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ASK PWTORCH ALL-STARS 10/16: Was it ever in the plans for Andre to beat Hogan at WrestleMania 3? Wasn't a special belt made for Andre? Why do some indy guys keep their name in WWE? Does WWE sabotage merchandise? Divas HIAC?

Oct 16, 2014 - 7:44:46 PM
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The PWTorch All-Star Panel features an array of contributors answering your questions who have worked in various facets of the pro wrestling industry, plus PWTorch contributors join in. You get an unmatched mix of perspectives including first-hand insights from people who have worked in the ring and behind the curtain.

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PWTorch reader David C. asks: Do you think WWE makes certain shirt designs less appealing than others on purpose, depending on whom it's for? Example: Roman Reigns is a corporate favorite, and his shirt design is super cool and sleek (something I find appealing). Whereas Dean Ambrose's "Unstable" shirt is just dumb with a lackluster design (what self-respecting person would want to wear that outside?). Not that the company doesn't like Ambrose, but it's no secret they wanted Reigns to be the breakout star, thus making his merch more susceptible to more sales. Maybe it bothers me more as a graphic designer, but what do you guys think?

PROFESSIONAL BROADCASTER Jim Valley (Long time wrestling fan, Torch subscriber, and currently PWTorch Livecast guest host. He won a National Edward R. Murrow Award and several regional awards during his 20 year broadcast career. He has done TV announcing for several independent wrestling promotions, hosted his own wrestling radio show, interviewed many top stars, and was flown out to Stamford to audition for WWE. He took second to Todd Grisham.) Companies want to make money. I don't see a company spending time, money, and energy to lose money in such a creative manner. But I think it's reasonable to believe that the people behind merchandise will spend more time and effort on John Cena because he sells the most merchandise. I can see them making the big sellers a priority and spending less time on those who don't sell as much.

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: Absolutely not. WWE is trying to make money anyway they can. They are not going to purposely put something out there that is unattractive for people to buy. I understand it sometimes may feel that way but it's the furthest thing from the truth.

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PWTorch reader Ryan B. of Buffalo, N.Y. asks: Hey Guys. Love all the work you guys do. My question is about all of the Independent stars that make their way to WWE and receive name changes, Bryan Danielson, KENTA, Prince Devitt, Claudio Castagnoli, El Generico, and PAC are just a few who were given new names. Is this just a case of WWE thinking they have a better name for them, or could it be that WWE wants to avoid association with the companies they previously worked for. Also what allowed C.M. Punk to keep his name? Thank you and keep up the great work.

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: Every wrestler is different. The WWE likes to change names for a couple of reasons. Number one because they own the rights to the name, and two they want them to start fresh. Obviously during when C.M. Punk came into WWE they felt he could bring something to the ECW brand with all the hardcore fans.

PROFESSIONAL BROADCASTER Jim Valley (Long time wrestling fan, Torch subscriber, and currently PWTorch Livecast guest host. He won a National Edward R. Murrow Award and several regional awards during his 20 year broadcast career. He has done TV announcing for several independent wrestling promotions, hosted his own wrestling radio show, interviewed many top stars, and was flown out to Stamford to audition for WWE. He took second to Todd Grisham.) It's about merchandising. WWE wants to own the name for merchandising purposes. It's also so a wrestler can't profit by using a WWE name. In most things in life, if you want the answer, follow the money.

REALITY TV STAR & EX-TNA MANAGER Jonny Fairplay (@jonnyfairplay was also former personal assistant to Roddy Piper and cohost with Sean Waltman of weekly podcast at www.ProWrestling.net) answers: WWE wants to OWN the name. They don't care about previous indies. C.M. Punk was a rare instance where they leased the name.

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PWTorch reader Jason M. asks: In my opinion, the A.J. Lee-Paige feud is one of best, most developed, and most heated rivalries going on in the WWE right now. Given the next PPV, do you think the WWE would have enough guts to allow the feud to be settled in a Divas Hell in a Cell match? I think given the opportunity, A.J. and Paige could put on one Hell of a match (pun intended).

REALITY TV STAR & EX-TNA MANAGER Jonny Fairplay (@jonnyfairplay was also former personal assistant to Roddy Piper and cohost with Sean Waltman of weekly podcast at www.ProWrestling.net) answers: I don't think they will ever have a Diva's Hell in a Cell match. Excessive violence with women is not what's best for business... As far as Wall Street is concerned.

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: It would be interesting to see, but I'm not sure WWE Divas could pull it off. There are many great women's wrestlers that could. Not sure any are in the WWE right now, but I could be wrong.

INDY PROMOTER & ANNOUNCER Brad Stutts (Follow @cwfmidatlantic and @stuttsy and listen to his podcast at www.WrestlingWithOptimism) answers: I'd love to see them try that, especially with those two women. I guess time will tell if it materializes or not.

PROFESSIONAL BROADCASTER Jim Valley (Long time wrestling fan, Torch subscriber, and currently PWTorch Livecast guest host. He won a National Edward R. Murrow Award and several regional awards during his 20 year broadcast career. He has done TV announcing for several independent wrestling promotions, hosted his own wrestling radio show, interviewed many top stars, and was flown out to Stamford to audition for WWE. He took second to Todd Grisham.) The Divas Division isn't seen by WWE management as worthy of a Hell in a Cell match. In this era, Divas have some minor storylines, a reality TV show, and are lucky if their match isn't put on before the main event. A lot of it has to do with the headaches Divas like Chyna and Sable allegedly caused management years ago. For the near future, I don't see that changing.

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PWTorch reader Russell P. asks: Hello guys, long time Torch reader here. With all the talk and controversy on Brock Lesnar breaking the Undertaker's Streak, it got me thinking: Way back at WrestleMania 3, there were some confusion and debate among fans as to who was supposed to win the match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. As a kid back then, I heard a rumor that the WWF/(E) has made a custom world title for Andre to wear if he won, which at the time led me thinking that Andre was supposed to win at WM3. So my question is this: What was the real reason for Hulk Hogan winning over Andre? If a belt was made for Andre beforehand, was he supposed to win the title match that night? If so, what happened to change the outcome? Thanks for your help, guys.

INDY PROMOTER & ANNOUNCER Brad Stutts (Follow @cwfmidatlantic and @stuttsy and listen to his podcast at www.WrestlingWithOptimism) answers: I wasn't there, but I feel pretty sure Hogan was always going over.

PROFESSIONAL BROADCASTER Jim Valley (Long time wrestling fan, Torch subscriber, and currently PWTorch Livecast guest host. He won a National Edward R. Murrow Award and several regional awards during his 20 year broadcast career. He has done TV announcing for several independent wrestling promotions, hosted his own wrestling radio show, interviewed many top stars, and was flown out to Stamford to audition for WWE. He took second to Todd Grisham.) There was a belt made. Bobby Heenan displayed it on TV. Storyline was Heenan demanded a belt to fit Andre when he won the match. It was a subtle swerve to make people believe Andre was winning. Why did Hogan win? Because he was the biggest money making star in wrestling still in his prime money years. Andre was slowing down and nearing the end of his career.

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: It was all a work. Pro wrestling was easier to work in those day. I miss those days.

[Andre-Hacksaw Duggan photo credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch]

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(Send questions for a future Ask PWTorch to: askpwtorch@gmail.com. If you have a particular person on the All-Star Panel you'd in particular like to direct your question to, include that in the subject line, but multiple panelists may also answer.)

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Catch up on past Ask PWTorch articles...

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

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In case you are new to this feature, let me introduce you to our All-Star Panel…

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION: By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Thanks to Pat McNeill and Anthony Jeselnik for the name of this feature. Just as "CSI" spawned "CSI: Miami," "Ask PWTorch" spawned "Ask PWTorch: All-Star Panel." Only without David Caruso. In any case, we are excited to present to you a new cast for the Ask PWTorch spinoff, which is available exclusively on the PWTorch App (or, for VIP members, on the VIP website too). You are reading this, so you are either a VIP member or have already downloaded the free PWTorch App on your phone or tablet. If you aren't a VIP member, why not? With VIP membership, you gain full access to both Ask PWTorch features on all devices you use to visit PWTorch - our App and our Website.

The "Ask PWTorch All-Star Panel" edition is scheduled to be published first thing in the morning (although not necessarily every single day, like the afternoon website-based Ask PWTorch is; we'll see about that as we move forward). It will feature an entirely different panel of experts and analysts than the afternoon Ask PWTorch does. We have assembled a wide range of contributors, which may expand or change over time, with the goal being to give PWTorch readers new perspectives from people who have particular areas of expertise. Along with our All-Stars from outside of PWTorch, several of our PWTorch contributors (but not the main staff who contribute to the website-based original Ask PWTorch!… you will be quizzed on all of this, so take notes) will also be regularly contributing, especially to current-events-related questions.

Let me introduce you to our panel…

Justin Credible: Current pro wrestler and former ECW Champion and longtime WWE wrestler in the 1990s and 2000s, Justin Credible (P.J. Polaco) currently is the IWE Champion. He travels as indy champion from Maine to Mexico with the title. He posts new Wrestling 101 YouTube videos at www.TheJustinCredible.com or on YouTube at his YouTube Channel.

John Piermarini: Ex-WWE Creative Team member who will provide a behind-the-scenes perspective from his years working for WWE including alongside Vince McMahon, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena. He has been a frequent PWTorch Livecast guest and was the subject of a comprehensive five-hour Torch Talk interview several years ago about his experience with WWE for most of 2009-2010.

Greg Oliver: SLAM! Wrestling reporter and wrestling book author (and hockey book author), Greg will provide a Canadian perspective on many wrestling topics. If you are a fan from Canada or have Canadian-related wrestling questions, Greg can help you. He is a wrestling historian who published a wrestling newsletter during the boom period of insider wrestling newsletters starting in the late 1980s. We were pen pals in the early 1990s and first met at a 1989 wrestling convention in Chicago run by Jon Gallagher of the Wrestling Forum (the first insider wrestling newsletter I ever received in the mail in early 1987).

George Schire: Author of "Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling," former Pro Wrestling Focus radio cohost with me in the early 1990s on KFAN, former contributor of history pieces to the PWTorch Newsletter, and multi-time guest on PWTorch Livecast "Interview Friday," he will be providing a historical perspective to Ask PWTorch.

Johnny Fairplay: Reality Star and Wrestling Manager, perhaps best known as Pat McNeill's Regis Philbin. He was an old neighbor of PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell who watched PPVs at his house long before he became a contestant on Survivor twice. He has been on many reality TV shows, the PWTorch Livecast numerous times, and follows wrestling very closely. You can read more about him on Wikipedia.

Brian Fritz: Host of the long-running "Between the Ropes" podcast, and now working for Yahoo! Sports radio, he also has been a guest on the PWTorch Livecast (and I've been a guest on his podcast), he brings years of reporting on wrestling including on-site interviews with wrestlers at major press events over the years. He follows today's wrestling and will provide his perspective and take on your questions.

Mick Karch: An early PWTorch Newsletter columnist over 20 years ago, Mick has been an announcer for virtually every national wrestling promotion other than the WWF, WCW, and TNA in the last 25 years. He currently works as an announcer on Minnesota indy wrestling shows. He got his start in wrestling running the Nick Bockwinkel Fan Club in the 1970s and is known for his sense of humor, strong opinions, and tremendous insight into wrestling's past dating back many decades, but he also watches today's wrestling regularly and can provide valuable perspective as a result of that span of time following and participating in the industry.

Brad Stutts: He has worked behind the scenes in wrestling in many roles, including taking jackets to the back, setting up and tearing down rings, running websites for indy promoters, running lights and music at live events, and performing as a manager, announcer, wrestler, and promoter. He currently is the lead announcer for CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in North Carolina.

Jim Valley: Long time wrestling fan and Torch subscriber. He won a National Edward R. Murrow Award and several regional awards during his 20 year broadcast career. He has done TV announcing for several independent wrestling promotions, hosted his own wrestling radio show, interviewed many top stars and was flown our to Stamford to audition for WWE. He took second to Todd Grisham.

Current PWTorch Contributors: A mix of current PWTorch contributors will provide their opinion on today's wrestling scene and modern wrestling history questions, including Shawn Valentino, Michael Moore, Ben Tucker, Jon Mezzera, Brian Leahy, Jimmy Eaton, and Mike Roe.

You can send your questions for the All-Star Panel to the same address as always: askpwtorch@gmail.com. We will make sure they are directed to the appropriate panelist for potential inclusion in a published Ask PWTorch feature here on the PWTorch App or VIP Website. You may see your question asked in both versions of Ask PWTorch (the Afternoon original website-exclusive version and app-exclusive All-Stars version) so check both versions. Different groups of panelists may tackle your question on different days, so keep checking back. Because they all come from different backgrounds and have different experiences as both fans and working in some capacity in the business or covering it for the Torch, you're going to get some strong specific points of view from them.


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