Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Factions, Crown Jewel, Rick Martel & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

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

So I’ve been on Twitter lately and I’ve been seeing a lot of people complaining about WWE putting people of the same race/ethnicity/nationality in a faction. I think it’s stupid because we’ve ALWAYS had that type of faction before, multiple instances of it. So why is it a problem now? What say you? What’s your opinion on it?

I don’t see a problem with it because when you form a faction/group, there needs to be a bond there that brings everyone together. Most groups have that one thing in common, be it race, social status, love of partying, etc. The LWO makes sense because it’s all about a common background and racial pride. The same goes for Lashley’s group. The Horsemen were great wrestlers who hung out together both in and out of the ring. People just like to complain and argue and this is just another example of that. Nothing more.

What are your thoughts on Roman Reigns retaining the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship?

It was the right call. LA Knight is hot and a star on the rise, but is he ready to be the face of the company in the big picture of things? Not yet. He might be one day, but this match was about proving that he belongs in the mix with the other top guys. Mission accomplished. But he’s not the guy to take the belt off Roman. Not yet.

John Cena or Stone Cold Steve Austin?

I respect Cena and he’s been an amazing face for WWE for the past two decades, but he’s not Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin was the man!

How would you rate the 2023 WWE Crown Jewel PLE on a scale of 1-10?

I’d probably give it a solid 7, but that’s about it. It was solid and entertaining, but it was lacking something in my opinion. There were no bad matches, but there were no great matches either that stood out as above and beyond. All the wrestlers worked hard and it was a very good show, but just never hit any higher than that.

Should WWE tap into the nostalgia more like AEW does?

I’d like to see WWE do more with the old-timers and legends that it has available, maybe with special interviews or having them sit in on commentary every so often. That would be cool, but I want to see them used for a purpose, like to promote a show in a certain region or to advance a storyline. Use the legends, but use them wisely.

What if Adam Copeland turns on Sting and Darby at Full Gear and admits he and Christian have been in on it since day 1? And Copeland becomes Sting’s final opponent?

That sounds like a plan. Works for me.

What is your Mt. Rushmore of babyface managers?

Right off the top of my head, I’d say, Miss Elizabeth, Arnold Skoaland, Precious Paul Ellering, and… I can’t think of a fourth babyface manager. Okay, I’ve got it. Captain Lou Albano. Yes, Lou was a heel manager for most of his career, but he was a good guy for the last few years so he counts, right?

Dalton Castle and The Boys. Thoughts?

Dalton Castle and the Boys were a very strong part of ROH before the pandemic and are among the most underrated and entertaining groups currently on the AEW/ROH roster. If given the opportunity, they can work with anyone and provide some must-see wrestling entertainment. Three very talented and charismatic characters, when given the chance.

Rank Rick Martel? 1-10 as an overall score for his whole career?

I’d give Martel a solid 7.5 or maybe an 8. An extremely talented in-ring performer and a good-looking guy, but he was as exciting as peeling an apple. He had the look and the skills, but the personality was bland and kind of lacking. His heavy accent made the promos hard to listen to and that hurt him a lot. He held the AWA World Championship for a while and The Model gimmick in WWF was an excellent way to get him over, probably the highlight of his career. He was one of the best wrestlers of his era and belongs, no questions asked or doubts, to the WWE Hall of Fame.

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 it up. I need to get out of here and get to a doctor’s appointment. So you know the deal. Watch out for foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!