I'll admit I don't really care for the technical wrestling stuff as much as I do the story, but I can see why the purists like Benoit and Guerrero and Lance Storm. They are fast-paced ring workers. But I always hear people say that Regal is some great ring worker. I just don't see it. I think the guy is entertaining outside of the ring, but in the ring he just doesn't look to be that great of a worker. You have to hit the fast forward button just to see him wrestle at regular speed.
I like Regal because he does all the cool old school heel moves. It doesn't bother me that he's slow in the ring. He's very methodical in the way that he comes at his opponent and his facial expressions in and out of the ring are priceless.
"There will probably never be another like me again, and that's another reason I should be revered as a truly special person. I should be canonized. I should be knighted. I should be called Sir Saint Chris Jericho."
Regal is the best matworker the WWE has. The only people employed by the company who could hope to match him are Malenko and Finlay, both retired. He also has now quite a rep as a trainer from his time in Memphis. All of HBK's good grads (American Dragon, Spanky, Shooter Schultz) credit him as one of their trainers.
I don't think that technical soundness necessarily makes for a great wrestler. Regal is great at what he does, but it's often times just too oldschooly to mesh with everyone else, making him seem really awkward. If this were 88, he'd be on top with what he can do now and having his personal problems sorted out (from what I've heard). Or holding the TV title, whatever.
"I'm bi a lot of things, but lingual's not one of them."
For those who don't get Regal, I recommend tracking down a tape of the 2000 Pillman Show, where Regal and Benoit put on a MOTY quality match. It was stiff and old school and had lots of matwork and highspots (by Benoit).
Being English Regal was the kind of stuff I was brought up on,so I have to say that I agree that he is a damn fine worker (and being from Norfolk I also say: slow? He's Billy Whizz to me!). I'm just glad we've still got someone flying the flag for us.
The problem, as I see it, is that the word "worker" generally means different things to different people. Regal kicked all kinds of ass in the late 80's/early 90's, and is still very capable of putting on a great match with the right person, but to me, a great "worker" is someone who can absolutely do it *all.* Regal is, unfortunately, somewhat limited as a worker in this respect. So, personally, I do not regard him as a great worker.
I "get" Regal, but as it relates to Pillman Memorial 2000, the difference between Benoit (a great worker, IMHO) and Regal is that Benoit can wrestle any style and pull a great match out of just about anyone. Regal, as much as I love him, is not capable of that kind of feat.
Regal is ideally fit for the European 10-round style. He took Flair to school during the Queensbury Cup storyline, and if it weren't for William Dundee interfering in the seventh match, Regal would have won the whole thing handily.
"Business has just picked up" says JR. Then right on cue, Molly enters the arena! Never was JR any better in introducing someone. --Raw 7/15
I'm probably gonna get ripped for this, but watch a tape and you'll notice that William Regal moves maybe a hair faster than Hulk Hogan does right now. It's true!
That being said, Regal is a good worker when put in the ring with the right guys. However, the WWE doesn't have many guys who can wrestle this style and, like it or not, I don't think mat wrestling would be too popular with the WWE demographic. Benoit-Angle from last year being a prime example. They just sat there during those sequences. All this aside, Regal has been much more entertaining lately, he just seems to be picking up his stiff-looking offense. Even though the guy moves like a slug, his last few matches have been much more entertaining than, say, those Edge matches earlier this year that nearly put me to sleep.
Regal in the ring bores me. It seems all I hear is he is a great mat technician and he put on a hell of a show at the Pillman Memorial, but since he came back to the WWF I can't name one match he has had where I found him entertaining. The Pillman Memorial was just one match; the man's entire worth should not be based on that. And if he is such a great mat techinician, why does it seem no one in the WWF is able to work a good match with him? Outside the ring, it's a completely differently story. He's hilarious. His phrases and expressions will always bring at least a smile to my face. But in the ring... He's just really fucking boring.
Originally posted by SuperFunkyBeing English Regal was the kind of stuff I was brought up on,so I have to say that I agree that he is a damn fine worker (and being from Norfolk I also say: slow? He's Billy Whizz to me!).
Heh! I bet I'm the only person here who gets that reference. My dad used to go on business trips to London and bring home copies of the Beano and the Dandy. Complete with free lollipops in flavors not even remotely available on this side of the pond. Rhubarb and custard indeed.
¡Azúcar, flores y muchos colores! Estos fueron los ingredientes elegidos para crear a la niñita perfecta. Pero el profesor Utonio agrego accidentalmente otro ingrediente a la formula: ¡la sustancia X! Y así nacieron, ¡las Chicas Superpoderosas! ¡Con sus ultra súper poderes, Bombón, Burbuja y Bellota dedican su vida a combatir el crimen y las fuerzas del mal!
tim, the people he has to wrestle were for the most part former football players who knows a few moves and the movie barroom brawling style. He is moving slow because the moveset he knows, very few are used to doing the right falls, so he enables them to get their timing right. And as Bischoff said last Raw, real wrestling is boring (Lawler parroted him, another reason to kick Jerry's ass. Who would donate my bail money?)
"Business has just picked up" says JR. Then right on cue, Molly enters the arena! Never was JR any better in introducing someone. --Raw 7/15
Originally posted by deadbeatertim, the people he has to wrestle were for the most part former football players who knows a few moves and the movie barroom brawling style. He is moving slow because the moveset he knows, very few are used to doing the right falls, so he enables them to get their timing right. And as Bischoff said last Raw, real wrestling is boring (Lawler parroted him, another reason to kick Jerry's ass. Who would donate my bail money?)
I understand this. The reality of the situation, though, is that this is the WWE way, like it or hate it. If Regal can not wrestle this style or adapt to it in a way where he is not slow and plodding, I don't think he should be in the ring. Look at Kurt Angle. Probably one of the best natural wrestlers in the world. His matches are always exciting and engaging, however, because he has adapted to the style of the WWE. A perfect example of this is his match with Benoit at Wrestlemania 17. That match was a perfect mix of traditional match wrestling and the more common form of WWE wrestling. Both areas of this match were equally great(and I realize equal credit for this goes to Benoit but the point still stands). Regal has not adapted to the WWE style. He continues to do things the old way and frankly, that is something myself and a lot of viewers just don't want to see anymore.
That DOES NOT qualify him as a "great" worker. He can wrestle the mat stuff all he wants, but face it, William Regal had shitty matches for over a year. Many would say, me included, he ruined Edge for three months. And as for him being the best mat guy in the company right now, NAY I say. I'm giving Noble more of a chance to take that title.
And while I'm sure Regal/Benoit is awesome, it's one goddamn match. Can someone bring something more to the table other than Regal/Benoit from two years ago?
Hell, Scott Hall used to be a good worker, but what's he done lately? Okay, this pains me to say, because I like Hall in TNA, but he's still a shell of Razor Ramone Scott Hall. That's like me saying, "But, Hall was good in those Japanese tag matches!" This is America pal, let's see what you can do over here.
But, I like Regal. The guy has imporved his speed latley, and I'd be remiss in saying that he's always one of my favorites to be in video games becaiuse his moveset is awesome when done at Video Game speed. And I'd be lying to say I wouldn't pay a lot of money to see Regal in his heydey vs. the likes of Malenko, Eddy and Benoit.
Question: Didn't he have a match where his arm was tied behind his back?
I got two blips on my Ha-dar. Shoot 'em down!
The next time I hear you say "glass ceiling" or you complain about someone being shoved down their throats, I'm gonna take that glass ceiling and shove it down your throat.
I have just seen the pillman 2000 show and what makes this a great match is that the two guys just have a great flow. Nothing looks forced or rehearsed. Solid as hell.
Now I remember Regal fighting little guys like Juvi and stuff occasionally in WCW and they had these lucha spots of rolling through one anothers pins and they always look rehearsed and fake, do them with a 250+ pounder and they look hilarious..
Regal did some good stuff with Edge and RVD earlier this year but did it always look good? nope..
So based on all that I must say that Regal is a good technician but not always a good worker in the sense that he can make always make things look good in the ring.
"...And I use that to fuck them some place fairly uncomfortable." "What, like the back of a volkswagen ?" -Mallrats
I think hes great with the facial expressions.... and the old school heel tricks. He also seems to have a lot of mat technical expertise... but his style doesn't mesh. He cant pull everyone up to a good match. Does that make him bad?... no. I personally like having a heel with this slow style around still.
I've torn myself apart.... and tried to figure out why... but the only answer i was ever given... that really fits..... is the fact... that women are crazy.
Originally posted by FaustI think the best way to sum it up is that a great worker can work a good match with just about anyone. Regal can't.
Sorry to repeat myself, but I wanted to bottom line my argument. :)
I encourage you to look in Lance Storm's commentary archives for what HE thinks makes a great worker.
To most of the people that have posted, an entertaining worker needs a lot of speed, etc---basically have to work the standard WWE way.
But there are a lot of us who enjoy the likes of Regal. I can't wait for his matches. I think he pays attention to all the details psychology-wise, and plays the heel to a tee.
To me, variety is a good thing. One of the main reasons I like Regal is because he offers something different. Same goes for the cruisers. They have a lot of attributes worth criticizing, but they offer a nice change of pace.
WyldeWolf1 The Man of 1,007 holds, making him 3 holds better than Chris Jericho!
I agree with you entirely, WyldeWolf. I enjoy most of Regal's matches a lot, and variety is a great thing. I didn't say Regal wasn't a good worker, I think he is. He is one of my favorite heels ever. I just would never put him in the "great worker" range, which I think should be reserved for the Benoits and HBK's of the world. HBK, in his prime, could have a classic any style of match: brawl, technical or high-flying spotfest stuff - or more importantly, some combination thereof. In my opinion, that's what makes a "great worker."
I have it on Morpheus in divx MPEG. Search: WWF-DESIRE -divx- KID ROCK.mpeg, as well as some others, including the Birth of the Alliance, and various Titantrons. It turned out VERY good, BTW...