Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Jeff Hardy, Brian Pillman, Nexus & More
May 31, 2020
DougMaynard.com

Good morning and welcome to the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. I hope that everyone is doing well and is staying safe as madness and insanity seem to have engulfed our nation. I won’t go into all that here though. This is about the world’s greatest sport/entertainment. I have a lot of questions from my friend, Cheese, and also from my Facebook timeline. Now let’s see if I have any answers. Let’s do this…

WWE has allegedly banned the use of the “buckle-bomb” from their matches. Do you agree?

It’s the move that essentially ended the career of Sting and Nia Jax’s use against Kiari Sane a few weeks ago almost caused serious injury to her so I’ll go along with this “ban”. If someone can find a way to use it safely and where the victim’s descent into the corner is more controlled, being it back, but as for now, it’s an unnecessary move and risk. WWE has made the right call here.

Thoughts on WWE using Jeff Hardy’s real-life past issues (DWI & substance abuse) as part of the new storyline?

I know a lot of people are upset about it, but so long as Jeff is cool with it, then so be it. Jeff has a well-known history and the best stories are those based on real-life. This one makes people uncomfortable and is admittingly a bit extreme, but it has people paying attention. That has to count for something, right?

Thoughts on Samoa Joe replacing Jerry Lawler as the permanent color-commentator on RAW?

I have no problem with this. Lawler isn’t the commentator that he once was and Samoa Joe has been doing an excellent job. If Joe returns to the ring at some point, then I would suggest bringing back Aiden English for the color-commentary spot. Lawler should be reserved for Kick-Off shows, being part of the WWE Network and documentaries and hosting the WWE Hall of Fame. Maybe even an occasional “King’s Court”, but full time calling matches on RAW or Smackdown? Those days should be at an end.

Chris Jericho says that the wrestling fans who didn’t like the Stadium Stampede don’t “have a soul”. Jim Cornette thought it was total crap. So, like it or not?

I guess I have a soul, as black and twisted as it may be because I enjoyed the Stadium Stampede match. It wasn’t wrestling or even a real match in my opinion, but it was entertaining. So as far as being “wrestling” goes, I agree with Corny. It’s not wrestling. But it was fun to watch too.

Was Brian Pillman a better babyface or a better heel?

Brian Pillman was a good wrestler and entertaining as a face, but it was as a heel, becoming part of the Horsemen and then evolving into the “loose cannon” character, that was where he was at his very best. Babyface Brian was good, but Heel Brian was even better.

Do you agree with Martha Hart, about not letting the WWE put Owen in the Hall of Fame?

I can see her point and reasoning. I don’t necessarily agree with it, but I do agree that it should be the decision of her and her family and if that’s what she wants, so it shall be.

Thoughts on the Matt Riddle versus Timothy Thatcher Fight Pit Match from NXT?

I went and watched this match after hearing Jim Cornette comment on it and guess what? It was awesome. It was realistic, fast-paced, and well structured. It was as good as any match on RAW, Smackdown, AEW, or any pay-per-view in the past ten years and better than most. Riddle and Thatcher hit it out of the ballpark and if you like wrestling and a good fight, I would suggest that you check this match out. It’s worth taking a look at. Believe that!

Darren Young said in a recent interview that there were plans to have a Nexus reunion at Wrestlemania, but it didn’t happen due to the pandemic. Thoughts?

It might have happened, but I’m taking this one with a grain of salt. A Nexus reunion? Wade Barrett works now for the NWA and there is no way in hell that Ryback would be welcomed back to WWE given his comments over the past several years. So that’s two of the original Nexus characters out immediately. Justin Gabriel works for ROH so he’s not available either. That leaves who? Heath Slater, Michael Tarver, Darren Young, David Otunga, Michael McGillicutty, Husky Harris & Daniel Bryan.

Harris is now Bray Wyatt and unless he’s trying to start a new “family”, there wouldn’t really be a place for Bray anymore. The same goes for Daniel Bryan, who wasn’t with the group for long and has moved far past that in recent years. Slater, McGillillicutty, now known as Curtis Axel, and David Otunga were all part of WWE and available so they would have been part of this group. Young stays in contact with Titus O’Neill and WWE so he would be available too. And Tarver? I don’t know what happened to him. So of all the originals, the reunited Nexus would be Darren Young, Curtis Axel, Heath Slater, David Otunga & Micheal Tarver? It sounds interesting, but I can see why WWE dropped the idea for now. Maybe next year at Mania, they can figure out something and it can be done, but for now, I don’t see it happening.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Any thoughts, comments, or questions to ask, please feel free and drop me a line. I can be reached here at the site in the comments section, at my e-mail of Doug28352@yahoo.com, or on Twitter at @Doug28352. And that’s all for now. Stay safe and stay away from the stupid-idiots out there stealing, looting, and acting like animals. It’s a mad, mad, mad world. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!