Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Jacob Fatu, PJ Black, The Italian Stallion & More
July 1, 2023
DougMaynard.com

A new month is here. Happy July. Let’s answer a few questions in the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Are you ready? And away we go.

MLW star Jacob Fatu has made the news recently for not showing up at Indy shows and charity events after already being paid. Thoughts?

If there were any plans at WWE to try to bring Fatu in, this pretty much has ended them. Being a piece of shit is bad enough, but being a piece of shit to a charity is even worse. And since the news broke, no one has been able to contact him, including MLW, the company he’s under contract to and by proxy, is dragging their reputation through the mud. If Fatu still has a job with MLW after this mess is settled, I’ll be surprised. He’ll never be in WWE now.

Do you enjoy Becky Lynch matches?

They’re okay, but nothing special anymore. I like Becky and her character, but since returning to WWE after taking a year off to play Mommy, she seems to have lost a step in that ring and the intensity seems to be lacking. It feels to me as if 90% of the time, she’s just going through the motions. She steps it up for the PLE matches, but she’s not who she used to be and it shows.

PJ Black, formerly known as Justin Gabriel, recently said that he’s open to a WWE return and that he’s had talks, showing them his new character. Would you like to see Black back in WWE?

I was a huge fan of Gabriel back in the days of The Nexus and have followed him rather closely after he left WWE and worked for ROH, as well as in South Africa. If there is a chance of him returning to WWE, regardless of the character, I’m all for it. He’s a good wrestler and talented guy and would make a positive asset for the WWE roster.

Do you remember Sonny Onoo from WCW? Thoughts and memories of Sonny.

I remember Sonny mostly as the annoying clown with the camera who would come to the ring with the Japanese wrestlers in WCW, but not much more than that. As I learned later, he was a liaison between WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling at the time, so that explains a lot. He also sued WCW as part of a racial discrimination lawsuit, so we know he was an opportunist as well. But aside from those few things, Onoo is essentially just a cliff note in my wrestling memories and not much more.

Bullet Bob Armstrong was one of the best. What are your thoughts on Bob Armstrong?

One of the best old-school guys in the business. Not flashy, but solid in the ring and the microphone and he was believable. A talented wrestler, a good father, and a legend in the South-Eastern parts of the United States.

What do you think of Jack Perry’s heel turn? Do you think he can pull it off?

I saw his first promo as a heel on Dynamite and while it was more personality than I’ve ever seen out of Perry before, the thought that echoed in my mind was, “trying too hard”. I’m not a big fan of Jungle Boy, but it will be interesting to see how this all goes.

Do you prefer the New Japan version of Kenny Omega or the AEW version?

The version from New Japan Pro Wrestling works hard, has good matches, and is an interesting character. The AEW version is essentially what Cornette calls him, Twinkle Toes McFingerbang. If we could see the first version all the time, I could almost be a fan. The latter, AEW version though? Not so much. I prefer the New Japan-style wrestler.

Thoughts on Matt Borne?

A tough guy who had that special “it” and stood out from the crowd, but unfortunately, his personal demons and antics behind the scenes have essentially overshadowed his in-ring accomplishments and professional career. A talented wrestler, very underrated, who could have been so much more.

PG-13 (Wolfie D & JC Ice) versus The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson). Who wins?

This would be a damn good match, with all four men similar in size and style. I know Wolfie still takes the occasional booking and I think Jamie Dundee still does on occasion as well. If AEW is ever in the Memphis area, they should bring PG-13 in for a one-shot and have them face The Bucks. It’s $$$ waiting to happen. I’d be pulling for Wolfie and Jamie, but when that final bell tolls, it would be Matt & Nick Jackson with the win.

Thoughts on The Italian Stallion?

In the ring, a decent performer who had some good matches and did well in his role as an enhancement talent. As a person, I’ve heard too many stories firsthand from people who know about how Stallion was infamous for helping people get “booked” in the major companies and would then take the majority of the money. I’ve heard from a couple of different people who claimed to be there or have heard it from very reliable sources who were that, that Beautiful Bobby Eaton laid the Stallion out one time in the locker room for being such a sleaze. If Bobby Eaton doesn’t like someone, you know they’re a piece of garbage. And there are too many stories from too many different people to suggest otherwise. Stallion is a sleaze.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. And with that, let’s wrap things up. It’s almost time to go watch WWE Money In The Bank, live from London, and to drink some Orange Creme Moonshine. Yeah, my afternoon is going to be a busy one. Take care and be well, my friends. Watch out for foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!