TALKING SMACK 10/4: Ziggler talks about importance of learning from Edge, Styles in full heel mode talking Ambrose and Ellsworth

TALKING SMACK REVIEW
OCTOBER 4, 2016
AIRED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK

Talking Smack opened up as always with Smackdown General Manager Daniel Bryan and Renee Young looking pretty in pink in support of WWE’s annual Susan G Koman promotion. Daniel shared a touching behind the scenes moment about the Susan G Koman segment on Smackdown with the featured women huddled up and praying together before going out to accept the replica Women’s Title belts.

GUEST: DOLPH ZIGGLER

Dolph Ziggler then joined the set as Renee and Bryan began to give the final rundown of this Sunday’s No Mercy event. Ziggler charmed the room, sporting his finest messy hair bun and flirting with Renee. But the tone quickly shifted to a much more serious vibe as Bryan went right into Ziggler’s Smackdown segment with The Miz.

Ziggler talked about how hard he has had to work to regain his credibility and get the fans to forget about his previous life as golf caddy for Chavo Guerrero and a male cheerleader, only to have it thrown back in face by The Miz – not to mention having human excrement dropped on his head on more than one occasion. This amused Bryan who punctuated the humiliation with a bit of laughter.

With the focus of this segment being on what would happen if Ziggler lost on Sunday, Ziggler reminisces about the highlight of his career being able to ride along with Edge and pick his brain for wrestling knowledge and face Edge in a World Title match as a “bad guy” (#badguyziggler) as well as what he plans to do if he is unsuccessful.

Ziggler addressed all the fans who come up to him at the Cracker Barrel, apparently a popular hang out for wrestlers and wrestling fans alike, and how they think if he were to lose he’d be back in a couple months under a mask or something else to get him back on TV. Arguing that if he is not as good as he says he is, then he does not want to be in WWE, so if he loses he will be gone for real.

Bryan and Renee wish Ziggler all the best in his future endeavors if he does indeed lose at No Mercy and transition to running down the rest of the PPV card as Ziggler exited the set.

BRYAN & RENEE CHAT ABOUT “TOTAL BELLAS” AND THE PPV

Bryan touched briefly on the debut of Total Bellas hyping the “reality” of the show and how it was uncomfortable at times having the camera there for such intimate moments as the phone call he received from Vince asking him to retire. A strong selling point for fans not typically into watching celebrity reality shows on the E! network.

Renee and Bryan brush through the women’s matches on the PPV. Predicting Carmella verses Nikki Bella may end in a DQ finish as Carmella has been more interested in assaulting Nikki and less interested in winning. They also touch on the Smackdown Women’s Championship match where Bryan predicted a win by Alexa Bliss, stating sometimes it is harder to retain a championship than it was to win it.

Renee put over how vicious the Usos have been as of late, and speculated how a loss for Heath Slater & Rhyno could effect their friendship and Heath’s financial situation after moving on up to a double wide trailer and that fancy above ground pool.

Mind games were the subject of the Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt conversation, noting how Orton is just as good at getting inside an opponent’s head as Bray Wyatt, as Bryan experienced both first hand when he faced them in the past.

GUEST: A.J. STYLES

In the final moments of Talking Smack, A.J. Styles the WWE World Champion joins the table as the three of them talk about the big Triple Threat match for the title at No Mercy. A.J. was in full on heel mode, predicting an obvious victory on Sunday because he is a winner. A.J. put over both John Cena and Dean Ambrose as great competitors, adding he was not worried as he would find a way to win as always.

A.J. then confronted Bryan, asking why Ambrose ever even had a title match tonight on Smackdown as he is already getting his rematch on Sunday. Then he went on to say that after pinning Dean Ambrose earlier, Bryan should remove Ambrose from the title match at No Mercy and that John Cena doesn’t even deserve to be in the match at all after losing to A.J. at SummerSlam.

A.J. suggested replacing Cena with a worthier opponent, suggesting James Ellsworth perhaps may be a better fit, which gets a good laugh out of Renee. A.J. continued attacking Cena, saying Cena only wants to be in the match so he is in the same conversation as Ric Flair, and how a 16-time Champion only makes him a 15-time loser. A.J. said that he does not compare himself to anyone.

Bryan name drops TNA along with New Japan putting over all of A.J.’s title reigns across the world. A.J. gave a very passionate speech about being overlooked so many times and having to prove himself over and over again and has a chip on his shoulder, proclaiming he will knock down anyone they put in front of him because he is a champion and he is a winner. Then he walked off the set to end the show.