Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Mercedes Mone, The Steiners, Nick Wayne & More
September 30, 2023
DougMaynard.com

It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Let’s roll.

What do you think about Trios championship belts in WWE?

I think not. There are way too many titles to keep track of as it is right now in pro wrestling and another WWE title would just add to the list of championships that mean absolutely nothing.

Your current women’s dream match?

A dream match with current Women wrestlers rather than the many legends of days past? I can do that. How about Awesome Kong, who recently wrestled at Impact 1000, taking on Rhea Ripley? That would be very fun to see, right?

If you were gonna have a manager be they past or present in your corner who would you have?

To suit my personality, lack of wrestling skills, and unique nature, I’d either want Jim Cornette or the legendary Captain Lou Albano as my ringman and mentor. Sir Oliver Humperdink would be a welcome advisor and advocate as well.

What comedic wrestlers do you think would have had the best run with a world title had they been given a shot?

R-Truth, aka Ron Killings. He proved, during his run with TNA, where he held the NWA World Championship, that he can do serious very well if needed, and had a great run with the legendary Ten Pounds of Gold. Truth is an excellent wrestler when allowed to be so, and would make a great World Champion.

Do you think with the issues Mercedes Mone had with how the Women’s division in WWE was going, she would be hesitant to join AEW with the known issues with their Women’s division not being showcased very well?

Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks, complained about the way WWE was run and structured, but I think that was as much spite and resentment about having to share the spotlight with others as anything else. AEW is a mess in many ways, especially in the Women’s Division, but if she went there, Mone knows that she would be pushed as the biggest woman in the company and be paid huge amounts of money for her presence. I think her arguments and hypocrisy about how Women are showcased would be exposed to the light rather quickly. But so long as she gets the spotlight, what does it matter?

Who do you want to see LA Knight feud with next?

Once this current situation with John Cena and The Bloodline gets settled, how about Knight versus Gunther with Knight going after some championship gold? Sounds like a plan to me.

Early in the Steiner Brothers’ careers, lots of fans thought The Dog Faced Gremlin was the star of the team. How did Big Poppa Pump have a better singles run?

Rick had the better run earlier, but he never really changed, had some goofy gimmicks, and became, in my opinion, stale and one-dimensional. Scott on the other hand, totally reinvented himself and became not only a physical freak but a unique and strong character. Be it a face or heel, Rick was just kind of there and didn’t stand out. Scott became an attraction where all eyes were on him and, like him or not, you couldn’t turn away. Scott evolved. Rick didn’t.

I feel like Nick Wayne has been underutilized in AEW. His work on the indies shows he can go, but he’s just sort of been Darby’s sidekick in AEW. What do you think?

I think Wayne is an 18-year-old kid with a generic look and nothing, aside from his dead father, to make him stand out from the rest of the AEW crowd. He’s used as a sidekick because at this point in his career, in a national promotion, that’s pretty much all he is. Until he fills out physically, develops a personality and character that stands out from the crowd, and proves himself to be something special, we really shouldn’t expect anything more. He’s lucky to be there.

Harley Race, Rick Rude, Haku, and Stan Hansen versus Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page. Who wins?

Probably The Elite because they’re friends with the promoter and will whine and cry unless they’re allowed to score 543 superkicks in a row and prove that their gymnastics are tougher than the real, legit-tough wrestlers that are standing on the opposite side of the ring. Okay, I’m kidding. One Lariat by Hansen and the children would be crying. Then Rude, Harley, and Haku would take their time and just torture and torment the AEW EVPs until it was time to go to the bar, where they would mercifully score the pin and take it home.

Worst finisher of all time?

Hulk Hogan’s leg drop? The People’s Elbow? Santino’s Cobra? John Cena’s AA, aka the FU? There are so many bad finishers out there, that it’s hard to choose just one. I think I’ll go with current Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Trinity Fatu, aka Naomi, and her “Rear Lights” move. Jumping up and hitting a person in the face with her butt knocks people out? That seems more like a wiping problem than a finisher for a wrestling match. So Trinity takes this one.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe. And with that, let’s wrap things up. Take care and be well, my friends. Watch out for foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!