PWTorch.com - ASK PWTORCH STAFF for 10/11: Is WWE done changing the World belt every few years? Was it a huge mistake to offer Brock the WWE Title? Is the Wellness Policy leading to more diverse body types in WWE? Why was Baron a WWF manager?

Ask PWTorch
ASK PWTORCH STAFF for 10/11: Is WWE done changing the World belt every few years? Was it a huge mistake to offer Brock the WWE Title? Is the Wellness Policy leading to more diverse body types in WWE? Why was Baron a WWF manager?

Oct 11, 2014 - 10:10:28 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 you 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 Morgan S. asks: With the Wellness Policy limiting the size of many atheletes, and Vince's preference for big men, is there a chance we'll be seeing more men built like Bray Wyatt or Bull Dempsey in the future? Or will ripped and lean by the new standard, like Sami Zayn and Hideo Itami?

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: This question itself says something to the effectiveness of the WWE Wellness policy, as does the WWE World Champion now, the top star in the business, the net rising star, the heir apparent to the company, and even Ryback. The answer is right in front of your eyes.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: Regardless of the Wellness Policy's execution, efficacy, or effectiveness, it's clear WWE has a mix of body types right now that is more diverse than average looking at Vince McMahon's three decades in charge. It's more a case of fans choosing to like wrestlers who don't all fit the Batista/Randy Orton mold and management, sometimes begrudging, listening and pushing the guys fans react to. Sometimes they plug their nose or don't give the wrestler the full push they deserve, but they definitely have more smaller wrestlers and less toned wrestlers in the pipeline or on the main roster.

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PWTorch reader Jeff from Michigan asks: In WWE's current cost-cutting era, was it a huge mistake to make Brock Lesnar the WWE Champion?

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: I liked the Lesnar as champion idea, provided Lesnar is defending the title every month. If Brock gets to take two or three months off at a time, giving him the WWE title was a big mistake. And, when you consider what a lousy job WWE does of promoting its secondary titles, it looks like an even bigger mistake.

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Not if he generates more pay-per-view buys and WWE Network subscription over the norm than it takes to pay him, which may be the case. Also, it never hurts to have the best act in the company on top of the show.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: I don't think so. It's not like they're asking him to show up every week on Raw as champion and thus have to pay him more.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: No, they've already got Lesnar under contract for a certain number of dates and it remains to be seen if they're going to add dates to his contract. Lesnar is arguably the biggest drawing card they have to go to outside of Cena and if used properly as champion, he could help get a new act over if he ends up holding onto the WWE World Championship until WrestleMania. I'm all for what WWE is doing with Lesnar right now, but the problem is with what's under Lesnar. The creative direction and overall product has been poor since SummerSlam and something needs to be done to address that, but spending money on Lesnar isn't an issue if they end up adding extra dates.

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PWTorch reader Aaron P. asks: I was watching Summerslam 1988 on the WWE Network. Why was Baron Von Raschke a manager? Was he retired as a wrestler at that point? He didn't seem to last long in WWE. Why didn't they show his face? He was wearing a hood throughout the match where he managed the Powers Of Pain.

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Baron Von Raschke's ability to perform in the ring was at an end but he still had that villainous idiosyncratic promo style that WWE thought might add something to a somewhat colorless Powers of Pain tag team act. Obscuring his face was supposed to add some mystery to his character . None of it worked very well, POP included.

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PWTorch reader Russell P. asks: Hey guys. Now that the WWE is back to only one belt for the world title, will this be the last time that they will make a new belt? Because it sure does seem like that they make a "new" belt every five years! (I understand that some wrestlers like to have a "customized" belt, but I felt that those would be considered an exception rather than the rule.) The only other question I have is why does the WWE needs to create a new world title belt every so often? Even the NWA still have a same old design for the world title belt even after more than 50 years! Thanks for your help guys.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: They change titles for the same reason sports teams change jerseys or logos every once in a while: To make money. Fans will have to buy all-new jerseys or merchandise with the new logo on it, putting more and more money into the team's pockets. Likewise, fans will want to buy the new replica belts for each one that comes out. Plus, as the times change, it allows WWE to make their product more contemporary and differentiate different eras of their company's history.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I think passing the same belt from one era's top star to the next era's top star trumps the extra merchandise revenue they make. The prestige of the Stanley Cup is so great that the NHL would never seriously considering changing it so they could sell more Stanley Cup replicas at the merchandise stands. In fact, they sell more Stanley Cup replicas because of the unchanged lineage of it, and I believe the WWE Title belt would sell more in the long-run if they sold each generation the same replica belt that shows up in archived footage and photos. It's a shame that's been ruined through bad decisions. I wish the same WWE Title belt existed that Hulk Hogan wore at WrestleMania 1, or at most, change it every 15-20 years when there's a feeling it really truly needs to be made more contemporary.

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