10 Most Important Wrestlers In NXT History

10. William Regal

William Regal is one of the most respected wrestling personalities in the world. A globetrotting veteran, he was a near-flawless performer for three whole decades, and he’s now universally-admired for his dedication to the wrestling business.

That’s not why he’s here, though. William Regal only wrestled a couple of matches in NXT, but his all-round contribution to the product cannot be denied. His match - and feud - with Kassius Ohno was a real highlight of NXT’s early TV shows, and a compelling reason to tune in while the brand was finding its feet. They wrestled in April 2013, working a classic, hard-hitting European style reminiscent of Regal’s mid-career wars with Finlay in WCW.

Regal’s most notable NXT performance came that November, however. His match with Cesaro was an outstanding display of technical wrestling, and a callback to Regal’s peak performance years. It’s just a single match, but it was absolutely vital in drawing early eyes to NXT, and many first time viewers became long-term fans there and then.

Moreover, Regal is currently invaluable in his role as NXT’s General Manager, trainer, and talent scout. Regal’s conservative, restrained role on NXT TV supplements the action rather than detracts from it, and he’s been invaluable in bringing some of NXT’s most highly-thought-of superstars through the ranks.

Though his in-ring role was limited, Regal’s impact on NXT cannot be downplayed.