10 WWE Gimmick Reboots That Saved The Wrestler's Career

5. Bradshaw To JBL

John Layfield, much like Charles Wright and Bob Howard, had been with WWE for a very long time. He started as Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw in 1995, and was a jobber to the stars. In 1997, he joined with Barry Windham and formed The New Blackjacks, another team that ended up nowhere. Bradshaw reached his biggest success teaming with Faarooq to form The Acolytes and later the APA, and if Bradshaw had finished his career as an APA member, it would be considered pretty good. But Bradshaw of the APA was never going to be WWE Champion. John "Bradshaw" Layfield on the other hand? That dog will hunt. In 2004, after refusing to follow Faarooq out the door when Paul Heyman fired him, Bradshaw came out in a suit and 10-gallon hat, looking like JR Ewing. In real life, Layfield played the stock market very well and amassed a nice fortune for himself. He then took his real-life persona and turned the volume up, switching from beer-drinking ass-kicker to rich tycoon. Within a month, this new gimmick gave Bradshaw the WWE Championship, which he held for 10 months. JBL wrestled for four or five more years, and has developed a second career as a color commentator. He's a lock for the Hall of Fame someday, and he has the gimmick re-boot in 2004 to thank for that.