William Regal
It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.Collection: Great
It doesn't matter how good you are, it's about connecting with your audience. It doesn't matter how technically good you are, if nobody wants to watch you then you're no good to anybody.
I'm making a fresh start. That's another reason for the name change from Lord Steven Regal to William Regal here in the WWF.
One man won't make a difference against sixty.
I'd go to war for John Cena.
Life is just experience, whether it's good or bad, whatever you're doing you should learn from it if you've got the right kind of mindset.
I've made more with John Cena just by being John Cena that anyone else I've ever met. He works harder than anyone I've ever met, 30 hours a day, 500 days a year and will do anything and everything that is asked of him and couldn't possibly work harder. He is a mega draw.
Above anything else - above family or job - the main thing is staying sober. That's because without being sober, I don't have a family.
My little niece used to call me and say 'I like watching that Uncle Darren, can I have a T-shirt of AJ Lee' and I went 'they don't make any' and it just struck me. We have Rey Mysterio for little boys. But we don't have anything for little girls.
I hadn't slept in 20 years. I would sleep a couple hours a night, and I went from specialist to specialist and they could never find out why.
When I was younger wrestling in England, I used to go to a lot of countries on my own a lot of time.
There's people that have all these other qualities, but if you've got a spiteful streak, that will take you to realms people have no concept of.
Dave Taylor, who was my tag partner in WWE, had a wrestling school close to where we both lived in Georgia for a while.
When I wasn't wrestling, I was always at the circus or at a show watching all these people - 'how do they make their stuff work for their audience?' That used to fascinate me as a child.
You find a lot out about people when they're blowing up, as we say, gasping for air, and if they can still hold conversations and be polite.
You have to be able to work as a unit sometimes, in the ring when you're wrestling other people.
The camaraderie between the athletes is a joy to behold sometimes, because they all help each other along.
The Performance Center features seven training rings, a state-of-the-art gym and nearly every piece of equipment a future WWE superstar could need to sharpen their body and their mind.
There are only so many wrestlers that can actually look and act the part, and do whatever they have to do in WWE, and that's a lesson to be learnt for a lot of wrestlers, you need to look the part. If you don't, there is very little chance of you making it here.
I'm asked all the time who the next big thing is in NXT and I always say I'm not going to say because it puts too much pressure on them.
I saw there was an open market because everything was pushed towards young boys, but we had nothing for young girls. That was a role that could be filled, and finding Bayley helped.
The only place to get better is to work in front of a crowd every night, that's when you'll find what really works and what doesn't.
With NXT there are always going to be a few people who are still developing because that's what NXT is, but that's really exciting because you get to see them thrown into the deep end.
I'm not lying in any way, British fans are the best in the world.
I remember the original injury happening in 1993, when I first was in WCW, and I've had a few neck injuries since, but with no pain. There was some pain, here and there, but not much. Eventually, it turned into a major problem, with my legs not moving well, so I had to have surgery done.
I'm not one of those people desperate to get in the ring again.
Something was causing me not to be able to sleep, and then after a while your brain doesn't want to turn off and go to sleep. And so it was constant battle with that. But as soon as I had the neck surgery, I started sleeping again.
If you've got the talent it'll shine through.
If it was one person I could have a bout with, it would be Jack Pye, the Doncaster Panther. A mythical wrestler obviously from Doncaster who lived in Blackpool.
I've never had a big role at any WrestleMania, but I've been at 11-odd. Just to be there is special - the week beforehand and all the promotions and stuff.
People from the beginning of time have always loved to watch two people in competition with each other. You go back to the gladiatorial shows, there's just something about it.
I'm a wrestling fan - before I was a wrestler, I was a wrestling fan. I like watching wrestling.
I know everything that's out there that's worth knowing about.
I want to keep all the comedy to interviews and outside-the-ring work.
When I get in the ring, I get to work very aggressively and solid, whereas with the Lord thing there were a lot of facials and stuff like that.
People saw I was in horrendous shape when I was in the WWF. They suggested I go into rehab. I was in that much denial.
If you can roll at every angle, it becomes second nature to protect yourself when you fall.
Jerry Brisco, who is a WWE Hall of Famer, goes out and scouts all of the amateur wrestling.
I've always just took notice of what's going on in the wrestling business and who the younger fellas are, and younger ladies, that are interested in this.
Over time, your face hardens up and you just look more like a fighter.
There's nothing wrong with having a bit of fun as long as I continue to do my duties as General Manager.
There are so few who are men worthy of praise in this dreadful life: Mr. McMahon is one who immediately comes to mind; Billy Shakespeare is another, Bob Barker, god rest his soul - wait, he's not passed yet has he? Drat, take that one off, I suppose.
I have only put my reputation on the line three times with people, Cesaro being one of them.
Unfortunately, sometimes the unexpected can be something that you wish you never encountered.
WWE has always been committed to promoting wrestling talent in India.
I used to work on Blackpool Pleasure Beach when I started wrestling.
I went off the rails for a few years with drink and different things.
We value the independent wrestling scene, and it's our goal to strengthen it.
In the 1995 'World War 3,' it was Dave Taylor's first WCW match. I remember looking across the ring and seeing Dave give Hogan an uppercut. Hogan wasn't used to being hit with such ferocity, and seeing the look on his face was an absolute picture.
If there's an opportunity open that leads to an even bigger opportunity, you're going to take it.