There have been many great authority figures in wrestling over the year, and two of the most popular throughout history are William Regal and Mick Foley. Both men did a fantastic job in their roles as authority figures, with each man having multiple runs in charge of a show.
RELATED: William Regal's 10 Greatest NXT GM Moments
Their characters were different each time, and that is something that helped to make them so unique. Neither of them played the stereotypical GM like other people did, which helped to make them feel more interesting and memorable. But picking between them in their performances is something that most WWE fans would find tough to do.
10 Mick Foley: The Backstage Segments
Mick Foley did plenty of work as an authority figure inside the ring, but it was truly what he did backstage that made him so great. No other authority figure has made the most of backstage segments like Foley did, with his creativity being fantastic during this time.
Each week his 'office' would pop up in a different place, and that in itself led to great comedy. However, his use of the environment only made the situation even greater, with these being some of the best segments on a stacked show every week.
9 William Regal: Demanded Respect
Most authority figures tend to be disrespected by the wrestlers on the roster every week. This normally creates rivalries for television, but that wasn't the case with William Regal, which is what made him such a fantastic character.
RELATED: 10 Best Heel Authority Figures In Wrestling History
Every talent on the roster respected him, whether he was a heel or a babyface. Regal could have words with different talents such as Samoa Joe or Adam Cole, with them being top heels, all while respecting Regal, which made him feel legitimate.
8 Mick Foley: Birth Of The Cheap Pop
Something that Mick Foley ended up becoming known for over the years was his cheap pop. Coming out to the ring to shout the name of the town ended up being an iconic trick that he would use regularly, and it always got a huge response.
It was a cool moment from his career and something that audiences enjoyed. It helped make all of his appearances important as the fans were instantly made to feel special, which is a crucial part of the product.
7 William Regal: Heel & A Babyface
While it was his time in charge of the black and gold brand that was the most memorable, William Regal also had a great run on Monday Night Raw. During this time he was working as a heel, and Regal was superb in this role as well.
He worked hard to frustrate the fans and other talents, which is something that a great talent is capable of. The fact he was able to do both and make them just as entertaining showcases why he was great in the role.
6 Mick Foley: Making Major Decisions
During Mick Foley's second stint in charge of Monday Night Raw, he was around for some major decisions and moments that would impact the product for a long time. From ushering in the Universal Championship to announcing Bayley's debut, he was heavily involved in the product.
This was more than William Regal on NXT. While Regal also made huge announcements, Foley was guaranteed to be part of the show every week impacting elements of the story, placing more pressure on his shoulders.
5 William Regal: Longer Run
While Mick Foley was impactful during his two stints in charge of the red brand, William Regal's time as an authority figure was much longer. That in itself proves that he was the stronger authority figure because at no point did he feel stale.
RELATED: 8 Times Heel Authority Figures Actually Did The Right Thing
WWE kept him in the position because he did a great job from start to finish. Regal always knew the right thing to say or do to push the NXT wrestlers without hogging the limelight himself, and that is something that is key to any good GM.
4 Mick Foley: Pushing For Talent
Mick Foley didn't just work as a GM on-screen, he also pushed hard for the talent he believed in behind the scenes. This was clear to see with Sheamus and Cesaro. He pushed for them to be featured more and this led to their best of seven series.
In turn, that created The Bar and saved both men's careers in the company, as they were floundering at the time. It showed his passion, and that conveyed on-screen brilliantly as well, which helped even more.
3 William Regal: Built Up NXT
While Mick Foley was impactful in his role, Monday Night Raw was already a well-established show by the time he had his runs in charge. That wasn't the case for NXT. While the third brand had been around for a while, it was during William Regal's run that the show became one of the biggest in wrestling.
Of course, that wasn't just down to him. However, Regal was a prominent feature on the product each week, and that is something that helped create a serious edge to the show, with the idea that someone was in charge every week running things properly.
2 Mick Foley: Funnier
Out of the two wrestlers, there is no doubt that Mick Foley was the funniest. While William Regal has had no problem in making people laugh over the years, but the Hardcore Legend took it to another level. This was particularly clear during his time as commissioner.
RELATED: 10 Funniest Moments Of Mick Foley's Career
This is what made him such a key part of the product at the time. He was involved in a lot of backstage segments, and they were always hilarious, which is what got him over so well within that role and made him memorable.
1 William Regal: Two Strong Runs
Both men were in charge during two different spells. However, Mick's second spell wasn't as impressive, with things not working in the same manner as it had previously. However, when it comes to William Regal, his two separate runs were both brilliant.
He was able to make a tremendous impact on two different shows as vastly unique characters. His ability to mix things up and be fresh is a credit to him and his ability as a performer, which showcased his versatility.
