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John Charles Layfield, (born November 29, 1967, in Sweetwater, Texas), is an American professional wrestler, competing in WWE's Friday Night SmackDown. He is currently better known as John "Bradshaw" Layfield, or "JBL" for short.

Prior to his professional wrestling career, Layfield was a successful football player for Abilene Christian University collegiately, and then the Los Angeles Raiders professionally. He also had a short stint in the CFL. He is also known outside the wrestling ring as a conservative political commentator, and has recently been featured on the Fox News and CNBC channels. He has also written a best-selling book on financial planning, Have More Money Now (ISBN 0743466330). While Layfield continues to perform for the WWE, he also hosts a nationally-syndicated weekend talk radio program bearing his name.

Early career
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John Layfield was trained initially by Brad Rheingans, and started wrestling in the now-defunct Global Wrestling Federation in Texas in 1992. His first gimmick was Johnny Hawk. He was billed as the cousin of the famous Windham brothers. Though they are also from Sweetwater, he is not actually related to them in real life. He formed the "Texas Mustangs" with the late Bobby Duncum, Jr. and they quickly won the tag team titles. They dropped the Tag titles to Ian & Axl Rotten (Bad Breed). Layfield also won the NWA North American title, defeating Kevin Von Erich. Two months later, he lost the NWA North American title to Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.

Then, after three and a half years touring the independent circuit in various forgettable guises, Layfield first appeared in the WWF (now WWE) as Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw in late 1995. His initial gimmick was that of a sadistic cowboy/mountain man, similar in tone to Stan Hansen. After victories, he would brand his opponents with the symbol "JB". Of course, the brand was in ink, rather than being seared into the flesh. Managed by Uncle Zebekiah, the character fizzled out by the end of the year, perhaps remembered only for a feud with Savio Vega and a match with Fatu which he won in 8 seconds. Layfield then quickly paired up with his pretend cousin, Barry Windham, to form "The New Blackjacks", complete with the traditional 'Blackjack' gimmicks of handlebar moustaches and short, jet black hair. The heritage was there, as The Blackjacks were a team of Windham's father, Blackjack Mulligan, and Layfield's uncle, Blackjack Lanza.

Acolyte Protection Agency
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Windham's injuries piled up throughout 1997, so the team quietly disbanded and Layfield wrestled only occasionally on TV as a generic brawler simply called 'Bradshaw', sometimes teaming with fellow Texan Terry Funk. In late 1998, Bradshaw teamed alongside former WCW World Champion Faarooq to form the powerhouse tag team Hell's Henchmen, managed by The Jackal.

Layfield would later compete in the WWF Brawl for All tournament, advancing all the way to the finals before losing to Bart Gunn.

Bradshaw and Faarooq were then "sacrificed" by The Undertaker and became "Acolytes". Bradshaw and Faarooq became the first members of The Undertaker's new stable, The Ministry of Darkness. Afterwards, Bradshaw and Faarooq captured Dennis Knight. The Undertaker rechristened Knight, and renamed him Mideon. A few weeks later Bradshaw and Faarooq, along with Mideon captured Mabel. The Undertaker, just like Mideon, rechristened Mabel and renamed him Viscera. For the following weeks The Ministry feuded with The Brood, a group of blood-sucking 'vampires'. The Ministry ended up victorious and took The Brood's members, Gangrel, Christian, and Edge. The Ministry went on to feud with The Corporation. As part of The Ministry, Bradshaw feuded with Ken Shamrock. The Ministry would be defeated by Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Undertaker went on hiatus and their dark gimmick faded.

The duo turned face to become cigar-smoking, bar-brawlers-for-hire. In jeans and t-shirts, Bradshaw and Faarooq became the Acolyte Protection Agency (APA), with their early motto being "We need beer money".

In early 2002 Bradshaw and Faarooq split due to the WWE Draft. During this split Bradshaw became a multiple-time Hardcore Champion during this period and a European Champion. He dropped the European title to Christian in a "dark" (non-televised) match on November 1, 2001 before SmackDown! started the night's episode.

In September of 2002, Layfield suffered a torn left bicep at a house show event. He was out of action for six months until returning to Ohio Valley Wrestling and then a few weeks later, to the active roster of the WWE. He returned on an episode of "SmackDown!" which saw him and his old friend Faarooq helping The Undertaker from the hands of Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli. This return saw Layfield with a new look. A cut-off long hair, dyed blond and clean-shaven beard. Since then, he and Faarooq had been competing for the WWE Tag-Team Championship.

The APA has won several Tag Team Title reigns, in WWE and Ohio Valley Wrestling.

JBL
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The APA gimmick then continued on-and-off until early 2004, when Faarooq was fired from the WWE (actually he retired; the firing was a kayfabe writing-out). Originally APA was supposed to be fired as a unit after losing a tag team "You're Fired" Match, but SmackDown! GM Paul Heyman decided to keep Bradshaw. Layfield instantly changed his gimmick to a posh New York businessman, adding his Bradshaw nickname to his real-life name, John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL for short). He decided to embrace and flaunt his financial success as detailed in his book Have More Money Now. His new look quickly earned him boos, the fans latching on to the fact that he had de facto turned on Faarooq. As part of the gimmick he regularly rides a white "Longhorn" limo to the ring and wears $2,000 10-gallon hats. His gimmick change was accompanied by a dramatic (and, to many fans, baffling) rise in overall status, with Layfield moving from his traditional spot in the lower midcard to pay-per-view main events within the span of a month.

At Judgment Day 2004, John Bradshaw Layfield defeated the late Eddie Guerrero via disqualification in a WWE title match when Eddie hit Layfield with the WWE title. Guerrero would repeatedly hit Layfield with a steel chair, busting open Layfield.

Many observers had considered Layfield's future in WWE to be in doubt after an incident that occurred during a WWE house show in Munich, Germany, on June 5, 2004. In an attempt to draw a negative reaction he gave the crowd several Nazi salutes and goose-stepped around the ring. Such a display, if used to incite riot or for other political purposes, is illegal in Germany. However since the display was intended as part of the showmanship of wrestling, it was not illegal, and so no action was taken.

On June 8, 2004, CNBC, which had recently hired Layfield to regularly appear on one of its shows after he had become prominent as a financial commentator, terminated its relationship with Layfield for his actions in Munich. However, Layfield's actions did not prevent WWE from putting its championship belt on him. Some have even speculated that it was this incident which encouraged and strengthened the decision to make him WWE champion.

JBL went on to win the WWE Championship controversially from Guerrero on June 27, 2004 at the WWE Great American Bash pay-per-view, where the decision was reversed during the Texas Bull Rope Match by then General Manager Kurt Angle, awarding not only the match but the title to JBL.

A rematch was booked two weeks later in a cage match in Providence, Rhode Island. JBL kicked out of a Frog Splash off the top of the cage. This got JBL over, with him later in his career kicking out of several finishing maneuvers, such as The Last Ride and The 619.

JBL won several squash matches for the next couple of weeks. After finding himself with no contender, JBL announced that he wouldn't be defending the title at the second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam. However, The Undertaker came and said that he doesn't have any opponent for SummerSlam either, so he decided to challenge JBL. Around this time, JBL hired Orlando Jordan to help him in his battles for the WWE Championship. At SummerSlam, JBL landed more than four Clotheslines From Hell, but couldn't keep The Undertaker down. The match finally ended when Undertaker used the title belt, ending the match in disqualification. After the match, The Undertaker chokeslammed JBL through the top of JBL's white limousine. New GM Theodore Long booked a rematch at No Mercy. JBL hired former Ministry members Gangrel and Viscera to take down The Undertaker. The Undertaker defeated them in a Handicap Match, however. The Undertaker also captured Orlando while JBL tried to send a message by beating Hardcore Holly into a bloody mess. At No Mercy, JBL retained the title by hitting the Clothesline From Hell, despite some help from John Heidenreich.

Though JBL held the title for many months, every title match was won controversially. On November 14, 2004 JBL was able to defeat Booker T to retain his WWE Championship by hitting Booker in the face with the title belt when the referee was knocked out, and got by Guerrero, Booker T and The Undertaker in a Fatal Four Way at the Armageddon PPV, in December after interference by Heidenreich who incapacitated the Undertaker allowing JBL to take advantage and hit Booker with the Clothesline From Hell to get the pinfall victory.

During late 2004, JBL would feud with Booker T and Eddie Guerrero for the WWE Championship.

The 'JBL' character has slowly become more egotistical with time, at first mimicking the actions of a JR Ewing-style businessman running for office (campaign speeches, kissing babies, etc., which fit with the 2004 Election Cycle) but now referring to himself as "a Wrestling God", much to the on-screen disdain of RAW's then-World Champion, Triple H.

JBL's luck continued in early 2005, and on January 30, 2005 at the Royal Rumble, Layfield snuck past both The Big Show and Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat match when he pinned Angle after the Clothesline From Hell, and emerged with his title intact from the WWE's first-ever Barbed-Wire Steel Cage Match at No Way Out on February 20, 2005 against the Big Show. JBL won the match when Big Show chokeslammed JBL off the top rope through the ring, JBL managed to crawl out from under the ring apron before Show could make it to the floor, winning the match by escape. On the next edition of SmackDown!, JBL had a "Celebration of Excellence" in which he and his Cabinet celebrated the fact that he was the longest-reigning WWE Champion in 10 years.

On April 3, 2005, Layfield lost the WWE title to John Cena at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles. His unbroken nine-month championship reign had been the longest in a decade, lasting 280 days (Cena's Championship reign would also last for 280 days). JBL later came out the victor in a four-way elimination match against Big Show, Booker T, and Kurt Angle to regain the number one contender's status for Cena's title, but was once again defeated by Cena at Judgment Day in May 2005, this time in an "I Quit" Match.

On June 12, 2005, Layfield appeared at the WWE-promoted ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view, as an anti-ECW "crusader". In the course of the night however he stiffed Brian Heffron (The Blue Meanie), genuinely reopening legitimate cuts Heffron had sustained two days earlier at another event. Layfield and Heffron have had a real-life rivalry for several years, and as a result of the incident, the former ECW wrestler Tracy Smothers challenged Layfield to a shoot fight anywhere at anytime; Layfield has so far failed to respond to this challenge. However, the WWE would capitalise on the situation by re-signing Heffron to a short-term deal. On the July 7, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, Heffron was reunited with his old Blue World Order associates, Nova and Steven Richards, and defeated Layfield with the help of the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista.

Layfield and Batista then met in a match at The Great American Bash on July 24th, 2005 for the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL won the match via disqualification after the champion, Batista, hit him and his Chief of Staff, Orlando Jordan in the head with a steel chair.

The following Tuesday taping, JBL faced The Undertaker for the right to be named the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. JBL won due to interference from the Undertaker's rival, Randy Orton and an RKO, and would face Batista in a rematch for the title at the SummerSlam pay-per-view on August 21st, 2005. On the following week's "Smackdown!", during the contract signing, Batista allowed JBL to choose the stipulation for the title rematch. This prompted him to make the encounter a "No Holds Barred" match.

At Summerslam 2005, Batista and JBL did indeed face each other in a "No Holds Barred" match which saw both wrestlers take full advantage of the stipulation. At one point, Batista even speared JBL through the security barrier at ringside. In the end, Batista hit JBL with two Batista Bombs, one on the ring, and another on the steel ring steps, a reminder of how he defeated Triple H two months prior. JBL was pinned and Batista retained his title. JBL then lost another rematch with Batista on the September 9, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, this time a Texas Bullrope Match (the same match JBL won the WWE title in), and was therefore ruled out of title contention.

On the September 16, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown!, JBL lost to Rey Mysterio after a springboard moonsault, and afterwards hired Jillian Hall in order to "fix" his career. This began a winning streak and feud with Rey Mysterio. At WWE Homecoming, JBL was involved in the SmackDown! vs. RAW brawl to end the show. At No Mercy on October 9, 2005, JBL defeated Rey Mysterio to get his revenge from his loss against Rey Mysterio on the September 16 edition of SmackDown!.

JBL would then team up with Rey Mysterio in the SmackDown! versus RAW rivalry with Chris Masters and Edge. He would be named one of the superstars fans could vote in to face Edge and Masters at 2005's Taboo Tuesday event. Though he wasn't chosen, he later defeated Chris Benoit on November 10, 2005 with the help of Booker T to become a member of the Smackdown! Team to face the RAW Team at Survivor Series on November 27, 2005. JBL lasted throughout most of the Survivor Series match, helping his team to victory. On Smackdown he helped Booker T defeat Matt Hardy. He later beat Matt Hardy at the WWE Armaggedon PPV. He showed up at the Tribute to the Troops as Bad Santa where he lost to the good Santa, Mick Foley. When Batista had to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship, JBL challenged for it in the battle royal, but ended up being the first wrestler eliminated.

2006

Toward the beginning of 2006, JBL had been involved with a feud with The Boogeyman. For weeks, The Boogeyman stalked JBL and his image consultant, Jillian Hall. This led to The Boogeyman stuffing worms down Jillian's pants and even biting off the blemish on Jillian's face during Piper's Pit. On the January 20 edition of Smackdown!, an irate JBL confronted General Manager Theodore Long after The Boogeyman cost him a match against Bobby Lashley. Long booked JBL in a match against The Boogeyman at Royal Rumble 2006. On the January 27, 2006 edition of SmackDown! the last before the Royal Rumble, JBL was trapped in the ring after a match with Scotty 2 Hotty when live worms fell from the ceiling into the ring. The Boogeyman entered the ring and made JBL trip, "swimming" with the worms. JBL lost that match after The Boogeyman delivered his finishing maneuver, the pump handle slam. Many would consider this a squash match, as this match lasted a matter of minutes with little offensive wrestling by Layfield.

Two weeks later, on the February 10 , 2006 edition of Smackdown!, JBL was challenged by Bobby Lashley to a match at No Way Out on February 19, 2006 after he attacked Lashley after a match with the Clothesline from Hell. His image consultant, Jillian Hall, accepted the match on JBL's behalf. JBL won the match (after interferance by Finlay). A week later, on the February 24, 2006 edition of Smackdown!, he suffered a broken hand in a 6 man tag-team match and WWE.com announced he underwent successful surgery. On the March 3, 2006 editon of Smackdown! and during the Smackdown! trip to Australia it was revealed that on April 2 , 2006 at Wrestlemania 22 JBL will challenge Chris Benoit for the United States Championship.

The Cabinet
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During JBL's time as WWE Champion, Layfield employed "staff" to work for him, the stable was entitled The Cabinet. At its peak the stable contained Orlando Jordan; who is his Chief-of-Staff. Doug and Danny Basham were his Co-Secretaries of Defense until "quitting" the Cabinet on the June 16, 2005 episode of SmackDown!. Amy Weber was also a member, being JBL's image consultant, but later left the WWE due to alleged harassment. The WWE explained Weber's absence by saying that JBL "fired" her, after an episode of "SmackDown!" which aired in Japan. That episode saw Weber accidentally shoot JBL with a tranquilizer gun. Jordan has been the only member not to have been announced to have left the group, though mention of the term cabinet went on haitus after SummerSlam 2005.

During late September JBL employed the services of his 2nd Image Consultant Jillian Hall, though she has never been announced as a member of The Cabinet. On the December 9, 2005 episode, following Orlando Jordan's coming out to help JBL in a match against Rey Mysterio, Smackdown Manager Theodore Long observed "It looks like you're getting your Cabinet back together," before putting JBL and Jordan in a tag team match against Mysterio and Batista. During the match, JBL apparently tripped over Jillian Hall, sustaining what seemed to be a serious injury. He left the match, leaving Jordan to the mercy of Mysterio and Batista.

Outside of wrestling
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The JBL gimmick can be credited to his real-life rise as a successful Wall Street investor. After the publication of his first book Have More Money Now, he became a stock analyst for Fox News Channel and later joined the CNBC television program Bullseye as the program's only conservative analyst. He has since returned to Fox News Channel on an occasional basis.

On February 11, 2005, Layfield married FOX News Channel financial analyst Meredith Whitney. Former tag-team partner Ron Simmons was the best-man, helping to quash internet rumors that the pair had fallen out due to Layfield's alleged inaction and gloating over Simmons' firing a year previously. They are in fact still very close friends. Other groomsmen at his wedding were Mark Calaway (aka The Undertaker), and the late Eddie Guerrero.

Layfield hosts his own nationally-syndicated talk radio show (The John Bradshaw Layfield Show). The show broadcasts Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons on affiliate stations of the Talk Radio Network, features Whitney as his "sidekick", and is devoted to political topics.

JBL also hosts his own show on WWE.com every week, where he gives out his "weekly awards". A new show is usually uploaded on JBL's homepage on Thursday or Friday.

In addition to his radio show and WWE.com show, JBL also has a weekly column on TheStreet.com as a celebrity investor.

He has also recently revived an old family business selling fishing lures. Dubbed "The Original Layfield Lure", it is available through Sports Authority.

JBL was also named in one Abilene Christian University's all-century team, selected for the first team offensive line. This was to commemorate ACU's 100 year anniversary of its beginning.

Additional facts
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Finishing and signature moves

• Clothesline From Hell / Clothesline From Wall Street (Clothesline)
• The Last Call (Fallaway slam)
• Super Last Call (Top-rope Fallaway Slam)
• JBL Bomb (Powerbomb)
• Swinging neckbreaker
• Big boot
• DDT
• Elbow drop
• Backhand chop
• Bear Hug
• Argentine Backbreaker Rack

With Faarooq

• Spike Powerbomb
• Backdrop / neckbreaker combo
• Double Spinebuster

Previous managers

• Uncle Zebekiah
• Skandor Akbar
• The Jackyl
• Jacqueline
• Amy Weber
• Orlando Jordan
• Jillian Hall
• The Undertaker

Quotes

• "I am Mr. SmackDown!!!"
• "I am a wrestling... GOD!!"
• "I am who I say I am, and I am a wrestling god!"
• "There are legends, there are Hall of Famers and there are all-time greats, but there is one, and only ONE wrestling god!"
• "I know well, I know full DAMN well that I will not walk out or be carried out of there the same as I do now!"
• "This is JBL, and I'm American."
• "I smell like smoke son because I have been through fire."
• "You are not in my league."
• "What I say I do, and what I want I get."
• "I am here to make an impact!"
• " People like you should strive to be people like me"
• " He's built like tarzan, I will make him look like Jane"
• " Normal people never let their dreams get farther than their front door because they are afraid of failure. I have never been afraid of failure and I have never failed."
• " I think it's time that you stop listening to your Sunday school fairytales and start listening to Machiavelli who says that there is no right and no wrong in society and that people do things because they want something back! It's simple cause and effect. I understand that & that is why people like me run businesses, run industries, and people like me run governments."
• " What I say I do and what I do I do very very well."
• " I am a window that makes you look into your own souls and you don't like what you see."
• " I might as well take the Fifth Amendment because the First Amendment doesn't mean a damn thing in society today. Everybody loves free speech....until you use free speech."
• " Calling me anything other than a great American is like calling Mother Teresa a prostitute."
• " I came into this world alone & I will leave alone. I don't need a damn soul with me. Come Hell, Come high water. Take your best shot America. John "Bradshaw" Layfield is right here and I'm not going to back up from anybody!"
• "You people and our media are exactly whats wrong with America. Americans are whats wrong with America. You people want me to fail because I am richer than you people, I am better looking than you people and what makes you the maddest is that I have a backbone. The whole world is against me right now. The media has villified me, CNBC has fired me and whats make you people the maddest is that i will not beg for a damn thing. I will not crawl, I will not back up. You can knock me on my ass & I will be back & that makes you people mad. Despite everything, I will come back and be successful. It is what I have done my whole life and thats why you people hate me."
• " Work Harder...Work Smarter."
• " (To Chris Masters) If you want to put the Master Lock on Rey Mysterio, why don't you try it on somebody bigger, monkey boy!?"
• " You people hate what you can't be"
• " (to Undertaker, Booker T and the late Eddie Guerrero) "For God's sake, do I have to say this in Spanish, Hip Hop or Monster?! None of you are getting my title!"

Championships and accomplishments
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• World Wrestling Entertainment
  • 1-time WWE Champion
  • 3-time WWF World Tag-Team Champions (with Faarooq)
  • 18-time WWE Hardcore Champion
  • 1-time WWE European Champion
  • WWF Brawl For All tournament finalist
  
  
• Global Wrestling Federation
  • 2-time GWF Tag Team Champion (with Bobby Duncum, Jr., then Black Bart)
  
  
• Memphis Championship Wrestling
  • 1-time MCW Tag Team Champion (with Faarooq)
  
  
• Ohio Valley Wrestling
  • 1-time OVW Southern Tag Team Champion (with Faarooq)
  
  
• Other titles
  • 1-time NWA North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 2-time Catch Wrestling Tag Team Champion (with Fit Finlay, then Cannonball Grizzly)
  
  
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him # 496 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • PWI ranked him 5th in PWI Top 500 (2005)(This is very comical as two year earlier he was ranked very low on the list)