Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
William Regal, Velveteen Dream, Ice Train & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

If you have a question about pro wrestling, I’m the man with the answers. It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A and I’m Doug, your host with the most. Let’s roll.

William Regal showed up on NXT and appointed Ava Raine, the Rock’s daughter, as the new General Manager of NXT. Thoughts?

It was good to see William Regal show up on WWE television now that his one-year ban had expired. As for Ava Raine as the new GM of NXT, this is a good way to get her more used to being on television and comfortable in front of a camera. She’s only had six matches in front of live crowds and hasn’t exactly set the world on fire with her in-ring presence, but being the Rock’s daughter, she’s too valuable to just bury away at the Performance Center. This is a good move where she can continue to train, but still, get some good exposure.

Former WCW Wrestler, Ice Train (Harold Hogue) recently passed away. Thoughts & memories of this WCW star.

The main thing I remember about Ice Train was his tag team with Scott Norton, aka Fire & Ice, and then his return towards the end of WCW as MI Smooth, a Reggie B. Truth from Memphis rip-off. He had good size and some charisma but was never a particularly memorable or good performer in the ring. He was just one of many who got the semi-push far before he was ready and his matches suffered as a result. He could have been so much more, but WCW at the time. Oy vey! Condolences to the friends and family of Ice Train. RIP.

High Energy (Koko B. Ware & Owen Hart) versus The Young Bucks. Who wins?

This would be a good match and probably steal the show from any event in which it was presented. Owen and Koko were an odd team to be sure, but they worked well together and both men had charisma and could go in that ring, even if it was to just put someone else over. Surprisingly, for me to be saying this anyhow, I think Matthew and Nicholas, the Young Bucks, would take the win.

PWInsider Elite reports Drew McIntyre has yet to sign a new contract with WWE. If he’s not re-signed by Wrestlemania, he will be a free agent shortly afterward. Do you think he could be the next to be All-Elite?

I’m thinking that it’s all coming down to the money for Drew and WWE and once that’s settled, Drew will sign a new deal and remain as part of the WWE as a top guy. But if it falls through with WWE, I’m sure Tony Khan will be more than willing to sign any check that Drew might want. So I’m hoping and thinking that Drew will remain with the WWE, but if he leaves, AEW should be the next stop.

With John Cena announcing that his final run is imminent, who should his final opponent be?

It’s a tough call here, but I’ll say whoever Cena wants it to be. He’s earned that right. And if I’m making the call, for some reason, Grayson Waller or Dom Mysterio are the names that keep coming into my mind. No real reason, but those are the choices I’d pick.

According to Sports Illustrated, Gunther is now the favorite in WWE to win the Rumble and wrestle Seth Rollins at Wrestlemania. Thoughts?

Sports Illustrated, the magazine that just fired its entire staff and is discontinuing its publishing, said something about the WWE and the booking for Mania, citing “sources close to Triple H” as their sources. I’m taking this with a grain of salt and believe nothing until I see it happen. It’s just talk to try and get some hits on their website. Nothing more.

Alvarez on WOR unironically said Hunter can learn from Tony Khan about how to do a go-home show for a PPV. Thoughts?

I think Alvarez needs to quit drinking the Kool-Aid, or whatever it is he’s drinking, before going on camera or speaking. I think Triple H knows how to put on a show just fine.

William Regal versus Nick Aldis. Who wins?

Two British gentlemen who are absolute masters in that ring. Regal, in his prime, could go with anyone and have a fantastic match. Aldis has the same quality and skills, and it’s easy to see why he was the man to carry the NWA for so long as their champion. That being said though, Regal wins.

Did you see the Patrick Clark, aka The Velveteen Dream, interview with Chris Van Vliet? Thoughts?

It was a good interview and covered a lot of territory, but something about it and Patrick Clark. He’s a talented dude in the ring and I kind of feel for him, especially after seeing this interview, but the vibe I’m personally getting is that he’s not being 100% honest here. He prepped and prepared for his and was so ready, with quotes and dates and copies of Tweets, but I don’t think he was nearly as open as he pretended to be. He was never charged with any crimes of a sexual nature and WWE allegedly investigated and found nothing wrong, but it just doesn’t feel right or pass the smell test with me. I don’t think he’s a raging pedo or bad person, but I don’t quite like the vibe he was putting off. Of course, what I think doesn’t matter at all, but something just isn’t right. Much respect for Chris Van Vliet for doing the interview and allowing Clark to present his side of the story. It was well done. But I don’t think Clark accomplished what he was hoping to do here. We’ll just have to see what happens next and where things go from here.

And there you go. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. And with that, let’s wrap things up. I need to take a ride to Rockingham. Be well, my friends, and watch out for foreign objects. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!