John Layfield

Current

The 'APA' gimmick then continued on-and-off until early 2004, when Faarooq/Simmons quietly retired (kayfabe) and was swiftly fired from the WWE. Layfield instantly changed his gimmick to a posh New York businessman (John Bradshaw Layfield) on the SmackDown! brand (clean-shaven and short haircut), and also turned heel. He is now the biggest heel on SmackDown!, regularly riding a white 'Longhorn' limo to the ring and wearing $2,000, 10-gallon hats. His gimmick change was accompanied by a dramatic and, to many fans, mystifying rise in overall status, with Layfield moving from his traditional spot in the lower midcard to pay-per-view main events within the space of a month.

Related Topics:
New York - Businessman - SmackDown! - Heel - Limo - $

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At Judgment Day 2004, John Bradshaw Layfield defeated Eddie Guerrero via disqualification in a WWE title match when Eddie whacked Layfield with the WWE title. Guerrero would repeatedly whack Layfield with a steel chair, busting open Layfield.

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Many observers had considered Layfield's future in WWE to be in doubt after an incident that occurred during a WWE house show in Munich, Germany, on June 5, 2004. In an attempt to draw a negative reaction, aka heel heat, he gave the crowd several Nazi salutes and goose-stepped around the ring. Such a display, if used to incite riot or for other political purposes, is illegal in Germany. The German government did not prosecute since the display was intended as part of the showmanship of wrestling.

Related Topics:
House show - Munich - Germany - June 5 - 2004 - Heat - Nazi - Riot

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On June 8, 2004, CNBC, which had recently hired Layfield to regularly appear on one of its shows after he had become prominent as a financial commentator, terminated its relationship with Layfield for his actions in Munich. However, Layfield's actions did not prevent WWE from putting its championship belt on him. Some have even speculated that it was this incident which encouraged and strengthened the decision to make him WWE champion.

Related Topics:
June 8 - 2004 - CNBC

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JBL went on to win the WWE Championship controversially from Guerrero on June 27, 2004 at the WWE Great American Bash pay-per-view, where the decision was reversed during the Texas Bull Rope Match by then GM Kurt Angle, awarding not only the match but the title to JBL.

Related Topics:
WWE Championship - June 27 - 2004 - WWE Great American Bash - Texas Bull Rope Match - Kurt Angle

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During late 2004, JBL would feud with The Undertaker, Booker T and Eddie Guerrero for the WWE Championship.

Related Topics:
Feud - The Undertaker - Booker T - Eddie Guerrero

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The 'JBL' character has slowly become more egotistical with time, at first mimicking the actions of a JR Ewing-style businessman running for office (campaign speeches, kissing babies etc) but now referring to himself as "a Wrestling God", much to the on-screen disdain of RAW's then-World Champion, Triple H.

Related Topics:
JR Ewing - Triple H

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Though JBL held the title for many months every title match was won controversially; on August 15, 2004, JBL defeated the Undertaker by disqualification in a WWE title match, when Undertaker whacked JBL with the WWE title. Taker went on to attack JBL and finally chokeslamming him through the roof of a limo. At WWE No Mercy on October 3, 2004, JBL defeated the Undertaker in a Last Ride Match with the help of Heidenreich. On November 14, 2004 JBL was able to defeat Booker T to retain his WWE Championship by whacking Booker in the face with the title belt when the ref wasn't looking, and got by Guerrero, Booker T and The Undertaker in a Fatal Four Way at the Armageddon PPV, in December after interference by Heidenreich who incapacitated the Undertaker allowing JBL to take advantage and hit Booker with the Clothesline From Hell to get the pinfall victory.

Related Topics:
August 15 - WWE No Mercy - October 3 - Last Ride Match - Heidenreich - November 14 - Fatal Four Way - Armageddon - PPV - Interference

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JBL's luck continued in early 2005, at the Royal Rumble, Layfield sneaked past both The Big Show and Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat match when he pinned Angle after the Clothesline From Hell, and emerged with his title intact from the WWE's first-ever Barbed-Wire Steel Cage Match at No Way Out in February 2005 against the Big Show. JBL won the match when

Related Topics:
2005 - Royal Rumble - The Big Show - Kurt Angle - Triple Threat match - Barbed-Wire Steel Cage Match - No Way Out - February

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Show chokeslammed JBL off the top rope through the ring, JBL managed to crawl out from under the ring apron before show could make it to the floor, winning the match by escape.

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Finally, on April 3, 2005, Layfield lost the strap to John Cena at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles when Cena planted JBL with the FU finisher. His unbroken nine-month championship reign had been the longest in a decade. JBL later came out the victor in a four-way elimination match against Big Show, Booker T, and Kurt Angle to regain the number one contender's status for Cena's title, but was once again defeated by Cena at Judgment Day in May 2005, this time in an "I Quit" Match.

Related Topics:
April 3 - 2005 - John Cena - WrestleMania 21 - Los Angeles - Judgment Day - May - "I Quit" Match

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On June 12, 2005, Layfield appeared at the WWE-promoted ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view, as an anti-ECW 'crusader'. In the course of the night however he stiffed Brian Heffron (The Blue Meanie), genuinely reopening legitimate cuts Heffron had sustained two days earlier at another event. Layfield and Heffron have had a real-life rivalry for several years, and as a result of the incident, the former ECW wrestler Tracy Smothers challenged Layfield to a shoot fight anywhere at anytime; Layfield has so far failed to respond to this challenge. However, the WWE would capitalise on the situation by re-signing Heffron to a short-term deal. On the July 7, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, Heffron was reunited with his old Blue World Order associates, Nova and Steven Richards, and defeated Layfield with the help of the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista.

Related Topics:
June 12 - 2005 - ECW One Night Stand - Stiffed - Brian Heffron - ECW - Tracy Smothers - Shoot - July - Blue World Order - Nova - Steven Richards - World Heavyweight Champion - Batista

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Layfield and Batista then met in a match at The Great American Bash on July 24th, 2005 for the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL won the match via disqualification after the champion, Batista, hit him and his Chief of Staff, Orlando Jordan in the head with a steel chair.

Related Topics:
The Great American Bash - Orlando Jordan

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The following Tuesday taping, JBL faced The Undertaker for the right to be named the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL won due to interference from the Undertaker's rival, Randy Orton and an RKO, and would face Batista in a rematch for the title at the SummerSlam pay-per-view on August 21st, 2005. On the following week's "Smackdown!", during the contract signing, Batista allowed JBL to choose the stipulation for the title rematch. This prompted him to make the encounter a "No Holds Barred" match.

Related Topics:
The Undertaker - World Heavyweight Championship - Randy Orton - Batista - SummerSlam - "No Holds Barred"

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At Summerslam 2005, Batista and JBL did indeed face each other in a "No Holds Barred" match which saw both wrestlers take full advantage of the stipulation. At one point, Batista even speared JBL through the security barrier at ringside. In the end, Batista hit JBL with two Batista Bombs, one on the ring, and another on the steel ring steps, a reminder of how he defeated Triple H two months prior. JBL was pinned and Batista retained his title. JBL then lost another rematch with Batista on the September 9, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, this time a Texas Bullrope Match (the same match JBL won the WWE title in), and was therefore ruled out of title contention.

Related Topics:
September 9 - Friday Night SmackDown

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On the September 16, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, JBL lost to Rey Mysterio after a springboard moonsault, and afterwards hired Jillian Hall in order to "fix" his career. On the September 23 episode of SD!, JBL came out with Jillian with a confident look on his face and seemed to be turning his career around. Later, during a match between Rey Mysterio vs Ken Kennedy, JBL showed up riding a horse ditracting Mysterio long enough for Kennedy to pick up the win.

Related Topics:
September 16 - 2005 - Rey Mysterio - Jillian Hall - September 23 - Ken Kennedy

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