Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Wild Samoans, William Regal, Toni Storm & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. I’m Doug. I’ve missed a few days so we’re playing catch up. Are you ready? Let’s roll.

Could WWE bring back the guest host idea? I was thinking of Mike Tyson since he’s fighting on Netflix.

The guest host concept was fine for its time, but now that RAW and Smackdown have General Managers, it’s a moot point. If WWE were to bring in Mike Tyson, or Jake Paul for that matter, the best move would be to have them ringside during the show and interact with the WWE superstars that way.

Wild Samoan Afa passed away today—thoughts and memories of Afa.

The main thing I remember about Afa and brother Sika, the Wild Samoans, was mainly through the Apter Mags, with crazy stories about their manager, Captain Lou Albano, and his team of crazed Samoan wrestlers being the tag team champs. I also remember a run in Georgia where Afa & Sika were brought in by Ernie Ladd during a feud. I never got to see them wrestle live as a team. Afa was the father of several amazing talents and trained many others, cementing a strong legacy in this business. RIP Afa. You will definitely be missed.

What are your favorite guilty pleasure matches? They may not technically be the greatest matches, but for one reason or another, they hold a special place in your heart.

The WeeLC match between Hornswoggle, with 3MB at his side, versus El Torito w/ Los’ Matadores at Extreme Rules 2014. Seven talented wrestlers in a comedy match that went above and beyond and stole the show.

Papa Shango versus Danhausen. Who wins?

It all depends on who has the strongest curses available. Shango is a big dude and a decent wrestler despite the gimmick. Danhausen is a great character but in the ring? Papa Shango wins.

Which McMahon will we see in the HOF first? Vince, Linda, Shane, or Stephanie?

Vince won’t be inducted until after he dies. Shane probably will never be inducted unless it’s a family deal, much like the Von Erichs. I don’t think Stephanie will go in for a while. She’s still too young and has too much to offer backstage with WWE when she decides to return. And that leaves Linda. Vince was the creative mind, but Linda was the one who made the decisions and did the leg work to take WWE from the high school gyms to the sold-out stadiums. I would induct Linda first.

Are Becky Lynch and Bobby Lashley going to return to WWE, or will they wrestle somewhere else or retire?

Lashley won’t be back in WWE. I expect he’ll either go to TNA for a solid run or AEW for some quick and good money. As for Becky, when she’s ready to return, she’s WWE all the way in my opinion.

Does Toni Storm have your vote for Women’s Wrestler of the Year?

Toni is one of the best women currently in AEW, but if the candidates include talents from other companies like WWE, NXT, ROH, TNA, and Japan, I’ve got some bad news for the Timeless One. For 2024 so far, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, and Tiffany Straton are all having better years. Even Nia Jax has been better in the big picture of things.

New Day vs The Final Testament next week on Raw! Does Woods turn?

It’s coming, but will it be this soon? I think the story has legs and can go for a few more weeks before Xavier Wood’s inevitable turn.

Afa & Sika, the Wild Samoans w/ Captain Lou Albano versus Ole & Gene Anderson, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Who wins?

Ole & Gene wrote the book on tag team wrestling, but Afa & Sika added a few chapters in the revised edition. This would be a great, albeit odd match. I think Captain Lou would be the difference maker here and would interfere to allow for Afa & Sike to get the wins.

Would Lord Steven (William) Regal have made a good Horseman? How would his Lordship have worked with Flair, Arn, and the other Horsemen?

It’s an interesting idea and I think that Regal would have made an excellent Horseman. He was arrogant and had great character, plus the in-ring skills to back it up. He wouldn’t have lasted long because his character’s ego would demand a shot at the World’s Championship and Ric Flair. But the run and subsequent feud would have been excellent. Could you imagine an Arn Anderson/Steven Regal tag team? That would have been off the charts.

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. Take care and be well, my friends. Watch out for Lady Blossom’s brass knucks and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!