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FRIDAY'S ASK PWTORCH STAFF: Did Vince McMahon consider Bryan when he booked end of Streak? Was Demolition formed in reaction to Road Warriors? What happened to the PPV sets? What if Rock won the Rumble this year instead of Batista?

Apr 18, 2014 - 8:56:48 PM
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Pro Wrestling Torch was established in 1987 by Wade Keller. One of the primary traits PWTorch has been credited with over the years is assembling the best and most diverse staff of columnists with broad knowledge, but also areas of specialty where they have a particularly strong grasp of history. Every day PWTorch.com presents that team of writers answering your questions, some of which are fact-based and others of which are opinion-based. Either way, we've got you covered with Bruce Mitchell, Pat McNeill, Sean Radican, Greg Parks, James Caldwell, and Wade Keller. Collectively they have over 80 years working for the Torch, writing about wrestling and studying industry history and trends.

If you have a question you'd like us to respond to, send your question to askpwtorch@gmail.com. I, along with the Torch staff, will address your questions in this feature and also the “Ask PWTorch: All-Star Panel” edition which is also published most days here at PWTorch.

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PWTorch reader Brian S. asks: Love the site. The articles add insight into the business. This is my first time writing in and I have a few questions and thoughts about Wrestlemania XXX as I've been seeing some crazy theories and feel I'm in the minority here. So first off.

Are people serious about thinking that The Streak ending wasn't 100 percent the decision of the Undertaker? There is no way given his status and history that anyone, including Vince McMahon, would make that decision over him. Clearly he decided that it was time. Now I can understand why everyone is upset, but isn't that more because we, the fans, decided that The Streak could only end correctly if it was used to put someone - a rising star - over? To me the streak hit it's peak when Shawn Michaels put his career on the line against it and it would never mean more than it did at that point.

Now given the absolute shock of The Streak ending and how it completely took the air out of the building, shouldn't it speak volumes to Daniel Bryan, the "Yes! Movement," and how the company feels going forward? In my opinion, the company put the task of bringing a crowd, one that was just completely crushed and taken out of the event, back into the event, back into the story and drama, they put all of that on Daniel Bryan and the Yes! Movement. That's an amazing test to see if this is real. Bryan did it too, it's been well documented how the Triple H-Randy Orton main event floundered after the Taker-HBK match and how Triple H-Chris Jericho felt empty after Rock-Hogan. Yet, Daniel Bryan brought that crowd back, no pun intended, but brought the crowd back from the dead basically with the conclusion of his story and by winning the title in the main event. I'd say more than ever that we are heading into a new era in the WWE.

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: (1) Yes. (2) When did "we" decide this? I never received a ballot. (3) I have no idea what you are talking about. 4) WWE did not end Undertaker's streak with the idea that it would affect Daniel Bryan's WrestleMania victory, one way or the other.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: Nobody but those in the room when Vince McMahon and Undertaker decided to end The Streak the full context of the discussion. Are sources out of WWE saying Vince McMahon made the call? Yes. Does that mean Undertaker wasn't completely at peace with it or even suggested it as his preference first? No. Again, I point you to my "Page 2 Radar" column in the PWTorch Newsletter #1350 for a full context of my position on the outcome with insights into how it came about.

Yes, Bryan quest to beat Batista and Randy Orton (and Triple H) was a stronger story that fans were more into than the other matches that were unable to keep the crowd interested after past Undertaker matches. Without a doubt, Bryan is mega-over and was able to have a style of a match that brought then crowd back from a state of shock. If Bryan is given a full unfiltered chance to succeed, he has a very good chance to be a surprising unconventional top babyface attraction for WWE. The next few weeks (post-honeymoon break) will be absolutely key and telling whether he'll be given that chance to sink or swim without interference.

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PWTorch reader Jay N. asks: 1. Do you think if it was the Rock and not Batista the fans would have hated him so much?

2. Was Jake the Snake's Hall of Fame speech the best ever? I felt genuine emotion from both Jake and DDP, that was great for me.

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Do you mean do I think the Rock is more popular than Batista? Yeah.

I'll think Jake Robert's WWE Hall of Fame speech will be the best ever if he continues to stay sober.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I think what you mean by your question is had Rock debuted in the Rumble and been facing Orton at WrestleMania, would fans have rejected Rock as they did Batista? Well, of course Rock would have been more popular and more accepted than Batista, but he would have taken heat for taking the Rumble win away from Bryan and/or Punk, too. A huge group of fans wanted one of two people to win that Rumble, and Rock and Batista and anyone else would have experienced a backlash.

Jake's Hall of Fame speech was an amazing performance, and it's why he was one of the most effective promo guys I've ever seen. He owns the camera and he owns the crowd, and he did that night. There was genuine emotion there.

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PWTorch reader & VIP MEMBER Sean R. asks: New VIP Member here, and I am loving it so far. I've especially enjoyed the Roundtable Audio discussions of the old WrestleMania events. On to my question. Lately it has seemed to me that WWE has started putting much less effort into designing a unique set and entrance area for their PPV shows. Both the Rumble and Chamber this year looked nearly identical to the standard Raw stage setup, with just a few minor tweaks. This has been disappointing to me, as the unique "look" of the PPV shows was something I always looked forward to. Has anyone else noticed this, and if so, is it just a cost cutting measure? Do you think WWE will put less effort into making PPVs feel special in this way moving forward?

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I have noticed a lot of the sets look the same for the branded PPVs even beyond the ones you mentioned. It likely is a budgetary decision, but I would expect that eventually the PPV sets will get an overhaul because the current sets are getting stale after being used 2-3 times.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: When they introduced the new set we see now every week on TV, it was a high-priced versatile set that has been used for a lot of shows and different settings. Like a lot of stylistic things, the elaborate sets felt a bit passé and unnecessary. It was an expense, like the pyro at the start of Raw, that lost effectiveness or the novel value over time and began to be taken for granted. So why not save money? WWE's primary concern is what the Wall Street press and stockholders think about their quarterly profits, and they've cut a lot of corners in recent years to eek out as much profit by minimizes expenses as possible, so that played into it.

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PWTorch reader Alejandro B. asks: First I'd like to congratulate you for the superb job covering WWE's WrestleMania PPV. My question is about former NXT rookie Aloisia. What ever happened to her? She was fired from NXT and suddenly dissapeared. Was she a good worker?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: Oh gosh, no. No, no, no.

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PWTorch reader & VIP MEMBER Jason S. of Dundalk, Md. asks: I don't know why I never wondered this before, but while watching an old Royal Rumble on the WWE Network I started wondering did Vince or someone in the WWE come up with Demolition after a failed attempt to sign the Road Warriors? Or did WWE just decide they could "make their own Road Warriors"? Maybe the answer is none of the above, but always interesting to hear from the experts! Keep up the amazing work, year after year the columns, live casts and interviews get better and better!

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Yes, Vince McMahon created Demolition as a direct result of not being able to sign the Road Warriors.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: Since you're a VIP member, you can go back and read the PWTorch Newsletter coverage of the entire Demolition run in the WWF including the backstory on their formation as it related to the Road Warriors. VIP members have access to our weekly magazine-style newsletters dating back to the late 1980s through today, covering every major story in-depth with facts, backstage insights, and hard-hitting informed opinions from a top shelf staff of students of the industry. Otherse can join you as a VIP member at this link: www.PWTorch.com/govip.

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