Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Triple H, Magnum vs Dusty, Jake Roberts & More
July 26, 2022
DougMaynard.com

As the sounds of Simon doing the Ups and Downs fills my ears, the task of answering a few questions is now at hand. It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Triple H has been announced as the new head of WWE Creative. Thoughts?

I think the mood in WWE is about to change for the better. Triple H had a good run as the man in NXT and while Vince apparently wasn’t very happy with everything that The Game did for WWE’s third brand, there was far more good than bad, and HHH proved that he was ready for the big time and has a great mind for pro wrestling. And now, Vince is gone and HHH is the boss. I think the changes will be subtle and slow at first, but they will happen and things will improve for the better. I’ll admit it. I’m excited and ready for whatever comes next.

If Gresham is granted his release from AEW, do you think we could see him in NXT? With Vince retired and HHH back in charge of talent relations, I think there’s a chance.

I think Gresham would be a great candidate for the NXT roster and what you’re hoping for is a very strong possibility. I think his size might be a bit of a problem on the main roster, but Gresham is a great talent and if used correctly, can be a big star anywhere. He also needs to pick up on his promo/talk game in my opinion, but with the proper coaching & work, that isn’t an insurmountable problem. So yes, Gresham in NXT? I think it’s very likely.

Do you think that now Vince has “retired” and HHH and Stephanie seem to have more control will this entice former WWE stars to consider coming back? Also, do you think WWE will continue with the current Tribal Chief storyline?

The Tribal Chief story is strong and going well and I don’t think it’ll be ended anytime soon. I would guess that they’ll let play out to its proper conclusion, aka hopefully Roman versus The Rock at Wrestlemania. As for former stars coming back, I would say a definite yes.

Let me get this straight. Mass firings happen at WWE and the stock is unaffected. The CEO leaves under controversial means and it rises? I DON’T UNDERSTAND!

I don’t get it either, but for the people who have WWE stock, I’m sure they’re happy. It’s the stock market. Go figure.

I often wonder if Magnum TA had become NWA champion, would Dusty have challenged him for the belt?

If Magnum had won the NWA title, I think at some point, a title match between him and Dusty would have been inevitable. Part of being the NWA Champion involved fighting both faces and heels, and with Dusty as easily one of the biggest stars of that era, that would have made for an epic encounter that the fans would be demanding. Magnum could tease a few heel tactics, Dusty would be Dusty, and then Magnum would go over to retain the belt. Oh yeah, it definitely would have happened.

Now that Vince is gone, do you think Naomi and Sasha Banks will return to WWE?

I think it’s far more likely now than it was three weeks ago. From what I understand, Triple H has a good relationship with both women and he’s the man in charge of talent relations and WWE Creative now. I’d say the odds are pretty strong.

Nia Jax recently stated that she’d like to return to WWE to “help talent”. Thoughts?

I actually like Nia for the most part, but the best way she can help the women and talent in WWE is to stay home and stay retired. If she’s willing to go get more training to be safer in the ring, then maybe WWE could consider bringing her back, but unless she tightens up first, just stick with the modeling and OnlyFans instead.

Did Jake “The Snake” Roberts deserve a run with the WWF Championship?

As a performer and talent, a strong argument can probably be made, but when you figure in the personal demons and baggage that accompanies The Snake, I would say that the decision to never put the big strap on his was probably a good one. Jake was over enough that he didn’t need the title anyhow. Just give him the microphone and his snake and that’s all the man needs.

Kevin Nash was recently quoted as saying that AEW seems “dated”, and has a “Thunder feel” about it. Thoughts?

Thoughts? He’s absolutely right. I tried to watch Dynamite for the past couple of weeks and while there were some good parts, it got stale and boring pretty quickly. I didn’t really think of WCW Thunder as a comparison, but when I think on it now, Nash is 100% correct. AEW just seems to be kind of thrown out there with little quality control or long-term planning. That’s one of the big things with Tony Khan doing all the booking for everything, despite a lack of experience. Tony really needs to hire a couple of experienced bookers to help spruce things up and make the shows better. And by the way Tony, I’m available. I’m not a Jim Cornette, but I think after watching and loving wrestling for over 45 years, I may a few good ideas. Call me.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions you may have are very welcome and appreciated. And with that, let’s call it a day. Take care and be good, my friends. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!