JBL Explains Why Last WWE Run Influenced His Pro Wrestling Return
The WWE Hall of Famer JBL has a good reason why he is getting involved in other pro wrestling companies.
There has been an unexpected return in pro wrestling this summer as former WWE Champion and Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) has made his presence felt at numerous pro wrestling shows that aren’t WWE.
At the TNA Emergence PLE on August 30th, JBL shockingly appeared at the end of the broadcast to say something to the TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth, who fans know also as former WWE superstar Dolph Ziggler.
Since then, JBL has also made appearances at shows run by AAA in Mexico, Al Snow’s OVW, and MLW. At the AAA show, he was by Nemeth’s side once again.
In the main event of TNA Victory Road on September 13th, Nic Nemeth successfully defended the TNA World Title against the former champion Moose. Nemeth had some backup because JBL nailed Moose’s allies Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards with huge clotheslines outside the ring to prevent them from interfering. Nemeth would go on to retain his title.
While it’s unlikely that Layfield will wrestle again since he retired in 2009, he does appear to be in good shape at 57 years old. After retiring as a wrestler, Layfield spent many years as a WWE announcer calling matches and also appearing on pre-shows for WWE PLEs.
JBL Says Storyline Involving WWE’s Baron Corbin Factored Into His Pro Wrestling Return
It was in October 2022 when JBL appeared on Raw regularly serving as a mentor/manager for Baron Corbin. The storyline didn’t get much of a reaction, so WWE pulled the plug on it in February 2023 and that was the end of Layfield’s return to television.
John Bradshaw Layfield recently appeared on Huge Pop Radio with Donnie DaSilva and former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas to talk about his pro wrestling comeback. Layfield made it clear that he wants to do more in pro wrestling.
“I hope to do something. You mentioned Baron Corbin, and I feel bad because if you’re going to blame somebody, blame me. I’m the old guy. I don’t want that to be my last memory from wrestling. If my last memory was Rey Mysterio and 23 seconds, that’s how I wanted to go out.”
“The Von Erichs were going into the Hall of Fame, it was in Texas. It was a perfect swan song. Then, I came back and it didn’t work. I don’t want that to be the last. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have some ideas, but hopefully that won’t be the swan song.”
The Rey Mysterio “23 seconds” reference was a reference to the Hall of Famers having a short match at WrestleMania 25 in 2009, which led to JBL quitting (retiring) after the match.