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Welcome to another edition of Ask Apter! Every day I am bombarded with emails, texts, cellphone calls, and in-person questions from the wonderful world of wrestling fans. Now you can directly ask me your most sought-after questions exclusively here at Sportskeeda's "Ask Bill Apter" column!
In this edition, we will talk about my old friend, the late Dusty Rhodes, and a current RAW star's booking. I will also give my thoughts on Tony Khan buying ROH and one of the best "scientific" bouts I photographed.
Q: Hi Bill. I am happy to see a column where we can ask you questions—been a fan of your work for a long time. My question is, what was Dusty Rhodes like off-camera? - Mike Sumner, Los Angeles, CA
A: Thanks for your "fan-ship," Mike! It's greatly appreciated. Off-camera, Dusty was an always-thinking, always-creating person. He enjoyed coming up with innovative ideas for the wrestling business like "Starrcade," a one-of-a-kind event that many feel led Vince McMahon to create WrestleMania. Also, "War Games," the "Bunkhouse Stampede," and other original programs came from the mind of the "American Dream."
On a personal note, he was kind, a loving father and husband, and had a great sense of humor. I can never thank him enough for being one of the first people to put me on worldwide television on the old NWA/WCW/Jim Crockett promotions, having me host a near-weekly segment called "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Scouting Reports."
He also made sure that many other promotions he was part of, like Championship Wrestling from Florida, brought me in as a guest in commentary. He was a really dear friend, and I miss talking to him on the phone several times a week and being around him in person.
Q: Hey Bill. Do you think that Ring of Honor being bought by Tony Khan was a good thing? - Becca Tomonti, Albany, NY
A: Absolutely! Ring of Honor has a very dedicated fan base. Tony Khan was one of those ardent fans before he got into the wrestling business as the head of AEW.
When Ring of Honor announced they were up for sale by owner Sinclair Broadcasting, Khan wasted no time purchasing the company. He is now mixing some former ROH talent like Jay Lethal and Samoa Joe, highlighting them on AEW and plans for ROH to have their own TV or streaming base.
I would love to see a series of AEW vs. ROH matches take place. My answer is yes -- I think if it's promoted correctly and gets enough exposure, it will prove to be an excellent other brand for him to be proud of like he is of AEW.
Q: Dominik Mysterio looked so good at WrestleMania. It's the best I have ever seen him in the ring. The next night on RAW, he was destroyed by The Miz in just over two minutes. I don't get it. Why did that happen?- Brandon B, Doylestown, PA
A: I wish I had a logical answer. I've discussed this with many people, and we are all perplexed by the quick beating by The Miz. I finally reached out to one of my sources in WWE and was told:
"We're still working on Dominik so don't let the match against Miz on RAW define his young career."
Q: What was the best "scientific" style match you ever photographed? - Alan Beiderman, Saratoga, FL
A: It wasn't just one match but a multiple series of bouts between Jack Brisco and Dory Funk Jr. This was during the period when Dory was the National Wrestling Alliance World Champion around 1972, and they battled night after night in different cities on the Florida circuit.
The matches were classics and usually lasted a full 60 minutes. Back then, fans were educated to that "scientific" style, and you would never hear a chant of "boring" during a long five-minute of one competitor keeping the other in something like a headlock.
The suspense built slowly from the start until a thrilling near-fall climax so many times, and you thought Brisco was certainly going to unseat the champion. Brisco never did defeat Dory for the NWA title, but their matches were just picture perfect!
Do you have a question you would like me to answer right here in the Ask Bill Apter column? If so, send it to [email protected].
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