4 Ups And 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE Talking Smack (Jan 10)
Hidden profanities, a substitute host, and the real Wolf of Wall Street!
Following a Smackdown Live with yet more entrants announced for the Royal Rumble, a blockbuster title match announcement for next week's show and the in-ring return of John Cena, Talking Smack was again the vehicle to enhance much of the rich storytelling currently occurring on the Blue Brand.
Featuring a heated face-off and the substantial fleshing out of two re-invented gimmicks, the show brought the typical blend of company-friendly booking advancement and near-the-knuckle moments not always achievable on the main show.
After yet another heated week for the Tuesday crew, let's take a look at the Ups and Downs from this week's edition of Talking Smack.
7. Down - No Daniel Bryan
Always a miss when he's not there to spar with Renee Young and the various guests, Daniel Bryan has proven himself to be the heart of Talking Smack since its inception.
He is always willing to take risks with his verbiage and help push performers on who have been given their first opportunity to speak in depth about their characters in front of such a huge audience.
Exploiting his most extensive in-ring history on the entire roster, and can talk at length on a level with the wrestlers than Renee and her guest hosts can't always relate to.
With his on-screen role as Smackdown General Manager, he is also a subtle authoritarian presence, and will often do his best to explain some of the lazier WWE booking oversights as if there was a genuine administration attempting to manage the brand. This adds far more credibility to the universe of the show than the endless backstage or in-ring segments between Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley that can sometimes pollute the 'A-Show'.
Despite the commendable job done by his replacement this week, it's apparent just how key an ingredient the 'Yes Man' has become to Talking Smack, and here's hoping his absence is only temporary.