Paid Members Chris B Posted December 5, 2022 Paid Members Share Posted December 5, 2022 Well, it's looking like this is confirmed and it's an interesting story. There are stories going round that Regal wasn't happy in AEW (primarily around younger wrestlers not wanting to hear advice, which sounds like a culture clash). Apparently, he's going to a backstage role in WWE, which isn't really a surprise. Obviously, going to be interesting to find out how he got out of his contract (my guess - it's a backstage role, not a performer role, so he simply gave notice). The change of guard with HHH was clearly a major factor, but if it's backstage, it's also more likely he's an employee , so gets healthcare and doesn't have to travel. Plus his son is training there. I'm gutted to see him go, as he's been brilliant in AEW. Presumably, it wasn't long planned, as the recent double-turn smacks of a change in plans. But hopefully, this was relatively amicable. If he's gone to a totally different role and won't just walk out as GM or manager next week, it's a different situation to some others. It's a rare case where I could see it being a handshake agreement, like when Flair left WWF in 92. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted December 5, 2022 Paid Members Share Posted December 5, 2022 I’m gutted. Regal has been phenomenal as an on-screen character in AEW, I was completely invested in the heel turn, couldn’t wait to see the storyline play out…and then he just fucks off. It’s CM Punk all over again. The table is set out for the next three to six months, then everything turns to shit. On a personal level I’m sure Regal will be happier back in WWE with his son, and Regal back in his old role under Hunter will probably be good for the industry as a whole, but selfishly I’m super disappointed we’re returning to him shouting, “WAR GAMES!” once a year rather than weekly flirting with Excalibur. We’ll always have the memories. Man in the mask. Oooh. Oooh. Oooh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 He's the kinda guy that absolutely EVERYONE there should be learning from. On screen talent. Backstage. Hell, even TK to a point. How can you have a guy like that around and NOT want to learn from him? Idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted December 5, 2022 Paid Members Share Posted December 5, 2022 To be fair, if all his podcast appearances are anything to go by, he’d be absolutely impossible to learn from because of how many insane digressions he makes. He’s exhausting to listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 I can understand younger talent not listening to the advice from Punk, but from Regal? Arseholes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinity Land Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 TV tapings aren't exactly the PC or a wrestling seminar. One ring, competing commitments, finite amount of time. It's known the BCC around him, Pillman Jr, Lee Moriarty, Jade Cargill, Ricky Starks have all mentioned training or getting advice from him. Often referencing others in attendance without mentioning names. It's not like he's completely untapped and ignored as a resource. Malenko, Lynn, Henry, Show, AA, Jake, Dustin etc are presumably in the back playing poker. Since they're only there to regale TK with old war stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merzbow Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 (edited) I'd find it hard to listen to Regal as a young talent, he comes across as the ultimate bootlicker. He found himself in a generation who won't sit back and just do what they're told. Tony will never have control over that lockeroom. Edited December 5, 2022 by Merzbow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members unfitfinlay Posted December 5, 2022 Paid Members Share Posted December 5, 2022 I don’t buy the story about him being unhappy. The only source is EC3 saying that that’s what he heard. It just sounds like bollocks. Plus Regal isn’t exactly shy. I feel like he’d have given some indication if he was truly miserable. Instead he always sounded like he was having the time of his life. I can’t imagine him moaning about people being immature in between segments where he’s talking about covering Excalibur in custard and licking it off. For me, it seems far more likely that he’s been offered his WWE job back and decided to take it for many obvious reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factotum Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Yeah I would imagine its just Hunter wanting Regal back and him wanting to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUM Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 43 minutes ago, Merzbow said: I'd find it hard to listen to Regal as a young talent, he comes across as the ultimate bootlicker. He found himself in a generation who won't sit back and just do what they're told. Tony will never have control over that lockeroom. Are you suggesting Regal’s generation sat back and done what they were told more so than the current crop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 14 minutes ago, unfitfinlay said: Plus Regal isn’t exactly shy. I feel like he’d have given some indication if he was truly miserable. On the contrary, I think modern day Regal would consider it beneath him to bitch and moan on his way out the door. Which isn't to say I presume he was miserable. Just that I wouldn't treat any absence of public grumbling as a reason to discount it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinity Land Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 It's going to be pretty easy to figure this out by his own actions. He's got his podcast. That's a platform that could see some cracks in any story. At the same time there's the possibility that he packs it in once back with WWE. A sign that it was something that he did because he had to think of the money once released. Similarly if he's back largely behind the scenes with NXT/at the PC rather than on the road with Raw/Smackdown. I know some may that'll be down to a non-compete, but I reckon it might be choice since that's what he had been doing for years prior to being released. Development being a different grind to main roster life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merzbow Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 25 minutes ago, FUM said: Are you suggesting Regal’s generation sat back and done what they were told more so than the current crop? Have you listened to him on his podcast? All he talks about other than "not being tough but actually I am" is how wrestlers should just do what they're told. But yeah I'd say younger wrestlers today are less likely to blindly obey authority but there are obviously examples of older talent too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted December 5, 2022 Author Paid Members Share Posted December 5, 2022 I could also see it being taken the wrong way by some - it isn't a performance centre or developmental, and it sounds like some coming in from WWE have treated main-eventers like that. And, in some cases, main-eventers who succeeded because they didn't do what was expected of them elsewhere. Equally, I could see some AEW originals being a bit overly precious and believing in their own hype too much - and not listening to someone who clearly knows what he's doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members FLips Posted December 5, 2022 Paid Members Share Posted December 5, 2022 (edited) I think he was there for the perfect amount of time and is going back to a place that’s better for him. AEW can’t book storylines and angles less than a year long and the BCC was stale already so Regal benefitted from coming in hot, getting Wheeler Yuta over, giving some more legitimacy to MJF and then leaving. Even then they cocked the goodbye up with a double turn. Other than their top stars and homegrown talent, this is exactly how most signings should be used. Come in hot, do a big angle or two and then bugger off somewhere else. Edited December 5, 2022 by FelatioLips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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