The Profits are up, and Talking Smack wants the smoke!

Aww~ Talking Smack! Don’t you dare be sour! Clap for Big E and the Street Profits, and FEEL the POWER~! What will they say about what went down on SmackDown?

Kayla Braxton welcomes us back to the show!

It’s time to dive into all the juicy details from SmackDown! She introduces her “dashing” cohost, Paul Heyman, and he seems rather coy about how “upbeat’ Kayla is about TLC. But speaking of, Heyman looks at it “differently” and from an “educated” perspective. It isn’t just “TLC~!” It is tables, ladders and chairs. Weaponry of a mindset where all of that is legal to use against your opponent. The Tribal Chief, the Head of the Table, the Universal Heavyweight Champion, Roman Reigns, is in a match against a dangerous man in Kevin Owens.

Heyman says Kevin is in the mindset to either take the title for his own, or to cost Roman something other than just the title, such as taking him out of commission, therefore out of the title, the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. That is the kind of competition where they can use tables, ladders and chairs legally. Heyman has been trying to figure out why he’s on this show. He thought it was just a drag on his time, that he was having to keep Kayla straight, a full time job to begin with. But now he realizes it’s actually to accurately represent Roman Reigns to us.

Heyman says Kevin Owens’ mindset, if he were being honest with himself, should be to “marinate in the mindset of being mutilated by Roman Reigns at TLC.” Kevin stepped into Roman’s business. He has such righteous indignation of how he’s going to represent the fans, but he lost that righteousness, and now it’s a fight. “The legality for Tables, Ladders and Chairs.” That’s why Kayla tries to say it all happy, but why Heyman says it on the level of the Special Counsel of the Tribal Chief. Well then thank you for your time, Heyman. But other matches have been made for next week, such as Bianca Belair VS Bayley, and a SmackDown Tag Team Championship match!

The Street Profits join Talking Smack!

Montez Ford shares the “happiness” with Heyman and Kayla before he and Angelo Dawkins take their seats. Not that Heyman didn’t know it before, but Ford’s cup is rather big. Size does matter! But moving from that, Kayla welcomes them back to the show. Heyman can’t even drink, the smell alone hits too hard. But the Profits are in good spirits despite the loss from SmackDown. What is going wrong against Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode? Dawkins says those two have a lot of confidence, and now they have the confidence that they can beat the Profits.

But next week, the Profits have to change the way they think. Roode & Ziggler want to be aces, but they’re going to fold. The Profits will eliminate that false hope. The games are over. Profits like having fun but they get business done. Is this going to bring out that more serious version? Ford says no one likes losing. Heyman knows that. Dawkins doesn’t like it, Ford doesn’t like it. Those who don’t care about losing, something is wrong with them. Losses will happen, but you’re defined by what you do after losing. Good for Roode & Ziggler to win, but next week is different. Ziggler was the better man on SmackDown. Next week, the Profits will be the better men.

Ford will repeat that, Dawkins tells him to be real. Ford says again Ziggler was the better man on SmackDown. But next week, on “the blue brand,” the brand that the Profits are tag team champions on, the Profits will be the better men. “IT’S ENOUGH!!” Ford is sick and tired of everyone thinking there’s no serious Profits! Like they don’t care about losing!? Ford’s entire life has been about losing! But next week, the Profits win! “We win! We win! We win!” Kayla hopes so and wishes them luck. They can celebrate next time the Profits are on the show.

As the Profits head out, Kayla says she understands how they feel. Being constantly signed off as “They’re goofy! They’re funny!” All that gets to you. Heyman says the Profits were never defeated for the Raw Tag Team Championships. They haven’t lost as SmackDown Tag Team Champions. They are the most recognized tag team champions, but their backs are against the wall. So next week, we’ll all find out “just how damn great they truly are.”

Carmella crashes Talking Smack.

Did anyone see what happened on SmackDown? Heyman watches her “religiously.” Kayla boycotts her! Wasn’t the guest supposed to be the winner of the match? Or rather, the SmackDown Women’s Champion? Mella says she DID win. So disrespectful, just like Sasha! Sasha is so insecure and jealous! It was supposed to be a nice contract signing and then Sasha said the match was for SmackDown. Mella said, “Why not?” Mella had Sasha beat but she gets disqualified?! “Are you kidding me?!” Heyman says it’s shameful.

Mella wants to know when the disrespect will end. Does anyone here know? No? Well Sasha will get hers. Mella storms off, and Heyman wonders why everyone is in such a bad mood. Maybe we need the Power of Positivity. Heyman wants us to follow Kayla’s example of being positive. She was so energetic about TLC, and then everyone here is in a piss poor mood and venting. Why can’t we all be happy like Kayla? Well, admittedly, Kayla doesn’t get in the ring. There’s no way she could do what these ladies and gentlemen can. Heyman isn’t buying that.

But Kayla also wants Heyman to understand the frustrations, because she had her opportunity tonight and she is NOT the champion because of the disqualification. Perhaps TLC will be the rematch because of the original contract. Will this fire get her that shot? Will she take down a future Hall of Famer in Sasha? Heyman says Mella can beat anyone in front of her, she is that talented Don’t be caught up by the sex appeal. That’s just one class athlete and she’s capable of being champion. Whether she does it, that has yet to be seen. But let’s change things to something more positive…

Big E joins Talking Smack!

Kayla loves the new track! Big E gives shout out to Wale for it. No hug from Heyman? Big E’s hugs hurt a bit. Big E gives Heyman a gentle side hug. It’s just one of those days! Kayla knows he must be frustrated. Yep. Is there a question? He doesn’t want to criticize, it just seemed like she had a lead up. Well he must be sick of Sami Zayn, right? Big E said he wasn’t going to let them stress him out. He said, “Jesus, take the wheel! Jesus, guide my hand!” Big E will not let the SYSTEM break his spirit! He will not let the MACHINE take from him what is true and real and beloved! There’s someone raising a hand because he feels it! That’s Skinny Nick, follow him on social media.

Big E has been meditating a bit to keep a good head space. He won’t let this place snatch his peace that he worked too hard to have! But Big E will move on, regroup and get over this bad day. Kayla asks Heyman his thoughts. Heyman just applauds. “It’s about damn time.” It’s about time we see THIS Big E. The Big E that we’ve all waited for. And when Heyman means “we all,” he means everyone in the company, including Kayla, and the locker room. Even Roman and Heyman have been waiting to see this Big E. This is the Big E that goes into the Hall of Fame. This is the Big E that Kofi and Xavier brag about. No disrespect to Kofi and Xavier, but Big E was always the muscle of New Day.

Heyman says Big E has a champion in his sights, which means he has a championship in his sights. Sami is the best first step in that direction for Big E. Believe Heyman when he says a champion is only as great as the challengers he puts down. A focused Big E, a singles championship minded Big E, has so much potential. Ten years from now, as the story is being written, they will all say that the accomplishments Big E did in the New Day will pale in comparison to what he accomplished on his own. Heyman says what Big E accomplishes the next ten years will be mind boggling. But Big E must accept in his heart that the New Day was just a footnote in the legacy that is Big E.

If Heyman may prove his case, he has a rhetorical question: “When was the last time you saw Roman Reigns in the ring and anybody even bothered to mention The Shield?” Big E ponders on what Heyman has just said. Kayla speaks up and says she isn’t sure how to follow that. You don’t. Just say “See you next week.” Well then, that’s what we’ll do. Has Heyman given Big E the map to a new path?

My Thoughts:

A powerful episode right here. Heyman gave us a strong promo and really framed Roman VS Kevin as the brutally personal match it’s going to be. The Profits, and especially Ford, had fire, and while I’ve always seen there is intensity in them, it is great that they’re pointing out the Profits can get intensely serious.

Mella basically crashing the show was a good touch, she is of course still upset but with her still being in ring gear, can we PLEASE just put Talking Smack out late on a Friday night so there aren’t these inconsistencies. They’re still having to correct themselves when they mention SmackDown being “last night” and not the same night. Yes, 205 Live is on after SmackDown, but put Talking Smack on after! They need time to film anyway, and they pretend this is live on a Saturday so just pretend it’s live for Talking Smack, too! IT’S SO SIMPLE!

Either way, Big E had a great segment, but oddly it was Heyman with the even stronger part as he started getting Big E to consider what his singles future is going to be. I would love if this was what helped Big E turn a corner, win the Rumble, and then challenge Roman Reigns.