As will be the norm leading up to WrestleMania 36, rumors are swirling about who’s being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Yesterday I reported that “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith is reportedly heading into the WWE Hall of Fame, and now we can add John Layfield Bradshaw to the growing list. A fan favorite heel, it was only a matter of time until JBL was Hall of Fame Bound.
Brains and brawn
There’s no denying JBL’s skill in the ring as the man loved a good fight. Having the build of an NFL linebacker helped, but so did a nasty streak that was on full display when he stepped into the ring. His Clothesline from Hell is the type of finisher that hurts just watching it, and he used it to hold onto the WWE Heavyweight Championship for an astonishing 280 days. He faced all types of challengers, and has been referred to as the last great heel champion.
But he wasn’t always top of the heap in the wrestling world.
While his toughness was undeniable as a member of the New Blackjacks (with Barry Windham) and alongside Farooq (Ron Simmons) as the APA (holding the WWE Tag Team Championship three times). The latter saw his stock rise in the ring as he and Simmons formed the APA Protection Agency and could be found backstage smoking cigars, drinking whiskey, and playing poker.
Their only allegiance was to themselves as they could be hired by anyone for any task, though they weren’t always easy to convince taking a job was worth it.
Sadly, the APA were broken up when they were drafted to separate brands during the initial brand split, and the two seemed to disappear into the mid-card ranks from whence they came.
Rebirth – art imitates life
In 2004, Bradshaw reemerged as a self-made millionaire (based on his real life success and ability to thrive on Wall Street), and proclaimed himself a “Wrestling God” in a clear heel turn.
As all good heels, he needed a stable to help out and watch his back. So after beating Eddie Guerrero at The Great American Bash in 2004 for the WWE Heavyweight Championship, he established his Cabinet consisting of Orlando Jordan, Amy Weber, Doug and Danny Basham, and Jillian Hall. With their help, he held onto the championship for 280 days and was the longest reigning Smackdown champion to that point.
He retired from in-ring competition after WrestleMania 25 in 2009 and eventually became a commentator. That lasted until 2017 when he left the WWE so he could more fully dedicate himself to humanitarian work for at-risk youth and communities in Bermuda.
Missed opportunities
This is strictly a personal opinion, but I feel he and Simmons could’ve done so much more in the tag team division. They could’ve dominated it in a way that hadn’t been done since the Legion of Doom (Road Warriors Hawk and Animal) or the Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) in WCW, but for whatever reason, they couldn’t fully break out of the mid-card ranks. Fans loved them as much or more than other tag teams, and that makes their short-lived success all the more bothersome.
Another aspect were when he teamed up with Steve Austin. There was something about two men with similar mentalities being on the same side that caused the goosebumps to rise.
Still, JBL reportedly being Hall of Fame bound is an accolade he so richly deserves as he’s had an amazing career.
Unfortunately, we may have to wait until late March or the ween of WrestleMania to find out for sure. He is reported to be there along with other former superstars, so who knows what all will happen.
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