FourFifty
10-22-2007, 12:21 AM
For the record I e-mailed BDC asking if I could make a BDC approved thread for the top five moments in JBL’s carrear.
So the other day I was thinking “God, I like my top ten moments thread. God, I like it… I should make a top 5 thread for the WRESTLING GOD!!!!” And here it is, in chronological order.
5. JBL’s First Tag Team Title Win
Every legendary champion has held more than one title. JBL, albeit is a WRESTLING GOD, is not above this. On May 29th, 1999, John “Bradshaw” Layfield (or just Bradshaw, as he was known back then) and Faarooq (currently Ron “DAMN” Simmons) as the Acolytes took the World Tag Team Titles from “The Big Red Machine” Kane and “The Original Wet Weasel” X-Pac. But no titles reign lasts forever. A around month later they lost the tag team titles to the Hardy Boys, just to win them back 20 days later.
4. The Birth of the APA
In the year 2000 Bradshaw and Faarooq sold out. They turned from Occultists to business men as they formed the Acolytes Protection Agency. Or APA for short. Various wrestlers paid for their protective services (notably The Mean Street Posse and Crash Holly) They had bar room brawls and exquisite offices all over the country.
The APA meant business. Crash Holly paid for an hour of protection so he could take a nap as he defended his hardcore title 24/7, he lost the title because he only paid for an hour.
And for the record, Bradshaw came up with the name “APA.”
3. John “Bradshaw” Layfiend publishes his own book
July 1st, 2003, a wrestler becomes an author.
And not a ghost written one much like HBK, Kurt Angle, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Bill Goldberg, Eddie Guerrero, Triple H, Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff, Lita, Superstar Billy Graham and many others. JBL took the same route as Mick Foley and Edge by writing his own words. His book hit me on a personal note as I was seeking some fiscal guidance, and it was funny to read about how he wrestled a bear in Texas.
2. JBL Wins the WWE title
On June 27th JBL solidified his place in the hall of fame by becoming the longest running WWE champion in SmackDown history. JBL held that title with honor, pride, and respect. JBL didn’t need a spinner. JBL didn’t need a smoking skull. JBL held the WWE heavyweight championship like a champion should.
1. JBL starts to do the color commentary for SmackDown
As Tazz deflected to the ECW brand to become the ECW color commentator there was an open seat at the announce table. JBL, the self made millionaire, the former champion, the future hall of famer, the WRESTLING GOD, stepped up to bat. Coming out of a lucrative retirement that he would have spent trading stocks and making money JBL became the voice of SmackDown.
Honorable Mentions
The APA finds out there’s a mole in the WWE
When ECW and WCW were invading WWE Bradshaw and Faarooq found out there was a mole in the locker room. That mole was Paul Heyman. The APA were also the vanguard of WWE during the Alliance’s invasion. They rallied the WWE roster to unite against The Alliance
The Second Cover for Have More Money Now
On the first cover (the cover I own, I bought the book before it was cool to like JBL as a heel) it shows JBL with his long black hair. On the second cover it shows him as JBL, not “Bradshaw.” This marked the end of the Bradshaw persona, as he fully became the JBL we know and love. .
JBL’s heel turn
The week after SmackDown general manager Paul Heyman fries Ron Simmons and keeps JBL, JBL tried to reach out to the masses, and not just his loyal fan base. The nerve of the fans to chant “You Sold Out” when in all honesty JBL did two things- 1) He was looking out for what’s best for him. 2) The only thing he sold was some stock for a bunch of money.
JBL Signs with the WWF
John Layfield, the nephew of Blackjack Lanza, signs a WWF Contract
Yea, this is REEEEEEAAAALLLLYYYY important, because if it wasn‘t for this we wouldn‘t have the WRESTLING GOD, John “Bradshaw“ Layfield.
Thank You
So the other day I was thinking “God, I like my top ten moments thread. God, I like it… I should make a top 5 thread for the WRESTLING GOD!!!!” And here it is, in chronological order.
5. JBL’s First Tag Team Title Win
Every legendary champion has held more than one title. JBL, albeit is a WRESTLING GOD, is not above this. On May 29th, 1999, John “Bradshaw” Layfield (or just Bradshaw, as he was known back then) and Faarooq (currently Ron “DAMN” Simmons) as the Acolytes took the World Tag Team Titles from “The Big Red Machine” Kane and “The Original Wet Weasel” X-Pac. But no titles reign lasts forever. A around month later they lost the tag team titles to the Hardy Boys, just to win them back 20 days later.
4. The Birth of the APA
In the year 2000 Bradshaw and Faarooq sold out. They turned from Occultists to business men as they formed the Acolytes Protection Agency. Or APA for short. Various wrestlers paid for their protective services (notably The Mean Street Posse and Crash Holly) They had bar room brawls and exquisite offices all over the country.
The APA meant business. Crash Holly paid for an hour of protection so he could take a nap as he defended his hardcore title 24/7, he lost the title because he only paid for an hour.
And for the record, Bradshaw came up with the name “APA.”
3. John “Bradshaw” Layfiend publishes his own book
July 1st, 2003, a wrestler becomes an author.
And not a ghost written one much like HBK, Kurt Angle, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Bill Goldberg, Eddie Guerrero, Triple H, Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff, Lita, Superstar Billy Graham and many others. JBL took the same route as Mick Foley and Edge by writing his own words. His book hit me on a personal note as I was seeking some fiscal guidance, and it was funny to read about how he wrestled a bear in Texas.
2. JBL Wins the WWE title
On June 27th JBL solidified his place in the hall of fame by becoming the longest running WWE champion in SmackDown history. JBL held that title with honor, pride, and respect. JBL didn’t need a spinner. JBL didn’t need a smoking skull. JBL held the WWE heavyweight championship like a champion should.
1. JBL starts to do the color commentary for SmackDown
As Tazz deflected to the ECW brand to become the ECW color commentator there was an open seat at the announce table. JBL, the self made millionaire, the former champion, the future hall of famer, the WRESTLING GOD, stepped up to bat. Coming out of a lucrative retirement that he would have spent trading stocks and making money JBL became the voice of SmackDown.
Honorable Mentions
The APA finds out there’s a mole in the WWE
When ECW and WCW were invading WWE Bradshaw and Faarooq found out there was a mole in the locker room. That mole was Paul Heyman. The APA were also the vanguard of WWE during the Alliance’s invasion. They rallied the WWE roster to unite against The Alliance
The Second Cover for Have More Money Now
On the first cover (the cover I own, I bought the book before it was cool to like JBL as a heel) it shows JBL with his long black hair. On the second cover it shows him as JBL, not “Bradshaw.” This marked the end of the Bradshaw persona, as he fully became the JBL we know and love. .
JBL’s heel turn
The week after SmackDown general manager Paul Heyman fries Ron Simmons and keeps JBL, JBL tried to reach out to the masses, and not just his loyal fan base. The nerve of the fans to chant “You Sold Out” when in all honesty JBL did two things- 1) He was looking out for what’s best for him. 2) The only thing he sold was some stock for a bunch of money.
JBL Signs with the WWF
John Layfield, the nephew of Blackjack Lanza, signs a WWF Contract
Yea, this is REEEEEEAAAALLLLYYYY important, because if it wasn‘t for this we wouldn‘t have the WRESTLING GOD, John “Bradshaw“ Layfield.
Thank You