Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Jesse Ventura, Ric Flair, Zoey Stark & 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.

Should WWE remove Jesse Ventura from Saturday Night’s Main Event? If they did remove him, what old-timer color commentator should they replace him with?

Jesse went off the rails several times while doing commentary at the SNME show, and while it was amusing, it was also unsettling. Ventura is not a young man anymore and while that legendary voice is still strong, the mind and memory might not be up to the tasks required for his role with WWE. Let Jesse continue his role, but keep an eye on him and if the issues continue, be ready to act accordingly. As for who could step in if needed, Jim Cornette is the first name that came to mind. Maybe Hillbilly Jim, Ted DiBiase, or Jimmy Hart would work as well.

Another tweet by Ric Flair. “Jim Ross Will Always Be Jim Ross. Seeking Attention. Focus On Your Recovery @JRsBBQ!” What’s going on? Thoughts?

I spoke on this earlier. It sounds like Ric took offense about something JR said and responded as only Flair can, childishly and thoughtlessly. And I would be willing to bet that alcohol was involved. It’s just Flair being Flair, and now he’s deleted the post and is trying to backtrack. Yeah, it’s just a day in the life of the Nature Boy. Woooooo!

Do you believe WWE is pushing Chad Gable too far and abusing him?

This is a man who was once called Shorty G. And now, he’s getting the push of a lifetime. I doubt that Gable has any complaints. He’s a professional and knows what the job entails.

Zoey Stark has announced her retirement from WWE and professional wrestling. Thoughts?

This is sad, but not entirely unexpected. Stark will rehab, heal, and maybe give it another shot in the future. For now, she’s listening to the doctors and doing what she feels that she needs to do. Godspeed, Zoey and it’s not goodbye. It’s just see you later.

Hijo del Vikingo defeated Alberto el Patron (Del Rio) to win the AAA Mega Championship at an AAAA event in Mexico last night. What a shocker. Thoughts?

Wow. Who could have ever seen this coming? Congratulations to Vikingo for a great upset and surprising victory.

Carlito won the WWC Puerto Rican Championship last night at the WWC Summer Madness event, beating Ray Gonzalez. More gold for Judgment Day. Thoughts?

Congratulations to Carlito for adding championship gold to his resume. That’s cool. But given the news that broke on Sunday, that Carlito’s contract with WWE will not be renewed, well, that was not cool. I’ll go more into that later, but it’s good to see Carlito wrestling, winning gold, and knowing that he has a job ready for his post-WWE career.

Brother Love made his debut in WWE on this date in 1988. What are your memories and thoughts of Brother Love? Would you like to see Brother Love appear on WWE TV?

Brother Love still makes me smile to this very day. I remember the days of televangelists on TV, and the character of Brother Love was a great parody. He was annoying, but always fun to see, especially when he was being put in his place or humiliated. Bruce Prichard, the man behind the red face and message of love, is still with WWE, so a cameo here and there is still possible and would be entertaining to see, but given his age, 62, and history as a loyal Vince McMahon stooge, it’s not very likely. It would be fun to see though.

Do you think social media is essential for today’s wrestlers to build their careers?

Yes, it definitely is a necessary evil. In the old days, wrestlers would get over with their promos and characters, but in today’s world, unless it’s a top star, that access is limited and doesn’t work nearly as well. But social media provides the means to showcase that character, interact with the fans, and show a personality beyond what happens in the ring. As I said, it’s a necessary evil. Not using it won’t destroy a career, but it will hamper any success to a huge degree.

Do you think it’s important for Hulk Hogan to be part of Goldberg’s final match? Or should WWE focus on making it all about Goldberg’s legacy on his own terms?

What does Hulk Hogan have to do with the career and retirement of Bill Goldberg? They had one big match at the Georgia Dome, and from there on, Goldberg was more focused on Kevin Nash & DDP. Everything doesn’t need Hulk Hogan to work, and in this case, especially, it surely doesn’t. This is about Goldberg, as it should be. No Hogan’s allowed or needed.

Do you think Thunder Rosa deserves another title run—or is AEW missing the mark with her booking?

Rosa doesn’t need to worry about titles. How about just using her regularly and letting her have some matches on TV? AEW has dropped the ball with Rosa and essentially destroyed any credibility she might have to challenge for the championships. Rebuild her as a wrestler first, and then worry about the other stuff.

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!