2. 'Goodwill Ambassador' Gimmick Was Vince McMahon's Idea
Something WWE are regularly critiqued on by fans is how they treat wrestlers, but when William Regal was forced to check into rehab in 1999, he says the company paid for everything, even though he wasn't under contract. It's something the grappler has never forgotten, and was thankful for the relatively smooth transition from rehab back into the wrestling industry. Looking to shake things up, it was Vince McMahon who first approached Regal about playing the camp 'Goodwill Ambassador' gimmick in the promotion, even promising to make him an on-screen authority figure whilst he acclimatised back into a full-time wrestling role. As history would dictate, the act was well-suited to Regal, who seemed to enjoy being a smiling heel who genuinely thought he was out to help people and give the audience what they wanted. The best heels are often those who really get into the character, and that's something Regal clearly did when he returned in 2000.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
