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With their recent reunion in AEW, much has been made of the relationship between Bryan Danielson and William Regal over the years, with one of the most charming tales of their connection coming from a funny story during the time in which they were both in WWE. Throughout the years, there have been countless stories of pranks and ribs throughout professional wrestling, notably in WWE, although the one shared between Danielson and Regal is one of the more innocent and harmless ones, and it might be a moment which a lot of fans don’t remember due to it taking place on the often-ignored WWE Superstars show.
Bryan Danielson & William Regal Are Great Friends
Whilst the history between Danielson and Regal wasn’t explored overly often in WWE, their recent reconnection in the Blackpool Combat Club faction in AEW has shed more light on their great friendship. Regal was one of the key men in training Danielson in becoming the world-beating professional wrestler he is today, and it is clear to see how proud Regal is of how far Danielson has grown, with him becoming arguably the greatest in-ring technician of this generation.
Both Danielson and Regal are incredibly charming personalities, with them each having a cheeky side outside of their calm and kind nature, with these similarities also being present within the ring too, as Danielson sometimes utilizes some of Regal’s style, with him also notably inheriting the dark red maroon colors that Regal often wore during his career. It is clear how grateful Danielson was and still is for the invaluable training he received from Regal, with their connection over professional wrestling leading them to be close friends both inside and outside the business. This friendship was likely a big part of how and why Danielson was able to play a great prank on Regal in 2011.
William Regal’s “Real Man’s Man” Theme Is Iconic
Back in 1998, Regal signed with the WWE following several years of growth and success in WCW. He was brought in under a peculiar yet infamous gimmick, with him going under the nickname of the ‘Real Man’s Man’. His debut in WWE was accompanied by various vignettes of him doing ‘manly things’ such as squeezing an orange to make his own orange juice, shaving, and doing heavy lifting work. This was also accompanied by the ‘Real Man’s Man’ entrance music, which is up there with the most pompous and comedic themes ever.
It was a silly gimmick, with him even sometimes wearing a hard hat to the ring to showcase his manliness. It was fun whilst it lasted, but it didn’t have legs, unfortunately, especially when Regal was ultimately let go by the company as he entered rehab, before once again joining WCW. Whilst it was short-lived, the music especially is something fans have never forgotten, and similarly, his peers hadn’t either, as this theme was the crux of Danielson’s prank on him in 2011.
William Regal Was Pranked On His Way To A Match With Bryan Danielson
In a nice treat for the fans, especially with WWE being in the UK, William Regal was set to wrestle Danielson on an episode of WWE Superstars. The show was by far one of the worst weekly pieces of programming the company has ever produced, with it often reserved for lower card talent and jobbers, but in November 2011, it was the place in which Regal and Danielson wrestled their final ever match against one another, so the show received a big boost for a change.
As Danielson was waiting in the ring, Regal would enter to his normal music at the time, which would then spontaneously change to the ‘Real Man’s Man’ theme. This very clearly took Regal by surprise, as he was completely stunned in his tracks when it came through the speakers. He wasn’t able to hold back his laughter, and neither was Danielson, with the pair laughing as Regal entered the ring. The music would then transition back into his regular theme, with the pair trying their best to shake off their grinning to turn the match into a more serious affair, although it was clear that they were holding back smiles.
As far as pranks go, this is one of the more wholesome ones, with ‘ribs’ in wrestling often going too far, especially back in the day. The match itself was very enjoyable, but Regal noted that Danielson did a lot of the work due to Regal having issues with his leg, but with Danielson’s terrific technique and brain for the business, he managed to do well at hiding any issues that Regal had, which is another reason as to why he sees Danielson as such an outstanding professional wrestler.