By John Moore
WWE Talking Smack
Aired November 15, 2016 on WWE Network
-Renee Young introduced Talking Smack as Daniel Bryan was running in from the main Smackdown show to take his seat on the after show. Bryan said he just hugged the Undertaker. Renee talked about Undertaker motivating team Smackdown by threatening them punishment if they lose the Survivor Series match. Bryan said it sounded to him like Undertaker was back. Renee said “Taking souls and digging holes” should be a t-shirt. Bryan said the shirt should be organic and fair-trade. Bryan said he couldn’t talk business due to Undertaker pushing him off during the hug and Bryan having to rush to the Talking Smack set.
-Bryan talked about how Smackdown 900 was good from top to bottom. Bryan said Smackdown did use people from the past but the people from the past were used to focus on the wrestlers of the present, unlike Raw.
-Renee transitioned to talking about the debate between Bryan and Mick Foley from the previous night. Bryan said he didn’t start the fight for once. Bryan said he respects Foley but the minute that Foley blasted him for having no passion for the job, that was too much. Bryan told Foley to take it easy, brother. Bryan said people that know him knows that he likes to debate a bit due to having strong opinions sometimes.
-The Smackdown Women’s team were the first guests on the show with Nikki Bella, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, and Alexa Bliss taking up the right half of the Talking Smack table. “Coach” Natalya was there too. Young told the camera to focus on Nikki, who had her tooth knocked out. Natalya talked about the Smackdown team being united. She said Charlotte had a screw loose which was bad for their team.
-Natalya said she was proud of her team. She said “united we stand.” Natalya said they shook Raw up. Renee turned the attention to Nia Jax. Becky said she’s strong but Smackdown was fast. Nikki said she will be happy that her squad is with her. Becky said they were Junkyard Dogs who were rough, tough, and had enough. Bryan led them in a “Smackdown!” chant that he calmed down since they were banging the table. Natalya said she thinks they are more cats than dogs. She than started to talk more about her cat 2Paws. Renee called Naomi one of the most athletic women on the WWE roster and asked her how she thinks she would utilize that in battle. Naomi started to talk about “The Glow” for some reason.
John’s Thoughts: Cocky heel Naomi was awesome and I saw her draw monster heat at a live event I attended. Aside from an awesome entrance, this Naomi sucks since she answers all questions with “The Glow”.
-Renee wondered if Alexa contained any animosity. Bliss said they have to be together on Sunday but they can go back to where things were after Sunday. Renee wanted to know if they were going to have a bonding ritual like a dinner or something. They made jokes about who would pay and stuff. Renee lost control and Natalya blew a whistle. Renee tried to bring Bryan into this. Nikki said Bryan has to get used to girls like this since he’s having a daughter. Bryan said he just wants to get out of this alive. Renee plugged Total Divas. That ended their interview. Renee said she never saw that many microphones on the table before. Bryan said he would like to hold multiple microphones and he did for a bit.
-Bryan said he thinks the Raw team doesn’t stack up against the Smackdown Tag Teams. Bryan said he was also impressed by the teams not in the Survivor Series and said the Ascension looked great tonight. Bryan said he saw this crew compete on a recent trip in Europe. Bryan said he was impressed with the tag teams night in an night out. Bryan and Renee called Breeze and Fandango a dark horse team. Bryan said they can call him an uggo as long as they compete like they did in Europe. Bryan said he thinks all of Smackdown’s tag teams are better than The New Day. Daniel Bryan critisized the New Day for losing all of their non-title matches.
-The Miz interrupted and said he was curious as to how incredible he is. Miz said he remembered Bryan saying last week if Miz didn’t win the Intercontinental Championship he would be traded to Raw and he did win the championship. Bryan said Cesaro and Sami Zayn both stated that they want to go to Smackdown but not Bryan won’t get rid of Miz because Miz has something that Bryan said that when he was wrestling he wanted to make prestigious (the Intercontinental Championship). Miz said he was doing exactly what Bryan wishes he could do. Miz asked Bryan who he was rooting for, the guy with the title that he loves on his brand or the guy that’s his buddy on the Raw brand. Bryan just gave Miz a silent stare. Miz said he’d see Bryan on Sunday.
-Bryan said Miz has a point, Bryan wants Miz to win since Bryan wants the IC title to stay on Smackdown Live. Bryan said he’s afraid of Miz facing Zayn. Bryan said despite not liking Miz, Miz has been successful and does whatever it takes to win. Bryan talked about his comments to Kevin Owens from the previous night. He said he thinks the world of Kevin Owens but thinks that Owens brings down the value of the championship because Owens didn’t earn it. Bryan said that’s similar to Miz, who doesn’t beat people on his own by using people like Spirit Squad and Maryse. Bryan said 99 times out of a hundred Zayn would beat Miz, but this was a different situation.
-Renee wanted to know if there were actual trade talks for Miz. Bryan said they haven’t talked about it and said he doesn’t even know the rules since “they” were creating this as they go. Bryan said Miz grinds his gears and he likes the quality someone like Zayn or Cesaro would bring. Bryan said Miz does have supporters out there and Young joked about that being only Maryse. Bryan said at the last Smackdown Live PPV, the World Title Match was on first due to the Presidental debate. Bryan said Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton was last, but Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler should have gone last. Bryan said as much as he dislikes Miz he has to give Miz credit.
-Bryan said what he appreciates about Smackdown Live, he said when you look at Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Heath Slater, Dean Ambrose, and AJ Styles, after the draft their stock has risen. He said there were more opportunities on Smackdown Live. Bryan said that was a great thing about this brand. Bryan said he couldn’t predict who would win on Sunday but the deal was he believes in his team and they are better off than before the draft started.
-Edge was the next guest and said he wanted to lighten up the tone which was serious when he walked in. Renee wanted Edge’s thoughts on Undertaker. Edge said he’s been out there many times for that entrance including at WrestleMania, and the entrance never gets old. Renee wanted Edge’s thoughts on the Undertaker’s encouraging words. Edge said if you don’t have a hair up your “area” after that statement then you better get out and get into another industry. Edge said he thinks that he always felt a responsibility towards Smackdown, and Taker thought of that too. Edge said people like himself, Taker, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, or Batista they anchored this show at different points for years. Edge said he liked Smackdown because you had opportunity and the opportunity to shatter the glass ceiling if the glass ceiling existed. Edge said people like Ellsworth who wouldn’t get a shot on Raw, Smackdown was this beacon of light just like it was to Edge.
-Renee wanted Edge’s thoughts on coming back. Edge said he was still sweating. Renee said it was probably because of the beard. Bryan said Edge was now made for winter. Edge said Bryan educated him on beard oil. Renee said it was like makeup. Bryan said it was not like makeup and it was jojoba oil. Edge joked about looking like a homeless guy at the moment.
-Daniel Bryan wanted to know if Edge was disappointed at not getting a five second pose with James Ellsworth. Bryan mocked the no-chin of Ellsworth. Edge said that would be cool since he has an intense chin. Renee wanted Edge’s thoughts about Shane McMahon wrestling at Survivor Series. Edge said Shane was a maniac and could win if he calms down. Edge said the insanity is Shane’s strength and biggest weakness. Edge said it could be dangerous when working with a team.
-Renee wanted Edge and Bryan’s thoughts on AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose having a match after Survivor Series. Bryan said they worked together to take out Braun Strowman. Bryan said one of the wonders of humanity was coming together for a common goal. Renee said Bryan was eloquently spoken.
-James Ellsworth came onto the set which pleased Edge. Edge then set up for a profile shot/thumbnail picture with Ellsworth which they did, and Ellsworth was awesome because he looked like Ellsworth does in these still images. Ellsworth told Renee Young that sitting next to Edge and being in the ring with The Undertaker was just so surreal to him. Ellsworth thanked Bryan for being here. Renee wanted to know what was Ellsworth’s ultimate moment in this run. Ellsworth said the best moment was the WWE Championship match.
-Bryan said since Edge was a star in a the “Vikings” television show, hence the beard. Bryan wanted to know if Edge thinks that Ellsworth could be a real viking. Edge said the hair needs to be worked with. Edge said that when Undertaker walked out there was liquid coming out of all of his orifices. Bryan gave a whoa! Edge said that might have been too much info. Edge said seeing someone who got that excited on the show makes you think that you love that dude.
-Renee wanted to know what are Ellsworth’s plans as Mascot. Ellsworth said he was going to do whatever he could to get his team to get pumped, crazy, and try to win. Ellsworth said his favorite member of the team was Dean Ambrose. Renee called for a five second pose. Edge and Ellsworth did a baseball five second pose. This ended the show with Bryan leading a “Smackdown!” chant.
John’s Thoughts: This was a solid episode of Talking Smack as a post show. Believe it or not, retired wrestler Edge got to have a decent showing. When he’s paired with Christian, he’s a bit too Public Access/Wayne’s World comedy, but here he had the right amount of comedy combined with a decent amount of genuine rooting for Smackdown (in that he used a few quotes that he did on “Talk is Jericho” from a few years ago). Ellsworth is amazing as usual. This also continues to be the Daniel Bryan [half] Hour in that he gets to say mostly whatever he wants. We didn’t get a “I would rather be wrestling” quote tonight since he used it last night. We did get him criticizing Raw for their usage of young wrestlers though.
I find Renee Young TERRIBLY ANNOYING on these shows with her on “Total Divas” now she`s too close to everyone now the way she fawns over Nikki Bella is gross like last night and calling Daniel Bryan “Bryan” all the time I know it`s his real name but if they`re going to keep this a “WRESTLING SHOW” maybe she should stick with the script instead of last week calling Naomi “Trinity” They have 4 people doing Smackdown couldn`t they have Tom Phillips do the Talking Smack show and ship Renee to Raw and have her do a Raw brand talk show Post show. Keep it Professional Renee we know your friends with everyone and dating Ambrose but the interview is really BRUTAL!!