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 Aaron P. asks: Was Peggy Sue, the Honky Tonk Man's girlfriend, Sherri Martel? I don't know who they thought they were fooling with that one.

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: She was. Good catch. Here’s the story. Sherri Martel (Sherri Russell) was brought in from the AWA in 1987 to liven up the women’s division. She won the WWF Women’s Title from Fabulous Moolah and went on to feud with Moolah, Debiie Combs, and Rockin' Robin. Vince McMahon’s interest in the WWF Women’s Title ended just after Survivor Series, which is why Sherri was placed in a blond wig and repackaged as Peggy Sue. It gave Sherri something to do and added another person to run interference during Honkytonk Man’s Intercontinental defenses.

No, WWE wasn’t trying to fool anyone. One of the regular spots at house shows come after the match when Honky’s challenger (usually Randy Savage) would pull Peggy Sue’s wig off to reveal Sensational Sherri. Then, in 1988, WWE would run house show matches with the stipulation that Jimmy Hart would be barred from ringside. Naturally, Jimmy Hart dressed up as Peggy Sue for those matches (because, you know, Jimmy Hart was more of a physical threat than Sherri.)

That’s the story. Please drop the subject now, before someone in WWE Creative decides it would be fun to dress Seth Rollins up as Stephanie McMahon (or vice versa.)

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PWTorch reader G.T. asks: Hi. Great work guys. Question: I was watching the Monday Night Wars on the WWE Network; it was the “Rise of the NWO” episode, and during the infamous Bash at the Beach Hogan heel turn reveal, a drunken fan enters the ring and Kevin Nash proceeds to nail him with a real stiff elbow and Scott Hall follows it with two stiff, legit kicks to the head. It looked brutal.
What is the repercussions of a wrestler attacking an audience member like this? Is it “anything goes” when a fan interferes with the show? Can fans get assaulted like this by wrestlers?? What are the legal ramifications of this? Can't they be sued? Arrested? I've seen Macho Man and Eddie Guerrero do this as well on separate occasions - full on assaults on live TV. Fans should never interfere, but still. Just curious.

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Once fans get into the ring during the show, unless they've been invited by a wrestler - which no professional one does - whatever the wrestler does to him is considered self-defense by the law. Wrestlers are usually trying to incapacitate the intruder as quickly as possible, particularly since they have no idea what they might be bringing with them into the ring.

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PWTorch reader J.M. asks: I just finished watching the NXT tag match on Raw (and am typing this watching Jerry Springer). I was very excited to watch and enjoyed watching the match unlike anything else on WWE recently. At the same time, I also thought back to the Raw poll of the day and it's question about what Raw segment was I looking forward to the most (my true answer was not provided - none of the above). Am I alone in feeling this way?

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I think there are always parts of Raw that are enjoyable, but the show hasn't been very good since Summerslam, although I enjoyed last week way more than the week before. I think the loss of Punk earlier this year, Daniel Bryan being on the shelf with an injury, and Dean Ambrose away filming a movie has hurt the show lately. I did enjoy the in-ring segment with John Cena and Paul Heyman going at it verbally and they did give us a hook to watch next week with Cena challenging Lesnar to show up for a fight. The Chris Jericho-Bray Wyatt cage match was also a nice change of pace from the usual long talking segment to begin the show. The heavy exposure of the feud between the Bella Twins has weighed things down along with a mid-card that continues to meander, which is why some people like you don't look forward to what's coming up on the show.

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PWTorch reader Forrest M. asks: I have to say that NXT is my favorite form of pro wrestling out there today. Their big shows, like last week’s, have felt like the old Big Four PPVs that WWE put on in the ‘80s. It is must-see wrestling and I actually get butterflies before it comes on. I haven't felt that way for a wrestling product since the old WrestleManias and WCW's old Clash of the Champions. Could NXT become actual competition to the current WWE product? Would Vince McMahon allow them to do so?

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: That isn’t likely. WWE tried being its own competition during the brand split era and it didn’t work out. Mr. McMahon has final approval over everything having to do with WWE creative, and he's a bit of a control freak. But WWE is wise to use NXT as a place to test new gimmicks and see if wrestlers can work “WWE style.”

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