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 Matt from Sydney, Australia asks:n With Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns the likely WrestleMania main event, who do you see John Cena facing at WM31?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: Seth Rollins? The Undertaker? Rusev? Cesaro? Sheamus? Sting? Daniel Bryan? In other words, there are options.

PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell answers: Great question. If you ask Hulk Hogan, it's Hulk Hogan. But, I don't see it happening. No one would have predicted Bray Wyatt for WM30 this time last year fresh off Bray's weird match against Kane at Summerslam. So, it could be anyone, really, if Cena is not in the WWE Title mix at WM31. It really comes down to whether WWE wants to establish a new star off Cena, like Bray Wyatt, or go back to the Top Star of this Era vs. Top Star of a Different Era theme, like The Rock at WM28 and WM29. If the pattern holds with Cena vs. new star Miz at 27, Cena vs. previous top star Rock at 28 & 29, and new star Wyatt at 30, then Cena is due for another legendary type encounter. Could it be Sting, if not Hulk Hogan? If you look at how Sting wrestled and carried himself pre-Crow gimmick in WCW, you can see that Cena is actually more All-American Sting than Hulk Hogan, so it would be an interesting encounter. Just a thought, but, right now, it's really anyone's guess.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: Right now, I think Vince McMahon is leaning toward Rusev's first loss being against Cena. If Reigns beat Lesnar and Cena beats Rusev, it will be that "feel good" show for his fans that he wants WrestleManias to be whenever possible.

===

PWTorch reader Dan B. asks: Would the WWF's 2002 incarnation of the NWO have worked better if the entire faction had turned babyface after WrestleMania 18 instead of keeping Scott Hall & Kevin Nash away from Hulk Hogan as heels?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: It's a moot point; there was no way that incarnation of the NWO would be allowed to succeed over the long-term in the WWE environment, considering it was a WCW creation. Hogan, Hall and Nash didn't really do themselves any favors around that time, either.

===

PWTorch reader R. Jack asks: How do you fix the current WWE problem where heels are cheered and faces are booed. Dolph Ziggler was a heel cheered to the point of an early face turn. The Shield, when they were heels, would be cheered by fans for the most part. Current examples are heels such as Cesaro and Bray Wyatt being cheered by the crowd because they are cool characters with cool moves. How did WWE end up in this situation, and more importantly, how can they fix it?

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: It's natural for fans to cheer heels that they want to see get a bigger push, but a big problem WWE has is the babyfaces aren't heroic in their actions at all times, so what you see is a trend where heels get cheered because they aren't doing anything that's much worse than what the heels are doing. A perfect example of my point would be John Cena kidnapping Paul Heyman on Raw recently and threatening to beat him up if Lesnar didn't show up on Raw. There was nothing heroic about Cena's actions towards Heyman. When babyfaces don't act like babyfaces, and when a heel act is cooler than the babyface, it's an easy choice for fans to side with the heels. WWE can fix this by establishing babyfaces that are over that act heroic at all times and establishing their heels with more of an edge so that their cool factor doesn't override the character they're supposed to be portraying.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: It would help, as Sean says, for WWE to be led by someone who understands and believes in "winning the right way" instead of "winning at any cost." The whole "lie, cheat, and steal" catch phrase by Eddie Guerrero was "fun" for fans, but it really seemed to be a further deterioration of the core tenet that makes babyfaces admirable - that they act in the way you'd want a trusted neighbor, best friend, close family member, and honest coworker to act. In other words, babyfaces need to tap into what it is in our real lives that we value and depend on for the world to work in a fair, equitable manner. Heels have to be cast as people working against "hustle, loyalty, and respect" as a driving philosophy on how to conduct oneself. It's also vital - and this is underrated - for the announcers to be on board with this - or at least one very strong lead voice (Michael Cole in most cases). If the announcers aren't decrying heel tactics and praising babyfaces honorable tactics, then the whole system falls apart. There has to be a singular philosophy that permeates the entire WWE product that drives home that it's not cool to cheat or lie or steal, that winning at any cost is not admirable or cool, and those who follow the rules and succeed are those who deserve the success they get, and those who cheat and lie and steal to get ahead do not deserve the success they get. It's not difficult, but somehow WWE has really lost their way. Having a babyface stand for integrity doesn't mean they can't also be cool and fun to watch and witty. Standing up for what's right doesn't have to be bland.

===

PWTorch reader Phil R. asks: Long time fan. I particularly enjoy McNeill's PPV previews! I'd love to see Daniel Bryan back at the Royal Rumble, then on to face Brock at Mania. My question is do you think WWE would go to the expense of bringing back his Europe theme tune for maybe one night only? That would be awesome! Thanks for your time and well done for all the hard work.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I don't see WWE bringing back that theme for him. The Final Countdown theme has no connection to his WWE character, so there wouldn't be a reason to use it because only his hardcore fans have a connection to that theme. The connection between fans of Daniel Bryan in WWE and that theme just isn't there to justify the expense.

===

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?