10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Jan 18)

3. The APA Formed Because Of JBL's Wild Birthday Bash

His lot in the WWF would steadily improve over the next four years.

On the same pod, JBL revealed how the 'Acolytes Protection Agency' gimmick really came about. Apparently, the whole thing was Vince McMahon's idea, not his or Ron Simmons'. McMahon wanted to put the real-life friends and their beer-soaked banter on screen after seeing how they interacted at Bradshaw's birthday bash.

The day after his birthday, Bradshaw had a terrible hangover, couldn't remember much and was worried sick when news trickled down that the boss wanted to see him. He wasn't in trouble, far from it. McMahon only wanted to tell him that his gimmick was changing, and to tell Ron that they'd be playing cards, smoking cigars and sinking beers from now on.

JBL thought it was a rib, and so did his partner. When they realised it wasn't, and learned Vince had remembered buying Bradshaw a shot at the bar then watching he and Simmons living it up, they both agreed it was the best gimmick in wrestling.