JBL Returning To WWE Full Time

[Jack-Hammer]

According to a report I just read, JBL is going to be returning to commentary in WWE on a full time basis. JBL announced on his Facebook page:

"I will be doing Smackdown with Josh Matthews. have filled in on Main Event some but mainly when Miz has a large part in the show and can't do commentary."

"Raw is 100% Jerry's. He and Michael are a great team, I enjoy listening to Jerry and there are no plans for a three man booth with me in it. I am happy on Smackdown."

I've always enjoyed JBL on commentary. A big reason why is that he often gives little history lessons while putting over the wrestlers inside the ring. It can get a little repetitive, but it's highly informative that sometimes contains little tidbits of info that you might not have known. As a result, the overall commentary on SmackDown! has improved dramatically.

Now, if only WWE will keep Jim Ross on Raw as part of a three man commentary team, it'll be a damn near perfect set up.

 

[Wrestling101]

It might be time to start watching SD again.

I love JBL....I just wish it was him and Cole. The one liners he gives Cole are hilarious. But, this'll do.

I hope he starts a little gimmick with this. You know how he always used to say 'I....AM A WRESTLING.......GOD!'

At the beginning of SD every week, he should come out from the back and on the ramp, on his way to the announcer's table, with a mic in hand, say 'I.....AM A COMMENTATING....GOD!!'

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Of course he is good at this job. He is a Fox News financial analyst, he has years of experience repeating what someone yelled in his ear telling him what to say.

I kid, I kid. I really liked the JBL character and approve of him as a full time color commentator. I think he'll work hard to come up with things to say and really understands his role as a commentator. He enhances the talent and the action with the language he chooses and the way he reacts. He can even be entertaining at times.

I'm surprised he would want this gig with all of the other things I thought he had going on with his life (like hanging out with Lenny "businessman extraordinaire" Dykstra) but I am happy that he is in the role.

 

[ccotreau1]

I love JBL on commentary. He reminds me of JR in a way, the way they tell stories and praises wrestlers, granted a lot of the stories JBL tells is of competing with them or how tough they are kind of thing.

 

[HBsam31]

I am glad he is back. I said this in another thread. I love him on commentary right now. he gives the little history lesson during matches, and he really puts over the title and the stars holding them. I hope he is a permanent fixture on SD and ppvs.

 

[Wolf Pac]

Fuckin' A. Smackdown has been pretty shit the last couple of weeks but JBL is the only thing that has kept me from switching off SD! I absolutely enjoy his commentary, he oozes passion on the headset, you can tell he is really proud of his business and how far wrestling has come with how he praises the wrestlers and his history lessons, and he's a riot whenever he's blasting Michael Cole or Josh Matthews- I cracked up last week when he told Josh that he was like his dad Michael Cole .

I don't mean to sound like an ass but the commentary on both shows has been far more enjoyable without Jerry Lawler. I honestly would prefer if the King didn't come back and JR replaced him on RAW full time, would it be a wise choice to bring him back anyway? Maybe it would be better if The King just made a few special appearances every year to commentate, but not return full time. Whether they bring back King full time or not though, I hope JR still remains on the RAW team permanently.

 

[Dagger Dias]

This is excellent news. JBL's commentary has been great and I am glad to see him join the announcing team on a more permanent basis. I'd rather he be taking Lawler's place, but I'm fine with him doing Smackdown's announcing. He and Matthews make a good team. I never missed his in-ring work all too much, although when JBL stopped doing commentary, something clearly was missing that they were never really able to replace. Great decision on WWE's part to present him with this opportunity.

This also hopefully means no more Cole on Smackdown. Just Matthews and JBL. Not that Cole is anywhere near as bad as he used to be, but the announcing has been so much better lately and part of that is thanks to JBL being back. I genuinely look forward to hearing what he has to say during the matches. Unlike Cole he's been a World Champion before so he comes off as knowing what he's talking about, and unlike Lawler in recent years you can tell he cares about what is going on. Siding the heels some never hurts either.

 

[Piss Bucket]

Meh, JBL's commentary I can take at a pinch, he's less annoying than Cole, and isn't as far up The Miz's arse as Cole is, he's a better wrestler though IMO.

 

[Uncle Sam]

JBL on commentary talks about title belts as if they're important, puts wrestlers over and is very funny. And he's a heel. Basically, he's the smarks' wet dream - and who can blame them? Good choice.

 

[LSN80]

JBL returning can only be seen as a positive thing. Regardless of what the man is like on a personal level, mostly known as a huge jackass, he has a knowledge of the product that is unsurpassed by few. He puts over the talent in the ring, shares stories regarding the backgrounds of the performers, and in some cases, his own personal experiences with them. I always chuckle when I hear him talk about Rey Mysterio and his personal disdain for him, all-the-while putting him over as a great talent.

My hope for this as well is that he gets something out of Josh Matthews. When the "heel" role was being filled by Michael Cole, Matthews sat their impotently, and almost never challenged Cole.As a result, Cole overshadowed both the commentary and the product. With a stronger "heel" voice in JBL filling the seat next to him, my hope is that it will inspire Matthews to become a stronger voice in the play-by-play department. JBL is going to overshadow him, no doubt, but it's in a role he's comfortable in. Cole as a heel was mostly unnatural, and forced. As a result, he felt crammed down my throat. JBL is a natural in that role, unlike Cole, which will hopefully help put Matthews more at ease as well.

As much as I abhorred JBL the wrestler, I enjoy him greatly as a commentator. He knows the product, is intelligent, and offers a heel presence that has been missing since the days of Paul Heyman. His addition to Smackdown full time offers no negatives that I can think of, and hopefully he will continue on PPV's as well.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Gotta love John Layfield. He is the silver lining in Jerry Lawler's heart attack from a fans point of view; cruel? Probably, but fuck it. Hes brought an energy back to announcing, not even Jim Ross has been getting me interested in uninteresting stuff as of late, but JBL has me more interested in Del Rio and Orton then I assumed plausible. Great decision to bring him back, happy hes came back.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

As I said on a similar topic in the Spam section, this is great news.

JBL is the best thing to happen to commentary in the last 10 years, he knows his stuff and is able to take the mic skills we all knew he had to the announcing table.

He is able to put wrestlers over far better than the likes of Cole or Matthews and as a recen in-ring competitor he is able to talk about competing against some of the guys in the ring. He actually talks about titles like they mean something, and tells good background stories on the guys in the ring.

I am delighted to see JBL back behind the announcers desk, this is great news for Smackdown! I really do think JBL will be the permanent replacement for Jerry Lawler, when the King finally calls it a day.