WWE: How will Talking Smack be without Renee Young?

WWE is bringing back Talking Smack, which was the company’s most beloved show when Renee Young and Daniel Bryan were the hosts.

In 2016, WWE split Raw and SmackDown into two brands, and the Blue Brand immediately became the fan’s choice of the two. SmackDown was innovative and engaging, featuring fresh stories and two babyface authority figures.

But more than anything else, it flourished because of the added storytelling provided by the 30-minute WWE Network special, Talking Smack.

Renee Young, one of WWE’s most talented people, made the show work. She was a great interviewer, giving talent space to express themselves while keeping things moving. Her rapport with Daniel Bryan was excellent, as it brought the best out of Bryan’s comedic chops.

Talking Smack went off air for a while, but it will finally make its return on Saturday, per a report from Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet. 

The return of Talking Smack is, in a way, bittersweet, because the announcement comes shortly after wrestling fans learned that Renee Young put in her notice with the company.

WWE should make Talking Smack more innovative than Raw Talk

So it’s unclear what the future holds for Young, other than the obvious note that her future is incredibly bright. She could host her own show on any major network, such as ESPN, and be incredibly successful. WWE will eventually blame themselves for never using Young to her fullest over the past several years.

As for Talking Smack, a show without Young will likely closely mirror Raw Talk. And that means it will still be very good. Charly Caruso gets to show her wit and interview skills in ways she’s not allowed to on weekly television, and she and R-Truth, who is one of the GOATs at bringing out the best in others on the mic, have formed a fantastic partnership in leading the show.

FOX may have more say in how Talking Smack is run, which could potentially be a good thing. For example, SmackDown has done a lot more to showcase RETRIBUTION in an interesting, intimidating light. The Braun Strowman vs. Fiend feud has been compelling because of the way the Blue Brand is trying new things.

That’s the blueprint to success, and hopefully, it means FOX will push WWE to be similarly creative with Talking Smack. It’s why the show was so beloved in the first place. We got moments like The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan, Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss, and even Erick Rowan and his balloons on Talking Smack.

There are a lot of wrestlers on the current SmackDown roster who can really get a boost from Talking Smack, especially Sonya Deville, the legendary Naomi, and the ever-underutilized Chad Gable. Talking Smack won’t be the same without Young, but it can still be a cornerstone in the way WWE tell stories on the Friday night brand.