Tossing Salt Presents:
Ultimate Wrestling Q&A
Zelina Vega, Rusev, Jesse Ventura & 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, guiding light, and the man with the best mullet since Billy Ray Cyrus. Are you ready? Let’s do this.

WWE has apparently removed Zelina Vega’s last name, and now she’s just Zelina. Thoughts?

I thought that was just a Vince McMahon thing, but it’s still a thing in WWE, and Zelina is the most recent victim. I don’t get it at all, but it’s WWE, and I’m sure they have a reason. I doubt this identity revision will last for long. We’ll just have to watch and see.

In 5 years with AEW, Miro (Rusevonly wrestled 36 matches. Did AEW waste Miro (Rusev)?

In fairness, Rusev was out for nearly a year with injuries, but yeah, that’s insane. Since being back in WWE, Rusev has already wrestled nearly thirty matches, and that’s less than a year. AEW was absolutely wasting their money and didn’t get nearly what they should have from the Bulgarian Brute.

Do you think WWE needs to bring back over-the-top gimmicks and kayfabe?

Within reason, yeah, I do. The wrestlers are so generic these days, it’s hard to see a personality or gimmick. Look at how well Naomi worked when she went “crazy”. Her character took off and worked so much better than when she was just being herself. As for kayfabe, seeing two guys nearly kill each other and then going to an NHL game together the next night, that kills the stories and characters. Just use common sense to keep the suspense of belief alive. Look at Grayson Waller’s recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, an awesome interview by the way, and Waller gets it. He stays in character with little digs at the other wrestlers, while still giving real and honest answers. That’s how it should be done.

Bryan Alvarez says Rusev needs Lana back with him in WWE. Is he right?

Rusev is getting better on the WWE roster, but the addition of Lana, and I do mean Lana, not CJ Perry, would add to the package and the character. Alvarez is correct.

What is your Mt. Rushmore of wrestlers who used THE CLAW?

Blackjack Mulligan, Baron Von Raschke, Fritz Von Erich, and Killer Kowalski.

Ivory or Jacqueline. Who’s better?

Jackie is amazing, but Ivory will always be my girl. Ivory wins in this comparison.

Jade Cargill versus Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. Yes or no.

It would be an interesting match, and if Jade continues to improve, she and Mami would match up rather well. Jade versus Rhea at Mania? Yeah, that’ll work.

You get two phone calls from Vince McMahon and Tony Khan, both wanting you to start a new developmental promotion with full autonomy, but they’re footing the bill. Which offer do you take?

It’d be a tough choice because, despite what they might say, neither Tony nor Vince would be able to resist getting involved and trying to “help”. I’d probably accept the offer from Tony since he has so many other things going on, with AEW, ROH, the Jaguars, the UK football teams, etc., he wouldn’t have as much free time to show up and interfere. Vince has nothing but time on his hands, and he’s a natural take-charge, my way or the highway guy. He’d be trying to micromanage my promotion. With Tony, I’d just have to be his friend, and I’d be left alone more often.

If Jesse Ventura is through with SNME, who should replace him? Should WWE even replace The Body?

I like what having Jesse there adds to the show. It’s the nostalgia factor, and it makes SNME just a little bit better. I hope Jesse was just taking a night off this past weekend and returns in December. If Jesse doesn’t return, fill that third spot at the Announce Table with legends of the past, like Ivory, Mark Henry, Dutch Mantell, Jim Cornette, or whoever is available and in the region at the time. Keep the nostalgia alive.

Do you think that things like the US Title challenge are a sign of lazy booking? All HHH has to do is figure out who it will be, and it takes up a big chunk of the show. There is no real storytelling involved with it.

Yes, it is lazy booking, but we tend to get some good matches as a result of these open challenges, matches we might not ordinarily see, and it fills up the segment on TV with something that usually exceeds expectations and is entertaining. I like the open challenges.

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; that is all people need to know. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!