Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Cheap Pop and Cheap Heat from Smark Out Moment! Each week, we break down the world of professional wrestling and examine two of the polar opposite ends of the spectrum: one thing that was by far the worst thing (Cheap Heat) and the best thing (Cheap Pop) to happen over the past 7 days in sports entertainment. So, what went down this week that we loved and hated about the business?


Last week, The Prime Time Players at long last won the tag team titles, and where better for the Millions of Dollars Dance innovators than the Money in the Bank pay-per-view?

It is incredible to think the team never got the gold during their initial two-year run between 2012-2014, for the tag team division had its lapse in credible champions during this time and certainly could have benefited from champions such as Titus O'Neil and Darren Young. However, for some bizarre reason, it never came to pass, and then for some even stranger reason, the team were split apart and made to go their separate ways.

If WWE predicted big things for the duo by doing so, they couldn't have been more wrong. After a forgettable feud, Young was forced to take time off for surgery on a torn ACL, while Titus went on to form a tag team with Heath Slater known as Slater-Gator. While the crowds were behind the comedic odd couple, it was only ever a loose semi-serious pairing, and mostly just used for house shows and Main Event.

The decision to allow the team to reform earlier this year was a good one for both these men, and winning the titles is a well-deserved break. O'Neil and Young are a tried and tested team that is hugely over with the crowd and consistently deliver in and out of the ring. Titus is an impressive powerhouse with agility belonging to a man half his size, while Darren is a decent all-rounder, and no midget himself standing at an imposing 6'1. They work flawlessly together, and are incredibly capable of putting on great matches.

While winning the belts is unlikely to result in a payday worth "millions of dollars," it is undoubtedly and richly deserved.



They say celebrities go in threes. Sadly, the events of last week added strength to this theorem, for it saw the passing of Christopher Lee, Ron Moody, and of course, WWE Hall of Famer Virgil Runnels aka Dusty Rhodes.

It transpires an ambulance attended Dusty's home in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday morning after he had fallen ill. Despite medics' best attempts, Dusty passed away aged just 69.

What is eerie about this is that very same day, I was thinking about how great Dusty was, how his accent and catch phrases made me laugh, and just how admirable it was for him to still be contributing to the development towards the future of wrestling.

Hours later, I learned of his death.

While I am too young to have witnessed Dusty's iconic '80s run firsthand, thanks to the wonders of YouTube, many accounts by wrestlers in autobiographies/podcasts, and his mid '00s resurgence in WWE, I was able to become of fan and learn just how much respect, love, and admiration, there was for The American Dream.

The internet is awash with posts and tweets by fans with their favorite promo or match of his, but for me, my all time favorite moment is undoubtedly the simple act of accompanying his sons to the ring in their tag team match against The Shield at Battleground 2013.

The moment all three hold their fists together—a united front in a family that has not always gotten along perfectly—it is just a moment of beauty that goes beyond the storyline. Wrestling is an art form, and this was a masterpiece to me.

Now, I do not wish to sound cynical, but it is rare a celebrity's death means much to me. I am neither a film buff nor a music fanatic, so the death of someone whose films I have never seen or music I have ever listened to does not resonate sadness beyond feeling sorry for the family they have left. However, with wrestlers, it is a completely different story. This is a world I know, a world I love, a world that makes sense to me. I will forever be inspired by those wrestlers who defy the odds and make it to the top despite being told they can't.

Dusty was part of this world, and his passing leaves a notable hole in it. Sweet Dreams Mr. Runnels.


So there you have it, my two choices for the week. What do YOU think are the Cheap Pop and Cheap Heat this week in professional wrestling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!