Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Trick Williams, Ariana Grace, The Bunny & 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.

We are nearly HALFWAY into John Cena’s farewell tour. Have you enjoyed it so far?

I haven’t hated it, but I haven’t been very impressed as of yet either. It’s been just kind of “Eh!” as best, going through the motions. It doesn’t suck, but it’s not the big deal or great story that one would expect.

Trick Williams is the new TNA World Champion. He beat Joe Hendry at NXT Battleground. Thoughts?

This was a surprise, and it’s hard to believe that TNA went along with this, but I can’t complain yet. It’s all about long-term storytelling, and it will be very interesting to see how this develops.

There are rumors that Ariana Grace may replace Santino Marella as the TNA Authority Figure. Thoughts?

That’s exactly what TNA needs. Another Nepo-Talent who isn’t much of a wrestler acting as an authority figure. Is TNA playing anything you can do, I can do better, using Ariana as a contemporary for Ava in NXT. Maybe we can set Santino & Ariana versus The Rock & Ava out of this potential promotion for Ms. Grace. Unless Santino is planning on leaving TNA or reducing his role in the company, I don’t get it or see how this helps the company.

Kane recently stated that Linda McMahon was the brains behind WWE’s rise to global dominance, not Vince. Thoughts?

It has long been known that in the WWE, Vince was the creative mastermind, while Linda handled the business side of things. Kane is just saying what everyone already knows.

What do you think of Bronson Reed’s sudden addition to Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker’s crew? Was it the right call, or did WWE pivot too fast?

It was a nice surprise, and makes perfect sense in my opinion. Bronson, Seth, and Breakker as the Paul Heyman Alliance is great storytelling and makes for great TV. It was the right call for sure.

Allie, formerly The Bunny in AEW, was spotted backstage at TNA television tapings in Canada. Do you think she’ll be joining TNA?

Most likely, Allie was visiting friends and enjoying the show. If she’s looking for a job, TNA should maybe give her a tryout. Away from Blade, Butcher, and AEW, Allie may actually be a decent wrestler. We never really got a chance to see what she could do during her AEW run. Maybe now we can find out.

Did you watch NXT Battleground and AEW Double or Nothing? How would you rate each show on a scale of 1-10?

I did watch Battleground. It was a solid show that moved quickly and I enjoyed it. Good matches, some surprises, and all in all, a good show. I didn’t watch Double or Nothing, but did follow the coverage on several different sites including PWInsiderElite and 411Mania. It was long, chaotic, and the usual AEW nonsense. I’d give Battleground an 8, while Double or Nothing gets a 6.

For years it was assumed that Triple H would replace Vince as the creative head of WWE. That finally happened and has greatly improved the product. Do you see a clear successor for HHH in the company or coming down the pipe?

I’ve wondered about this myself, and if there is a name or two in place to take over if Triple H was to leave. I know that HBK took over from Triple H for NXT, so I would guess that Shawn Michaels is in the line of succession. If Hunter had a situation and had an emergency, I’m sure Bruce Pritchard, Paul Heyman, and the WWE writers could and would step up and fill in. So far as a more long-term or permanent solution, I have no idea what WWE would do.

Ted DiBiase recently said that his gimmick, the Million Dollar Man, could still work even today. Is DiBiase right?

A character of a rich, entitled asshole is immortal and will always work. DiBiase is 100% correct.

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!