Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Zilla Fatu, Nikki Bella, Rufus R. Jones & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

I’m Doug, and this is the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. Are you ready to rumble? Let’s do this.

When do you think Zilla Fatu will get the call-up to WWE? I think he’s ready.

Fatu will show up when the storyline of the Bloodline is ready for a new face and addition to the team. It could be at WrestleMania, immediately afterward, or later in the year, depending on how things with Roman, Solo, Jacob Fatu, etc, all play out. The best thing about the whole Bloodline story has been not rushing things and the long-term storytelling. When the time is right, we’ll see Zilla Fatu on the main roster, but not until then.

In their primes, Hulk Hogan versus CM Punk. Who wins?

As much as I hate to say this, Hogan would win. He’s got the size and strength advantage, plus the political stroke in his corner. Punk would take it to the Hulkster, but Hogan would drop the leg for the win.

Erase one from history: John Cena, The Rock, Bret Hart, or Hulk Hogan. Which one and why?

Without Bret, we wouldn’t have had Mr. McMahon and the whole Attitude Era. Without Hogan, WWE most likely wouldn’t have had the expansion and grown as it did. Without The Rock, we never would have had that great movie, The Tooth Fairy. So by process of elimination, John Cena would be eliminated. We can’t see him anyhow so who would notice?

In their primes, one has to go. Hardbody Harrison, Chris Benoit, Buck Zumhofe, or Pat Patterson. Which one and why?

Harrison was a pimp and a nasty dude. Benoit killed his family, but he had brain damage and roid rage. Pat Patterson. He used his position to his advantage, but he created the Royal Rumble so he gets a pass for that. Zumhofe repeatedly raped and molested his daughter, and then, after some jail time, did it again. He ruined that girl’s life and should be put down like a rabid dog. No big loss at all. None of these people were perfect and Harrison was a complete piece of shit, but Zumhofe was even worse than that.

Who was never the AWA Champion but could have had a good run in the AWA?

Hulk Hogan is the first name that comes to mind. Hulkamania was created in the AWA and Hogan was becoming a major superstar, but Verne Gagne couldn’t see it. He wanted a cut of Hogan’s Hollywood money and refused to put the title on Hulk. Hulk then moved to the WWF, and the rest is history. Looking back at the time frame, Sgt. Slaughter would have been a good AWA Champion as well, but as with Hogan, Slaughter had the GI Joe thing going on and Verne wanted to get a cut. Slaughter refused and ended up back in the WWF instead.

The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) versus The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko). Who wins?

Both teams are impressive. Bobby Lashley is a beast. And Shelton is the picture of an amazing athlete. On the other side, Arn and Zbyszko were wrestling machines, methodical and efficient. What a match this would be. Either team could win. And my pick? The Enforcers.

What are your thoughts & memories of Rufus R. “Freight Train” Jones?

Rufus R. Jones… and the R stands for guts. I’ll admit that I wasn’t a fan growing up. Rufus was more of a comedy wrestler than a serious athlete. He couldn’t talk and his finishing move was a shoulder tackle. But I look back now, and I appreciate the talent that was Rufus R. Jones. No, he didn’t use dropkicks or armbars, but he was a tough dude who never failed to be entertaining. He was a sports entertainer thirty years before Vince McMahon coined the term. And the fans loved him. Not a great wrestler, but truly a memorable and much beloved one. I’m glad I had the chance to see him wrestle many times. He was an iconic figure, ahead of his time.

Where would you rank The Russians (Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff) on the list of Greatest Tag Teams of All-Time?

Ivan and Nikita were a very effective tag team and among the best of their era. With the veteran experience of Ivan and the raw power of Nikita, they could easily match up against any team you might think of, from then or now. I’m not sure where I’d rank them though. Not Top Ten, but if I did a Top 50 list, they’d be among the listings for sure.

Nikki Bella has been in talks with WWE about a return. Would you like to see Nikki back in WWE?

Nikki wasn’t a bad wrestler and having a woman of her experience and name value could make things interesting in the WWE Women’s division. Sure. Bring her back. It’d be good to see how she does against some of the younger talent.

Could you see Britt Baker making the jump to WWE, or is she AEW for life?

I like Britt Baker, but I can’t see her as part of the WWE, especially if all of the stories about her backstage attitude are true. But then again, look at what they said about CM Punk, and look how he’s doing in the WWE. Baker would have to spend some time at the PC to brush up on her skills to be able to compete with the ladies of WWE and NXT. If she’s willing to put in the necessary work, a WWE run could work, but honestly, I have a feeling that when the AEW run ends, whenever that is, Baker’s run in pro wrestling will end as well. It’s just speculation on my part, but I just don’t think she’ll ever be WWE.

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. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!