William Regal Discusses the New UK Championship
Willian Regal recently sat down with WhatCulture Wrestling to discuss the new WWE United Kingdom Championship as well as rumoured restrictions on wrestlers from working with other promotions:
“[the future of the UK Championship] To be determined. There is going to be a champion after that tournament and he will be the first UK WWE Champion and then we will see where it goes from there. I’m sure by the tournament we will know. I got a good idea now, I’m one of the two or three people who know now. This is a very exciting time for us.”
“There is zero restriction on anybody working anywhere, except for these companies who won’t let these fellas work for that one. They are free agents, just as long as we need them for certain dates, we’ll give them plenty of notice. This is not the “Big bad Wolf” coming in to try and take away everything from anybody. This is to give these fellas, who we think are the best, some money in their pockets.”
Click below for more of WhatCulture’s interview with the NXT GM.
Reaction to WWE’s International Expansion
NJPW and Bushiroad owner Takaai Kidani recently spoke out against WWE’s sudden international expansion:
“WWE strategy 1: raise roughly 2 billion Yen from the network to create a network of global territories and tie up talent. It’s very possible WWE purchase a promotion in Japan. WWE are shoring up their network because of cable cutters and prevalence of streaming, meaning declining TV ratings. The cable TV structure as is will collapse in the US within 3-5 years. There are many reasons for WWE to create local territories. It cuts cost just to send talent on international tours and not the whole infrastructure. WWE are only functionally profitable in the US, Canada and UK. they have TV elsewhere but that’s all. By creating territories, they’re able to actually create products with awareness of cultural differences and characteristics of markets. WWE have had difficulty in creating new stars. By going to local territories and broadcasting them, they can create network stars. WWE are taking big gambles, in IT for one. This isn’t the platform to discuss NJPW strategy fully but we will announce something soon. We are entering a phase where you are either with WWE or against them. WWE have a lot of weaknesses and time is not on their side.”