Professional Wrestler “Mr. Electricity” Steve Regal Dead At 73
Sad news came down the wire this Monday: “Mr Electricity” Stephen Michael Regal passed away earlier this year at the age of 73. While the rest of the world is just catching up now, Regal actually left us back in late July at his home in Greenwood, Indiana. It’s a quiet exit for a man whose nickname promised high voltage, but perhaps that’s fitting for a guy who knew exactly when to walk away from the spotlight.
A Career For Mr Electricity Sparked by Chance
If you grew up watching the territories in the ’80s, you were familiar with Mr. Electricity. Regal’s entry into the squared circle wasn’t your typical story of a lifelong dream. He was a contractor in Indiana who just happened to be the son-in-law of wrestling legend Wilbur Snyder. Snyder needed a ring built. Regal built it. Then he started hauling it around to shows. Next thing you know, he’s refereeing, and before long, he’s taking bumps himself.
Mr Electricity cut his teeth in the AWA, a land where the winters were cold but the wrestling was hot. It was there that Regal found his stride. He wasn’t the biggest guy in the locker room—standing 6’0″ in an era of giants—but he could go.
His most memorable run came when he teamed up with “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin. In a moment that remains etched in AWA history, the duo managed to topple the mighty Road Warriors for the Tag Team titles. If you know anything about Hawk and Animal in the mid-80s, you know they didn’t lose often, and they certainly didn’t make it look pretty for their opponents. For Regal and Garvin to sneak away with the gold was a testament to their ability to generate heat and get the job done.
Chasing Gold and Paving the Way
Regal wasn’t just a tag team specialist; the man could work a singles match with the best of them. The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) paid tribute to him this week, highlighting his reign as the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion in 1986. He defeated Denny Brown for the strap, a victory that solidified his place as one of the premier junior heavyweights of his time.
The NWA put it best in their statement on X regarding Mr. Electricity
Mr. Electricity eventually made his way to the WWF (now WWE) in 1986, teaming with Terry Gibbs to face the likes of Junkyard Dog and George Steele. It wasn’t a main-event run like Hulk Hogan’s or Savage’s, but Regal was there, doing the work, making guys look good, and keeping the show rolling.
Knowing When to Fold ‘Em
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Mr. Electricity wasn’t a championship belt or a specific match. It was his exit strategy. In a business notorious for guys hanging on way past their expiration date, wrestling in high school gyms until their knees give out, Regal had the good sense to call it a day around age 40.
In a 2021 interview, he was candid about it. He didn’t want to be a broken-down old timer. He wanted to be there for his family, physically and mentally. He saved his money, bought a house, and transitioned into a sales job. He lived a normal life after the circus left town. That’s a victory more rare in pro wrestling than a clean finish in a cage match.
Final Thoughts
So here’s to “Mr. Electricity.” He might not be on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling, but he was a damn good hand who entertained a lot of people, won some gold, and got out with his health and his dignity intact. That’s a Hall of Fame life in my book. Rest easy, champ.
