Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
The Bloodline, Mercedes Mone, Joe Hendry & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. I’m Doug. Let’s roll.

Should the Bloodline 2.0 get a new wise man? And who should it be? Solo is not great on the mic.

I’ve answered this one before. Keeping with more modern wrestling, how about Tamina stepping up into the role, as not only a voice but female talent if necessary? As for a more traditional face to insert into the role, how about Armando Alejandro Estrada?

What is your opinion on Joe Hendry getting over in NXT and TNA at the same time?

I think Hendry is a talented wrestler and people like him. He deserves all the success in the world and I’m happy for him.

With AEW taking a decidedly more violent approach to All Out, do you see that continuing on weekly TV and if so, does that help or hinder any TV deal where the partner network will likely want to compete with WWE for ratings?

I can easily see AEW continuing with the craziness unless they’re forced to change. It may be a burden to find a proper television broadcast partner, but if it’s what AEW feels it needs to do, so be it. I don’t like it and find it excessive and dangerous, but I’m not their core audience so what I think doesn’t matter.

She debuted as a face, played a tweeter, and then pivoted to heel all with lukewarm reactions at best. Is it time to consider Mercedes Mones’s run in AEW an objective failure or is it still too early?

In my opinion, it started badly and has only gotten worse. Mone has destroyed any credibility or worth that she had upon coming into AEW. Maybe at some point, they can turn things around, but I don’t see how.

Did WWE and AEW both validate having the respective winners of the King of the Ring and the Owen Hart Cup get title shots with all four winners (Gunther, Nia Jax, Brian Danielson, and Mariah May) becoming champions due to their wins?

I think that any tournament or challenge should have a prize and in professional wrestling, having an opportunity to win the World Championship as a result of winning the King of the Ring or Owen Hart Cup events makes sense. Does having every person capitalize and win the titles at the end validate this? I guess that it does.

If you had to introduce someone to professional wrestling today… which company would you have them start watching in hopes of getting them hooked?

I’ve been a fan for over fifty years and I can’t watch AEW for more than a minute or two without being repulsed and feeling insulted. WWE at the moment is on a roll. The matches and stories have purpose and reason and have been enjoyable. I’d have my newbie watch the WWE.

Who do you think is each company’s most underutilized talent and what would you do to improve them?

For AEW, I’d go with Claudio. As for ways to improve him, just let him wrestle and have good, competitive matches. The rest will take care of itself. In WWE, I have high hopes for Grayson Waller. He’s on the right track, but maybe a few more high-profile matches and stories could help.

There’s a petition online demanding the “termination of AEW programming due to disturbing and harmful content”. Have you seen this? Thoughts?

I did see the petition and it’s stupid. Yes, I don’t like the upsurge in brutality and dumbness, but I want AEW to pull back and improve. No one in their right mind wants AEW to go away or be canceled. Having AEW around is better for the pro wrestling community and wrestling in general. It’s not my taste, but wrestling today is better as a whole because AEW has a role in it.

4 Corners Elimination Match For The Vacant WWF Title. Bret Hart vs Steve Austin vs Vader vs Undertaker. Who wins?

I believe this match did actually happen at one point. My personal preference would be Vader, but I think Stone Cold Steve Austin would be the most logical person to win.

Some people are Paul Heyman Guys. Some people are Jim Cornette Guys. Who’s Guy are you?

I own and proudly wear t-shirts proclaiming both statements as I’m a legit fan of both men and what they’ve accomplished in that squared circle. But above all of that, I am first and foremost ever a Michael Youngblood guy. We’ve been friends for nearly forty years and were even roommates at one point. I know what this man has done and what potential rests in that body and mind. Look him up. You’ll see.

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 foreign objects and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!