Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Sir Oliver Humperdink, Ox Baker, Seth Rollins & More
July 11, 2022
DougMaynard.com

If I had known Vince McMahon was paying that well, I’d have stayed in Connecticut back when I had the chance. It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Are you ready to talk about the world’s greatest sport? Let’s do this.

Who is the greatest midget wrestler of all time?

The greatest of all time? Tough question. I remember seeing Lord Littlebrook and Coconut Willie go at it when I was younger and they were fun to watch. Little Tokyo was another who I was fortunate to see wrestle live a few times. Diamond Lil, the protege and “daughter” of Fabulous Moolah also comes to mind as popular and entertaining. But were any of these talented little people actually the best? I can’t say for sure. I can say though without any doubt that the best midget match I’ve ever seen was a WeeLC Match at WWE Extreme Rules 2016 between El Torito and Hornswoggle. That match was incredible and if you’ve never seen it, go to YouTube or the WWE Network and look it up.

The Usos versus The Young Bucks. Who wins?

I don’t want our Tribal Chief and the Head of the Table mad at me. I don’t care if the Hardly Boys get peeved. The Usos win this one.

Why did Sir Oliver Humperdink fail as a manager in WWF?

I’m not sure because Humperdink was an excellent wrestling manager who had a lot of great success in Florida and the Mid-Atlantic region, but when he went to the WWF and managed Bam Bam Bigelow, it went over about as well as a wet fart. I think that two main factors figured into all that. The first was that there were already several managers in WWF at the time including Captain Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie, and the Grand Wizard, whose careers were winding down, I think Buddy Rogers, and probably a few others I can’t think of now. So it was a crowded field, plus WWF decided to use Humperdink as a baby-face manager. Anyone who has seen Humperdink manage knows he’s not a good guy manager. He’s a great heel, but WWF didn’t use him as such and thus, his time in WWE bombed pretty quickly.

What style of old-school wrestling match would you like to see used again?

I was a fan of the old “Russian Chain Matches” and the “Indian Strap Matches”, as presented by stars like Ivan Koloff and Wahoo McDaniel. I’d like to see those brought back.

What was your favorite live wrestling event you’ve ever been to?

I’ve been to a lot of live wrestling events over the past 40plus years, but my favorite. A small show in Durham, NC where two of my best friends, Michael Youngblood and Ethan Storm, were booked to wrestle. At this point, Michael had been wrestling for maybe three years while Storm, had less than a year. We rode together to the show, about two hours away, and Mike and Storm had a great match where they literally beat the holy hell out of each other. I got to meet Jimmy Valiant and a few others for the first time. And then we had dinner with a couple of the boys after the show and rode back home. That’s a story and adventure in itself, but it was just a great night of meeting people, watching two friends do what they love, and just seeing some great wrestling. I think this was in 1996 and it’s still my favorite live show.

What next for Seth Rollins?

At this point, I think whatever he wants. Seth is stepping up to fill the void caused by the injury to Cody and the frequent absences by Roman Reigns, and dare I say, doing a great job of it. Credit to Seth that he can make almost anything work. My gut feeling is that up next for Seth is either some stuff with Riddle or maybe even some stuff against current U.S. Champion Lashley. Lashley is so over right now as a face that watching him and the consummate heel in Rollins fight, brawn versus brain, would be way fun to see. With the WWE, there is no way to determine for certain what they might do at any given moment, but if it was up to me, that’s the direction I’d be heading into for Seth.

Why wasn’t Ox Baker a bigger star?

Ox Baker had a great career and was a big name in the world of pro wrestling in the late 60s and all during the 70s, but he wasn’t what would be considered a top guy anywhere for any length of time and there is a reason for that. Baker had a great look and just the sight of him would terrify and anger both fans and foes alike. But unfortunately for Baker, that great look and character didn’t carry to the ring. In the ring, he sucked. If you wanted to bring in a monster, as a special attraction, to go after the top baby-face and cause chaos, Baker was the man, but after a few weeks, the bloom was quickly off the rose and people realized that his matches weren’t very good. That’s why Baker was a traveling wrestler, never staying in any territory for long. He would come in, work a program with the top faces, and then leave. That hid most of his shortcomings and flaws in the ring. A great guy from all accounts and one of the best looks in the business ever, but suffice it to say, Jack Brisco didn’t have anything to worry about.

Is FTR the best tag team in wrestling today?

There are a lot of great teams in wrestling today, with teams such as The Usos, The Young Bucks, The Good Brothers, and The Briscoes all well-deserving and deserving mention in any Top 10 of Tag Teams, but is FTR the best? My opinion is a most definite yes.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. Until the next time, take care and be good. Don’t sign any NDAs unless the money is really good. Take care and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!