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.

===

PWTorch reader Forrest M. asks: I've often said that ROH is my favorite wrestling organization right now. I'm a wrestling nut and still pay attention to WWE, but I prefer ROH and independent wrestling. 3XWrestling in Iowa is also a promotion I enjoy. There are so many independent promotions out there. Which ones do you consider to be "must see" or at least enjoyable?

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I really like PWG. For independents that run more shows I enjoy Beyond Wrestling, Chikara, and AIW just to name a few. EVOLVE has bounced back and put on some really good shows lately spearheaded by Drew Galloway. They're definitely worth checking out now. I've started to get into UK indies and I really enjoyed Revolution Pro Wrestling. The UK scene has some great talent and I was greatly impressed by Will Ospreay. I'm also looking forward to checking out Progress Wrestling, which I haven't gotten around to yet. But really, given what's taken place since October 2014, the answer is NXT!

===

PWTorch reader Jeff P. of Leesville, La. asks: On the Steve Austin podcast a few months ago Vince McMahon said he likes Jim Ross personally even though he was fired. If so, why did he treat him like crap at times and put him in embarrassing angles and remove him from announcing several times? Was he jealous that Ross was beloved while McMahon wasn't or that Ross was a better announcer than he ever was.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: I think most can agree that Vince's relationship with J.R. is a complicated one. I think we can also agree that Vince knows the audience watching the Austin podcast on WWE Network and knows it probably wouldn't be prudent to say anything other than he has no problem personally with J.R., even if that's not the case.

===

PWTorch reader David E. asks: Now that the business model of the WWE has changed to the Network and not based round PPV buys, do you see “big shows” taking place in other countries, as the problem of different time zones would not be such an issue to affect PPV buys as they will no longer be relevant. What would be relevant would be increasing the number of large audience events to increase revenue through ticket sales. Which could mean the WWE could go back to a Big Four and all four events happening in stadiums. For example, a Royal Rumble in the jungle in South Africa and bring Summerslam to Wembley Stadium every year rather than in the dull Staples Centre. Surely this would make more money and make the product more exciting.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: Actually, I'm not convinced this would make WWE more money. Think of the cost of having all of the production equipment shipped to another country, especially ones they're not used to running, plus the satellite hook-up, etc. There are many hidden costs associated with tapings, especially PPVs, that need to be considered when discussing an overseas major event.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I do love the idea of the Royal Rumble in a jungle in South Africa, though! WWE makes a lot of money on the live gate and the logistics of running in the U.S., as Greg says, is a big cost savings. That said, it would make a lot of sense for WWE to consider broadcasting live events overseas on WWE Network from time to time tailored toward gaining subscribers in that particular country.

===

PWTorch reader Adam in Dayton, Ohio asks: Hi. With the WWE Network and VIP, it's fun to go back and look around. One era of WWE that stands out as disheveled (particularly so) is 2003, particularly the summer and fall. In reading the Bad Blood PPV Roundtable, PWTorch colummnistBruce Mitchell suggests that WWE never wanted to book Goldberg properly, i.e., as a guy who squashes people with powerful moves. That reluctance made everything bizarre, because Goldberg felt like just anyone else. In WCW (at his peak) he had aura that never made it to Stamford. My question is ... why wouldn't they book him strong? (I'm guessing the answer can be summed up in three letters.) Thanks. Love VIP.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: You answered your own question.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: WCW made money doing the “unstoppable Goldberg streak” gimmick. WWE could have redone it, I suppose, but the Raw audience in 2003 has seen Goldberg do that already. It might not have worked the second time round. Or they could have augmented it and booked Goldberg as a guy who plowed through everyone, but Goldberg couldn’t cut money promos, nor have WWE up-to-standards main event level matches when feuds reached their peak on PPVs.

So you’d be left with a guy who was a (successful) one-note wrestler with a monster push, but left standing after the streak as a limited performer both in the ring and on the mic. WWE didn’t feel like taking a guy from WCW who wasn’t used to working a full time house show schedule and - as nice a guy as he was outside of wrestling - had a rep for being pretty sure he special and deserved to be a top act despite not really having the foundation to take it beyond the squashes nor the proclivity to work hard to improve as needed to move to the next stage of what WWE would demand of him as a regular part of the roster.

So WWE could have made money in the short run pushing Goldberg as a monster plowing through everyone but a handful of wrestlers on the roster, but then what? WWE was looking long-term and didn’t see money in that beyond the first six months, and there’d be a scorched earth in Goldberg’s wake of upper-mid-card talent he squashed. And for what? So he could be carried in a few PPV main events before things fizzled and he was exposed to the 2003 WWE audience as being a shell of the worker that WWE’s top acts were at the time? I know a lot of people think Triple H sabotaged Goldberg in petty ways, and there’s evidence of that to be sure, but ultimately I think there was a more reasoned rationale for WWE deciding 2003 WWE wasn’t the time or place for Goldberg: The Sequel.

WWE left money on the table not pushing Goldberg sincerely, but they perceived there was an opportunity cost for pushing him instead of others who they felt were more equipped to pay off in the long-run or pushing him at the very expense (by having him squash them or plow through them) of current upper card talent he'd have to beat to stay over.

===

Catch up on past Ask PWTorch articles...

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

********

(Send your question for PWTorch editor Wade Keller and the PWTorch staff exclusively to pwtorch@gmail.com for consideration! You can hear expanded conversation on the above topics from Wade Keller by becoming a VIP member and gaining access to the daily Wade Keller Hotline, posted every day for VIP members for over 1,000 days straight. Sign up at www.PWTorch.com/govip)

We suggest these recent related articles...

ASK THE SPECIALISTS ROUNDTABLE: Who will be WWE's Next Top Star?

SATURDAY’S ASK PWTORCH STAFF for 4/11: How should WWE cater to Texas at WM32? Does WWE using Sting and Hogan add to chances more TNA wrestlers are hired? Do NXT gimmick wrestlers have a chance? Is El Generico really Sami Zayn?

THURSDAY’S ASK PWTORCH ALL-STARS 4/9: Are El Generico & Sami Zayn the same person? Next MITB cash-in for IC or U.S. belt? What match do you show non-fans so they get it? Why don’t heel teams cheat?

CLICK HERE FOR EVEN MORE PW.NET HEADLINES

CLICK TO EMAIL THIS ARTICLE
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN LISTING