Tossing Salt Presents: Wrestling Fact Or Fiction
April 18, 2014
Doug Maynard
Here we are back again with your Thursd… I mean “Friday” guilty pleasure, the one and only “Tossing Salt Presents: Wrestling Fact Or Fiction.” I meant to have this up yesterday, but between getting called into work on what was supposed to be a day off, plus fighting off a severe head cold, it just didn’t happen. My apologies! But I’m here today and I’m keeping it short and sweet. In other words, time to can the chit chat and jump right to that answer and question thing called…
Question Time…
Tom Black: If you could book a pay-per-view using only dead wrestlers, who would you use? Wrestlers, referees, announcers, etc.
There is an old saying that if there’s a Rock & Roll Heaven, then you know they have one helluva band. I guess the same could be said for pro wrestling. If there’s a wrestling heaven, you know that they would put on one helluva pay-per-view. Let’s give this a shot. I know I’ve probably forgotten many people, but I’m doing this on the fly so it is what it is.
For this event, I’d have Vince McMahon Sr., Fritz Von Erich and Eddie Graham share the promotion duties. The referee duties would be split between Joey Marella, Mark Curtis and Pee Wee Anderson. The interviewers would be Johnny Weaver and “The Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers. And my announcers would be Gordon Solie and Gorilla Monsoon.
And for this big special event, we’d have ten matches listed, including a 36-Man Over The Top Battle Royal. Here are the matches for this show.
“Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth versus The Ultimate Warrior
Yokozuna and Owen Hart versus Eddie Guerrero and “The American Love Machine” Art Barr
Fatal 4-Way Tag Match: Matt Borne & Buzz Sawyer versus Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams versus The Public Enemy versus David & Kerry Von Erich w/ Chris & Mike Von Erich in their corner.
Six Man Tag: John Studd, Ernie Ladd and “Playboy” Buddy Rose w/ Sherri Martel versus Andre The Giant, Rick McGraw and S.D. Jones
Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig w/ Rick Rude versus The Big Bossman
The Fabulous Moolah & Mae Young versus Penny Banner & Luna Vachon
Special Managers Match: Captain Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie, Paul Bearer & Arnold Skaaland w/ The Grand Wizard versus Gary Hart, Skandor Akbar, Sir Oliver Humperdink and Lord Alfred Hayes.
Flyin’ Brian Pillman & Chris Benoit w/ Woman versus Dick Murdoch & Wahoo McDaniel
Six Man Tag: “Dr. Death” Steve Williams, Terry Gordy & Bruiser Brody versus Dick The Bruiser, The Crusher & Ray “The Crippler” Stevens
36-Man Two Ring Over The Top Battle Royal: Brad Armstrong, The Sheik, Eddie Gilbert, Crash Holly, Lance Cade, The Wall, Reid Flair, Brian “Crush” Adams, Kanyon, Jos LeDuc, Bam Bam Bigelow, Bobby Duncum Jr., The Renegade, “Earthquake” John Tenta, Chris Candido. The Missing Link, Adrian Adonis, The Mighty Igor, Swede Hanson, Mike Graham, Buddy Roberts, Rufus R. “Freight Train” Jones, Giant Baba, Jay Youngblood, Davey Boy Smith, Louie Spicolli, Loch Ness, El Gigante, Road Warrior Hawk, Gene Anderson, Hercules Hernandez, Junkyard Dog, Mike Awesome, Jack Brisco, Bad News Allen and “Mr Wrestling” Tim Woods.
And there you go. From top to bottom, something for everyone and a show for the ages. ‘Nuff said!
LeVar Bolden: Who is the best wrestling family?
There are so many great wrestling families to choose from, such as The Von Erichs, The McMahons, The DiBiases’, The Andersons (kayfabe), The Grahams, The Harts, etc. But my two picks would be, in terms of personal favorites, The Windham Family (Blackjack Mulligan, Barry & Kendall Windham, Mike Rotundo, Bo Dallas, Bray Wyatt) and in terms of pure dominance and legacy, the Samoan Anoa’i family (The Samoans, Peter Miavia, The Rock, Rikishi, Yokozuna, The Usos and many, many others) definitely is at the top of the list.
Jerry Rivers: Vince McMahon has put you in charge of the casting for Legends House and you can pick any 8 wrestling legends to be part of the cast, who would you pick?
Hulk Hogan, Nicole Bass, Juventud Guerrera, Lisa (Ivory) Moretti, The Sandman, Missy Hyatt, Disco Inferno and Mike Adamle.
Jacob Ray Santos: Name 3 mid-carders and/or jobbers that you would have liked to or would still like to see a become a big name main eventer in the WWE. I’m going with Curtis Axel, Cesaro (Working his way out of mid-carder already) and Cody Rhodes.
I think Cesaro is well on his way to the main event so I won’t list him. How about the obvious: Zack Ryder, The Miz and Heath Slater.
Brendan Shields: Who would get more heat in front a ECW crowd: Dixie Carter or Nancy Grace?
An ECW crowd would be hard on Dixie to be sure, but Nancy Grace would be torn a new one repeatedly again and again… and deserve every second of it. Dixie would be okay after the show. Grace? I would really doubt it.
And now, let’s do what we really came here to do and that’s the “Fact Or Fiction” part of the column. As per usual, the questions come from my friends at 411mania.com/wrestling. And the answers and responses? Who knows where they come from. Somewhere deep inside that piece of gray matter I call “de brain”. Let’s do this…
Wrestling Fact Or Fiction
1. The Undertaker is done as an in ring performer.
FICTION: While time and injuries have taken their toll, I don’t think that we’ve seen Undertaker’s last match. He’s still a relatively young man and I believe has a few good years left inside him with matches and appearances few and far between. Going out with a loss just doesn’t seem to be the right way to go and I believe we’ll see Taker get revenge (eventually) plus there’s that kid who used to work for WCW to think about. Before this year is out, I think that the long anticipated Undertaker versus Sting match will happen as well.
2. Eric Young winning the TNA World Title was a cheap knockoff of Daniel Bryan’s WrestleMania 30 victory.
FACT: I don’t know if TNA actually intended it as such, but that’s how it looks and perception is everything, especially in pro wrestling. Young is a good performer, but to win the title out of the blue with no build as he did, just reeks of desperation by TNA, so what else are we supposed to think?
3. The tournament for a shot at the Intercontinental Title will lead to WWE actually reinvesting in that title.
FACT: Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I surely hope so. With the combining of the two major titles into one (WWE and World into WWE World Championship), that leaves a big void in the WWE so far as what the superstars are trying to achieve. The IC title (and the U.S. title for that matter) should be a natural goal for every WWE superstar to try to claim those #2 spots on the roster to help put themselves into contention for the big belt. Titles, if used correctly, are big money and help generate interest for the fans. I think that the WWE has finally realized this again and are headed in that direction with the secondary titles (and the tag titles) finally starting to get their just due.
4. WWE should be very concerned that Direct TV and DISH Network are dropping their PPVs.
FICTION: At this point and time, with the Network, the WWE doesn’t NEED DirecTV or DISH. Sure, it would be nice to get that additional few million dollars, but it’s not make or break for the WWE anymore and they know it. It seems kind of dumb to me that DirecTV and Dish would give up that easy money though. While it may not be as much as it was in the past, due to The Network, it’s still cash on the table and it just appears that DirecTV and Dish are throwing that money away. I understand that they are a bit butt-hurt due to the WWE not needing them anymore, but WWE and their “special events” still mean money for all parties involved and ignoring that just isn’t “best for business” at all.
5. At this point, you have little to no interest in Sting signing with WWE.
FICTION: I want to see Sting get that final run with the power of the WWE machine behind him. He’s an icon and legend and the WWE is just where he needs to do now in the winding days of his career. Plus, I still want to see Sting versus Undertaker. It’ll probably suck ring-wise, but it has to happen and I want to see it.
6. TNA made the right move by signing James Storm to a contract extension.
FACT: It’s a sinking ship and they need to keep whatever talents they can to try and survive. Glad to see that Storm (and Gunner and Spud) have all got secure futures and a place on the long term TNA roster. Right now, TNA can’t afford to lose any of their top talent.
7. WWE sending officials to aid the widow of the Ultimate Warrior is a classy and thoughtful move by the company.
FACT: How can it be perceived as anything else, but thoughtful. WWE isn’t always perfect or right, but in the end, they generally tend to do the right thing where their talents (and former talents) are involved.
8. You are interested in Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling.
FACT: Competition is good and let’s hope that Jarrett’s GFW is able to step up and give both TNA and the WWE a run for the money. It’ll pick up the product and cause everyone to get better. Plus, it gives the wrestlers another place to work and that’s always a plus as well. I know we can never go back to the days where the product, at least in the United States, was divided into three major territories (NWA, WWF and AWA), but with this new addition by Jarrett and his backers, plus ROH moving into the pay-per-view market too, it should make for a good time for wrestling fans everywhere and wrestling in general.
And with that, I think it’s time to call it quits and put this baby to bed. I’ve got things to do and people to call…. or I may just go back to bed. My head is pounding. Questions and comments can be sent to Doug28352@yahoo.com. Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/saltpalace. Follow me on Twitter at @doug28352. Thank you for reading and I’ll see you on the flip side. Have a great weekend.
Ubuntu!
DougMaynard.com 
Good column. I would’ve added Stu Hart in the promoters pieces and a couple Stampede Standouts like Tor Kamata,Mr. Hito and Bad News Allen to the card.
I honestly think Undertaker is done wrestling from everything I’ve read he’s done. But never say never.
I thought about Stu Hart originally and meant to add him in somewhere. I just forgot. Bad News Allen is there in the Battle Royal. I know I missed a lot of people, but unfortunately, that list is way too long to get everyone and I used the people I’m most familiar with from watching them on TV or the old mags I used to read when I was younger. Glad you liked the column though. Thank you!!