Ten Questions for Bruce Mitchell, from the Pro Wrestling Torch/PWTorch.com and a very good time to be catching up with Bruce, the long-time writer and reporter for the Torch, and now-retired Greensboro elementary school teacher, most recently at Archer Elementary School…Bruce Mitchell, a Durham, N.C. native and forever fan of Duke Blue Devils athletics and a die-hard Dukie, when they roll out the roundball/basketballs…
Now here is our look with Bruce Mitchell, at this weekend’s upcoming WrestleMania 36, presented by WWE….
Ten Questions for Bruce:
1)No fans at WrestleMania, does that mean the home Buyrate should explode?
BM:That wrestling fans are stuck at home should help, but the build-up being squelched by the virus should hurt. I don’t think 2 days is a good idea, and I’m curious if Sunday draws less viewers that Saturday.
2)What about the atmosphere for this with NO crowd, does this change the overall dynamic of the matches?
BM:Completely. Pro Wrestling doesn’t work without the reaction of live fans. Literally everything wrestlers do is to elicit reaction from the live audience, and the audience at home takes their cues from this exchange of energy between performers and fans. I very much think these matches are going to get old fast.
3)Are the fans getting tired of watching matches on TV with NO crowd, are they still excited about wrestling, do you think?
BM:Well, the rerun matches get higher ratings. I don’t see great excitement for Wrestlemania, but maybe folks watch because of habit or curiosity, and there’s nothing new to see. Two shows is way too long, though.
4)Most of the matches have been pre-taped, any Spoilers for us???
BM:Nope
5)How do you build up Bill Goldberg-Braun Strowman? They have a plan to kill off Roman Reigns on Friday night SmackDown, but???
(No prior history for Goldberg-Strowman, and how do you build that up, in one day?)
BM:Unstoppable Object vs Irresistible Force _ I just don’t know how you have the match or the finish.
6)John Cena vs. The Fiend Bray Wyatt. Are they counting on this match to be a huge headliner?
BM:Of course – I suggested in the Pro Wrestling Torch they just animate the whole thing, like Coyote v Roadrunner.
7)What’s the draw or allure of Bray Wyatt?
BM:The Funhouse and the mask
8)Top 5 Matches for this year’s WrestleMania 36?
BM:
Brock Lesnar vs Drew McIntyre
Cena v Fiend
Shayna Bayzler v The Man
Randy Orton V Edge
Bill Goldberg v Braun Stroman
9)With the current Coroanvirus/COVID-19 health crisis, should WrestleMania even be happening this year?
BM:It absolutely should be not. The science tells us that. Wrestling is not more important than people’s lives, or the NBA or MLB or The NCAA Basketball Tournament or The Olympics or…
10)Where does the WWE go from here, after WrestleMania? Do they pull back on their operations/shows, or go straight ahead/full force???
BM:Depends on the Curve
I believe they and AEW ought to go to their libraries and take content from that.
Bonus Question:Your Favorite All-Time WrestleMania Match? Where were you watching and what do you remember about it? What makes it stand out???
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin – It made the greatest star of my lifetime. I was watching where I always watch Wrestlemania, on TV.
(Bruce not willing to reveal his WrestleMania hangout.)
**********Our thanks to Bruce Mitchell, from the Pro Wrestling Torch and PWTorch.com and be to follow Bruce at @mitchellpwtorch on Twitter…**********