Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Jim Johnston, Mike Sanders, Toni Storm & More
October 17, 2023
DougMaynard.com

Are you ready for some wrestling? It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Let’s roll.

Who’s your favorite commentator in AEW?

Easily Jim Ross when he’s healthy and able, or Taz. I also like Ian Riccaboni over at ROH.

What are your thoughts on Toni Storm’s Timeless NEW Gimmick?

I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it. I like it. It gives Storm a character that stands out from the crowd and makes her more marketable in so many ways. Storm is killing it, by the way, and I think this character, this transition, will help elevate her career and make her a bigger star than ever.

Nick Bockwinkel or Bob Backlund. Who’s your favorite and why?

It depends on which era of Bob Backlund we’re talking about. During the late 70s and early 80s, my favorite was easily Nick Bockwinkel. The man was so smooth in the ring and on the mic, few could compare and come close. Backlund was the goody-goody, All-American kid in the WWWF and his act got old quickly. But after Backlund turned heel, into psycho-Bob, my impression of him changed. I loved the new character and was always entertained every time he came on my television set. So it was Bockwinkel, but these days, it’s Backlund.

Ray “The Crippler” Stevens and Pat Patterson. What are your thoughts on this old-school tag team?

Except for a couple of matches on YouTube, I never had the chance to see Patterson and Stevens as a tag team. I’ve heard the stories and read about them in the magazines, but living here in NC, that was the only knowledge I have of their partnership. I do remember seeing Patterson as a singles wrestler against Sgt. Slaughter in the early 80s, plus I had the chance to see Ray Stevens, in his latter years, working here for Crockett in both singles and tag team matches. So I know what each man is capable of and the thought of them as a team, I’m sure they were incredible. Their reputation and legacy speak for themselves.

The NWA officially announced the return of the territory system. Thoughts?

So far, Billy Corgan’s NWA has aligned itself with one territory, EC3’s Exodus Pro Midwest, which will be used as a training territory for NWA talents and prospects. I’d love to see more Independent promotions get in on the deal and work under the NWA umbrella, but it’s not going to be easy. It’ll be interesting to see how this develops.

How come there are no more sixty-minute matches anymore?

Fans today don’t have the patience for a sixty-minute match, and to be honest, most of the wrestlers can’t do it anymore either. Fans have the attention span of a goldfish that’s ingested meth, while most of the wrestlers today, look great, but are blown up after twenty minutes, max. Sad, but true!

Sixty-minute Iron Man Match: Bill Goldberg versus The Ultimate Warrior. Who wins?

Both men would be blown up after ten minutes, and then we’d have a forty-minute chin lock so they could catch their breath. But seriously though, Goldberg would win.

Jade Cargill versus Charlotte Flair. Are you excited for this possible match?

When it happens, it’s going to be a big event just for the build and spectacle of the match. I don’t think Jade is ready for a long match against Charlotte just yet, but with Charlotte carrying the match and leading Jade to where she needs to be, it should be interesting and fun to see.

Why isn’t Jim Johnston in the WWE Hall of Fame? He produced the majority of our favorite wrestling theme songs!

Why? I have no idea, but he has earned a spot and belongs.

Whatever happened to former WCW wrestler Above Average Mike Sanders? Does he still wrestle?

The last I heard of Mike Sanders, he was working as an actor and has moved on from professional wrestling. According to his Wikipedia page, Sanders now works mainly as a stand-up comedian and motivational speaker.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. My apologies if this column isn’t really up to par, but I’ve had “help” and interruptions from a member of my family the entire time I’ve been trying to write, and what should have taken thirty minutes has taken ninety and my frustration level is very high. I’ll try and do better next time. So, let’s wrap things up. Thoughts, comments, and questions are welcome and appreciated. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe. Watch out for foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!