WWE has seen a few legends make names for themselves outside the company’s walls after their in-ring careers are over. Ric Flair has a slew of endorsements, and Hulk Hogan has his Beach Hangout and Donald Trump campaign. JBL also has something in mind for his legacy.
John Bradshaw Layfield has recently made a string of appearances across multiple wrestling promotions, including TNA Wrestling, MLW, and GCW. His return to the ring has sparked speculation about his future in the industry, especially following his recent alliance with Baron Corbin, which lasted from October 2022 to February 2023. He doesn’t want that to be all he’s remembered for.
During a recent appearance on the Huge Pop podcast, JBL opened up about his thoughts on what might come next in his wrestling career. Reflecting on his time with Corbin, JBL expressed some regret, should his last contribution to wrestling be that partnership.
“If you’re going to blame somebody, blame me. I’m the old guy. I don’t want that to be my last memory in wrestling. If my last memory was Rey Mysterio and 23 seconds, that’s how I wanted to go out.”
JBL was referring to his WrestleMania 25 match against Rey Mysterio, which he initially thought was the perfect ending to his career. The match, held in Texas with the Von Erichs entering the WWE Hall of Fame, felt like a fitting swan song to JBL. However, his comeback with Corbin didn’t turn out as planned, and now, JBL is looking for a better way to close out his career. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but hopefully that won’t be the swan song,” he added, hinting at possible future plans.
From October 2022 to February 2023, JBL managed Baron Corbin. He later appeared on the November 21, 2023 NXT to announce the qualifiers for the Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline. JBL also served as a guest commentator for the 21st annual Tribute to the Troops episode on SmackDown. He has now appeared for GCW, TNA, and the future seems to be open for him to make more memories in the ring.
Though it’s unclear how his recent appearances are connected, JBL has been involved with notable names like Nic Nemeth, Mance Warner, and the Andersons in various promotions. While his next steps remain uncertain, it’s clear that JBL isn’t quite ready to write the final chapter of his storied wrestling career just yet.
What’s your take on JBL’s career in WWE? Do you think he should be a two-time Hall of Famer? Let us know what you think in the comments section!