Tossing Salt Presents: Wrestling Fact Or Fiction
April 1, 2017

Good morning and Happy Saturday to you. I should be getting ready for work right now, but I’ve got a few minutes to spare and this is on my mind and needing to be done so… It’s Wrestling Fact or Fiction and you know the deal by now. The questions and comments come from my friends at http://www.411mania.com. The answers are mine. Let’s just do it…

1. While it is a disappointment that Shawn Michaels turned down a WrestleMania match with AJ Styles, it is a complete embarrassment for WWE that they had no real plans locked in and had to go to Michaels and then Shane McMahon.

FICTION: I really don’t think anyone is surprised that Shawn turned down a wrestling match. He’s stayed true to the retirement deal and seems to be happy as a part time, non-wrestling player. So we ended up with AJ taking on Shane McMahon instead. Maybe it’s not the match that the fans really wanted, but an embarrassment? That’s being pretty harsh. Shane is a competent wrestler with the right opponent and he is a McMahon, which automatically gives the match some prestige and importance. Should AJ be in the WWE title picture instead? I don’t think anyone has any doubts about that, but this is only a brief distraction where AJ will look great, carry Shane to a great match, prove his worth even more to Vince and WWE management and before we know it, he’ll be back in the title hunt. WWE probably should have had more options on the table as to where to go with AJ, but in the WWE’s mind, this is a big time match and event so it’s all good.

2. Finn Balor WILL NOT appear on the WrestleMania 33 show.

FACT: The show is already packed to the gills and if Finn was to make his return here, it would just be a moment among moments and if you blink, you miss it. Better to save the return of “The Demon” for RAW on Monday night instead.

3. Roman Reigns SHOULD defeat Undertaker at WrestleMania

FACT: If they’re going to push Roman as the “big dog”of the yard, he has to make an impact that no one can deny and what better way than by beating the formerly unbeatable Dead Man at Wrestlemania. Taker is on his last legs and we’re not sure how many matches he realistically has left in his tank and since Roman is being seen as the future of the company, this match should be used to build towards that and help Roman cement his spot. The fans will be mad at first, but Taker doesn’t need to win anymore so long as the fight is good. Roman needs the win far more.

4. Matt & Jeff Hardy WILL appear on the WrestleMania 33 show.

FACT: I keep going back and forth about this and if they don’t appear on Sunday night, then I expect we’ll see them pop up on Tuesday instead. The Smackdown Tag Team Champions, the Usos, don’t have opponents to defend their titles against and are being, so far as I can tell, regulated to the Battle Royal. The longest running tag team champions in WWE history, the New Day, are not wrestling at all and are the “hosts” of the show. Both scenarios say “Hardys”. Jeff said in an interview that “the Hardy Boys” won’t be at Wrestlemania 33. He said nothing about “Broken Matt” and “Brother Nero” though and where the Hardy’s are concerned, that can make all the difference.

5. WWE bringing in PROGRESS Wrestling and Insane Championship Wrestling to work AXXESS is a focused effort by the company to try and hurt the independent shows that run WrestleMania weekend.

FICTION: It’s a focused attempt by WWE to give promotions that they’re working with in some capacity and make soon be using as part of the WWE Network some extra exposure and attention, nothing more and nothing less. Plus it gives the fans visiting AXXESS something else to enjoy. It’s not a big deal and is best for business for the WWE. ‘Nuff said!

6. What Will Be Match Of The Night at WrestleMania 33?

There will be a lot of great action and energy out there on Sunday night to be sure and several matches have the potential to steal the show, but the one I’m really most interested in, well the two actually, are the mixed tag match of Miz and Maryse versus Cena and Nikki Bella surprisingly and the match with Jericho versus Kevin Owens. The tag match mainly because of the excellent work of Miz and Maryse in helping to build things up and make it notable and interesting and as for Jericho versus Owens, it’s Y2J and Kevin Owens. What more needs to be said. It’s going to be a solid and packed card, but those two matches will be, I think, the highlight for me.

And there you go. I’m done and out of here. Work beckons. Have a great day and I’ll catch you on the flip side.

Ubuntu!