10 Biggest Beneficaries Of WWE Talking Smack
Talking Smack created a slew of stars on SmackDown Live.
When WWE Talking Smack debuted shortly after the institution of the Brand Split last summer, it didn't appear to be any different than the average Raw or SmackDown pre-show, which would feature the likes of Booker T and Lita making pointless predictions for the upcoming event. Thankfully, it turned out anything but.
Instead, Talking Smack became an amazing asset to the blue brand, giving superstars the platform to cut unscripted promos and essentially get themselves over in the process. Those same opportunities are far and few between on Raw and SmackDown Live, and the additional half hour on the WWE Network did wonders for many members of the SmackDown roster.
Additionally, Renee Young and Daniel Bryan were terrific hosts who had a strong chemistry together, bringing the best out of everyone who appeared on the program as well as each other. Of course, they were none too pleased when it was announced on 7 July that the show was being cancelled as a weekly series on Tuesday nights, only to be brought back after pay-per-views.
Would any of the following ten names be where they are today had it not been for Talking Smack?
10. American Alpha
There was plenty of excitement among fans when American Alpha was selected by SmackDown Live in the 2016 WWE Draft following their string of stellar matches in NXT and success down there. They were exactly what the blue brand's tag team division needed in order to compete with Raw's, but unfortunately, Jason Jordan and Chad Gable were never on SmackDown consistently enough to get over with the audience.
Perhaps the biggest pop they received on the main roster was when they won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in December 2016, but that was merely because the show emanated from Chicago and that's where Jordan is from.
Other than that, fans really got to know the duo a lot better whenever they appeared on Talking Smack, discussing their background as well as their desire to be the best on the blue brand. In case you weren't aware, Gable is an incredibly entertaining individual, but most people won't know that unless they tuned into Talking Smack.
As for Jordan, he shined in each of his appearances on Talking Smack as well, leading to him getting the prominent push he has on Raw as of late.