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 Will S. asks: With how brilliant NXT is and how dreadful WWE Raw and Smackdown are, besides finances, is it still every NXT wrestler's ambition to be on the main roster or is being top of NXT as much of a success or target for these up and coming wrestlers?

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: No. The NXT Champion doesn't get to headline WrestleMania, and a WWE developmental contract only pays a fraction of a main roster contract. I can't imagine any pro wrestler worth his salt who would rather stay on the NXT roster.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: Yeah, every wrestler still wants to make it to the main stage, or should want to. If the coaches or Triple H feel the NXT wrestlers don't have that ambition or drive to make it to the main roster, the guys won't last long in NXT. Plus, you have more merchandise possibilities and chances to make more money on the main roster.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I doubt there is even one wrestler who has had even fleeting moment of wishing he could stay in NXT longer. They're in WWE to make it to the WWE main shows and make the big money. The quality of the show they're on means a lot less than how many people are watching them and the size of their paychecks. That doesn't mean they don't feel pride in the quality of their work or the product they're part of and might not feel less pride in how they're used on Raw or Smackdown when that times come, but they're still happier to be on the big stage.

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PWTorch reader Uzoma I. asks: Mickie James is set to give birth to her and Magnus's child this month. This and TNA Knockouts, Madison Rayne and Taryn Terrell, continuing with their careers, despite becoming mothers, has me asking this: will Mickie James resume with her wrestling career after giving birth?

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I would say yes. I don't know for sure and I haven't heard anything saying Mickie James will or will not return to wrestling, but she has kept herself in great shape while she was pregnant and it wouldn't surprise me if she resumed her in-ring career at some point after she gives birth.

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: You’ll have to ask Mickie about that. Clearly, she’s young enough and talented enough to wrestle, but there are a limited number of full-time jobs available for female wrestlers. I’m sure TNA would like to have her back, but the company isn’t spending a lot of money on talent right now.

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PWTorch reader Josh from Angola, Ind. asks: Great site and the info is always fantastic. My question is now that Nikki Bella is clearly the heel versus her sister, why hasn't Cena dumped her or, as sexist as Vince McMahon is, have Cena put her in her place? I assume they are still together in real life? I know Cena has his own story going, on but I guess it's just WWE being WWE.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: As you noted, Cena is doing his own thing and there's really no need for him to get involved in this Bella storyline. It's really beneath him and his character at this point. It's not like they could do Cena vs. Daniel Bryan with a Bella in each corner, with Bryan on the shelf. What would be the payoff for involving Cena? Turning Nikki back to the babyface side? I don't think that's a direction they're looking to go right now.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I'm all for consistency from one show to the next within the WWE Universe, but Cena should only be involved in a storyline that enhances his character. Being associated with Nikki, as nasty and unlikable as she is, on the biggest show watched by way more people than Total Divas would do great damage to his act. WWE counts on fans to compartmentalize the Cena who dates Nikki on Total Divas and the Nikki heel character and Cena babyface characters on Raw. I think WWE underestimates how much these inconsistencies eat away at fans being able to fully invest in characters and be emotionally involved in the ebbs and flows of their careers. How much less enjoyable would Jimmy Fallon be as a host of the Tonight Show if he was in a reality show at the same time dating, say, Gwyneth Paltrow? It's not a perfect analogy, but certainly NBC would want to avoid any conflicts in marketing their likable franchise late night host by having him dating a public figure people generally disdain. WWE is sloppy in this regard and many others. But when the company is run by Stephanie McMahon, who after playing her heel character at Summerslam in a match, played the fans for fools for caring enough to boo her by instantly leaping to ringside and hugging her kids and breaking character. If she doesn't get the importance of creating a unified voice and narrative in the WWE Universe, then there is little hope they'd apply any discipline to Cena's public image, either.

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PWTorch reader Mark from Huntington, N.Y. asks: I read Bret Hart's book and he often spoke about how no one lives their storylines anymore. It's all very out in the open that it's an act. With Instagram, Twitter etc., do you feel it's hurting the overall product? I think some people it's working. Lana, for example, posts a lot in character yet there's posts where she's not. I was just curious what you felt. Obviously it's helpful to promote events and such, but it's not only how it's used.

PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell answers: As far as maintaining kayfabe 24/7 to produce really good stories that connect to the audience, I would say it hurts more than helps. If wrestlers are presumed to be in-character 24/7 - like the audience is to presume that The Miz really walks around like a Hollywood snob every single moment of the day to believe the character is authentic and emotionally invest in Miz's act - then social media can hurt because it takes away some of the mystique of the character.

Another example is Stephanie McMahon being a nasty, power-abusing heel on TV, but tweeting about WWE's charity initiatives during the week. WWE and Stephanie can justify it by saying, "Well, the audience knows how to separate Heel Steph and Corporate Steph," but over time these things chip away at the audience's ability to invest in the character, hurting the audience's connection to the product, therefore hurting WWE's ability to draw money if the connection is weak. It's a bit of unseen psychology that you can't put into numbers and figures to say, "See, here is the proof," but you can tell when you go to a WWE show that the general, casual audience has a weak connection to the overall product.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: I think there needs to be a greater consistency in how social media is used. To have wrestlers use Twitter for storylines AND for real life "stuff" I think hurts a little bit. If you're in character, stay in character. If you're not going to use it for that, don't Tweet in-character. I think there are a lot of reasons the overall product is hurting, but wrestlers not living their character is lower on the list.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: There are enough babyfaces on the roster to Tweet about charity and what great people they are. Heels on air should be heels on Twitter and Instagram. If they want to post pictures of them kissing babies and smiling at charity events, save it for a private Facebook page. It's that simple, and there's no compelling reason for WWE to do otherwise. Fans want to believe. Let them. Don't send conflicting information from what they see on TV. It's just the obvious thing to do, but WWE has no central policy in this regard and it's a mess that hurts business.

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