11 Most Important Wrestlers Of The Ruthless Aggression Era

11. John 'Bradshaw' Layfield

The most unlikely main-eventer of the past two decades. John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield overcame tremendous odds to alter his character and cement himself as the ultimate unlikeable heel.

JBL dominated the blue brand throughout 2004, and always elicited strong heat from the audience. WWE took advantage of the audience’s disapproval of Layfield, which in turn catapulted the rise of John Cena: for Cena to truly win over the WWE Universe, he needed to topple the most hated superstar of the time.

JBL harnessed the rare talent of getting real-life heat from fans and never came across as bothered by what others thought of him. While solid in the ring, Layfield was not very pretty to watch and this added to his despised appeal.

Bradshaw may have only had a year at the top, but it left a lasting impression, and he remains one of the last truly great heels in all of wrestling. Not everyone has to be a Ric Flair to become a wrestling god.