William Regal made his return to WWE in early 2023 after ending his short tenure with AEW. Following his release from WWE in early 2022, Regal debuted in AEW a few months later at the Revolution, where he confronted Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley after their match.
Regal intervened after Jon Moxley defeated Bryan Danielson in a singles match. While both stars continued to brawl, Regal entered the ring and slapped them. This confrontation led to the formation of his faction in AEW, known as the Blackpool Combat Club, alongside Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson. The faction later expanded to include Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli.
Throughout his time in AEW, Regal primarily worked with the Blackpool Combat Club. However, he left AEW in December 2022 after a brief tenure. Later, he returned to WWE as Vice President of Global Talent Development in January 2023.
AEW President Tony Khan disclosed that Regal requested AEW not to renew his contract so he could go back to spend more time with his son, Charlie Dempsey, who wrestles in NXT. However, with Regal’s brief stay in AEW, speculation arose about whether he aimed to undermine WWE’s competition.
William Regal sets the record straight on AEW controversy
WWE legend William Regal has addressed speculation about his intentions during his time in AEW. He responded to rumors suggesting he left AEW under suspicious circumstances and clarified claims that he aimed to undermine the competition.
Regal took to social media to explain that he joined AEW at Bryan Danielson’s request. He mentioned that his goal was to help, stating that he committed to long hours of training without engaging in any production meetings or inquiring about the contracts of others.
However, a controversy arose involving William Regal. It was with none other than CM Punk. Reports indicate that Punk refused to shake hands with Regal after his AEW debut, stating that he neither liked nor trusted him because he viewed him as one of Triple H’s associates. These reports have emerged following the departures of both stars from AEW.
While William Regal has clarified his stance on his AEW tenure, he has made several appearances since returning to WWE. Recently, he was spotted in the crowd during the September 13, 2024 episode of WWE SmackDown.
