Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Marty Jannetty, Joaquin Wilde, Dustin vs Christian & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

Back again with another edition of the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. I may be feeling bad, but wrestling is better than any medicine. It’s true. It’s damn true! So you’ve got the questions and I have the answers. Let’s roll.

I saw a recent interview with Marty Jannetty and damn, he looks bad. Why hasn’t he gone to DDP for help?

I don’t know why Jannetty and DDP haven’t hooked up yet, but I think part of it is that Marty has to want to get better and clean up his act and hasn’t come to that decision yet. Marty does look rough and from what I saw in recent pictures of his foot, is having some major medical issues that need to be addressed. If and when Marty gets tired of living his life as he has for so many years and starts looking for a change, I’m sure DDP will welcome him with open arms. But that has to be Marty’s call and no one else.

Rumors are that Trinity Fatu (Naomi)will be finishing up with TNA soon and heading back to WWE. Thoughts?

I doubt that this comes as a surprise to anyone. She’s had a good run with TNA/Impact over the past year, but she’s married to a top WWE star and has been part of the WWE for her entire career. That’s home for her. Now they’re ready to welcome her back into the fold and she’s ready to return after a break, and the opportunity to prove herself outside the WWE bubble. She did that and now it’s time to go home.

Patrick Clark, aka The Velveteen Dream, recently went on Instagram and issued a public apology to Triple H, HBK, the fans, his family, etc. Thoughts?

I think Clark is trying to deal with his issues and is doing what he needs to do to get right in his head and life. One thing that people seeking help are often required to do is to make a list of the people they’ve hurt over the years and attempt to make solace, be it an apology, retribution, or whatever works. It seems as if Clark wants to put the past in the past and move on to a happier, better life. At least that’s my take on it and he’s making positive steps to do just that. Good for him.

“Timeless” Toni Storm versus Wendi Richter (in her prime). Who wins?

I love the “Timeless” Toni Storm character and she’s one of the best parts of AEW these days. Wendi, in her prime, was quite the character, especially after she hooked up with Cyndi Lauper and the whole Rock & Wrestling Connection deal. Both women are decent wrestlers, although with both women, their biggest strength is/was their character more than the in-ring action. The build for this match would be incredible. The match itself, probably not so much. I think Toni has the benefit of better training and better actual skills. Toni would win.

Jake Roberts recently said in an interview that between Marty Jannetty and HBK, he felt that Marty was the better wrestler. In a different interview, Ted DiBiase seemed to agree. So who was better? Marty or HBK?

I agree to a point. Marty was a damn good wrestler and in that ring, Marty was a wrestling machine. Shawn Michaels has the better look and grew into a great performer over time, but while the Midnight Rockers were still together, Marty was 100% the go-to guy on the team. HBK had better control of his demons though and although he let them run wild far more than he probably should have, he didn’t get quite the bad reputation and vibes from others as Marty seemed to. HBK knew how to play the right people (Vince) while Marty was too busy living life and being the wild child. So while HBK had the better career by far, Jannetty was the better wrestler, except for when his demons got involved.

With all of the talented female wrestlers in AEW, the NWA, TNA, and MLW, how much fun would it be if Tony could put together a female Forbidden Door-type PPV?

Back in June of 2021, Billy Corgan and the NWA had an all women’s PPV called NWA EmPowerrr, which featured female stars of the NWA, Impact Wrestling, and AEW, so it’s been tried and done. After that event happened, words went back and forth between Corgan and AEW Owner Tony Khan about how talent was used, who paid the salaries, the promotion of the event, etc. With that in mind, I doubt Tony and Corgan would be interested in co-promoting an event together again. As for MLW, it doesn’t seem that Court Bauer likes playing with others very much either. But yeah, if Tony could do it and pull everyone together, an all women’s PPV, Forbidden Door style, would be fun to see happen again. Or WWE could just have an Evolution II event. Either works for me.

Kenny Omega versus Greg Gagne. Who wins?

Greg truthfully looked more like a psychotic bookkeeper than a pro wrestler, but he was a tough dude who had far better matches than he’s ever given credit for. Omega is a bit too flippy-floppy for my tastes, but he can wrestle when forced to. He’d just rather do gymnastics and the comedy stuff with the children and sex dolls. But with the right incentive, motivation, and opponent, Omega can go in that ring. It kills me to say this, but Omega should take the victory here and make that trip to the pay window.

Just finished watching NXT New Year’s Evil PPV.Was very impressed by LWO’s Joaquin Wilde. Why isn’t this guy getting a big push?

That leap from the second rope, with Carlito and Cruz Del Toro providing the extra propulsion, was amazing. It’s truly a moment for an NXT Highlight Reel. I was a big fan of Wilde while he was still part of TNA/Impact, wrestling under the name Zema Ion, and I was hoping that when he went to NXT, it would be his big break. It never happened though, but maybe now, this is the moment. He’s a talented guy with all the tools, and a good look, and is far better on the mic than he’s been allowed to show. Hopefully, this big spot will be his breakout moment and upper management will start taking notice. WWE has a star there, but he just needs to be given the chance to shine. I’m hoping that this is his time.

If Swerve were to win the heavyweight championship, how would you like to see it? Him as heel, baby face, or tweener? And against whom?

While Swerve is a talented wrestler, I don’t get it or him. I see the talent and charisma, but he doesn’t come across to me as a top guy. I do like the heel version better than the other versions of Swerve that I’ve seen so far. Against whom? Well, the current champ is Samoa Joe so I think that Joe would be the obvious answer here.

Once this program with Copeland is over, how would you feel about a Christian Cage/ Dustin Rhodes feud? I feel like the promos would be fire.

Dustin can still go with the best of them and the “father” comments about Dusty would be brutal, but make for some dynamic television. Both Christian and Dustin are experienced veterans and the build, the promos back and forth, and even the matches would be, as you say, fire. I’d love to see this happen. Are you listening, Tony?

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!