Wrestling fans, it's official; William Regal's time in AEW will be over in January, when he leaves the promotion he joined back in March of 2022 to return to WWE. Tony Khan talked about it during his media call before Ring of Honor Final Battle, Moxley asked him to “run” and MJF followed that up with a Diamond Dallas coldcock to the back of the head that sent him to the hospital.

Citing a desire to play out his “golden years” with his son as a coach in WWE, where his son, Charlie Dempsey, currently works, Khan honored Regal's wishes and declined the option to pick up another the rest of his contract, opening the door for him to return to NXT, as he detailed in his media call as transcribed by The Wrestling Observer.

“Basically, he's got a son who works at another wrestling promotion and he really wanted us at the end of the year when we had the option to renew the contract, he was asking that we would not,” Khan said. “Nothing bad, we were having a great time working together but that this was an opportunity for him to go back and work in his golden years of his career with his son.”

Comparing Regal's situation to his desire to spend time with his mother, who recently suffered multiple strokes, Khan explained that AEW wants to be a family company, and as a result, he will try to accommodate the best situation for families whenever he can.

“Later that week, we had Rampage live in Daily's Place in Jacksonville and I sat with Regal for over 90 minutes in my office afterward,” Khan said. “This was probably the longest in-person talk I ever had with him. We talked and I told him I'll make major sacrifices to this company to do the best thing for you and your family because this is a family-first company. The person I'm releasing later this month, who is still with us through the holidays, has been an essential part of multiple TV stories and is still an essential part of the TV as of tonight and we've done a lot of things to help him create the best situation he can for his family.”

With an end date more or less set for Regal's run in AEW, the only question left to ask ahead of Dynamite was how Khan would optimize his Lordship's exit to set up bigger success down the line. Fortunately, Khan had Tony Schiavone released a “secret” video package filmed two weeks prior that is a real tear-jerker for fans of AEW and WWE alike.

William Regal says goodbye to his AEW wards.

After watching Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli take the ring for a tag team bout against Jake Hager, his hat, and Daniel Garcia ahead of Ring of Honor Final Battle with Jon Moxley ringside, Schiavone took the ring with a microphone to share with the BCC a previously unseen interview he conducted with Regal just after MJF's win at Full Gear.

“Tony we talked about this,” Regal began.” People are only going to see this if something bad happens to me, and when you’re somebody like me, and spend your life being as horrible as I have, you’re expecting something bad to happen. Well MJF, I took great exception to what he did to you and he seems to be bad about emails and complaining, so I gave him what he wanted: he’s World Champion. You know that old saying Tony, be careful what you wish for? Cause now, everybody in this company is gonna be chasing him.”

“I realized several months ago that the three members of the Blackpool Combat Club don’t need me anymore, I’m a surplus to requirements, as they say. But I knew they wouldn’t let me go, so I needed to show the why they don’t need me and I needed to show them why they can teach Wheeler to be the best professional wrestler in the world, because they’ve all got that capability. But you have to lead by example, hopefully, and I know he will, because Jon Moxley is a very, very calculating man, he’ll understand this, the reason I did what I did and to lead by example is to teach you the final thing I could teach you: always stay one step ahead and always keep eyes in the back of your head. I’m Blackpool Combat Club until the day I die, fellas, it’s been emotional.”

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Without a dry eye left in the arena, Moxley was given the microphone to address the situation and delivered a rousing speech that should get fans hyped for the rest of the wrestling being presented by Khan this week.

“All I know is one thing for sure, the three men in this ring live and breathe for the sport of professional wrestling,” Moxley said. “You can call us whatever you want, but December 10th, Ring of Honor Final Battle, this war with the Jericho Appreciation Society, it is over, these men make a statement. This Friday night on Rampage, I make a statement, I’m gonna challenge any wrestler in the world to come right here in this ring and find out just where you stand in the foot chain. This Friday on Rampage, I make a statement, at Final Battle, they make a statement. Pro wrestling is about to make a serious statement.”

Welp, Khan said in his ROH media call that he wanted to book bigger matches for Rampage; Moxley Unleashed certainly falls into that category.