WWE: 10 New Gimmicks That Revived Wrestlers' Careers

7. Bradshaw To JBL

Bradshaw Jbl John Layfield was a journeyman pro who€™d wrestled for years in Europe as John Hawk when he arrived in the WWF in 1996. As a generic Texan cowboy called Justin €œHawk€ Bradshaw, he was a midcarder who didn€™t set the world on fire. Teaming up with fellow Texan Barry Windham as The New Blackjacks didn€™t work either. Layfield started to enjoy some success when he was paired up with veteran Ron Simmons as The Acolytes, which evolved into the less serious but still hard hitting Acolytes Protection Agency (APA). The APA were often seen in comedy backstage skits, involving them drinking beer, smoking cigars, playing cards and being paid to beat people up for their customers. The fans of the Attitude era adored them. But then Simmons and Bradshaw were separated in the WWE draft and Bradshaw floundered in singles competition. He was like fish without chips or curry without rice on his own. The pair were reunited before splitting up for good in 2004, when Simmons was €˜fired€™, ending his career as an active wrestler. Layfield was then repackaged and given a bona fide singles gimmick which played upon his real life, similar to Charles Wright. Layfield€™s wife is Meredith Whitney, a financial analyst and manager, and Layfield himself has often appeared as a pundit on Fox News€™s €œCashin€™ In€ financial analysis programme. And so Bradshaw was cast aside, and John Bradshaw Layfield, or JBL, a Texan millionaire now based in New York was born, complete with limo and cowboy hat. The repackaging proved to be a complete career turnaround for Layfield. He was immediately put into a WWE title program with Eddie Guerrero, and became WWE Champion at The Great American Bash 2004. JBL held the belt for nine months, the longest title reign in a decade at the time, before losing it to John Cena at WrestleMania 21. He remained at the top of the card until retiring to the commentary booth, where he remains one of the voices of WWE broadcasting to this day.
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Dean Ayass is a well known name to British wrestling fans. A commentator, manager, booker and ring announcer who has been involved in the business since 1993, Dean's insight into the business is second to none.