The Sick Reason JBL Had To Shave His Beard After WWE Match

WWE Hall of Famer JBL recounted a memorable story about his “stinkiest” opponent in the ring – fellow Hall of Famer Big Van Vader.

Speaking on the Something To Wrestle podcast, JBL shared how an intense match with Vader led to a surprising personal dilemma: the need to shave off his beard due to an overpowering odour.

I will tell you, the stinkiest guy was Vader, Leon White. It was brutal.

Bradshaw said, recalling his experience. Despite the unpleasant aftermath, he expressed his deep respect for his former opponent.

Now I loved Leon, and Leon treated me like a son almost.

Bradshaw’s connection with Vader went beyond the ring. For Vader’s final WWE match, he specifically requested to face Bradshaw, even offering to let him kick out of his finishing move—an honour Vader seldom extended to others. The match was physically intense, with Bradshaw describing how Vader’s powerful punches left an unexpected mark on him.

Bro, he beat the s**t outta me.

He shared, noting how Vader’s punches were so hard that his gloves left an unforgettable odour.

I realised Vader had punched me so much in the face that my beard stunk from his gloves.

After the match, Bradshaw noticed a strong stench in his room, something he likened to the smell of a dead body. He soon realised that the smell came from his own beard, where Vader’s gloves had left a lasting impression. Unable to rid himself of the smell, he made the tough choice to shave off his beard in the early hours of the morning, finally getting rid of the odour.

Why Did JBL Say He Almost Quit WWE When He Started?

JBL recalled how he almost decided to quit WWE not long after he signed with the company. Bradshaw said that when he left Japan to join WWE he was taken aback by the level of production compared to what he was used to and that overwhelmed him to the point where he considered leaving the WWE to go back to Japan.

H/t to ITRWrestling.com