Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Lio Rush, Bray Wyatt, Ronda vs Becky & More
December 24, 2022
DougMaynard.com

Merry Christmas Eve. Let’s talk pro wrestling. It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Ho Ho Ho! Let’s do this.

Lio Rush replacing Swerve to try and salvage HIT ROW. thoughts? Is it even feasible?

Hit Row is pretty much non-salvageable. Let’s be honest. They suck! And Lio Rush? He’s a very talented guy and can talk and in a perfect world, he would be a great choice to come and put with these guys to make them more bearable. That would be in a perfect world, but unfortunately, that’s not the world we’re living in. He’s a childish, spoiled brat who thinks the rules don’t apply to him and that he’s better than everyone else. He’s got the talent and skills, but he has a lot of growing up to do.

Who is the 3rd greatest tag team of all time?

The greatest of all time would be the Midnight Express and The Anderson Brothers. They alternate between the top two spots based on which match you’re watching. But number three? A tough call for sure. Is it a modern team like FTR or the Usos? Is it The Hart Foundation? The Road Warriors? The New Breed? Arn & Tully? Arn & Zbyszko? Demolition? The Major Brothers? It’s hard to say. Let’s go with five-time NWA World Tag Team Champions Rick Steamboat & Jay Youngblood. And there you go.

Why do people hate Bray Wyatt? They were clamoring for his return and for a nice, long-term story… and he’s given us fans all of that and yet, people are trying to discredit his and Knight’s work together already.

There are two reasons. One is that Bray and Knight are doing the slow build and adding layers to the story and today’s fans aren’t used to that. They’re used to ambush, fight, matches, and a quick blow-off. The fans don’t get it and don’t have the patience to watch or the knowledge to understand. And the second reason? Bryan Danielson said it best during his brief heel turn in WWE. “Fans are fickle!”. ‘Nuff said!

With the NXT brand having premium live events and specials with names from former WCW and ECW shows (Halloween Havoc, Heatwave, The Great American Bash) which event name do you think WWE could bring back from WCW for NXT?

The one that I want to see return is Slamboree: A Legend’s Reunion. I want the old-time wrestlers used and presented, along with the NXT talents. Let the new kids pay homage to the legends and have a chance to sit and learn with the men & women who paved the way. Just think how having Madusa, Molly Holly, and X-Pac on NXT during the build for NXT Deadline popped the ratings. Now imagine a whole show with great wrestling, nostalgic legends, and a few classic old-school matches, all wrapped together for your wrestling entertainment. Book it, HBK. It really needs to happen. Slamboree. Look it up.

Is the HHH era living up to what we expected? And will his Wrestlemania be the best one we had thus far?

It’s too early to tell how much the HHH era is living up to the hype, but so far, so good. And as for Wrestlemania, we’ll have to wait and see, but I do not doubt that it will exceed all expectations.

Vince McMahon once said on Howard Stern Show that Shane and Steph are his natural heirs, but now it’s Hunter and Steph, what could be the reason?

Simple. HHH knows the business, wants to do the job, and seems to have the necessary talents and skills for it. Shane though never really seemed to have the desire to learn about the way to do things, nor does he seem to have the ability or talents required. Also that Shane left the company for many years to do other things is probably a big factor as well. Aw hell, let’s just say it. Over the years, HHH has become Vince’s favorite child. If HHH and Steph ever get a divorce, Vince will be fighting for custody of Hunter. It’s true. It’s damn true!

What is your favorite wrestling-related movie?

For drama, seriousness, and just being an interesting and compelling movie, let’s go with The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke.

Does Ronda vs Becky still feel like a Wrestlemania-worthy match or should they pivot to a different women’s champion match?

Ronda versus Becky seems kind of stale and has that been there/done that aura about it? If Ronda is still the Smackdown Women’s Champion at Mania, I think either Rhea Ripley or Shayna Baszler would make for better opponents, I still want to see Rousey versus Asuka, one on one, and if Asuka is changing up her character as it seems, it would be even more fun and interesting.

How does AEW get their up-and-comers like Jack Perry, Starks, and Darby to the next level where they can help draw more money with the likes of Mox, MJF, Kenny, and Jericho without overexposing them and keeping things fresh? They won’t have Jericho forever.

It’s pretty simple. Have them wrestle regularly, book them well, and use them in stories and plots that make sense. All you need is some good booking. Oh wait, we’re talking about AEW and Tony Khan. Never mind. Just keep throwing them out there and hope for the best.

In an ideal world, what surprises as Royal Rumble entrants would pop you the most in both the men’s and women’s?

For the men, it would be Matt Cardona, Chris Masters, or the Disco Inferno. And for the Women’s Rumble, I’d pop hugely for Chelsea Green, Eva Marie (just to watch heads explode), or Lisa Marie Varon, aka Victoria.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, or any questions are welcome and very appreciated. And with that, I’m out of here for now. Be well and stay safe, kids. Have a Merry Christmas. Watch out for foreign objects. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!