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?



WWE did the unthinkable this week by having the cruiserweights close Monday Night Raw, and boy did it turn out better than we could have ever imagined. Love him or hate him, Enzo Amore is exactly what the cruiserweight division needed.

Yes, he is far from being the most technical, athletic, or acrobatic one there, but his star power and charisma (even if it makes him hated in real life) makes him so damn watchable.

For the first time in a year since its inception, the cruiserweight title feels like it actually matters.

This is no knock on Neville, but nobody can deny the effort put behind was lackluster. We had great performances and little stories here and there, but he was mostly relegated to pre-show and being sandwich filler during the pay-per-views. If WWE did not care then why should we?

The whole idea of Enzo vs. the entire cruiserweights was an excellent and entertaining segment in its own right, but by placing them in the ending segment and adding Braun Strowman, WWE has sent a firm message that there is an investment on their part here. Factor in Titus O'Neil and Breezango's recent involvement too, and you can see that WWE has finally realized that barriers between divisions interacting was little more than a barrier to it own success.

While the title belt is still ugly as sin, and I am sure Enzo is only going to make it look worse, I would be lying if I said that I was not looking forward to what happens next.



When John Cena left No Mercy following his loss to Roman Reigns, many wondered why his exit had such a finality to it. He took his time to soak in the atmosphere of the crowd, as if he knew that this would be the last time that he did it. All the more baffling when he had only been on Edge and Christian's podcast days earlier saying that he was not quite done yet.

It has since transpired that this moment marks his time from being a full-timer to a part-timer, and that it is time to accept that we are going to see a lot less of him now.

Similar to the case of Enzo's presence elevating the cruiserweights, whether you love or hate Cena, he was an essential part of WWE for many years. His star power surpassed the world of wrestling into the mainstream world, and he did elevate those he went up against. Initially, I was sucked into the "John Cena sucks" bandwagon, but in time I grew to have great respect for the man.

Once upon a time I found it tedious that he nearly always won, but I can see now how we needed someone with such an accolade. It made the stakes higher and made his opponent look like a big deal when they beat him or came close. In addition, his promos were always on point and done with passion, and he more than earned the nickname "Big Match John".

I know that WWE feels that they have a replacement in Roman Reigns, but you cannot replica what John Cena has.

Can't WWE see that?


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!