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

7. Where JBL’s 'Bradshaw' Name Came From

Long before he was JBL, and even before he was the APA's beer-drinking bad ass, Bradshaw was a rough and tough Texan cowboy called Justin Hawk Bradshaw. Later, the name was shortened to just a surname, and that wasn't a coincidence. Where did the 'Bradshaw' name come from?

Bruce Prichard dished the deets on his 'Something To Wrestle With' pod.

According to Bruce, the name was inspired by a dude he'd never met. Prichard had a friend who worked at a local power plant, and he'd often call him for a chat. Whenever he did, another worker would answer the phone with a manly-sounding "Bradshaw". It cracked Bruce up, and he never forgot this faceless tough guy's swagger.

When the WWF's braintrust were seeking a name that'd fit their new hire in the mid-90s, Prichard suggested Bradshaw, and Vince McMahon liked it so much he eventually eliminated 'Justin Hawk' from the equation. Bruce only picked it because it sounded like a rugged name someone from Texas would have.