The PWTorch All-Star Panel features an array of contributors answering your questions who have worked in various facets of the pro wrestling industry, plus PWTorch contributors join in. You get an unmatched mix of perspectives including first-hand insights from people who have worked in the ring and behind the curtain.

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PWTorch reader Jason L. asks: With rumors of Paul Bearer being inducted into the HOF this year, the logical person you'd think to induct him would of course be Undertaker. Many posthumous inductions tend to get emotional for the person inducting. My question is do you think WWE would potentially hold back Undertaker (maybe for Kane or even Mick Foley) from inducting Bearer to protect his character's image? I know that's some very 80s-esque kayfabe logic that probably doesn't apply in 2014, but Undertaker is such a larger than life character who has been so protected for 20+ years that perhaps there would be reason to hold him back. While I'm sure fans would understand Marc Callaway crying over the celebration of his long-time manager, seeing "The Undertaker" crying could kill much of the mystique he's spent years building up.

PWTorch contributor Jon Mezzera answers: I don't have strong feelings on this one way or the other. I think that Undertaker himself has been the one protecting his character all these years, more so than WWE. That being said, hasn't he appeared out of character for a few dvd releases lately? If he will appear out of character for those, then why not for the Hall of Fame ceremony? At the same time, if he wants to keep protecting his image, especially the night before he wrestles what is likely his only match all year, then I wouldn't have a problem with him doing that. I'm sure he has mourned his friend's death and honors his career in his own way. Kane would be a perfectly suitable inductor for Paul Bearer as his on screen son.

PWTorch contributor Jimmy Eaton answers: I think that Vince would try and convince Taker to not induct him, even if he pushed to do so. Kane makes the most sense in my opinion as the Undertaker's gimmick is more protected than anyone's today. Heck, it may be the only one really protected. So I would say it's unlikely that he does induct him.

PWTorch contributor Mike Roe answers: I fully expect Paul Bearer to get in, and for the Undertaker to not give the induction speech. The Hall of Fame is a bit of a break from character, but not too much, and I don't think this is where either WWE or Undertaker would want to change from that. I'll guess that someone else gives a speech for Bearer - perhaps a family member - but that Taker gives a symbolic nod, perhaps saying a few additional words, holding up the urn, or doing something else more subtle than a full speech. But only time will tell on this one.

PWTorch contributor Shawn Valentino answers: Thank you for your question, Jason. If and when Paul Bearer gets inducted into the Hall of Fame, I believe that Undertaker has to be the one to induct him. Since both characters are so entrenched in mystique, my idea would be to possibly have Undertaker induct him in character and costume. Perhaps Kane could be the one to talk about Kane's personal life, and Taker could come out and do a little tribute and some of his trademark gestures in honor of Bearer. I think there is a way that Calaway can participate in this induction without compromising his character.

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PWTorch reader & VIP MEMBER Efren from Phoenix, Ariz. asks: Expect any backlash on Ultimate Warrior's induction to the HOF?

Justin Credible (current IWE Champion, former ECW World Champion, former WWF wrestler in the 1990s & 2000s, www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: There maybe some backlash, but the HOF is a work. Warrior like him or hatehim draws money and headlines. I'm just surprised it took the WWE so long to induct him. Nothing shocks me in the WWE. If they can make money the WWE will do it, and its a business they should.

Jonny Fairplay (@jonnyfairplay - Reality TV contestant including "Survivor," former personal assistant to Roddy Piper, former TNA on-air performer, frequent PWTorch Livecast guest) answers: No, "Backlash" is that crappy PPV that no one watched before the WWE Network.

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PWTorch contributor Aaron P. asks: Hi. I really enjoyed the PWTorch Livecast with one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, Jake Roberts. I have kind of an odd question. Do you think Jake's career would have been a lot better without the addiction issues? By that I mean obviously it's easier to wrestle if you don't have those issues, but in a weird way it seemed to really make his promos and whole character better. You can really feel his pain in some of those old promos. Sort of like a tortured depressed artist type who is brilliant or something I guess. It would also be interesting to know what Jake thinks about that. I'm guessing he would rather be sober.

Justin Credible (current IWE Champion, former ECW World Champion, former WWF wrestler in the 1990s & 2000s, www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: Absolutely. I know from personal experience. When you’re an addict, all you care or think about is that drug. You don't strive to have good matches. You are barely living. Getting by with the minimum. If Jake had stayed sober he could have been an all-time great. Some would argue that the drugs is what gave him that dark edge, but I think he would agree that things would have been much better without. That said, I'm a friend of Jake’s and knowing him for decades it’s a small miracle that he's in recovery and doing so great. Jake is amazing. I hope he gets to some day share his knowledge.

Brad Stutts (indy wrestling promoter, announcer, manager, show runner) answers: Interesting question. I don’t think he would've been world champion even without substance-abuse issues, but I think from about 1996 on he could have really maintained a position with creative and been a driving force for years, similar to Michael Hayes, had he been sober.

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PWTorch reader Travis E. of Wisconsin asks: I am a long time wrestling fan and this question goes back a ways. Sting and Ric Flair feuded pretty much non-stop over the years. I think it was in the late-‘80s on TBS in WCCW when Sting and Ric Flair finished a feud and Sting then started a new feud with a mystery masked man. The mystery wrestler would attack him and do audio/video clips with his voice disguised. It seemed certain that this was not Ric Flair. If memory serves me right, Flair and Sting had a new truce going. But when the big reveal hit, the mystery man was Flair. (I think this is also when he debuted his short haircut.) Was Flair always the man behind the mask or was there another plan for this angle that was derailed along the way? It's been a burning question since I was a teen. Thanks.

Brian Fritz (host of Between the Ropes podcast, Yahoo! Sports podcast host) answers: I believe you are talking about the Black Scorpion storyline.That voice was Ole Anderson who was booking at the time. One of the biggest problems with the storyline was that it wasn't developed and there was no end game planned for it. So to get out of it, Flair agreed to be the Black Scorpion and lose a catch match against Sting and then have him be revealed.

Editor’s Note: To everyone out there with similar questions, instead of wondering about these things, be sure to consider a VIP membership. Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly Newsletter has been covering pro wrestling from an insider perspective since it started in 1987. It has been published weekly and mailed around the globe for decades, packed with insider news, exclusive interviews with major names, PPV reports with star ratings and analysis of almost every PPV match ever, and hard-hitting editorials. Virtually every weekly newsletter, many of them pre-dating the popularity of the Internet and podcasts, is available as soon as you become a VIP member. You can look up by date any big story from your years as a fan and read the real insider backstage story on everything regarding that on a week to week real-time basis. It’s one of the great perks of a PWTorch VIP membership besides all the new audio and newsletter content that goes up every day, plus ad-free access to the website and VIP Forum access. Give us a try for $10 for a full month or dive in for a full year for just $99. You can also get info on a year of home delivery of our print newsletter for just $99. Or bundle both the newsletter home delivery subscription and the online VIP member for a steep discount. Details are here: www.PWTorch.com/govip.

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(Send questions for a future Ask PWTorch to: askpwtorch@gmail.com. If you have a particular person on the All-Star Panel you'd in particular like to direct your question to, include that in the subject line, but multiple panelists may also answer.)

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Catch up on past Ask PWTorch articles...

-ASK PWTORCH - FREE WEBSITE.
-CLICKING HERE - ASK PWTORCH - VIP VERSION

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In case you are new to this feature, let me introduce you to our All-Star Panel…

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION: By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Thanks to Pat McNeill and Anthony Jeselnik for the name of this feature. Just as "CSI" spawned "CSI: Miami," "Ask PWTorch" spawned "Ask PWTorch: All-Star Panel." Only without David Caruso. In any case, we are excited to present to you a new cast for the Ask PWTorch spinoff, which is available exclusively on the PWTorch App (or, for VIP members, on the VIP website too). You are reading this, so you are either a VIP member or have already downloaded the free PWTorch App on your phone or tablet. If you aren't a VIP member, why not? With VIP membership, you gain full access to both Ask PWTorch features on all devices you use to visit PWTorch - our App and our Website.

The "Ask PWTorch All-Star Panel" edition is scheduled to be published first thing in the morning (although not necessarily every single day, like the afternoon website-based Ask PWTorch is; we'll see about that as we move forward). It will feature an entirely different panel of experts and analysts than the afternoon Ask PWTorch does. We have assembled a wide range of contributors, which may expand or change over time, with the goal being to give PWTorch readers new perspectives from people who have particular areas of expertise. Along with our All-Stars from outside of PWTorch, several of our PWTorch contributors (but not the main staff who contribute to the website-based original Ask PWTorch!… you will be quizzed on all of this, so take notes) will also be regularly contributing, especially to current-events-related questions.

Let me introduce you to our panel…

Justin Credible: Current pro wrestler and former ECW Champion and longtime WWE wrestler in the 1990s and 2000s, Justin Credible (P.J. Polaco) currently is the IWE Champion. He travels as indy champion from Maine to Mexico with the title. He posts new Wrestling 101 YouTube videos at www.TheJustinCredible.com or on YouTube at his YouTube Channel.

John Piermarini: Ex-WWE Creative Team member who will provide a behind-the-scenes perspective from his years working for WWE including alongside Vince McMahon, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena. He has been a frequent PWTorch Livecast guest and was the subject of a comprehensive five-hour Torch Talk interview several years ago about his experience with WWE for most of 2009-2010.

Greg Oliver: SLAM! Wrestling reporter and wrestling book author (and hockey book author), Greg will provide a Canadian perspective on many wrestling topics. If you are a fan from Canada or have Canadian-related wrestling questions, Greg can help you. He is a wrestling historian who published a wrestling newsletter during the boom period of insider wrestling newsletters starting in the late 1980s. We were pen pals in the early 1990s and first met at a 1989 wrestling convention in Chicago run by Jon Gallagher of the Wrestling Forum (the first insider wrestling newsletter I ever received in the mail in early 1987).

George Schire: Author of "Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling," former Pro Wrestling Focus radio cohost with me in the early 1990s on KFAN, former contributor of history pieces to the PWTorch Newsletter, and multi-time guest on PWTorch Livecast "Interview Friday," he will be providing a historical perspective to Ask PWTorch.

Johnny Fairplay: Reality Star and Wrestling Manager, perhaps best known as Pat McNeill's Regis Philbin. He was an old neighbor of PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell who watched PPVs at his house long before he became a contestant on Survivor twice. He has been on many reality TV shows, the PWTorch Livecast numerous times, and follows wrestling very closely. You can read more about him on Wikipedia.

Brian Fritz: Host of the long-running "Between the Ropes" podcast, and now working for Yahoo! Sports radio, he also has been a guest on the PWTorch Livecast (and I've been a guest on his podcast), he brings years of reporting on wrestling including on-site interviews with wrestlers at major press events over the years. He follows today's wrestling and will provide his perspective and take on your questions.

Mick Karch: An early PWTorch Newsletter columnist over 20 years ago, Mick has been an announcer for virtually every national wrestling promotion other than the WWF, WCW, and TNA in the last 25 years. He currently works as an announcer on Minnesota indy wrestling shows. He got his start in wrestling running the Nick Bockwinkel Fan Club in the 1970s and is known for his sense of humor, strong opinions, and tremendous insight into wrestling's past dating back many decades, but he also watches today's wrestling regularly and can provide valuable perspective as a result of that span of time following and participating in the industry.

Brad Stutts: He has worked behind the scenes in wrestling in many roles, including taking jackets to the back, setting up and tearing down rings, running websites for indy promoters, running lights and music at live events, and performing as a manager, announcer, wrestler, and promoter. He currently is the lead announcer for CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in North Carolina.

Current PWTorch Contributors: A mix of current PWTorch contributors will provide their opinion on today's wrestling scene and modern wrestling history questions, including Shawn Valentino, Michael Moore, Ben Tucker, Jon Mezzera, Brian Leahy, Jimmy Eaton, and Mike Roe.

You can send your questions for the All-Star Panel to the same address as always: askpwtorch@gmail.com. We will make sure they are directed to the appropriate panelist for potential inclusion in a published Ask PWTorch feature here on the PWTorch App or VIP Website. You may see your question asked in both versions of Ask PWTorch (the Afternoon original website-exclusive version and app-exclusive All-Stars version) so check both versions. Different groups of panelists may tackle your question on different days, so keep checking back. Because they all come from different backgrounds and have different experiences as both fans and working in some capacity in the business or covering it for the Torch, you're going to get some strong specific points of view from them.

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