The show that launched several new careers and famously relaunched an old rivalry, Talking Smack was the sort of joyous expedition so good that its cancellation felt like a matter of time.
Hosted by the ever-effusive Renee Young and an irrepressible Daniel Bryan completely unafraid of losing his job, the show gave agency to any performer daring to get themselves over on it. Baron Corbin foreshadowed his amazing craic as King Of The Ring with a stirring promise to win the Royal Rumble and then the Elimination Chamber title match just to give himself the night off at WrestleMania. Naomi's story of dashed hometown glory during an injury informed an entire rebooking of a 'Show Of Shows' shot. Mojo Rawley, for approximately eight minutes, was interesting.
And of course, The Miz' legendary appearances served as a reminder of exactly how good he'd become, and how spectacular he could still be. Leaving Bryan's return as a possibility rather than a dead issue, Talking Smack was also a lifeline for fans of the 'YES Man' when all hope appeared lost.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
