Glass Hand Dissolving: William Regal & Bobby Eaton

 

vs The Fantastics (WCW 4/29/1995)

This is interesting because Eaton has a real history with The Fantastics, having gone up against them with Stan Lane in 1988 in a feud that pretty much defines that year of JCP TV. This is 1995; however, Fulton and Rodgers aren't quite what they used to be. Fulton and Regal start things off, and boy I don't like Regal. I've read all of the accolades, watched all the matches, and when he does his make dumb faces in minor holds act, I hate it. This match is about The Blue Bloods working over Rogers. They do a fine job of it. This is a short TV match; the whole match is just building to Fulton getting in there. In 1988, this would have worked, this would have worked at Techwood Drive, but it's 1995, this is Center Stage, and Bobby Fulton is 7 years older. He hits a bunch of suplexes, he and Rogers hit a few double-team moves, but as the referee is shepherding Rogers back to the corner, Fulton attempts a pin. With the referee's back turned, Eaton hits a blindside Alabama Jam, and The Blue Bloods get the win. A perfectly fine match. 

vs The Nasty Boys (WCW 6/17/1995)

The Nastys jump the Blue Bloods before the bell. The Nasties relent and take the higher ground in the ring, and Regal does his not-even-allowed-in-a high-school-play faces on the outside. He hops in the ring and squares off against Knobbs. Regal doesn't offer much offense; both Nasties take turns clubbering him. Regal gets taken to Pity City and, yeah, Regal sells it like he's teaching a pre-K class about the word disgust.  Regal tags in Eaton, even though Regal is standing on the outside. Eaton and Saggs pair off, Regal cheap shots Saggs on the outside, and the tide turns in favor of the Blue Bloods. You really get the duality of Regal in this, because there is a really awesome section where he's grinding this forearm into Saggs' face, but then the second he has to sell it like a F-tier Harold Lloyd. Saggs really spends a lot of time selling here, and you know what he does pretty well. Things turn when Eaton misses a running attack in the corner. He does well enough to get the tag, but the ref doesn't see it, and Saggs has to fight for his life again. He finally gets a legal tag, and Knobbs goes to work. Knobbs takes it, Eaton, and both teams decide to throw out the rules and start brawling in the ring, Harlem Heat join the fray, and the match gets thrown out. Perfectly fine match. 

vs Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater (WCW 9/2/1995)

Slater and Buck are the tag team champions, but the titles aren't on the line. Regal and Slater start things off, and Slater can't muster much offense. Buck tags in, and Regal pulls his faces because Buck smells bad, and tags in Eaton. Eaton gets Buck in an abdominal stretch, but again, the smell is too bad, and he tags in Regal. Regal gets an arm ringer on Buck, and Buck tags in Slater. Buck and Slater just start clubbering Regal after the tag; it is the highlight of the match. Buck throws Regal outside, but Regal gains the advantage after throwing Slater into the guardrail.  Regal goes after Slater in the ring and has him cornered, but Slater shoots a straight up single leg, takes Regal down, and tags in Buck. Near the end of the match, Sheri Martel comes out to put the moves on Col. Robert Parker, and the match takes a backseat to that. Parker crawls into the ring to escape, trips over Regal as he's covering Buck for a pin, and the ref throws the match out. This is a match built around a guy smelling bad, which serves to further an angle that really only involves the manager of one of the teams. Given that set of circumstances, it is another fine match. 

vs Dean Malenko & Chris Benoit (WCW 10/29/1995)

Benoit and Regal start off with some matwork. Benoit tries to monkey flip Regal out of the ring, but that doesn't go very smoothly. From there, Benoit amps up the offense, and Regal has to tag out. From there, Malenko and Eaton go at it for a bit, but not a lot happens until Regal tags in. He and Malenko go after it on the mat; it's high-paced and pretty exciting, plus the pace keeps Regal from making his dumb faces. Eaton gets a cheap shot in from the top rope when the referee is distracted, and that gives The Blue Bloods the advantage. Regal and Eaton exchange tags to add to their advantage; it works for a bit, but Malenko hits a back body drop and tags in Benoit. Benoit is too much for Regal and takes over. He fights for a tombstone, which he eventually nails and follows that up with a flying headbutt. Malenko acts like he's going to come in and run interference so Eaton can't break up the pin, but he doesn't, and then Eaton comes in and breaks up the pin, which then brings Malenko in. I don't know if that was a miscommunication or what was supposed to happen, but either way, it is clunky. Benoit goes for another headbutt, but Regal climbs the ropes and hits a top-rope butterfly suplex, but only gets two. Benoit doesn't really let that move register; he gets up and just goes on offense, he hits a few moves, and he and Regal fight over a dragon suplex. Malenko helps get REgal over with a dropkick, and Benoit gets the bridging pin. I didn't love this. I thought the closing stretch was a bit of a mess, really. 

vs Sting & Lex Luger (WCW 11/13/1995)

Regal and String start things off, and Regal gets to do his grappling and faces routine. Sting overpowers Regal, and he begs off and tags in Eaton. Eaton actually gets some offense in on Sting, but it doesn't last. Sting tags in Luger, and Luger takes it to Eaton. Bobby's had enough, and he tags out. Regal doesn't have much for Luger, and he quickly tags Eaton back in. Regal gets a cheap shot in while Luger is running the ropes, and the Blue Bloods take over. Eaton misses a top rope elbow, and Luger takes the opening to tag in Sting. Sting comes in and clears the house, but quickly things fall apart. All four guys get in the ring, and some miscommunication leads to Regal and Eaton colliding mid-ring, and that's enough to get a three count. Not a great finish, and the execution isn't much better. Luger doesn't shoot Regal off as much as Regal just runs straight at Eaton. Not great, not horrible. 

Verdict

I like Bobby Eaton a lot, but this is 1995, and he's still very good, but he's not quite at his peak. I don't like Regal all that much. I think matches like these bring out the worst in Regal. Nothing here was horrible, but nothing really stood out all that much either.