Prior to a drastic character makeover in 2004, Bradshaw was a tag team specialist, longtime partner of Ron Simmons as the APA. Together, they were beer-drinking ass kickers that popped crowds, demolished their opponents and moved onto the next city. With Simmons' in-ring career winding down, though, he was forced to go his own way. With a lack of depth on the SmackDown roster, he underwent a change that saw him adopt the John Bradshaw Layfield persona. A loudmouthed, Texas Republican millionaire whose views regarding Mexicans reflected those of Donald Trump some 13 years before he jumped into the Presidential race, JBL became the lead villain on the SmackDown brand as the top challenger to Eddie Guerrero's WWE Championship. The character felt like a midcard act, a modern day take on "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. He threw his money around, spoke his ignorant opinion and infuriated fans. If he was going to be taken seriously as a main event competitor, he was going to need significant wins and hardware. He got it in July at The Great American Bash when he defeated Guerrero in controversial fashion to become WWE champion. Suddenly, the lifelong midcard star was catapulted to the top of the card. Once referred to as a "good hand," the title allowed fans to take him seriously as a main event star and even reexamine exactly what Layfield's legacy in the industry would be. Once a fringe Hall of Fame candidate, he established himself as a sure thing. JBL would hold onto the title for eight months, becoming the backbone of the SmackDown brand at a time when injuries to Kurt Angle and Big Show left the brand without a lead heel. He carried the show and developed into one of the most unlikable bad guys the company had seen in years. His promos were on point, his in-ring abilities improved while working with top stars and his name value increased, all thanks to his status as champion and the spotlight, and confidence, it brought him.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
