved in his own way. Yes, him and Azeez! Watch out for Apollo’s commander! That was full-contact Gong Show right there. Cesaro attacked Azeez back, apparently a fan of rock, and then things fell apart on the outside. Things didn’t fall apart on the inside because Nakamura hits Kinshasa for the win. Talk about Rey being rejuvenated, it’s a lot like that for Nakamura. He might be on one of the best rolls in a long time, and Matt wants to hear from The King himself! Kayla has Nakamura and Boogs!

Kayla thanks the guys and is excited to be here with the King of Strong Style and Boogs. She congratulates Nakamura on his win and notes it was on Apollo. Is there a chance that he wants after the title? Nakamura says he is the king, and the king will look great in gold. Boogs agrees with that. Kayla knows Boogs plays Nakamura on and off stage every time, so does he have any advice for The King if he goes after the title? Boogs says firstly, he’s licking his wounds from Azeez assaulting him! Azeez damaged the bridge of his guitar and the bridge of his nose! And he has a fat lip, too!

So Boogs’ advice is for Nakamura to keep his eyes on Apollo, and let Boogs get Azeez. Ricky B is gonna take Azeez on a bruise cruise! Just worry about the gold, the crown and the Intercontinental Championship. Then they can get some jewels afterward. Nakamura wants Boogs to play them out, and Kayla says that’s a good way to celebrate. How does Nakamura rate Boogs’ musical ability? It’s tight! Nice! Kayla again congratulates them and sends it back to the studio.

Peter likes that acoustic version of the theme right there. Matt says there’s definitely something to Nakamura, the King, wanting the Intercontinental title back. Last time, Nakamura had it for 201 days, but Matt wanted to see more of Kayla jamming out with Boogs.

But speaking of other disappointments, Heyman was clearly disappointed in what name ended up on the contract for the Universal Championship match. He was most upset with management, Sonya Deville & Adam Pearce. Talking Smack replays Heyman finding them backstage and congratulating them for “great television.” But while he questioned the validity of Cena’s name on a contract meant for Finn Balor, Pearce and Sonya went with the signatures on the paper. Roman will face Cena with the title on the line, and that is that.

Matt didn’t think this would happen, with the way Roman was ducking Cena. Peter doesn’t see it as “ducking,” but this all happened in an interesting way. Balor gets intercepted by Baron Corbin, Cena stops Corbin, but while Heyman is a brilliant man, why is he not filing an injunction? Peter wouldn’t accept that! Cena can’t just sign the contract and have the match. Matt says they can get Clarence Mason on the phone and ask him about this. But bottom-line, this is what we know: management said it is official, it is happening, so let’s just focus on that. There are no more mind games, no more Balor, this is going down at SummerSlam. Can Peter make a pick now or is he going to wait to see the next few weeks?

Peter says it is too early to call it, but Peter also disagrees, the mind games aren’t done. They’re just beginning. There’s still time before SummerSlam, but who wins the  mind games? Cena had some cutting things to say about Roman, and though the phrase “it just got personal” is used a lot, it’s very true right here between Cena and Roman. Matt is pretty sure the smiling and laughing is all over now, those two will be at SummerSlam for THE Universal Championship. We are rolling into Las Vegas, and that’s all for Talking Smack! Matt and Peter sign off and wish us a good weekend.

My Thoughts:

A pretty good episode but as I said for Raw Talk and last week’s Talking Smack, these just aren’t as fun when it was the guests sitting down to talk with the cohosts. Rey & Dom didn’t have much in the way of sensational stuff to say, because their story direction is obvious: title rematch with the Usos. Vega was a touch better as she throws Mella under the bus, a classic Heel tactic. Vega wants her shot but she might have to face Sasha to get it. Nakamura and Boogs had a great segment, I kinda hope we get a tag match so that Boogs can get at Azeez in the ring and finally show the SmackDown audience what he can do. He had a short time in NXT but he’s a big, strong guy, he could take the fight to Azeez for a time.