Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Alberto Del Rio, No-Compete Clauses, Ric Flair & More
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

Welcome to the show. It’s the only pro wrestling Q&A that matters. You have questions, and I have answers. It’s the Ultimate Wrestling Q&A. I’m Doug, your party host and Guiding Light. Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Who should be the next Mr. Money in the Bank?

It’s probably too early to make that choice, but if I were the booker, I’m thinking Austin Theory would make a fine Mr. Money in the Bank. To see Theory, who the fans seem to like despite being a heel, and his partner, Grayson Waller, who would naturally be jealous, interact with something like the MITB contract would make for some fun television.

By purchasing AAA, WWE has assumed Alberto Del Rio’s contract. Do you think they’ll keep him on the roster or terminate his deal as soon as possible?

Right now, the sale isn’t final or complete, so wondering what to do with Del Rio isn’t a major concern. Most likely, WWE will use him until there is no reason to use him anymore. Del Rio might still be part of AAA right now, but I doubt it will last very long.

Hangman Adam Page versus Roman Reigns. Who wins?

Page is better than I usually like to admit and can have a good match. This one would go to Roman, though. Roman Reigns wins.

CM Punk posted about the newly released NXT star Cora Jade to stay away from TK. Tony Khan perhaps? Where do you think Cora Jade will end up working next?

If the reports that I saw a few hours ago are true, it looks as if Cora Jade’s next home will be OnlyFans. I don’t blame CM Punk for warning Jade away from AEW. We’ve all seen how quickly talent is used and then cast aside after being badly booked over there. If Cora does continue wrestling, I think her most likely option will be TNA.

Freddie Prinze Jr. claims that Chelsea Green lost the Women’s United States Championship due to a lack of creative direction. Is Prinze right?

That could be a reason. It could also be that WWE felt like Zelina Vega was the right person to take the belt for now, especially with the expansion into the Latino market and purchase of AAA. Or maybe Chelsea is over to the point that she doesn’t need a title right now, and watching her try to get it back is where the money is, storyline-wise. Prinze hasn’t worked for WWE for several years, and while I’m sure he knows his stuff rather well, it’s just an opinion. The WWE now is not the same WWE it was during Prinze’s run with the company. All he’s doing is pure speculation.

Do you think WWE should still be allowed to enforce these 90-day non-compete clauses? Should all wrestlers be on a 30-day deal instead?

The no-compete clauses are in the contracts, and that’s what the talent agrees to when they sign a WWE deal. They continue to get paid for the entirety of the 90 days, so they have no reason to complain.

Do you think WWE’s decision to rewrite AAA contracts is the right move, or should they honor the existing deals?

The existing AAA contracts, from what I understand, wouldn’t hold up in a U.S. Court and are barely worth the paper they’re written on. WWE is a business first, and if someone is going to wrestle under the WWE banner, they have to get legitimate WWE deals. It is just that simple.

Ric Flair recently underwent a procedure to have skin cancer removed. Should Ric Flair finally take a step back and rest, or is his never-quit attitude part of what makes him the Nature Boy?

Ric Flair addressed this topic in his X feed and says that it is not true. Ric denies everything, and this allegation of skin cancer is just a falsehood. So, that’s good to hear. But although this was a false alarm, Ric’s numerous medical problems over the years, plus his alcoholism, are undisputable facts. Ric needs to slow down, step out of the spotlight, and retire into obscurity. Ric destroys his legacy a little more each and every day, and it’s sad to see. Ric used to be arguably recognized as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Now, he’s considered a joke. And he only has himself to blame. Wooooooo!

Do you think AEW dropped the ball with EJ Nduka? Where would you like to see him wrestle next?

Mduka hasn’t mattered since the ROH days with Sinclair Broadcasting, and even then, he was lower-midcard for life. AEW didn’t drop the ball with this one. The ball was never in play. It’s not often I defend AEW, but Nduak was never going to be a star or major player for the company. As for where he’s going next, I’m sure that there’s a high school gym calling his name.

Do you think AEW really delivers on the promise of showcasing the best wrestlers in the world, or is it just talk?

AEW has some good wrestlers as part of their roster, but with the lousy booking, meaningless matches, and amateur hour stories, we’ll never know that. The company is a mess, and the wrestlers, even the good ones, are caught in the muck and rarely get to showcase their talents or potential. Yeah, at this point, it’s just talk.

Is there a move so lame in wrestling that you instantly groan and turn the channel when it’s applied?

The People’s Elbow, Scotty 2 Hotty’s Worm, and John Cena’s AA all immediately come to mind. It’s impossible to take any of those moves seriously.

And there you go. Thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and questions are welcome and appreciated. Reach me by e-mail at Doug28352@yahoo.com or on X at @Doug28352. 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!