William Regal criticizes modern wrestlers over in-ring performance

WWE veteran William Regal has criticized modern professional wrestlers for a perceived decline in the quality of in-ring storytelling, specifically regarding pin attempts and kick-outs.

In a social media post, the 58-year-old veteran urged performers across all promotions to treat these moments with more intensity. Regal argued that because wrestlers portray trained fighters, the mechanics of a pin—such as aggressively stacking shoulders and covering an opponent—must look convincing to avoid insulting the audience's intelligence.

Regal cited an early 2000s match between AJ Styles and Amazing Red as a gold standard, noting that in that era, performers executed pins and escapes as if their lives depended on it. He suggested that this level of attention to detail has been lost over the last two decades.