Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Francine, Flair vs Dutch, Bugsy McGraw & More
March 14, 2023
DougMaynard.com

It’s a packed edition of the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A today, my friends. More questions than a Tony Khan media scrum. Believe that! So let’s can the small talk and get on to getting on. Let’s do this.

Shoot Fight in the Locker Room: Dutch Mantell versus Ric Flair. Who wins?

If it was a match in the ring, Flair would win since he’s the bigger star and that makes absolute sense. But if they were back in the locker room, I have no doubts at all that Dutch would take Shoe Baby, turn that son of a bitch sideways, and shove it straight up Flair’s rooty-poo candy ass, repeatedly. Flair was scared to go to Puerto Rico without a bodyguard to protect him. Mantell lived there and booked the territory for many years. I think that says all we need to know about Flair and Martell. Dutch would style and profile all over Flair in a real, shoot-style encounter.

Would you be interested in seeing CM Punk show up in WWE on the RAW after Wrestlemania and challenge Roman Reigns or Cody for the WWE Championship?

It would be a big wrestling moment and make for some interesting days ahead. Yes, I would be very interested in seeing that happen. I don’t think it will happen, but it would make for some great television if it did.

Allegedly, FTR’s contracts with AEW expire in six weeks. Do you think they’ll stay with AEW or end up back in WWE?

I’m not sure. I can see both pros and cons of both decisions. My thoughts are that they’re waiting to see what several other parties, such as The Elite, CM Punk, etc., are going to do first and what their future in AEW would be based on the actions of these other wrestlers. They have to do what’s best for themselves in the big picture of things. My choice would be to go back to the WWE, but what they’ll decide to do, only they can answer.

The One Man Gang versus Earthquake. Who wins?

I’ve always been a big fan of the One Man Gang and that isn’t changing here. I think it’d be a brawl, with lots of blood, plunder, and craziness. And I think that OMG would take that trip to the pay window at the end of the night.

Do you remember Bugsy McGraw? Thoughts?

I do remember Bugsy very well, both from his days in Florida and then later in the Mid-Atlantic region as a part of the House of Humperdink before they, Humperdink and associates, turned on the lovable crazy man. Bugsy was a fun wrestler to watch, always entertaining, and equally effective as either a face or a heel. He was never going to be the top guy in any promotion, but he was the solid mid-card guy who could have a great match with anyone. I remember seeing Bugsy, Jimmy Valiant, and Rufus R. Jones together as a six-man tag team and it was hilarious. Bugsy was never a World Champion, but he is indeed a wrestling icon and legend. Believe that!

Is Harvey Whippleman, aka Downtown Bruno, WWE Hall of Fame worthy?

I would give Bruno a definite yes vote for being deserving of a Hall of Fame induction. For his work in Memphis and then later in the WWE, not to mention all of his contributions behind the scenes, he deserves that honor.

Former ECW star Francine is allegedly mad because WWE is currently promoting Liv Morgan as the “Queen of Extreme”. Have you heard about this? Thoughts?

I saw a mention of this online and while I kind of get it as to why Francine might be angry, she’s no longer in the business and hasn’t been relevant in nearly twenty years. And the entire “Queen of Extreme” label for Liv isn’t all that. There is no merchandise with that slogan and Liv’s name, nor has she ever referred to herself with that title. I think Michael Cole and Corey Graves have used it maybe three times while commenting on Liv’s use of plunder in her matches, but it was just a comment in passing and nothing else at this point. Francine is getting mad over nothing and needs to give it a rest.

Konnan will be at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to induct longtime friend Rey Mysterio. Do you think he’ll be taking podcast partner Disco Inferno as his “plus-one”?

I hope so, just to see all the haters on the internet have their heads explode. Disco Inferno at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony? Twitter would be blowing up and it would be great. And if Disco managed to “dance” on camera as well, even better. Just hearing the commentary between Konnan and Disco on their podcast would be great. To see everyone get upset and freak out, would be a fringe benefit of epic proportions. I hope it happens.

Cody Rhodes recently said that he thinks Matt Cardona, as he is now, would thrive in today’s WWE. Agree or disagree?

I agree. As he’s been on the Indy circuit and with Impact Wrestling and the NWA, Cardona has reinvented himself as a top heel and in the WWE, he would quickly rise to the top of the roster and even give Seth Rollins a run for the money as a top guy. Put him and his real-life wife Chelsea Green together as the heel power couple of WWE and they would rise to the top of the roster very quickly. It would be epic. Cody is 100% correct here.

Logan Paul & Jake Paul versus Pat McAfee & Bad Bunny in a Celebrity Death Match. Who wins?

Celebrity death match? Does that mean that Johnny Gomez and Nick Diamond would be calling the action, with Steve Austin at ringside and referee Mills Lane as the official? Oh hell yeah, let’s get it on! And the Paul Brothers would win, as they should. This would be a fun episode and/or encounter.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. And now, it’s time to wrap this up and go to bed. The sun is starting to rise and I need my sleep. Take care and be well, my friends. Watch out for foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!