Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Kevin Patrick, Hulk Hogan, WWE to Netflix & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

It’s the P.M. edition of the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. It never stops and no time off. You’re welcome. Let’s roll.

Kevin Patrick has been removed as the lead announcer for Smackdown. Thoughts?

I have nothing against Patrick and I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but he wasn’t quite cutting it as the lead announcer for Smackdown. Hopefully, this isn’t the end of his WWE career, and maybe they can move him to the syndicated B-shows or NXT and let him grow and try to improve. As for who takes over, Michael Cole will be there on Friday to fill in, but I don’t think he’ll be taking back over as the lead announcer on Smackdown. I’ve heard several names mentioned such as Pat McAfee, Mauro Ranallo, and maybe even Vic Joseph from NXT. I’d love to see Josh Matthews (remember him?) come back, but we’ll have to wait and see.

The TKO Group, which owns WWE and UFC, has expanded its Board of Directors to 13 members…and one of the new members is Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock. Thoughts?

This was a huge surprise and it made things more interesting for sure. The biggest movie star from Hollywood is now one of the bosses in control of WWE, where he was just a lowly curtain-jerker only a mere twenty years ago. I don’t have any thoughts as of yet except for, “Wow!”. This should be an interesting story to follow if you smell what I’m cooking.

WWE RAW will be moving to Netflix. Thoughts?

It’s a 10-year deal that will pay WWE over 5 billion dollars and technically, Netflix has more subscribers worldwide than the number of homes that the USA Network reaches. It’s a great deal that will change the face of pro wrestling, but in today’s world where more people stream online than watch cable TV, it makes sense. And did I mention it’s a 5 billion dollar deal? It’s, as the old cliche goes, what’s best for business. Congrats to the WWE for what appears to be an epic move.

Hulk Hogan is teasing being in the 2024 Royal Match on Saturday. Thoughts?

Hogan has had several back surgeries and there is no way he could be medically cleared to wrestle or participate in the Rumble match. I can see him making a cameo appearance at the Rumble to acknowledge the 40th Anniversary of his victory over The Iron Sheik and the birth of Hulkamania. That makes sense, but so far as being involved in anything physical, it’s not going to happen.

Minoru Suzuki versus Adam Copeland. Dream match? Yes or no?

It might be for Tony Khan and a few diehard fans of Japanese wrestling, but for me, it’s just another match with no build, no reason for happening, and that over half the fans will be clueless about.

What did you think when Terry Taylor debuted in the WWF with the Red Rooster gimmick?

I liked Terry Taylor and always have, but when he did that first appearance in the WWF, doing the whole Red Rooster thing, my first thoughts that I remember were, “What the hell?”. Even to a teenage me, it was a bad character and dumb gimmick and my opinion, even forty years later, still hasn’t changed.

Who is a jobber that you think belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame?

Iron Mike Sharpe, The Brooklyn Brawler, Duane Gill (Gillberg), and Barry Horowitz all immediately come to mind. All are worthy in my opinion and deserve Induction to the Hall of Fame at some point.

Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso Vs The Young Bucks. Who wins?

If I’m doing the booking, Matthew and Nicholas would be jobbing to every team they face. But that being said, this would still be a good match and competitive. Who would hit the most superkicks? Jey or The Bucks? It’d be a fun match to see. And Cody & Jey would be the winners.

A new report suggests that Kazuchika Okada is now “likely heading to WWE”. Thoughts?

Okada is to WWE and has a good year down in NXT to dominate and build his name/character for the American audience. That sounds like a plan to me.

Kevin Patrick is gone from SmackDown and Jim Ross has not yet signed a new AEW deal. So maybe? Thoughts?

While I’d love to see Jim Ross back under the WWE Umbrella, doing work as a special attraction, calling the big matches, and doing interviews and other things, his days as a full-time announcer are behind him as they should be. Jim isn’t what he once was and the pressure of leading the announcing two or three hours on a live television show might be too much for him at this point. Ross is a legend and I hope that AEW realizes what they have and sign him to a new deal before they lose him, but if it falls through and he returns to WWE for the occasional cameo and special events, that’ll work too. But replacing Patrick on Smackdown? No, I don’t see that happening.

And there you go, with the PM edition of the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Now, it’s time to go work on some other stuff and wash clothes. The work is never done. Take care and be well, my friends. Thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!