William Regal

[OldSchoolWrestlingFan]

I recently watched NXT and seeing William Regal brought back so very fond memories of watching him throughout my life ~ he was a fantastic worker and mat technician, he could get major heat with just a glance of the eye, etc ~ So my question is: Is William Regal one the most underrated WRESTLERS (not sports entertainers) to step into the squared circle or is he ranked where he deserves to be? Do you think that he deserved a World Title run?! (I know he had some issues with drugs but so did other Champs)

 

[Softcore Holly]

Wrestling wise he was amazing and a natural on the mic, especially as aheel. I don't know where he's ranked as a wrestler but I have to think that at the very least he's very well respected in that regard backstage and could probably do a trainer's job in his sleep. World Title wise it would've been nice, and if it wasn't for his drug problems it was quite possible that he could've gotten a run. But he wasn't big enough of a name to survive the hit and that just made it a lot easier to make sure he didn't get his shot. As much as I would've loved to see him get a WHC title run his personal demons kept it from happening.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Ah, in Regal's time there were too many bulls for him to get a title run. Not a world title run anyway. He was a pretty great heel character , but way underutilized most of the time. I like his current GM type role, he's a good authority figure. Kevin Owens might be feeling the - Power of the punch - at the next NXT PPV.

 

[Prince Vee]

I've seen many wrestlers and former wrestlers including Daniel Bryan has showered their praise on William Regal. Yes he is underrated for his talents, skills and charisma. But amid the list of Underrated Wrestlers in the history of WWE, he certainly won't be in top but will be in the top 10 at least.

And to answer the next question if he deserved a World Title run, most would say yes. If you see from Regal's perspective it would look different. Like Roddy Piper said one wouldn't need a title around his waist to prove that He's talented. Regal got tons if support and love backstage, that's what he needs perhaps than the title. But certainly WWE could've given him a title run.

Cheers!!

 

[Mustang Sally]

I've seen many wrestlers and former wrestlers including Daniel Bryan has showered their praise on William Regal.

No question about his technical wrestling ability and strength at giving promos, but I believe the problem is that he's too much of an old-style wrestler to make a major impact with today's average wrestling fan. Yes, many of us on this forum appreciate his gifts but, imo, we're more fans of wrestling than many of the folks who attend arena shows. For those good people, a skillfully performed exchange of moves and counter-moves just isn't what they want to see.

I think it's great WWE gave him the NXT job because a man like him should be working for a major wrestling organization in front of the camera......but not in the ring, which is a rather sad sign of the times.

 

[TheBadGuy92]

William Regal is entertaining no matter what he does. He is one of the first Heels i remember cheering for. His power of the punch was gold. And his commissioner stint with tajiri as his assistant is something that I always liked as well. As for being world champion it was just too crowded at the time but they rewarded him in other ways, decent tv time. mid card titles. KOTR and commissioner and GM of NXT.

 

[Eyebrows]

Deserving a World Title is different to being World Title material. Based on his ability in the ring, on the mic, and the amount he's given to the business, you could make a case for him deserving it. Would he have drawn? Probably not.

Regal's one of those guys whose legacy is felt in unseen ways. Training and mentoring younger talents etc. He's had a great career and stayed relevant for over a decade. He's one of those guys, like Malenko, who might not have been World Title material but are still Hall of Fame talents.

 

[The Warlord]

Is he underrated?? Definitely not with the IWC. He's been one of their golden boys for years. He definitely had some of the best mat skills and ring psychology. While he had that great snobby English character down to a T...he was never world champion material in my eyes. He was a solid mid card guy...and perhaps a future HOF candidate just for the mentoring and backstage help alone. He is praised by most of the boys in the business. I just dont think he fit the WWE style by the time he arrived in during the Attitude era. He would have been a much bigger name had he been around in the 1980s WWF.

Just my $.02

 

[Navi]

Regal was great and still is. He's a marvelous heel, and proved that he knows just about everything there is to know, when you see the guys coming up from NXT.

Did he need a title? Well it would have been nice, but not every wrestler is going to win the WHC and it doesn't mean that they should be looked down on because of it. Sometimes the person holding the title didn't deserve to get it either, it's a crapshoot.

Barrett reminds me a lot of Regal. I just wish though that management felt the same way, and booked him a lot better than they have done.

 

[thekooljt]

It was rumored that Regal was fired from WCW for making Goldberg look like a fool in a televised match.

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

He was given the dreaded 'King of the Ring' title he not?

I don't think it was anything to do wihis wrestling ability that held him back. Did he not have unfortunate incidents with drugs and alcohol?

 

[Bischoff's Knob Slobberer]

I lost all respect for Regal when he kissed Vince's asre. Scripted or not, real don't do crap like that. He must've been desperate for a paycheck to agree to that shit.

I always enjoyed his fights with Fit Finley "The Belfast Bruiser." Finley broke that pompous arse's nose in a match. That was a classic.

 

[laodaron]

Regal was a drug addict. Regal used to be WAY too high on himself. Regal was never really that great, but he was always a really strong midcard talent.

It also doesn't hurt that he has a really strong personal relationship with HHH, either.

He's great at his current position in NXT. I'm not even sure that he would want more. He's not going to get into the HoF, but he's definitely going to be remembered as a pretty strong gimmick.

 

[Softcore Holly]

It was rumored that Regal was fired from WCW for making Goldberg look like a fool in a televised match.

Ah that story. From what I heard what happened was that they asked Regal to test out how well Goldberg could wrestle in a 6-7 minute match instead of just squashing people, problem was at the time Goldberg was really green at wrestling and so that test horribly backfired. Of course there are at least 2 different versions of this story out there and which one you believe is up to you. Regal did get fired after that match though so you are right on that one.

 

[timothy26]

Regal was a fantastic worker but had substance abuse issues. Had some good moments in WCW. Probably didn't have the "look" to get pushed in WWE but in saying that he's had a long career with them. Seems like a great bloke out of the ring based on some podcasts / interviews I've heard / seen

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I like Regal both as a character and as an in-ring performer. He's extremely talented and can work a good match with pretty much anyone. However, like other posters have said I don't think Regal's style in the ring was what WWE were really looking for during the Attitude Era when he arrived in the company. He's got a very slow, old-fashioned style which I reckon would have been more suited to the 80s main event scene.

He's very well respected by the audience, the IWC and by guys in the business and will almost certainly be a HOFer in the future. But I don't think his style and look were suited for a World Title run.

 

[LuckyLouie]

In the 70's he would have ruled the world. Maybe.
While Regal is one of the best in my eyes in ring, he was never booked right. He could have been booked like Rick Rude or something a little close to Piper. Where its was a crazy heel who didnt look weak even when he lost. Sadly every L he ever took, or almost, made him look a little less tough. He is a future hall of famer. He would have held the title once or twice.

 

[FlairFan2003]

It was rumored that Regal was fired from WCW for making Goldberg look like a fool in a televised match.

The writing was on the wall for Regal in WCW once Hogan came in. Prior to Hogan's arrival Regal was getting a near monster push as a heel, he had been aligned with Stunning Steve Austin, feuded with Sting, and had an excellent Best Of 5 (might have been 7, I cant remember) series of "Strict Rules Wrestling" Matches with Ric Flair. He was dominating mid card feuds and acquitting himself well against top stars.

Once Hogan arrived there wasn't as much attention paid to the mid card, at least not initially (that changed in the early Monday Nitro era). Regal didn't have the size to be considered a major threat to Hogan and with The Hulkster on board Flair was turned heel & The Four Horsemen revitalized, pushing him further down the proverbial ladder. Regal was never a player in the Flair/Horsemen-Sting-Luger-Savage-Hogan main event scene and when WCW did start paying more attention to the undercard it was mostly cultivating the cruiserweights, he was left behind.

By the time the match with Goldberg happened he was already on life support and expendable which was a shame because he snobbish British aristocrat heel character was catching on pre Hogan and working well with Sting & Flair when he was paired with "the big guys".

In WWE Regal never had the "look" or "size" to garner a huge push but he managed to stay relevant in the mid card for several years before moving to more behind the scenes oriented work, where he finds himself today. He must be in good standing with the company because they keep him around which says something for his talent level and contributions.

I think if Hogan hadn't gone to WCW - or at least of Eric Bischoff would have been a much better manager of talent - Regal would have done quite well for himself and found himself in the that "top tier" of villains that may not main event but do quite well for themselves, like Rick Rude or Jake Roberts. His size & style were never going to get him a huge push in WWE (remember his lumberjack character ??) but he did overcome that and manage to be a significant of not superstar player for several years before moving behind the curtain. Its not a bad run by any means but it with a little luck it could have been much better.