Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
The Von Erichs, Tenille Dashwood, Four Pillars & More
August 23, 2022
DougMaynard.com

So much to do today and so little time. But we’re finding time for the things that matter most and that’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Let’s do this.

Who was the better wrestler? Kerry Von Erich or Ric Flair?

Easy one here as Flair was most definitely the better in-ring performer and now, let me tell you why. Flair was equally comfortable playing the role of face or heel and while he was prone to being repetitive on certain moves, he was capable of switching them up for each opponent, to play to their strengths, and thus make it a competitive match. Plus Flair was capable of going sixty minutes or ninety minutes in a match with anyone. Kerry was a good wrestler, no doubt about that, but he wasn’t good at playing the heel, wrestling other babyfaces, or carrying a match. His promo skills were decent, but he wasn’t by any means a great talker. And when you add his personal demons and issues to everything else, there was no way that a major promotion could trust him as their top guy. He scratched his initials on the NWA World Title belt. I mean, come on man. So Kerry was good, no doubt, but the better wrestler, Ric wins hands down.

How do you think Kevin Von Erich would’ve done if he joined WCW in 1989-1990?

I remember the NWA/WCW at that time and Kevin would have done okay at first, but quickly ended up kind of like Bret Hart did in WCW many years later, a fish out of water. Kevin’s promo skills were decent, but he wasn’t a flashy wrestler and would have ended up lost in the shuffle more often than not. I don’t think the fans in Georgia, where WCW was based, would have embraced Von Erich as he was used to in Texas, and he wouldn’t have been very happy dealing with the politics that dominated WCW at that time. It wouldn’t have worked well in my opinion.

Who do you feel should have the next opportunity to be the FACE of WWE after Roman’s Reign?

Once The Head of the Table steps down, I think it would be a good idea for the WWE to build on and make Gunther the next big thing for the company. He’s got the looks, the ability, and the mystique, and if given the opportunity, could be a major name for WWE for many years to come.

Fatal 4-Way: The Usos versus The Dudleys versus The Outsiders versus The Road Warriors. Who wins?

Four of the best tag teams in wrestling to be sure. My personal opinion is that when the smoke cleared and the final bell was ringing, it would the Usos surprising everyone and snatching that golden ring of victory.

Who would you consider to be the NEW updated Four Pillars of AEW?

The original “Four Pillars” for AEW were Sammy Guevera, Jungle Boy, Darby Allin, and MJF. And now, who are the next guys deserving that big push and building the company around? I don’t think that Jungle Boy or Sammy would say their time is over yet, but for the sake of argument, let’s say that they’re out of the picture. Who would I say are the next four big things? Hook, The Acclaimed, Daniel Garcia, and Ricky Starks. So there you go.

Tenille Dashwood (Emma) has quietly left Impact Wrestling. Do you think she’s headed back to WWE?

Emma was a good performer who had a strong showing under the watchful eyes of HHH while in NXT but seemed to kind of flounder when on the main roster of WWE. And now, after spending the past couple of years honing her skills for Impact Wrestling, she’s quietly removed herself from that company. Why? She’s coming back to WWE. I have no doubts about that. It’s not if, but when. Things are about to pick up for the Women’s Division in WWE and I think Emma will be a big part of it.

If you could book Brock Lesnar in a Gauntlet Match against any 5 wrestlers from any era that you want, who would he be facing?

Five people who could take “The Beast” to the limit, have some great matches, and would be fun to see? How about Ernie “The Cat” Ladd, Stan Hansen, Vader, Harley Race & Jos LeDuc. Any of these matches would be brutal, stiff, and instant classics. So there you go.

If you could book FTR in a Gauntlet Match against any 5 tag teams from any era that you want, who would they be facing?

And now, the same question about the tag team is currently the best thing going on today. Who would push Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood to their maximum efforts, while giving the fans the very best action, and as I said before instant classics? My picks would be The Anderson Brothers (Ole & Gene), Masked Superstar & Paul Jones, The Road Warriors, The Midnight Express (Bobby & Stan), and The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Zbyszko). The Andersons wrote the book on tag team wrestling, while The Midnight Express wrote the revised edition. The Road Warriors were the best power team of all time, while Jones & Superstar, mostly forgotten by today’s fans, had a great run in the NWA in the late ’70s and were an incredible team that checked all the boxes and were one of my favorites growing up. And Arn & Zbyszko? It’s the Enforcer & The Living Legend. What more credentials would they need? So FTR against the very best? In my opinion, these five teams would definitely qualify.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions about the world’s greatest sport that you’d like to see me tackle, just give me a shout and I’ll do my best. And with that, I’m out of here friends. Take care, be good, and watch out for foreign objects. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!