ASK TITO: Zelina Vega Returns to WWE, Velveteen Dream, Miro Wins TNT Title, RIP New Jack, and More

Follow Mr. Tito on Twitter by going to the following link: @titowrestling

The weekend Excellence in Column Writing is upon you as I’ll answer your questions sent via Email, Twitter, or the Comments section below and convert that into a column. Two things make me laugh about many new readers that I’ve gained at NoDQ. For one, many of you just read the headline on Social Media and ASSUME what the column is about. Take my last “AEW Should Move to Monday Nights” column. Many of you commented “do you remember what happened to TNA when they tried?” and YES, the damn column addresses what happened to TNA! JUST READ IT. Secondly, many of you need to realize that my columns aren’t behind a paywall, as it costs you NOTHING but your ability to click a link to read it. That’s it. Your attempts to CANCEL me are futile.

Pro Wrestling is very much like politics right now… When you hear an opposite opinion that you just don’t like, you attempt to eliminate that voice. Instead, you should just listen to that point of view and either think about it or move on. Don’t silence it…

ANYWAY – Some of my loyal readers have asked how I construct my columns recently and it’s actually quite simple to answer. Thanks to the pandemic, I’m usually writing these columns between when I drop my kiddos off to school and before I have to report to work online. That’s about 45 minutes per workday right now… Usually, I write Tuesday’s column during the mornings of Monday and Tuesday unless I’m so rested during Sunday Nights that I cannot sleep and I write then. For Ask Tito, I utilize Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings to write most of it and then Saturday morning for any finishing touches.

In the past, I would seriously start my columns at 10:30pm at night but if I had work leftover to do from my job, 1:30am starting times would occur and it usually takes me up to 2 hours to finish each column. As you can see, I developed quite the insomnia in the past and it had some bad effects on my health. I cannot stress this enough, NOTHING is worth trading in sleep and making yourself a slave to Caffeine isn’t good for you either. Take it from Old Man Tito here… If you’re drinking multiple cups of coffee, energy drinks, and/or soda right now to stay awake, start questioning WHY you are doing that. Trust me when I say this… The long-term effects aren’t worth it. Caffeine delivers energy by making your heart pump a little faster… Think about that.

Pre-pandemic, I would just write from 10:30pm to 11:30pm with a hard cut-off at 11:30pm. I had to discipline myself not to go beyond that time. However, now that I’m off the Caffeine, my body is starting to shutdown and I’m yawning heavily by the time 11:30pm rolls around.

Gotta get your sleep folks… Take it from someone who has pushed the human body to get excessive amount of work and columns done for the last 15 years, but now I’m doing things like seeing a heart doctor every few months and never touching anything caffeinated or chocolate based. It’s not worth it, as you need to question WHY you must stay up all night to do extra work from your job or why you can’t manage your free time better during the day. You need to start thinking with your heart and not with your wallet.

Now you know and knowing is half the battle.

Onto your questions.

*****

What are your thoughts on Zelina Vega reportedly returning to the WWE?

If true, I told you so… She was in the wrong on this Third Party issue, as were all of the other wrestlers. When you sign WWE’s contract, the fine print spells out that they basically own your actions for the term of that contract. Your name and likeness are theirs and anywhere you take that, such as a Third Party platform, is subject to WWE making a claim. After all, the WWE has to protect its brand and they probably don’t want their talents breaking character on a Third Party platform while also making their own money off of WWE licenses.

I wrote this column on 11/19/2020 discussing her release but also could she survive as a Twitch streamer. At the time of that column, she had like 15,000 subscribers who could pay $5 to $25 per month (I computed that most are paying $5 at the time). Now, she has 12,500. That’s still a healthy number but in a manner of just 6 months, she’s lost 2,500 subscribers which is about $6,250 per month or about $75,000 annually (assuming the average of $5 per sub divided by 2 with Twitch’s cut). As I suggested in my 11/19 column, she would have to sustain a follower base and at the time of that column, she had many Gifted Subscribers which means that users are paying for subscriptions for other fans. In other words, a handful of wealthy and loyal fans are subsidizing her.

While having 12,500 subs will equate to about $31,250 per month and about $375,000 per year annualized, which isn’t bad… Here streams are viewed consistently by LESS than 500 people and the Videos On Demand are viewed by less. Operating as a casual gamer online probably doesn’t have good long-term implications. By the way, making about $375,000 per year could have her paying Federal Taxes of 32% to 35%, depending on if she is filing as a single or married jointly.

Cooler heads are probably prevailing here… WWE has come to the realization that their roster is very thin right now and they aren’t getting ready-made superstars from NXT right now. Zelina Vega could help as a wrestler and as a valet while Aleister Black could also begin to be utilized more. Both black and Vega could have sat down and discussed terms with the WWE in the first place instead of refusing to read the fine terms of their WWE contract. Simply put, without shows on the road, WWE wrestlers are getting screwed on their paychecks particularly from RAW, Smackdown, and Pay Per View live shows that still drew and sold merchandise. They could have easily made the argument as to WHY they would seek Third Party applications for additional money.

Thus, Zelina Vega is no longer this “Third Party Martyr” that the online wrestling community tried to paint her as… Ooops, she came back to that HORRIBLE employer who released her. I guess that WWE isn’t that bad of a place to work after all OR the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I don’t know about how Women are being utilized in AEW and Impact wrestling is just to small to matter now as a “knockout”. WWE is still the biggest and best game in town for wrestlers.

*****

What are your thoughts on Velveteen Dream reportedly being backstage at RAW?

Here is this thing with Velveteen Dream. The allegations made against him are horrific, as Dream is alleged to have sent nude photos of himself to and has been in communications with underaged kids via Social Media. Velveteen Dream has completedly denied these allegations and the WWE has reportedly performed their own investigation of the matter and didn’t find anything.

So, what now? To date, no criminal or civil charges have ever been filed against the man behind the Velveteen Dream gimmick, nor have they been filed against his employer.

With that said… What are you going to do with Dream as a wrestler?

In my mind, I would NOT think that the WWE would be covering for this guy. Yes, in the past, they covered for a guy named Jimmy Snuka, but look what happened with Enzo recently. The second that those assault allegations, which were proven false later, went public, the WWE terminated him. They have kept Velveteen Dream employed, however… I just don’t see the WWE Corporation desiring the bad Public Relations disaster if Dream was truly guilty, nor do I see Triple H being willing to risk his corporate career on this guy if he were guilty as well.

I’m left with “the allegations are horrible” BUT he’s innocent until proven guilty. So far, we have allegations made on Social Media ONLY and nothing being filed as criminal charges against Dream. As far as we know, nothing has been settled between Dream/WWE and those making allegations. Some media outlet would have found that already…

Public figures are in a tough spot because they want to get closer to their fans via Social Media BUT that poses a risk because it creates communication links with fans who could make allegations later. If I were ANY public figure out there, I would only use Social Media to promote appearances… There is a REASON why there are barriers at Pro Wrestling events and why wrestlers are escorted securely to arenas. Why not think about that with Social Media too? The second that you get too personal with fans on Social Media, it opens the door for any disgruntled fan to burn you. On the wrestler’s side of thing, their idea of being appreciated also opens the door for them to be vulnerable with their fans too.

I’m of the mind that you’re “innocent until proven guilty”… If I see criminal or civil charges coming Dream’s way, then I’d pick up a torch with the online mob. However, the politically correct and highly corporate WWE wouldn’t keep this guy employed if their investigation turned up anything that would look bad on the WWE. Right now, sex trafficking and pedophilia are bigtime discussed topics in the political realm right now and actual conspiracy theories are being formed against political figures for allegedly participating in it. There’s an element of that out there which is causing the online backlash from Velveteen Dream from ever getting a chance to succeed in the WWE.

The real issue as to why we haven’t seen Velveteen Dream is the fact that many online fans have probably communicated to WWE’s sponsors about this guy and those sponsors have probably inquired the WWE about him. THAT is why you don’t see him… The fact that Velveteen Dream hasn’t been cut indicates, to me, that the WWE believes that he could be a major star and they are just waiting things out. Having him appear backstage at RAW was just a test balloon to see how wrestlers and then fans would react.

I do think that the WWE is missing an opportunity here, though, without fans to actually use him. They could have had him perform for a while and maybe help ease the minds of fans… But, I believe that corporate sponsors have heard enough about the guy online and they are the ones advising WWE not to use him. Maybe Comcast/FOX, too… If the WWE ever wants to use this guy again, they need to do something to definitively prove that he was innocent of what was alleged. Otherwise, the online mob will prevail and keep him off television forever.

In my opinion, had this controversy not erupted, he could have been THE STAR from Triple H’s developmental system. The guy had the in-ring ability, charisma, unique look, and mic skills to make it HUGE in the WWE. These allegations have derailed that. This potential to be a big star is keeping him employed with the WWE in spite of the allegations.

I don’t know… Until I see criminal/civil charges or more allegations, I believe that Velveteen Dream deserves a chance. WWE has zero incentive to cover up real allegations, as their public image would take a hit and corporate sponsors would leave them quickly. Thus, I would be OK, for now, if Velveteen Dream returned to action. BUT – If charges or more allegations arrive, then I’d join the online mob to get him off television.

If you look back, athletes like Mike Tyson and Kobe Bryant actually made physical contact with their victims and it cost Tyson years of his life in prison and millions from Kobe in settlements. Yet, fans didn’t abandon them. It’s all allegations for Velveteen Dream and (a) he deserves his own say in defense of himself and (b) WWE investigated the matter and found nothing. Innocent until proven guilty. And again, LET ME STATE THIS… If more allegations or evidence arrives, which WWE as a company cannot refute either, I’ll join the online mob against him.

*****

What did you think about Miro winning AEW’s TNT Title?

Booking was rushed and not thought out. Based on what Miro has been doing versus whom Darby has been feuding with, it made no sense for those two to come together for 1 match and suddenly the TNT Title is switched.

THAT SAID, if you give me an almost 300 pound strong heavyweight versus a shorter guy who weighs less than 200 pounds, I would hope that the bigger & heavier guy wins each time. Go ask Boxing and UFC why they have freakin’ WEIGHT CLASSES.

If you’re asking me who I’d rather have as TNT, well the answer is a wrestler that can help the company get over. Darby is an undersized flippy wrestler who would be great if AEW had a Lightweight division. Miro, on the other hand, has the potential to be a top drawing star IF HE CARED to do so. And now that Miro is TNT Champion, let’s take this booking seriously. For MONTHS, have him squash the entire midcard and push a new serious attitude with his character. Have a segment where he smashes all of his video game systems and announces that he’s done with these “stupid distractions”. The “Best Man” gimmick switches from being a wedding gimmick to complete arrogance that he’s the “Best Man” of AEW and openly challenges anyone to come get his TNT Title.

I’ll stick with this opinion… Miro, along with Brodie Lee, were the 2 WWE castaways that I felt were mistakes by the WWE as both could be legitimate main event drawing stars in AEW. In my opinion, Brodie Lee was actually making strides with his character to potentially get there by 2021 before he died. Miro, however, has not been carefully watched over and has been allowed to inject his personal habits into his character. What you need is a MONSTER that strikes fear not only in opponents, but fans as well.

This random TNT Title switch could be a good thing if AEW plays their cards right and pushes him as a legitimate monster instead of the goof that we’ve seen for the past year. Because if Miro fails in AEW, it shows that the AEW system is a complete failure and that any future wrestlers joining them would also fail too. This is where having veterans backstage like Arn Anderson, DDP, Dean Malenko, Tully Blanchard, and Jim Ross should come in handy and that is mentoring this 36 year old wrestler into a star.

*****

How do you feel about New Jack passing away?

I feel sad, honestly. I loved me some New Jack. Yeah, I know, he’s had some incidents outside the ring and also inside the ring. In my opinion, though, if you agree to wrestle New Jack in a wrestling match, YOU KNOW what you’re getting and that’s the fault of any of his opponents for letting him get away with stuff. Same can be said about the latest Dark Side of the Ring starring Nick Gage… If you agree to wrestle Nick in a match, particularly a “Death Match”, you get what you deserve.

I started watching Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) during late 1996 and I quickly became a fan of New Jack when he did his very first balcony dive… It’s the one where he makes a major leap and his arms are flapping as he makes this running jump. My jaw hit the floor because I NEVER saw that before in my life in a wrestling setting. Then, I saw his entrance when Natural Born Killaz by Dr. Dre & Ice Cube hit and New Jack would bring a trash can full of weapons into the ring. NOBODY ELSE did that back then and it made New Jack unique. Now, generations of wrestlers are doing his same stuff yet actually getting more violent with the techniques.

I actually met New Jack during either 2004 or 2005 when he appeared at a local independent show. He was super nice. Granted, he probably loved his paying customers but I’ve been around many wrestlers from the mainstream shows who felt bothered by meeting fans. He spoke with everyone, took pictures with everyone, signed whatever anyone presented him, etc. I actually have a picture with him hanging up on my wall down here in the basement from this show. Thankfully for the independent promoter at the time, I actually had “Natural Born Killaz” in my car on a CD because I tended to blast that from time to time when driving down the road. Why would I listen to that song? Because of the Gangstas in ECW! Thus, I made a clutch move in wrestling history by alerting the promoter that I had his theme and thus we arranged it to happen. When New Jack walked out, he had a big smile on his face because he may have forgot to supply the music.

He died at 58 with a heart attack… It wasn’t an earlier wrestler death and many males become risk for heart issues after the age of 40. I’ll say this, though… He lived every year of that 58 age… THAT is for sure. Make it a point to watch his Dark Side of the Ring and you’ll see it for yourself. Then, check out his Shoot Interviews from YouTube for more laughs. He seriously burned both ends of the candle throughout his life.

Rest in Peace, New Jack, and THANK YOU for the many years of entertainment. This one hurts, especially because New Jack was going to attend Bobby Fulton’s March 2020 charity show last year that COVID-19 helped cancel. I could have met the guy one last time but damn it, the Coronavirus hit and cancelled the show. I also missed my opportunity to meet Road Warrior Animal, too, which can’t happen now too.

Thank you, New Jack. I’ll never forget the many years of entertainment and I’m glad to have met you.

*****

Thoughts on Natalya and Tamina winning the Women’s Tag Titles?

I’m very excited for them. I actually agree with them winning on this spot rather than at Wrestlemania 37, provided that they had to wrestle the night before there. Maybe it should have happened at Backlash BUT I figure that show will see another Tag Team winning the titles that night. Thus, WWE felt it appropriate to switch the titles here to help spice up Smackdown.

And in my opinion, they need their last names, too. This is Natalya Neidhart and Tamina Snuka. You CANNOT blame the offspring for any of their parents’ transgressions. For years, the WWE promoted both Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart and Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka despite knowing what they may or may not have done outside of the ring. If Charlotte Flair is allowed to be named “Charlotte Flair”, both of these ladies can sport their fathers’ last names too. Why not? Nobody is going to hold Tamina accountable for what her Dad did and most fans didn’t hear about what Jimmy Snuka did until later. If Snuka was such a detriment to her, then why does she still do his trademark bodysplash from the top rope?

I’m very excited for both ladies, as they both seemed lost before teaming up. In my opinion, I wouldn’t have them lose the titles for a long, long time… In fact, just build them as 2 tough singles wrestlers who are more dangerous together and unbeatable as a tag team, even when a pair of singles main eventer women try to tag up and steal their titles. Make them champions for more than a year and see what happens. Give them a cool tag team name and market them as something serious… But you have to acknowledge that both ladies come from HALL OF FAME WWE wrestlers…

*****

What did you think of John Moxley coming out to “Wild Thing” as his theme music?

I don’t know if this theme music is permanent or a one time thing for AEW, but this could get expensive for TNT to payout royalty rates for use of that song. I’m guessing that it’s a one time thing, though it was quite badass to see a wrestler come out to that theme song.

This is why you don’t hear music from artists on pro wrestling shows… WCW reportedly paid through the roof to use Jimi Hendrix on air. It was part of CM Punk’s 2011 new contract to have “Cult of Personality” aired and that was a redone cover by the group. It’s expensive and the only way around having it be cheaper is if AT&T, through its acquisition of Time Warner, owns a major % of royalty rights. Even then, it would be likely that AT&T would charge AEW for use of said song.

This is why a guy like John Johnston was so valuable to the WWE. The guy could compose his own stuff and he made stuff that fit the characters on WWE television. Then, the WWE could turn around and make quick bucks by selling theme songs on CDs. I believe that I bought the first 5-6 volumes of that and I proudly blasted that stuff down the road in my car. Razor Ramon, especially.

It’s a one time thing UNLESS AEW wants to pay for it or if that music was somehow owned by Time Warner… *Looks it up* Hey, Warner Music Group does own the label that recorded the original Wild Thing. Well, there you go… Fancy that, AT&T probably owns a portion of the song and could lease it to AEW with a discount. Maybe we’ll see it with Moxley more often in the future? If so, then AT&T is giving AEW a discount.

*****

Are you excited for Jinder Mahal’s WWE return?

See, my issue with Jinder Mahal during 2017 was the fact the was a bigtime jobber on the RAW brand from 2016-2017 and then upon the AWFUL “Superstar Shake-up” of 2017, he was immediately pushed as a Main Eventer on the Smackdown brand and rushed to the World Title. Gee, wonder why he failed?

I have no problems with him coming back at all… He’s an experienced hand. Now, should the WWE push him to the moon again? NO… He should start lower on the ladder for his comeback, as he was out from June 2020 through his return during May 2021. That is easy to explain “ring rust” along with explaining that he has to overcome a major knee injury. That, alone, should tell fans that he needs to start small and work his way back up again.

I will say this… I liked the shaved head. It greatly improves his look at being a more serious athlete compared to the awful haircut that he had before.

I also think that the WWE has to repair his image… The reason he was pushed during 2017 was to capitalize on an India tour to happen later that year. However, the guy was born in Canada… Yes, his parents were from India, but there is a reason why the Great Khali is beloved there and has legitimately helped WWE grow in that market: he was born there. The WWE trying to push every stereotype of what a “heel from India” would look like was embarrassing during 2017 and should be the same during 2021 too. Jinder is now a 12 year veteran as a WWE performer (with 2 years off) and his experience should start to take over at this point. He is ONLY 34 years old! He has time to figure it out…

To answer your question… I’m wouldn’t be excited if he was pushed to the moon. However, I would be excited if this veteran got a second shot to patiently become a better superstar for the WWE.

*****

What are your thoughts on AEW Dynamite imitating big WWE moments from the past on their 5/12 show?

The Young Bucks defeated SCU in a tag match where the stipulation was that if Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian lost, they’d have to break up as a tag team forever. During that match, one of the bucks recreated the moment in the Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair retirement match where HBK said “I’m sorry and I love you” or something to that effect.

Later on, the Inner Circle recreated the famous Steve Austin Beer Truck spraying incident from RAW on Pinnacle.

What is that phrase again? “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”

WWE officials have to be laughing their arses off. Seriously, AEW? You need to do NOTHING that reminds wrestling fans of the WWE. Recreating these moments will only encourage wrestling fans to log into their WWE Networks on Peacock and watch these specific moments. Worse yet, wrestling fans will be reminded of HOW MUCH BETTER IT LOOKED when the WWE did it!

AEW needs to grab a beer bottle, break it, and come after the WWE. THAT is what they should be doing instead of doing cheap cover versions of the WWE’s greatest hits. This is exactly what I discussed in my last column about how AEW should consider moving to Monday Nights. WWE is STUCK having the PG Rating on their shows because of partnering with the heavily woke and politically correct Comcast corporation along with wanting money from many corporate sponsors. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WEAKNESS, AEW!!!!

You have wrestlers on your roster who LEFT the WWE because of their non-sense. EXPLOIT THAT and show wrestling fans how wrestlers like Cody, Miro, Spears, Jericho, FTR, Hager, and many others SHOULD HAVE been used in the WWE!

Until you grow some balls and aggressively go after the WWE for its weaknesses, INSTEAD OF promoting their product’s past & present, you’ll become TNA 2.0. TNA handled the WWE with kid gloves and imitated their past moments, too. Hell, their whole “Monday Night Wars” stuff was just trying to recreate the New World Order all over again AND with the same guys (yet many years older).

FINGER OF SHAME at AEW, Tony Khan, and the EVPs for this non-sense.

Want further proof? Orange Cassidy and Pac were wrestling a #1 contender’s match for the “Double or Nothing” Pay Per View when Kenny Omega got involved with the match to cause it to be a Double Countout. Almost immediately, Tony Shiavone arrives and announces, via Tony Khan in his ear, that Kenny Omega will have to wrestle in a TRIPLE THREAT against Orange Cassidy and Pac. How WWE of them on that booking! Maybe Kenny Omega will pin both guys at the same time, too!

THIS is why you don’t let novices start-up and operate a wrestling company. They should be doing much better at this point, considering how bad WWE is right now, and yet they are stuck in the less than 1,000,000 viewers mud.

So just chill… Until the next episode!

Comments and feedback are welcome. Follow and Tweet me @titowrestling or login in below to post comments.

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ASK TITO: Zelina Vega Returns to WWE, Velveteen Dream, Miro Wins TNT Title, RIP New Jack, and More