Vince McMahon is infamous for controlling everything under the brand he built from the ground named WWE. And sometimes the control expands to the talent working for him, the wrestlers. They say popularity is power in the entertainment industry, but McMahon is a celebrity in his own right. So, all the excellence in the world doesn’t add up to the boss’s presence.

One such wrestler who had to shift his wrestling style massively was William Regal. The former GM of NXT in its heyday, the man was one of the best wrestlers around the world. Influential to Daniel Bryan, Zack Sabre Jr. among others, was once a WWE talent breaking new grounds with his expressionist technician style of wrestling, until the HD TV.

The weird request Vince McMahon asked William Regal

On his podcast, Gentleman Villain, William Regal, opened up about his meeting with Vince McMahon before the first HD live show. He said, “Mr. McMahon pulled me to the side, and he said ‘Darren (Regal’s real name). Can I talk to you? I want you to be the one, the first one who changes everything as far as facial wise.”

Stone Cold Steve Austin Was Starstruck by William Regal in WCW: “I Wouldn’t Introduce Myself to Him”

“This HD TV picks up everything in a completely different world than we’re used to. You’re always the one known for pulling faces and big expressions. I want you to take it the other way, which is you do it as little as possible, and the little nostril flares and glances. He might have asked a couple of people but he asked me, early on that day of the first taping, ‘I want you to do that. Tonight go the exact opposite of what you have ever done before.”

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William Regal’s influence on wrestling

Hailing from England, Regal made waves in the American wrestling scene when he signed with WCW. He was a success with the fans, with his villainous character of Lord Steven Regal. Winning the WCW TV Championship 4 times, he had earned a lot of credit for his wrestling style and heel persona.

While his first run with WWE and return to WCW are nothing to boast about, everything changed when he went back to WWE. Becoming Commissioner for WWE was just a glimpse of his iconic role as NXT’s general manager.

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Having iconic feuds with Chris Jericho and CM Punk elevated his status as a veteran in the industry as time went on. Tell us about your favorite William Regal moments in the comments below.