By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Rob of Memphis, Tenn.: On a personal note, how do you think Sting's conversion to Christianity affected his wrestling career (positively/negatively)? What was the response backstage? Also, are wrestlers ever blackballed because of their faith; Ted Dibiase, Buff Bagwell, Shawn Michaels, etc.?

WK: Sting's conversion did affect his wrestling career in a sense because he was picky about what he would and wouldn't do on camera in case it conflicted with his religious morals. However, his character was never based on being raunchy or controversial, so the effect was minimal. It did give him a sense of peace behind the scenes that probably helped him stay sane during the crazy locker room days of WCW Nitro at its peak. I've never heard of a wrestler being discriminated against, much less blackballed, due to being an openly devout Christian. Molly Holly, in her recent "Torch Talk" interview in the Torch Newsletter, said she never felt her open faith was used against her. There are wrestlers who are probably looked down upon because colleagues see them as being hypocrites in terms of what they say and how they live their lives, or trying to cash in on their supposed religious conversion. Sting was never the most passionate behind the scenes about pro wrestling. To him, it was a high-paying job and that's about it - which is probably a healthier perspective to have than many who get overly wrapped up in their fame.

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Longtime Torch subscriber Dave Petrishen asks: I know that the actual World Heavyweight Championship belt is different now that is has the WWE logo on it, but when it was re-introduced on WWE TV it seemed smaller than the one Ric Flair wore on his first debut in 1991. Do you know how many versions of the actual belt were there?

WK: For some reason, WWE did reintroduce a smaller version of the big gold belt at some point. If I had my way, the belts wouldn't change more than once every ten or fifteen years. I understand the John Cena title belt situation, but I wish there were an explanation that he covets the traditional belt and stores it at home safely, but has been given special permission to let this new belt represent his title reign. I think when they change the look of belts often, a lot of the history is lost. It's not as special seeing Batista win the World Title and wrap it around his waist if it's not the same title belt that Steve Austin, The Rock, Bret Hart, of Hulk Hogan wore. I have lost track of how many belts there have been and how often they're switched, which is sad because the belts if treated with great respect could in and of themselves be much more of a draw.

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Corey Keen asks: I was wondering if there has been any more talk about the possibility of Bret Hart returning to WWE TV even for one last appearance. Maybe somewhere in the near or distant future? What about maybe the Ultimate Warrior.

WK: Bret has made it pretty clear he is involved with WWE only for the DVD project and at this time he's resistant to any more involvement; he still hasn't fully come to terms with or forgiven Vince McMahon for the Survivor Series Swerve and doesn't want to appear to be a sellout. I think eventually, though, he'll end up agreeing to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Ultimate Warrior won't be appearing on WWE anytime in the near or distant future. If a deal could have been worked out, it would have been before his DVD was produced. McMahon and Warrior probably won't be able to reconcile their differences in this lifetime.

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Levon Martinez of Staten Island, N.Y.: Please shed some info on this gimmick. Why does Jillian have that stupid thing on her face? Is it like an inside joke or bet with the creative staff? Or do they really think she needs that to get over as heel? I was watching Smackdown and I see her with JBL and I'm thinking, Jillian is hot, she's good on the mic, and I like her with JBL. Her schtick is the "fixer" and its good. Why can't she just be the fixer without that THING?

WK: Vince McMahon likes his characters to have distinct traits that make them marketable or stand out from the crowd. I've never heard that the idea for Jillian was anything but someone's idea of a good gimmick to set her apart. It's a replay of an old Austin Powers skit. Most people in WWE think it's a terrible idea. There are at least a couple creative staff members and Vince himself who felt it was worth trying. It wasn't a lost bet or meant as punishment for Jillian.

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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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