Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Consequences, MJF, Xavier Woods & More
March 19, 2023
DougMaynard.com

Are you ready to talk about wrestling? It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. It’s a packed card so let’s forget about pulling a Zbyszko and doing the stall. Let’s get started now!

So, at Revolution, the JAS were barred from ringside but Sammy Guevara came out anyway. His punishment for breaking the stipulation is… a Trios match on Dynamite then a title shot next week? Please make this make sense. How are we supposed to take any of this seriously if there are no repercussions or consequences?

It doesn’t make any sense at all and is just another case and example of bad and inconsistent booking by AEW and Tony Khan. In this example, all that needs to be done is have an authority figure or even Tony himself announce that since he got involved, Sammy has either (a) been suspended, (b) been forced to pay a fine, or (c) he now has to fight Ricky Starks in a match with a stipulation of Starks choice as a punishment. Instead, AEW ignores its own stipulation and the one who violated it seemingly gets rewarded. It doesn’t make sense at all.

Is MJF maybe venturing just a tiny bit too close for comfort into “let’s goad the Jew-haters for heel heat” territory?

MJF is pushing it to the limit with a lot of his words and actions and taking it far beyond the normal “let’s make people mad” wrestling heat. I actually admire his ingenuity with some of his antics and methods, but some, as the play on his Jewish heritage, are a bit cringy and can easily backfire. I would suggest backing off a bit on those.

It seems that Vince McMahon has killed the upcoming biopic that was being made about his life, Pandemonium. Thoughts?

I was surprised that it got green-lighted in the first place and got as far as it had before Vince decided to pull the plug, but given the past year or so in Vince’s life, plus the fact that he’s in the process of trying to make several billion dollars by selling the WWE, I’m not at all surprised that he pulled the plug and had it all canceled. A bad movie and too many secrets coming out about Vince could potentially end up costing him billions of dollars in lost revenue or profits from an eventual sale of the WWE. Tanking this project is the smart thing to do.

Wade Barrett has confirmed that for the foreseeable future, he’ll be remaining as the color commentator for Smackdown and that Pat McAfee won’t be back anytime soon. Thoughts?

I like Wade Barrett as the color analyst for Smackdown alongside Michael Cole and he’s doing a good job so no complaints here. McAfee is missed, but from what I’ve seen, he’ll be popping up every so often and will be back eventually so this is not a permanent absence. I’ll be glad when he’s back, but I like Barrett too so no objections here with either man.

Danhausen suffered a torn pec at AEW Revolution and will be out of action for a while. Thoughts?

I hate to see anyone injured, but this isn’t a big deal in the big picture of things. Danhausen is a comedy act that works far better as an annoying mascot than an in-ring performer. He’s often had long absences away from TV for no reason, so what’s one more? Best wisheshausen to Danhausen for a speedy recoveryhausen, but it’s not a big deal. Not really.

Taya Valkyrie is All Elite. Thoughts?

Well, AEW finally has a talented woman who can wrestle and talk. Good for them. They’re slowly building up a roster for their Women’s Division and I’m happy for Valkyrie that she’ll be able to make some good money while helping to establish and build the AEW Women’s Division. Now, let’s just see if AEW and Tony know what to do with her. I’m happy for Taya, but what comes next is anyone’s guess.

On AEW Dynamite, we saw a face-off of the Four Pillars (MJF, Sammy Guevera, Jungle Boy, and Darby Allin). What’s next?

If this doesn’t eventually become a Fatal 4-Way match at the next pay-per-view event, then Tony Khan needs to give up his booking license. Well, he probably needs to anyhow, but you know what I mean. This is a potential story that makes sense and has a purpose of being that can elevate all four talents at once and put some eyes on the AEW product, if Tony doesn’t screw it up. I want to see these four men wrestle. Let’s just hope it happens.

Butch will allegedly soon be returning to his original Pete Dunne name and character in WWE. Thoughts?

That is excellent news. I never liked the “Butch” gimmick and even though he found a way to get it over to a point, being The Bruiserweight Pete Dunne, being himself, was a far stronger and better character and gimmick. “Butch” would never be a champion. For Pete Dunne though, the future looks bright and I suspect we’ll see plenty of gold belts in the months and years to come.

Kofi Kingston will be out for a while due to an ankle injury requiring surgery. Is this the end of The New Day? I think Xavier Woods should get a big push as a singles star now that both Kofi & Big E are out of the picture.

With Big E’s future in doubt and Kofi getting hurt more and more often as time begins to take its toll, the future of the New Day is beginning to look a bit limited and in doubt. But that’s fine. The New Day had a run of epic proportions and a legacy that all three members can be proud of and hold dear. But as that legacy starts to fade, having Xavier Woods get a reboot of sorts and evolve into a strong heel would be a great move to make as his career progresses. Woods is a great talker and in my opinion, the most charismatic of the three New Day members, and he has the skills and talent to be a big singles star if pushed correctly. I’d love to see him turn heel and use those mic skills to truly tear into the roster and maybe have a run as the U.S. or IC Champion. Now is the time to do it. I just hope HHH is listening.

Missy Hyatt was recently quoted as saying she was originally supposed to be Randy Savage’s valet in WWF before the decision was made to use Miss Elizabeth. Thoughts?

I’ve heard this mentioned before in an interview that Savage did many years ago and it’s an interesting concept and idea to me, but I don’t think it would have ever worked. Liz, Savage’s real-life wife, was new, fresh, and had an innocence about her that complimented Savage’s over-the-top character and intensity. Missy was already established as a character, a scheming rich girl who demanded all the attention and focus to be on her. It would have been interesting, but I can’t see the two characters meshing very well or working. Missy, as a valet/manager, would have worked better with someone like “The Model” Rick Martel or even The Honky Tonk Man instead of Savage. Bringing in Liz instead was the right move for Savage and the WWF to make.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Any comments, thoughts, or questions you’d like to ask, about anything at all, are welcome and appreciated. And with that being said, it’s time to close up shop and put this baby to bed. Take care and be well, my friends. Watch out for foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!