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 Forrest M. asks: I don't know how they could do this, but if wrestling companies could find a way to go back to hiding what happens behind the scenes and build back the mystery of kayfabe, would that make them more successful?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: They don't have to go from one extreme to the other. Simply treating the product we see on TV as a serious competition between two athletes would be a start.

PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell answers: It's not so much about "protecting the business" again, but going back to the basics and fundamentals of what makes pro wrestling work. It's like a big Hollywood movie - people know about CGI and special effects, but if the story is strong, the characters are believable, and the action means something (among other requirements), the audience will invest and dive into the story and want to spend money on the product. U.S. wrestling promoters are trying to be something they're not - either WWE is trying to be a C-Level TV show or TNA wants to to take shortcuts by "pulling back the curtain" to try to connect the audience to the characters instead of putting in the time and effort to build characters and set up situations that matter inside the ring within the framework of a wrestling show. New Japan is the model right now. Everything is treated like it's serious and it counts, and the entertainment is seeing how the booking builds to an amazing simulated competition inside the ring with reactions, consequences, and ramifications.

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PWTorch editor Eric E. asks: After watching some of his footage on the WWE Network, I was reminded how good Vader actually was. Do you think that he will ever get into the WWE Hall of Fame, or what is keeping him out of the Hall of Fame?

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Vader was one of those two or three best American wrestlers of the ‘90s. That his body wore out about the time he went to WWE hurts his chances, and that he wasn't the easiest person to deal with behind the scenes does too. That said, I believe he'll get in the WWE Hall of Fame eventually.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: Yeah, I think he can be in the HOF. Why is he not in? You can't put everybody in at once.

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PWTorch reader Forrest M. asks: Comparing WWE to NXT and after Triple H's conversation about Finn Balor being overwhelmed with the production techniques they employ on the big shows, I'm wondering if WWE has become too "Hollywood.” If they became more like NXT where it's wrestling and not exactly TV entertainment, would they be doing better in the ratings?

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I don't like the NXT weekly show, so I highly doubt that formula would work for WWE. There are parts of NXT that WWE would certainly benefit from from a wrestling aspect. Making the titles more important and focusing on settling issues in the ring is a big part of what has made the NXT specials so good. If WWE did more long-term storytelling instead of hot-shotting everything, I certainly think Raw would benefit. With three hours to fill, there's room for "entertainment," but they could achieve so much more going back to the basics of good storytelling, which is what Triple H has done with NXT.

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: The idea that there's any difference between "wrestling" and "entertainment" is a false one, and one you have to get past to have any real understanding of the industry. Let me rephrase your question: Should WWE craft their flagship programs in more simple, logical, and direct ways, the way NXT is? Well, they're different programs with different goals but yeah, probably.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I think WWE spends a lot of mental energy and resources trying to be a very elaborate, refined TV production at the expense, or needlessly instead of, paying attention to much more important matters, such as allowing wrestlers the breathing space to be themselves and connect with fans without being micromanaged. Taz's reaction on his debut "Human Podcast Machine" podcast this week when Edge told him things are even more micromanaged now than before he (Edge) retired a few years ago was classic. Taz was so used to WWE being meticulously micromanaged back in his day, it was hard for him to not to lose it when he heard it's even more micromanaged now. There's such an insecurity in WWE about the business they're in, and what they want to be instead, that they pay much too much attention to micromanaging things that really don't matter much (they might enhance certain aspects of the show, but they aren't vital to drawing money) at the expense of more important, beneficial aspects that would require them to loosen up their control over certain aspects of the product and the people they manage.

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PWTorch reader Phil L. asks: If I can be serious for a moment, I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable watching football as more and more info becomes available on CTE, and I read more stories about the suffering by former players. With that in mind, my favorite eras of wrestling are ECW in the late-‘90s and the "Ruthless Aggression" era of the early-2000s, as I loved the hard-hitting realistic action. However, seeing what chairshots to the skulls and other high risk moves (i.e. the original TLC matches) have done to wrestlers, I am not sure how I feel about watching these matches on YouTube and the WWE Network. Is there a line of reasoning that makes it okay to enjoy the footage without feeling like a heartless thrill-seeker that cares nothing for the combatants? How do you feel about watching old Chris Benoit footage where he takes brutal shots to the head and does diving headbutts?

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: What you're feeling is quite normal. Actually, there's a lot of non-hardcore material from that era. You should be able to enjoy the shows without focusing on the concussion-inducing spots. In many cases, you can take comfort from those wrestlers being alive and well fifteen years later. However, I have yet to find a way to enjoy old footage of Chris Benoit taking stiff shots to the head. If you come up with any ideas for that, let me know.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: You could say, “what’s done is done” and rewatch it, and if you enjoy it, then at least the sacrifices of the wrestlers are living on, in a way. You could also very reasonably decide to watch wrestling that didn’t results in wrestlers hurting themselves so badly in an industry that at one time prided itself on having skilled athletes look like they were hurting each other even when they weren’t, as there is plenty of that out there on WWE Network. I am not at a point where I watch Chris Benoit matches and enjoy that. It’s just not fun because of how everything ended, and there’s just too many good matches out there without him that I have and haven’t yet seen to watch instead.

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