Former WWE Star Recalls Stiff Chairshot To JBL

When someone gets told “just lay it in” by someone like JBL, you know you’re going to have to give your best shot!

In the world of wrestling, it’s generally known that you don’t want to be a “stiff” wrestler who lays everything too hard on your opponent. With a fine margin between connecting to create the realism and not causing any injury, it’s part of the art form of the business.

However, on some occasions wrestlers will be happy to take the shots how they need to in order for it to look as real as possible. That’s what happened when Stevie Richards had to give a chairshot to JBL during a brawl with the BWO, and it’s something Richards felt bad about doing.

In a discussion with Chris Van Vliet, Stevie Richards discussed the chairshot and how he’s pleased everything turned out alright.

You guys with this chair shot. I still feel really bad about that. I mean, we’re laughing about it. But you know, I really do. I mean, John laughs about it now to thank God, but, you know, that’s not what we’re in the business for and you know, people can think the way they want to think.

Continuing on, Richards spoke about how he tried to get JBL to start in a better position to take the shot, but was instead told to just lay it in.

I’m talking to John and I said, ‘Dude, you’re so tall, I don’t know if I can hit you properly with the chair with you standing.’ The dude’s like, what? 6 foot 6, 300 pounds, he’s a monster. I asked him, ‘Is there any way you can be on one knee or something where I can get you?’ And he was like, ‘No, no, just lay it in, no big deal.’

He was totally cool about it. So even in my mind, I knew he’s way up there. I’m not going to be able to hit him fully with the seat. I never knew it was going to be what it was. But I knew it was going to be a live round to some extent that he was going to get.

With thanks to Inside The Ropes for the transcription.