6/19 WWE TALKING SMACK REPORT: Kayla Braxton, Sami Zayn rants on the WWE, more

WWE TALKING SMACK REPORT
JUNE 19, 2021
REVIEW BY NICK MORGAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Hosts: Kayla Braxton and Paul Heyman

This week’s guest: Shinsuke Nakamura w/Boogs, Adam Pierce, and Sami Zayn

– Thankfully we get Kayla this week and almost immediately we get the great banter between her and Paul Heyman, the best being that Paul said that he actually misses Kevin Patrick, but of course he was kidding.

– Kayla quickly got to promoting Hell in a Cell, featuring first conversation about the Bianca Belair vs. Bayley Cell match, the news being that Paul touted Bayley as the winner. Hmmmmm, interesting. Kayla then turned to Otis and the lack of his beard, going a bit heavy by saying that Otis looks meaner without his beard.

– Kayla asked about Paul’s thoughts the Roman vs. Rey Hell in a Cell match and Paul went on a typical Paul spiel, at first saying that everyone was looking at this as a Rocky movie with the underdog overcoming adversity, but as Paul said, this isn’t a Rocky movie and Roman Reigns, like he did with Daniel Bryan and Edge, he absolutely crushed Rey Mysterio. Paul then said that come Friday on Smackdown, Roman Reigns’ “dance card” is open and he wants to see who will step up. With the mention of Edge here, I am wondering if Edge, in fact, does come back as WWE has not dealt with his loss at WrestleMania.

– As Paul wished Rey a derisive “Happy Father’s Day,” we were sent off to break for a Summerslam promo and a Father’s Day promo featuring Kofi Kingston.

– Coming back, we heard Shinsuke Nakamura’s music as played by Boogs as Nakamura joined the set wearing his new crown. Nakamura accepted his new position as the King of the WWE (interestingly not The King of the Ring). Kayla asked him where he liked to wear his crown most, Nakamura mentioned something about the beach as Kayla started talking about Boogs who was playing in the background. This segment was mostly interested in wear Nakamura would wear his crown and not about wrestling at all, except Baron Corbin was no longer the king. This was a waste, unless you like rather screeching electric guitar playing by someone who is only okay at doing so.

– Regardless off to break we go for a Hell in a Cell promo and the vaccine PSA.

– We were then graced by Adam Pearce as he and Paul played up some issues, but that was just a side point as Kayla asked Pearce about the match he made between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Pearce said he made the match to get a final conclusion to this feud and that there was nothing personal about it. Paul immediately called out Pearce, saying that Pearce in fact wants to see Sami get his but kicked, which Pearce denied angrily and shot back at Paul that while personally he would like to see Sami get his butt kicked, there was nothing personal in his making the match.

– At this point, Sami Zayn came out in full paranoia mode claiming that Pearce in fact was leading a conspiracy against him and that it was all unfair.

(Morgan’s Analysis: I love Sami Zayn and his energy is contagious, but I am getting a bit tired with this whole shtick, and while I think Pearce did an adequate job, he was clearly over his head with Paul on one side of him and Sami on the other. He just came across as very milk toast, which I guess is his job.)

– Pearce bailed out of the segment saying that Paul and Sami deserved each other while Sami stayed on set as Paul sent us off to break promising an “open mic” for Sami. This break featured the “Back on the Road” spot and a Hell in a Cell promo.

– And here we go, “Sami unchained”. Sami actually said that the primary function of WWE is not the whole thing about making money for share holders and putting on a wrestling show (Surprised Vince approved this script), but rather the WWE exists to mess with Sami Zayn. Sami went so far as to say that even Paul has been the victim of WWE. If you are not a corporate stooge who just cashes the checks, then you get messed with like Paul has and like Sami is constantly ground down by WWE, just because he tells the truth.

(Morgan’s Analysis: The only way I can think that this was approved by the “powers that be” (read Vince McMahon) is that there must be some thought that by having this put out there by someone like Sami Zayn, it inoculates them from people actually believing that the WWE is just a giant corporate entity that is only interested in one thing, making money, and that nobody, not the fans, not the wrestlers, not anybody ultimately matters, as long as the money continues to roll in.)

As Sami left, Kayla ended the show with another nod to the Hell in a Cell PPV and we are out.

FINAL THOUGHTS: A very tight 24 minutes that actually went quickly, thanks mostly to the ability of both Kayla and Paul to move things along and keep us entertained even if the guests (read Shinsuke Nakamura) did not offer much. This was a strange Talking Smack as Paul had little to say about Roman Reigns. That said, the presence of Sami, while I’m a bit over his conspiracy rantings, was fun and his throwing of WWE under the bus was worth watching the show to see.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S TALKING SMACK REPORT: 6/12 WWE TALKING SMACK REPORT: Bianca Belair talks the target on her back as champion, Heyman accepts Rey’s challenge for Reigns, more