Welcome to a new website-exclusive PWTorch feature! I am PWTorch founder and editor, Wade Keller. I've been covering pro wrestling since 1987 when I started the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter while still in high school. Over 25 years later, PWTorch reaches more wrestling fans every week than any other independent brand. When we launched PWTorch.com in 1999, one of the features I enjoyed doing the most was "Ask PWTorch." I haven't done it recently on the website, but did revive it in recent years in an audio format for PWTorch VIP members on my Keller Hotline. We reintroduced it to the website audience this month.

If you have a question you'd like me to respond to, send your question to askpwtorch@gmail.com. I, along with the Torch staff, will address you questions.

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PWTorch reader L.N. asks: Hey, PWTorch! Long time reader, The Lucha Nerd here! Why do you guys think Ultimo Dragon's short WWE run in 2003-2004 wasn't more successful? I thought his match quality was still stellar/ on par with the popular masked Rey Mysterio and this was a time when the cruiserweight title was still a prominent part of Smackdown. Thanks! Keep up the great work!

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: When WWE signed Ultimo Dragon, they thought for some reason that Dragon was a clone of Rey Mysterio, wrestled the exact same style, and worked the crowd like Mysterio did. When the WWE braintrust actually saw Dragon wrestle, they couldn't figure out what to do with him, so they stuck him in the Cruiserweight Division and put him on the WWE Velocity show until his one-year deal expired. Some of you probably can't believe WWE would sign a famous international wrestler without first watching him wrestle. I am not making this up. If you don't believe me, ask Sin Cara. He'll tell you.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: WWE usually doesn't push cruiserweights well and I don't think WWE knew what to do with him and more likely they didn't want to do much with him. Although he could still put on good matches when he was in WWE, he had nowhere near the level or following in the U.S. that Rey Mysterio had at that time. Ultimo Dragon couldn't cut promos or connect with the audience the way Mysterio did, which is why he ultimately flamed out in WWE.

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PWTorch columnist Chris D. asks: What was the story with the Western Heritage title Larry Zybysko held in NWA in the late-'80s, early-'90s?

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: The Western States Heritage Title was created in June 1987, after Jim Crockett Promotions bought the UWF from Bill Watts. The UWF continued running separate shows and had its own television program through the end of 1987. One June 20, 1987, on a UWF show in Houston, Texas, Barry Windham won a tournament and was crowned the first UWF Western States Heritage Champion.

Dusty Rhodes wanted to push Barry Windham, and the original plan was for Barry to headline the UWF shows, much like WWE wanted Kurt Angle headlining for the revived ECW brand in 2006. But the plan changed. Two months later, the UWF house shows were being advertised as Jim Crockett Promotions show. And at Starrcade 1987, Windham's title was announced as the NWA Western States Heritage Title.

Larry Zbyszko won the title from Barry Windham on January 24th, 1988 at NWA Bunkhouse Stampede. The title change happened because Zbyszko and manager Baby Doll were starting a feud with Dusty Rhodes, who was the NWA United States Champion and the booker. In March 1988, Baby Doll was fired from Jim Crockett Promotions (allegedly because her husband signed with WWF), and that ended the Rhodes-Zbyszko feud. Rhodes started the Midnight Rider angle and Gary Hart became Zbyszko's new manager.

By the end of 1988, the NWA Western States Heritage Title wasn't even mentioned on NWA television shows. The title was officially retired in 1989, after Zbyszko left to go back to the AWA.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: If I recall correctly, they chose to call it the Western States Heritage Title because they wanted to make inroads in the Western U.S. whereas they're foothold had been the Southeast for the most part. It was similar, in that sense, to WWE creating the European Title as a way to play to fans in Europe when they first started touring there. As with the European Title, the WSH Title felt superfluous and fans even in the Western United States didn't feel it was special or served any purpose.

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PWTorch reader Jay H. asks: Why doesn't Randy Orton work at the top of the card anymore where he belongs? I know he has two Wellness Policy violations but didn't Jeff Hardy have two Wellness Policy violations in 2008 and ended up having two reigns with the World Heavyweight Championship and one reign with the WWE Championship? So I don't understand the reasoning of management not trusting Orton because of his wellness violations when they trusted Hardy.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: One of the main differences was that, for a time, Jeff Hardy was the most popular wrestler in WWE. Orton is popular amongst the fans, but certainly not to the point that Hardy was when he was in the main events with two strikes. I think WWE likes to have Orton in their back pocket as a guy they can push to the main events, someone who has main event credibility, in case something happens to a John Cena or a Sheamus. But yes, I do think WWE may be a little more reluctant to push Orton and put too many eggs in that basket with him having two Wellness strikes.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller adds: I think, too, there is just a sense that Orton had been used in the main event slot for a while and had wrestled all the main eveners, so cooling him off for a while could position him to be reintroduced to the top main event slot down the line when he has fresh opponents or old match-ups feel fresh again. It's also a case of Orton, at times, not coming across as a corporate team player and WWE just not feeling comfortable making him feel like he's guaranteed a top slot with main event money always coming in, even when he's saying things publicly that don't match what WWE would ideally want him to be saying, such as suggesting late last year that systematic mandatory roster-wide extended time off should be built into WWE talents' schedules. That kind of comment can lead to a passive-aggressive de-pushing of a talent like Orton.

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PWTorch reader Stephen from Aberdeen, Scotland asks: Having watched what seems to be a pretty good push for Adrian Neville (wrestler formerly PAC). Do you think he could be the high flying, fan favourite that WWE has been pining for since Jeff Hardy left? I always thought that Seth Rollins could possibly fill that roll but since they signing of PAC, I hope he gets the push and we might get a British top tier champion.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I think Adrian Neville will be a big star if he gets more confidence in himself. I think he's too hard on himself when it comes to his performances in the ring. Once he gets confident in himself and develops his promos, he can wrestle just about any style in the ring in spectacular fashion. I think he has a great shot at being a top tier champion down the line.

=== VIP EXCLUSIVE ===

PWTorch VIP MEMBER Nathan L asks: Purely from a kayfabe perspective, in some cases when a wrestler is introduced, then disappears from storylines, and is then totally repackaged with a new gimmick, are we supposed to consider them as a brand new "person" completely? Recent examples would be Ryback and Bray Wyatt. From a kayfabe point of view, are we supposed to completely ignore their previous run like it never happened, and think of them as different people?

(This is part of the VIP-exclusive portion of Ask PWTorch. I am now adding a segment exclusively for VIP members to this article as a bonus for VIP members. I will select questions sent by VIP members to my VIP Ask the Editor email box that I usually answer on my VIP Keller Hotline during the week and writing a text answer. To go VIP and get all PWTorch VIP content on our app and our website and our Audio RSS feed, www.PWTorch.com/govip.)

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EDITOR'S NOTE: This marks over 60 straight days of Ask PWTorch being featured as a daily website-exclusive (available on the PWTorch App for VIP members) at www.PWTorch.com. If you have missed any of the previous Ask PWTorch features, you can read them here:

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

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(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)

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