For most of 2001, William Regal was Vince McMahon's trusted commissioner, the corrupt authority figure the boss could trust to make decisions in his best interest. Regal would punish those stars who spoke ill of Mr. McMahon or those who stood in the way of the boss accomplishing his goals. He peppered the Chairman of the Board with compliments and was the epitome of a kiss ass. When the WCW/ECW Alliance invaded WWE, with Stephanie and Shane McMahon attempting to put their father out of business, several stars defected from Vince's empire to the side of the invaders. One was Regal, whose shocking betrayal not only shook the foundation of WWE but also resulted in Kurt Angle losing the heavyweight title back to the turncoat "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Regal became known as the Alliance Commissioner, the match maker and ruler over any WCW-branded championships. When the WCW/ECW crew lost the Winner Takes All match at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in November, Regal was faced with an uncertain future. He was out of a job but, as Mr. McMahon revealed, he would have one opportunity to remain gainfully employed. All he would have to do is be the first member of his brand new club. That club? The "Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club." Unlike the figurative ass kissing that Regal had done months earlier, the club required it literally, leading to the greatest and most humiliating authority figure downfall in WWE history. The fans roared as Regal leaned forward and delivered a quick peck to the most powerful cheeks in wrestling. A master of comedic storytelling, Regal was able to recover quickly in a way that others may not have been. That he became more vicious and violent than ever before only helped in his bounce back.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
