By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Editor's Note: It's been a busy summer, but I'm going to try to get back to updating Ask the Torch more frequently from now on, so keep the questions coming and thanks for your patience!

PWTorch.com reader Steve Long asks: Could you explain the events that led Lex Luger to jump from WCW to WWF. Is it true he wrestled for WWF On Sunday then WCW on Monday. Was the last time he appeared on WWF TV was Summer Slam '95 when he tried to help Diesel against Mabel when Mo was interfering. Diesel didn't think he could trust Luger so he booted him out of the ring and he ran back to the dressing room.

Lex Luger (photo by Wade Keller, Torch editor)

WK: Luger told me after the first Nitro that he made the decision to jump to WCW in the few days before. He said he had been working for Vince McMahon under a good faith agreement without a contract for a number of weeks, but had been open with him about negotiating with WCW also. He said the offer WCW made to him was so good, he couldn't turn it down. He told me his move was "neither a breach of contract, a breach of ethics, nor a breach of his word." Luger was pulled from Summerslam because he hadn't signed a renewal, but then based on McMahon's belief Luger was going to stay, he put him back on a Raw taping. They also announced that he'd face Triple H at a future In Your House PPV event. This whole story is detailed in the Cover Story of the latest "10 Years Ago This Week" Torch Newsletter back issue just posted for Torch VIP Members for the first time online in the last few days (along with more than 250 other complete Torch Newsletter back issues and hundreds of other articles and Torch Talk interview archives).


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PWTorch.com reader Tyler Powell asks: Given that Hulk Hogan has so much political capital that he was able to put himself strongly over Shawn Michaels against Michaels's wishes, why did Hogan agree to job so decisively against Brock Lesnar during their feud? I would think that just about the last thing Hogan would want to do would be to lose to such a relatively new wrestler, especially in a lopsided and almost humiliating way. Or, was Hogan forced into it somehow by his contract stips? What happened?

WK: Hogan has said in retrospect that was a mistake. I'd say that Hogan, since he was full-time basically at that point and didn't have full creative control written into his contract, was trying to give a little in order to have bargaining power to take something more valuable later. Hogan is also older and more brittle now, so he feels less confident that he can come back from any kind of a loss. From those who have been around Hogan lately, he is said to be incredible insecure about how fans will perceive him - much more so than just a few years ago.

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PWTorch.com reader Frank asks: I've noticed that high resolution photographs such as those that appear in WWE magazines has all of the Titantrons near the entrance turned off even during high profile main event matches, yet when I've been in arenas during these same matches the Titantron screens near the entrance always repeats an animation of the current show or displays a video camera view of what is happening in the ring. Is there a trigger system connected to the still cameras that turns off the entrance-way for a split second while the image is captured or is the background edited out during post editing?

WK: I'm not sure of the specific situation you speak of. I do know that WWE is about as state of the art as it gets when it comes the lengths they go to create great photography. Their professional photographers work closely with the show-operations people when it comes to such technology, so I wouldn't be surprised if what you said is the case. There are a lot of technical things I've heard of over the years (that didn't stick in great detail since that's not my area of expertise) they do to maximize the quality of their photography and filming of shows.

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PWTorch.com reader Tanner Tasey of Bay City, Mich.: It is obvious that Matt Hardy is being "punished" for going public with his break up and firing earlier this year. Vince McMahon hired him back to keep his enemies closer so to speak. What I don't understand though is why McMahon didn't choose to make money off this real life event that the fans were passionate about for the next 6-8 months. At that point after he "used" Hardy to make up for his investment in his new contract he could then job him out. By screwing Hardy over now is McMahon is screwing himself over as well. Any ideas as to why this is? Is McMahon truly that petty?

WK: Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: I wrote about the Matt Hardy situation in detail in this week's Torch Newsletter's "WWE Newswire." I believe he is getting punished for trying to turn himself into a big story at their expense earlier this year. He has been steadfast publicly in not selling that the's being buried, but instead what's happening is part of a master plan that he's content with. I do understand where McMahon is coming from, once you take into account his view on Hardy. He sees Hardy as an unproven commodity who hasn't displayed to him he's more than a mid-carder at this point. Also, McMahon doesn't want to set a precedent that a wrestler can benefit from "going into business for himself" will benefit, so he is making sure he sets an example with Hardy by making him "pay" for a while. There are times where McMahon sacrifices a little bit of money now to make a larger point which he believes could save him headaches for years to come.

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Background on Torch editor Wade Keller: Torch editor Wade Keller founded Pro Wrestling Torch in September 1987. He has been interviewed as a wrestling expert by dozens of TV and radio stations across the country; he has also been quoted in dozens of major newspapers and magazines across the world. Media entities that have featured Keller in stories covering wrestling include National Public Radio, Fox News Channel, ESPN Magazine, the New York Post, Entertainment Weekly, the All-News Channel, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post. He also hosted his own weekly two hour wrestling talk show on KFAN sport radio in the '90s. Over the past 17 years Keller has also interviewed, one-on-one, wrestling's top names for in-depth "Torch Talks" and feature articles including powerbrokers such as Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Jerry Jarrett, Bill Watts, Jim Cornette, Jim Crockett, Jim Herd, Paul Heyman, Ed Ferrara, Terry Taylor, Kevin Sullivan, Jim Ross, and Vince Russo; top wrestling stars such as The Rock, Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Matt & Jeff Hardy, Rick Steamboat, Jerry Lawler, Bill Goldberg, British Bulldog, Road Warrior Hawk, Jesse Ventura, and Hulk Hogan; and legends such as Lou Thesz, Gordon Solie, Bruno Sammartino, Roy Shires, Terry Funk, and Verne Gagne.

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