William Regal and The Blackpool Combat Club recently took a hilarious photo together following AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. Now Regal has provided some context for the “utter madness” behind the photograph.
On the latest episode of the Gentleman Villain podcast, William Regal went in-depth on where the idea for the Blackpool Combat Club’s photo-op came from.
“Yes. So the gentleman that took it, and I apologize because everybody knows that meets me now knows that it takes me a long time to remember people’s names. He’s an English gentleman, the photographer, please look him up the picture of the original the black and white one because he needs credit for it,” William Regal said. “He just asked me about it, and Madness were a huge part of my life.
“I went through all kinds of different youth cultures when the second revival of ska because the original ska was 1968 through 1970, and then it was always around. But then there was a second coming of ska after it sort of left in the late 70s, and Madness are one of those bands that just go on in Britain. I mean, they’ve had a few hits in America, but nothing like they were there. They’re a national treasure in Britain. And so when he asked me to do — it’s off an album of theirs, One Step Beyond — to do the Madness thing, I was all for it. So yes, go and listen to Madness. Listen to One Step Beyond. If your feet don’t start moving, then there’s something wrong with you.”
The photographer in question, which Regal mentioned above, is All Elite Wrestling’s Robyn Goding aka Beyond Gorilla. in regards to getting everyone in Blackpool Combat Club together for the photo, Regal joked that he just told everyone that it was “a British thing.”
WrestleZone’s own Bill Pritchard recently spoke to Ring of Honor Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta, and the subject of this photograph came up. You can check out what Yuta had to say about it by clicking here.
ONE STEP BEYOND…
By Beyond Gorilla.Had this idea with @RealKingRegal a little while ago. Such a pleasure to work with. https://t.co/3WlC8qlHhh pic.twitter.com/ejslcdWp9A
— Beyond Gorilla – Robyn Goding (@BeyondGorilla_) July 14, 2022
What do you make of William Regal’s comments? Are you surprised about where the idea for this photo came from? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the Gentleman Villain Podcast with a link back to this article for the transcription.
