Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
The Grand Wizard, Velveteen Dream, Will Ospreay & More
August 29, 2022
DougMaynard.com

It’s Monday and you know what that means? It means the NWA had two great shows over the weekend at the Chase in St. Louis. It also means RAW is tonight, live on the USA Network. And most importantly, it means that it’s time for another edition of the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Do you think that the Universal title will ever be split back into two titles, one for each show?

I think it will be split back into two titles sooner rather than later. From what I understand, both Fox and USA Network want each brand to have its own title. The Networks pay the bills and what they want, they usually get. What I’m expecting is to have either Drew win the belt at the Clash At The Castle PPV, or maybe it’ll be Theory cashing in, but when they win the title, Heyman will reveal a loophole in the fine print of the contracts and that only one title was actually on the line, not both, thus Roman keeps a title, while the belts are separate again and we still get a new champion. It makes sense and Heyman’s dad is a lawyer after all so it fits his character as something he would do to protect his Tribal Chief.

Does Vince McMahon’s exit mean any announcing changes?

While there may be some shifts later on down the line, I don’t see any changes right now. The announcing has improved and gotten better since HHH has taken over and Cole, Graves, McAfee, etc., are allowed to be more natural and announce wrestling matches without Vince screaming in their ears. I think everyone should be safe.

Thoughts on Ernie Roth, aka the Grand Wizard of Wrestling?

One of the best and most underrated managers of his era, Roth was the long-time manager for The Sheik for many years under the name Abdullah Farouk, before settling in with the WWWF and leading the legendary Superstar Billy Graham to the WWWF Championship. Roth, who took the name Grand Wizard as a rib on the KKK, ironic since he was a man of Jewish descent, was one of the first managers to work as the small man who interfered, but the wrestlers couldn’t really get physical with in retaliation. He used his brains and schemes to outwit the other wrestlers and guide his clients to wins and titles. A very unique character who had much success and really made his mark as one of the all-time greats in the genre of professional wrestling managers.

Who are your five favorite rivalries in professional wrestling?

My five personal favorites would be Ole Anderson/Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair/Blackjack Mulligan, Bruno/Larry Zbyszko, The Midnight Express/The Rock & Roll Express, and finally Michael Youngblood/Timber the Lumberjack. That final rivalry was one I was fortunate enough to witness here on the NC Indy Scene, as Michael was my roommate for a while and was/is one of my best friends, more like a brother than a friend. He and Timber probably wrestled a hundred times or more in every type of match you can imagine and I don’t think they ever had a bad match. Even now, those two could probably get into the ring together and start wrestling and even someone like Ric Flair or Jerry Brisco could see it and go, “Damn, those boys are having a good match!”. So five favorite rivalries? There you go.

Patrick Clark, aka The Velveteen Dream, recently made a post hinting about a return to WWE. Do you think HHH will bring back Dream? Should he?

I’m kind of torn on this one because while Clark was investigated for charges of sending adult pictures to minors and the charges were proven false, there is something about Clark that gives me a weird vibe. The Tough Enough Champion was good in the ring and the Velveteen Dream was a great character, the likes of which can only be found in professional wrestling, but my gut tells me that there is more to all of this than we’ve been told. If HHH is interested in bringing Dream back, then he should do so. Innocent until proven guilty, right? But there should be a zero-tolerance stipulation added to his deal so if any more issues like the ones that allegedly happened before occur, he’s gone, no questions asked. Or if HHH is getting the same vibe as I seem to be, then just leave him alone and leave him be. So long as there is any doubt at all about the validity of the accusations and charges against him, he doesn’t need to be back in the WWE.

While it seemed like something unnecessary just a few months ago, under the new HHH era and the apparent dedication to improving the women’s division do you think it might finally be time to introduce secondary titles (ala IC/US)?

While it’s a valid question and idea, my answer for now anyhow would be no. There are too many titles in the WWE and NXT as there are right now and while it’s not nearly as overdone as AEW seems to be, less is more. Maybe later if needed, but for now, no new titles.

How awkward would a McMahon family dinner be now that Triple H and Stephanie are making changes to Vince’s product?

Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall for that one? Vince is out of the WWE and showing off his girlfriend in public. HHH and Steph are in charge of WWE and remaking everything to their liking rather than continue to do things to Vince’s way of thinking. Linda lives in Florida and she and Vince have separated. And Shane has been exiled from the company with no return in sight. Yeah, it should one hell of an experience when the family gets together for the holidays.

With the launching of NXT Europe in 2023, do you think WWE will introduce back WWE European Championship?

I know I just said too many titles but bringing back the European title as a secondary belt for the NXT brand makes sense. I could see it happening.

If not Punk or MJF, who should Moxley face at ALL OUT? And how should the match be introduced?

If not CM Punk or MJF to face Moxley at All Out, then I would say Wardlow is the best option to step up and face Moxley. TNT Champion versus AEW Champion. That sounds like the main event to me. And how to make this match. Just have Wardlow come out on Dynamite and make the challenge. That should be all it takes.

Would you like to see Will Ospreay sign for a major US promotion or remain a special attraction?

Remain a special attraction. From what I’ve seen of him thus far, I’m not really impressed, and as bloated as the AEW roster already is, he’d just be lost in the shuffle. Remember when I said less is more? That goes for Ospreay as well.

Do you think NXT should add Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar vs. North American Champion Carmelo Hayes to World’s Collide?

That sounds like a plan to me. Book it, HBK.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions you may have are welcome and appreciated. Until the next time, take care and be good, my friends. Watch out for foreign objects. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!