William Regal’s Emotional History With Blackpool, England, Explained
Isabella Bartlett 
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William Regal is one of the more well-known British professional wrestlers of all time, building up his legacy in the likes of WCW, WWE, and now currently in AEW. It wasn’t clear how well he would do in his new home, but Regal has become one of the more entertaining fixtures on AEW television. When he arrived in AEW, he formed the Blackpool Combat Club, recruiting the likes of Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli to its ranks, making them a force to be reckoned with. Some fans may wonder as to why the faction has this name. It is all down to William Regal’s history with the seaside resort of Blackpool, England.
William Regal Started His Wrestling Career In Blackpool
It is important to look back at William Regal’s life to understand why Blackpool became such a prominent part of his being, leading him to even getting a faction named after the place. Regal was born in the English county of Staffordshire, growing up there before moving over to Blackpool in his teenage years. This is why for many British people, it is hard to pinpoint exactly where his accent is from, with it being a mix between those two places.
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When arriving in Blackpool, Regal decided to pursue his dream of wrestling. He even went into all this in promos on AEW television too, detailing his journey from wrestling grown men in circuses to getting where he is today. Blackpool is a seaside town which had a lot of hustle and bustle back in the day, especially with it featuring circuses, fairgrounds, and so much more, encapsulating all the elements that one would associate with a seaside resort. Regal found himself wrestling at the Horseshoe Showbar at just the young age of 15, learning from people sometimes over double his age.
The promoter who brought Regal into the business, Bobby Barron, unfortunately passed away in the early 1990s, which led to the end of his show at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, but the legacy he managed to kickstart in William Regal was something that he would’ve undoubtedly been proud of. In an interview with the Blackpool Gazette, Regal stated that if it wasn’t for Blackpool, he wouldn’t have managed to get a proper start in the wrestling industry, and there would have been no way for him to have found his way to America to continue his ascent in the likes of WCW and WWE.
Blackpool Has A Place Within William Regal’s Heart
In addition to starting his wrestling journey, Regal’s life in Blackpool is rich with history, having a wonderful, deep connection. Ever since his childhood, Regal had wanted to move to Blackpool because of it feeling like a magical place. Regal also worked several jobs in Blackpool too, including being a security guard at the Empress Ballroom. He would also meet his wife, Christina, in Blackpool, leading to the pair recently celebrating their 36th year of marriage. They would also go on to have three children - Dane, Bailey, and Daniel. Fans might now have seen Bailey in a wrestling ring, as he now works in NXT under the ring name of Charlie Dempsey. His two eldest sons were born in Blackpool’s Victoria Hospital, making the place even more special for him and his family.
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When speaking to The Metro, Regal discussed how he used the town of Blackpool to help incorporate a lot of what went into his character, both as a babyface and a heel. He explained, “I always tell people this - when you start wrestling, don’t forget the part you liked as a child… I didn’t know what a good technical wrestler was when I was little - it was the people that made me scream or boo or cheer… You’ve got to be a pantomime villain.” Regal sat and watched theaters and pantomimes to study those on stage to see how they made the crowd react, which bled into his acting skill set.
Although Regal wasn’t born in Blackpool, he ensured that he was billed from Blackpool whenever he came to the ring throughout his career due to the important place it holds within his heart. That makes it even more gratifying for the Blackpool Combat Club to be named as such. It was apparently Jon Moxley’s idea to have this name due to how important Regal was to both he and Bryan Danielson’s careers, with him acting as a mentor for both over the years. The BCC have proven to be a popular act, though there is much further AEW can go with them as a team, with both the AEW Tag Team and Trios Titles available for them to win.
