Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Action Andretti, Kofi Kingston, Shelton Benjamin & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

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

Was Kofi’s WWE Championship reign overhated by fans? Should Kofi get another reign as the WWE Champion?

The fans are a fickle bunch and Kofi’s reign as the WWE Champion gave them an excuse to complain. Why Kofi? It wasn’t long enough? Why did he lose the belt so fast? It’s damned if you do and damned if you don’t.And Kofi’s run as the champ? I’ll be damned. And another reign? I would say no.

Is AEW a super Indy fed?

Or an Outlaw Mud Show. Take your pick. AEW is an expensive, well-financed promotion with no structure or leadership. The potential is there, but a great many changes need to happen for AEW ever to reach that potential.

WWE NXT will air live from the ECW Arena on Wednesday, November 6. It will also be running directly head-to-head against AEW Dynamite. Thoughts?

The Wednesday night wars live again. You know that, given the historic nature of being at the ECW Arena, WWE is going to pack this show. And Dynamite? I expect they’ll pack theirs a bit too. Let the battle begin.

Dave Meltzer thinks it’s a bad idea to have a 49-year-old Shelton Benjamin beat young guys in AEW. Is Uncle Dave right?

Shelton doesn’t look nearly his age and he’s one of the most underrated and best wrestlers in the world today. It’s not a shame to lose to Shelton Benjamin. He’s a top guy and deserves that spot. Uncle Dave is wrong… as usual.

What is your Mt. Rushmore of Japanese Wrestlers?

Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, The Great Muta & Asuka.

If you were once a fan of AEW, and have watched less, or stopped watching ALL TOGETHER, what is the reason?

I can’t get into matches thrown out there for no reason. I want stories and characters I can believe in and invest my time in. The matches are the means to the end, but they need a purpose. In AEW, they rarely have that.

Given that AEW is still trending downward, do you think Warner Brothers Discovery has buyer’s remorse on giving them the new TV deal?

Unless I know the way the deal is structured, there is no way I can answer this. I doubt they’re happy, but if they’re making money by getting cheap programming that scores in the demographics, I doubt they’ll complain too much.

Also, do you think that AEW would have gotten more money if Tony Khan had addressed the problems with the company before he made the new deal?

I can’t be sure, but my gut says yes. A program with a solid structure and foundation is far more appealable than a company that seems to be just hanging on by the seat of its pants and is more of a mess than not.

Granted he was still very much a work in progress, but why did WWE give up on Gable Steveson after only a handful or so of televised matches?

Some people are natural talents and improve with each outing. Steveson wasn’t getting better and the fan reaction, if they reacted at all, was showing this. Plus, although WWE would never admit it, the negative publicity from the dropped sexual assault charges in college had an effect too. Too much baggage and lack of talent. They both took their toll.

What are your thoughts on Action Andretti?

He was new. He was fresh. He debuted with an impact. He vanished and now is a recurring character in AEW who means absolutely nothing. He has a good look and a lot of potential, but the start-stop booking that is so strong in AEW has claimed another victim.

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. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!