John Layfield
- This article is about the professional wrestler. For the seventeenth century theologian, please see John Layfield (theologian).
| John Layfield | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 29, 1966 Sweetwater, Texas |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | John "Bradshaw" Layfield JBL Bradshaw Vampiro Americano Death Mask John Hawk Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw "Blackjack" Bradshaw |
| Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (194 cm) |
| Billed weight | 290 lb (130 kg) |
| Billed from | New York City |
| Trained by | Brad Rheingans |
| Debut | 1992 |
| Retired | 2006 |
John Charles Layfield (born November 29, 1966) is an American former professional wrestler. He is currently working for World Wrestling Entertainment as a color commentator on WWE Friday Night SmackDown!. He is better known as his wrestling persona John "Bradshaw" Layfield, or "JBL".
The JBL persona is based largely on JBL's real-life accomplishments outside the ring. Known as a successful stock market guru, Layfield is a regular feature on Fox News and previously on CNBC. He has also written a best-selling book on financial planning called Have More Money Now (ISBN 0743466330). While Layfield continues to perform for WWE, he also hosts a nationally-syndicated weekend talk radio program discussing his conservative political views. Layfield was forced to retire from the ring in 2006 due to a back injury.
Early career
Layfield was born in Sweetwater, Texas. Prior to his professional wrestling career, Layfield was a successful football player for Abilene Christian University collegiately. There have been claims that he played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Raiders, but he is not listed on the team's all-time roster. He is also said to have had a short stint in the Canadian Football League.
John Layfield was trained initially by Brad Rheingans and first started wrestling in the now-defunct Global Wrestling Federation in Texas in 1992. His first gimmick was as Johnny Hawk, the cousin of the famous Windham brothers. Though the Windhams are also from Sweetwater, Layfield is not actually related to them. He formed the "Texas Mustangs" with Bobby Duncum, Jr., and they quickly won the tag team titles but dropped them to Ian & Axl Rotten (Bad Breed). Layfield also won the NWA North American Title, defeating Kevin Von Erich. Two months later, he lost the NWA North American Title to Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.
WWE Career As An Active Wrestler-1995-2006
After three and a half years touring the independent circuit in various forgettable guises, Layfield first appeared in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw in late 1995. His initial gimmick was that of a sadistic cowboy/mountain man, similar in tone to Stan Hansen. After victories, he would brand his opponents with the symbol "JB." Of course, the brand was in ink, rather than being seared into the flesh. Managed by Uncle Zebekiah, the character fizzled out by the end of the year, perhaps remembered only for a feud with Savio Vega and a match with Fatu which he won in eight seconds. Layfield then quickly paired up with his (storyline) cousin Barry Windham to form "The New Blackjacks," complete with the traditional "Blackjack" gimmicks of handlebar moustaches and short, jet black hair. The heritage was there, as the Blackjacks were a team of Windham's father WWE Hall of Famer Blackjack Mulligan and Layfield's uncle Hall of Famer Blackjack Lanza.
The Acolytes 1998-2004
Windham's injuries piled up throughout 1997, so the team disbanded, and Layfield wrestled only occasionally on TV as a generic brawler simply called "Bradshaw," sometimes teaming with fellow Texan Terry Funk. In late 1998, Bradshaw teamed alongside former World Championship Wrestling (WCW) World Champion Faarooq as a last ditch effort by the WWF to salvage both men's careers to form the powerhouse tag team Hell's Henchmen, managed by the Jackal. This would be the formation of one of the most physically devastating tag-teams in WWF history. Eventually the Jackal left the WWF, and Bradshaw and Faarooq joined the Undertaker's new Ministry of Darkness alliance under the name The Acolytes, along with other various wrestlers. The Ministry went on to feud with the Corporation. As part of the Ministry, Bradshaw feuded with Ken Shamrock. The Ministry would be defeated by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and the Undertaker went on hiatus, so Bradshaw and Faarooq's dark gimmick faded.
The duo turned face to become cigar-smoking, bar-brawlers-for-hire. In jeans and t-shirts, Bradshaw and Faarooq became the Pulp Fiction-inspired Acolytes Protection Agency (APA), with a motto of "We need beer money."
The duo was often seen in the backrooms of arenas with a trademark poker table and later a framed doorway comically in the middle of the often large, open aired hallways, but they would insist that anyone entering the space use the door. Occasionally, if the "room" was destroyed in one arena, it was setup exactly as it was destroyed at the next arena, pushing continuity through time and space for comic effect. As a team, they won the WWF Tag Team Titles three times. Bradshaw even won the European Championship in October 2001, holding it for nine days.
In early 2002, Bradshaw and Faarooq split due to the WWE Draft. During this split, Bradshaw became a multiple-time Hardcore Champion. He won that title a total of eighteen times.
In September 2002, Layfield suffered a torn left biceps at a house show event. He was out of action for six months until returning to Ohio Valley Wrestling and then a few weeks later to the active roster of the WWE. He returned on an episode of SmackDown!, which saw him and his old friend Faarooq saving the Undertaker from the hands of Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli. Layfield returned with a new look, cutting his long hair and not dying it black, and shaving his facial hair. After that, he and Faarooq competed for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
The APA have had several Tag Team Title reigns, in WWE and Ohio Valley Wrestling. They were also known within the WWE to be "enforcers" when it came to sending a message to wrestlers who caused problems backstage.
Despite Layfield turning his back on Ron Simmons (Faarooq) in early 2004 in the storylines, the two remain close friends to this day. Simmons was even the best man at Layfield's second wedding.
JBL
2004
The APA gimmick continued on-and-off until early 2004, when Faarooq was fired in storyline (in actuality he retired) from WWE after losing a tag team "You're Fired" Match in Boston. Then-SmackDown! General Manager Paul Heyman allowed Layfield to stay, saying SmackDown! needed Layfield's business sense.
Layfield changed his gimmick overnight to a posh, conservative New York City businessman, adding his Bradshaw nickname to his real-life name John Layfield, or "JBL" for short. This is partially based on his outside the ring financial success and political views. The gimmick involved Layfield embracing and flaunting his financial success as detailed in his book Have More Money Now. His new look quickly earned him boos, due to the fact that he had turned on Faarooq by default. Fans also took this new attitude as Layfield selling out his roots and moving away away from the beer drinking, working class brawler persona that many fans related to when he was part of the APA. As part of the gimmick, he rides a white "Longhorn" limo to the ring and wears $2,000 10-gallon hats. His gimmick change was accompanied by a dramatic rise in overall status, with Layfield moving from his spot in the lower midcard to pay-per-view main events within the span of a month, in the stead of the departing Brock Lesnar and injured SmackDown!'s top heels Kurt Angle and Big Show.
At Judgment Day 2004, JBL defeated the late Eddie Guerrero via disqualification in a bloody WWE Title match.
JBL went on to win the WWE Championship controversially from Guerrero on June 27, 2004 at the WWE Great American Bash pay-per-view, where the initial decision of Guerrero's victory was reversed during the Texas Bull Rope Match by then General Manager Kurt Angle, awarding the match and the title to JBL. JBL won a rematch in a cage two weeks later in Providence, Rhode Island, again with Angle's assistance.
JBL won several squash matches in the following weeks. After claiming he wouldn't be defending the title at SummerSlam 2004, Undertaker challenged JBL for the title. Around this time, JBL hired Orlando Jordan to help him in title matches. JBL won the match by disqualification. Prompted by JBL being given a chokeslam through the roof of his limo by the Undertaker after the match, JBL wore a halo (complete with his cowboy hat on top) for the next few weeks to sell his "injuries". General Manager Theodore Long then booked a "Last Ride Match" for the title at No Mercy. JBL hired former Ministry members Gangrel and Viscera to take down the Undertaker, to no avail. At No Mercy, JBL retained the title with some help from John Heidenreich.
Though JBL held the title for many months, every title match was won controversially. On November 14, 2004, JBL defeated Booker T to retain his WWE Championship by hitting Booker in the face with the title belt when the referee was knocked out. JBL got by Guerrero, Booker T, and the Undertaker in a Fatal Four Way at the Armageddon pay-per-view in December after interference by Heidenreich, who incapacitated the Undertaker, allowing JBL to take advantage and hit Booker with the Clothesline From Hell to get the pinfall victory.
The "JBL" character at first mimicked the actions of a JR Ewing-style businessman running for office (campaign speeches, kissing babies, etc., which fit with the 2004 Election Cycle) but then started referring to himself as a "Wrestling God", much to the on-screen disdain of RAW's then-World Champion Triple H.
During JBL's time as WWE Champion, he employed "staff" to work for him. The stable was named The Cabinet. At its peak, the stable contained Orlando Jordan, who was JBL's "Chief-of-Staff." Doug and Danny Basham were his "Co-Secretaries of Defense" until "quitting" the Cabinet on the June 16, 2005 episode of SmackDown! Amy Weber was also a member, being JBL's image consultant, but later left WWE due to alleged harassment. The WWE explained Weber's absence by saying that JBL "fired" her after an episode of SmackDown! taped in Japan. That episode saw Weber accidentally shoot JBL with a tranquilizer gun. Jordan is the only member not announced to have left the group, though mention of the term cabinet went on hiatus after SummerSlam 2005 and Orlando was released from the WWE in May 2006.
2005
JBL's luck continued in early 2005, and on January 30 at the Royal Rumble, he snuck past both Big Show and Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat Match when he pinned Angle after the Clothesline From Hell. He once again emerged with his title intact from the WWE's first-ever Barbed-Wire Steel Cage Match at No Way Out on February 20, 2005 against Big Show. JBL won the match when Big Show chokeslammed JBL off the top rope through the ring. JBL managed to crawl out from under the ring apron before Show could make it to the floor, winning the match by escape. On the next edition of SmackDown!, JBL had a "Celebration of Excellence" in which he and his Cabinet celebrated the fact that he was the longest-reigning WWE Champion in ten years (since Diesel).
On April 3, 2005, JBL lost the WWE Title to John Cena at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles. His unbroken nine-month championship reign was billed as the longest in a decade, lasting 280 days. (Cena's Championship reign would last for 280 days as well, and Diesel's aforementioned title reign lasted for 358 days.) JBL later came out the victor in a four-way elimination match against Big Show, Booker T, and Kurt Angle to gain number one contender's status for Cena's title but was once again defeated by Cena at Judgment Day on May 22, 2005, this time in another very bloody "I Quit" Match. He would continue to get ribbed by Cena and other wrestlers for saying "I Quit" over the next period of months, the first of which being when Cena showed a "tribute" video which basically repeated his quitting a thousand times, then calling him the most celebrated quitter in WWE history.
On June 12, 2005, Layfield appeared at the WWE-promoted ECW One Night Stand 2005 pay-per-view as an anti-ECW "crusader." In the course of the night, however, he stiffed Brian Heffron (The Blue Meanie), genuinely reopening legitimate cuts that Heffron had sustained two days earlier at another event. WWE capitalized on the situation by re-signing Heffron to a short-term contract. On the July 7, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, Heffron was reunited with his old Blue World Order associates Nova and Steven Richards and he defeated Layfield with the help of the World Heavyweight Champion Batista, who had now been drafted to SmackDown! as Cena had been drafted to RAW.
Layfield and Batista then met in a match at The Great American Bash on July 24, 2005 for the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL won the match via disqualification after the champion Batista hit him and his Chief of Staff Orlando Jordan in the head with a steel chair. It was originally planned that Batista would defeat JBL at the pay-per-view. However, Batista's likely SummerSlam opponent Muhammad Hassan was now no longer allowed to appear on television by UPN (the network on which SmackDown! appears), so instead WWE booked JBL to win by disqualification in order to continue the feud. [citation needed]
The following Tuesday taping, JBL faced the Undertaker for the right to be named the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL won due to interference from the Undertaker's rival Randy Orton and would face Batista in a rematch for the title at the SummerSlam pay-per-view on August 21, 2005. On the following week's SmackDown!, during the contract signing, Batista allowed JBL to choose the stipulation for the title rematch. This prompted him to make the encounter a "No Holds Barred" match.
At SummerSlam 2005, Batista and JBL did indeed face each other in a "No Holds Barred" match which saw both wrestlers take full advantage of the stipulation. At one point, Batista even speared JBL through the security barrier at ringside. In the end, Batista hit JBL with two Batista Bombs, one on the ring and another on the steel ring steps, a reminder of how he defeated Triple H two months prior. JBL was pinned, and Batista retained his title. JBL then lost another rematch with Batista on the September 9, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, this time a Texas Bullrope Match (the same match JBL won the WWE title in), and was therefore ruled out of title contention.
On the September 16, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown!, JBL lost to Rey Mysterio, Jr. and afterwards hired Jillian Hall to "fix" his career. This began a winning streak and feud with Rey Mysterio. At WWE Homecoming, JBL was involved in the SmackDown! vs. RAW brawl to end the show. At No Mercy on October 9, 2005, JBL defeated Rey Mysterio and got revenge from his earlier loss to Rey.
JBL then teamed up with Rey Mysterio in the SmackDown! versus RAW rivalry with Chris Masters and Edge. He was named one of the superstars whom fans could vote in to face Edge and Masters at 2005's Taboo Tuesday event. Though he wasn't chosen, he later defeated Chris Benoit on November 10, 2005 with the help of Booker T to become a member of "Team Smackdown!" to face "Team RAW" at Survivor Series on November 27, 2005. JBL lasted throughout most of the Survivor Series match, helping his team to victory. On SmackDown! in December, he helped Booker T defeat Matt Hardy. He later beat Matt Hardy at the Armaggedon PPV. He showed up at the "Tribute to the Troops" as "Bad Santa" where he lost to the good Santa Mick Foley.
2006
On the February 24, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, he suffered a broken hand at the hands of Chris Benoit in a six man tag team match, and WWE.com announced that he underwent successful surgery. Layfield was in fact having surgery to remove a non-cancerous cyst.
Layfield would return and feud with Chris Benoit defeating him for his WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 22. During this time, Jillian Hall would remain at the side of JBL until the April 21, 2006 edition of SmackDown! when JBL fired Jillian Hall, due to Hall's inability to help JBL defend his title during a JBL/Benoit steel cage rematch the week before (which JBL was still able to win) as well as her lack of putting together an "appropriate" celebration for him.
JBL, while still US Champion went on to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL would try to weaken then champion Rey Mysterio in the weeks leading up to his title match as Mysterio would face off against any opponent of JBL's choosing. Mysterio was defeated by Mark Henry and squashed by The Great Khali in non title singles matches before facing RAW's Kane in a match, that went to a no contest, leading up to the Judgment Day title match. However, Mysterio retained his World Title at Judgment Day using a Frog Splash to pin the United States Champion, JBL.
On the May 26 edition of SmackDown!, JBL lost the US Title to Bobby Lashley and also lost another attempt at the World Title, stating before hand that if he lost that match he would quit SmackDown! which he lost. However, JBL later stated that he did not have a formal contract with Teddy Long going into the match and that he did not intend to leave SmackDown!. This angle, however, was used to give JBL time off wrestling due to his serious back injury.
Retirement, Smackdown Color Commentator 2006-present
At ECW One Night Stand 2006 JBL made an appearance and insulted the crowd. He then insulted Tazz and announced that he would take Tazz's place as the new color commentator for SmackDown. He made his debut as a heelish commentator on the June 16th edition of Smackdown. With this time off, JBL is consulting with doctors to determine if his back injury will prevent him from ever wrestling again. However, it is likely that his injuries are too serious to allow him to wrestle a full time schedule. Even if doctors clear him to wrestle, it's unclear if Layfield will ever make a return to the ring since he has many outside projects that occupy his time. Among his outside endevors, he recently got a job as an investment banker in New York City. He also has told friends that as of now he is "fat, happy, busy, and retired."
Controversy
Munich Germany
Many observers considered Layfield's future in WWE to be in doubt after an incident that occurred during a WWE house show in Munich, Germany, on June 5, 2004. In an attempt to draw a negative reaction, he gave the crowd several Nazi salutes and goose-stepped around the ring. Such a display, if used to incite riots or for other political purposes, is illegal in Germany. However, since the display was intended as part of the showmanship of wrestling, it was not illegal, despite ongoing claims by members of the Internet Wrestling Community; and so no action was taken. This incident was referred to by Michael Cole on the June 30, 2006 edition of Smackdown!. Layfield responded by telling Cole that his remark was "not funny."
On June 8, 2004, CNBC, which had recently hired Layfield to regularly appear on one of its shows after he had become prominent as a financial commentator, terminated its relationship with Layfield for his actions in Munich. (It should be noted NBC Universal was in the process of acquiring WWE television rights at the time.) However, Layfield's actions did not prevent WWE from putting its championship belt on him. Some have even speculated that it was this incident which encouraged and strengthened the decision to make him WWE champion. Shortly thereafter, he was rehired by Fox News Channel (where he previously did guest appearances) as part of the Saturday morning business block.
Brian Heffron incident and aftermath
At the closing fight in ECW One Night Stand 2005, Layfield got into a legitimate fight with the Blue Meanie, genuinely reopening cuts that Heffron had sustained two days earlier at another event. Layfield and Heffron have had a real-life rivalry for several years, and as a result of the incident, Tracy Smothers challenged Layfield to a shoot fight anywhere at anytime; Layfield has so far failed to respond to this challenge. However, as a result of the controversy caused by Internet exposure of this incident, Heffron was brought in briefly for a regular WWE run, resulting in the short-lived reformation of the Blue World Order on WWE's SmackDown brand. During this time, Heffron surprisingly pinned Bradshaw. World Champ Batista hit JBL with a spinebuster and Heffron moonsulted Bradshaw for the win. For a period of time after the ECW One Night Stand incident with Heffron, Layfield would see a drastic decline in his position on the card, going from main eventer to midcarder. At the 2006 Royal Rumble, he even lost a very quick match to rookie Boogeyman. Well known online wrestling columnist Mr. Tito even speculated at one point that Layfield was being punished for the Heffron incident. However, there is no proof of any connection beteween the Heffron incident and Layfield's status on the card after it took place.
Racial slurs on air
As a color commentator on the show Smackdown! JBL is known to make racial slurs usually insulting Mexicans or other wrestlers of Latino descent, including the Spanish announce team at WWE Pay-Per-Views. However JBL only insults face wrestlers in this way as heel Latinos are often praised by JBL for being "legal citizens" of the United States as a wink at the crowd pertaining to illegal immigration issues. However, Sylvain Grenier is one heel JBL expresses hatred towards, due to his Ambassador-at-large for Quebec gimmick. It should also be noted that Layfield was very good friends with Latino wrestler Eddie Guerrero in real life, with Guerrero even attending his wedding, contradicting his on air antics toward Mexican wrestlers.
Political Views
Layfield is known to hold conservative political views. In particular, he is a staunch supporter of both the 2003 Iraq Invasion and President George W. Bush. Michael Moore, the creator of Fahrenheit 9/11, has often been called "Michael Moron" by Layfield. On the other hand, Layfield also claims to be on friendly terms with liberal radio talk show host Al Franken.
Personal Life
After Layfield's previous marriage ended in divorce, he got a job with Fox News as a stock market analyst. It was here that he met his current wife Merideth Whitney. They live in New York City. They also team up on Layfield's radio show, with Layfield refering to her as his "sidekick". JBL also hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, The John "Bradshaw" Layfield Show, which airs every Saturday with a repeat on every Sunday. He also writes a column on TheStreet.com as a celebrity analyst.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Clothesline from Hell (Clothesline)
- JBL Bomb (Powerbomb)
- Last Call (Fallaway slam)
- Second rope Fallaway slam
- Short-arm clothesline
- Swinging neckbreaker
- Big boot
- DDT
- Combination elbow drops
- Bear hug
- Sleeper hold
- Argentine rack
- Eye poke
- Managers
Championships and accomplishments
- 1-time WWE Champion
- 1-time WWE United States Champion
- 3-time WWF World Tag Team Champions (with Faarooq)
- 18-time WWE Hardcore Champion
- 1-time WWE European Champion
- Sixteenth Triple Crown Champion
- Global Wrestling Federation
- 2-time GWF Tag Team Champion (with Bobby Duncum, Jr., then Black Bart)
- 1-time MCW Tag Team Champion (with Faarooq)
- Ohio Valley Wrestling
- 1-time OVW Southern Tag Team Champion (with Faarooq)
- Other titles
- 1-time NWA North American Heavyweight Champion
- 2-time Catch Wrestling Tag Team Champion (with Fit Finlay, then Cannonball Grizzly)
- PWI ranked him # 496 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- PWI ranked him fifth in PWI Top 500 (2005).
- 2004 Best Gimmick (Rich Businessman)
Championship succession
External links
- 1966 births
- Living people
- People from Abilene, Texas
- American professional wrestlers
- American radio personalities
- Abilene Christian Wildcats football players
- Canadian Football League players
- San Antonio Riders players
- Los Angeles Raiders players
- People from Texas
- Professional athletes who wrestled professionally
- American football offensive linemen
- Entertainers who played football
- Fox News Channel personalities
- Professional wrestling announcers
- American color commentators
- WWE Alumni