Rate The Gimmick: John Bradshaw Layfield - Wall Street Cowboy

[Ferbian]

It's time for yet another weekly installment in the Rate The Gimmick series. The purpose of this series is to rate a gimmick of my choosing from 1-10, 1 being awful, 10 being awesome. Also remember to give a reason to why you choose these ratings.

This weeks installment is, yet another one of my few loved gimmicks.

Finally a damn good picture of one of my choices. Anyway I would like to apologize if some once again disagree with my choice of name for the gimmick. But really, from this picture, and the way JBL acted, could you say anything else than a Wall Street Cowboy?

John Bradshaw Layfield, or more recognizably JBL was a gimmick introduced in 2004. During that time, JBL was the longest reigning WWE champion in Smackdown history, or at least he became that during the time that he introduced this gimmick. H e was a great heel if you ask me, and he sure knew how to work the crowd with this gimmick. A cocky, rich man that loved to brag about it.

This gimmick allowed John to truly shine through as an American patriotic kind of persona. He dressed somewhat like a cowboy, with a Wall Street influence, a rich persona.

The persona featured feuds with the likes of Undertaker, Kurt Angle, John Cena, Shawn Michaels and many more. Many decent to good feuds, with this gimmick that went for about 5 years until John's retirement in 2009 at Wrestlemania 25.

Also, let's not forget about a year's stint on the microphone behind the announcers desk, to truly display the gimmicks heel abilities.

Oh and I want to share this, simply because I love champion vs champion confrontations.

[YOUTUBE]8tgkd7IA11w[/YOUTUBE]

Casual, yet heelish confrontation. Gotta love them.

Anyway, I won't continue to yapper on about my love for the JBL gimmick. However I will leave you guys to do the ratings, you know the deal. 1-10, your opinion?

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

The JBL 'Wall Street Cowboy' (as you put it Ferbs) Gimmick was by far one of the most successful gimmicks of the 21st century (thus far). JBL had just finished playing a loveable Texas Redneck & member of the APA with Ron Simmons, when suddenly one week on SmackDown after the APA was separated, John 'Bradshaw' Layfield showed up and cut a terrific heel promo, forever changing his course. The gimmick was essentially a modern day revamp of the Million Dollar Man character and just like Ted DiBiase, Bradshaw played it terrifically. Until that point, JBL was thought of as a tag team specialist who played a decent redneck babyface, but would never amount to anything when it came to the singles division (you could understand why if you had seen his run in the Hardcore Division back in 2002). But just like DiBiase, JBL was someone you loved to hate, it was that hate that drove him to the main event. Cutting promos, winning championships and never winning fairly were all parts of the JBL package and the former APA man was tremendous in the great gimmick he was given. I'll give Mr. Layfield's Gimmick a 9/10.

 

[Bobby B]

Yeah, huge fan of this. It was a great gimmick because it never dominated his character. It was excentuated when needed, but not rammed down peoples throats when it wasn't.

Bradshaw did a superb job with this, and it really helped him go to the next level. It did create one of the top stables from the last decade - The Cabinet. I wasn't crazy about the people within it, but it certainly elevated Jordan and co.

Gimmick Rating: 10/10

 

[Find'er Woo'er Ryder]

well this is actually when i got back into wrestling. he is an amazing heel and his fued with cena was actually pretty good. i did like how he had his own cabbinet as he called it with the underused orland jordan and the basham brothers. he did have an impressive wwe title run. he had great a decent fued with batista for the whc. i enjoyed his commintating on smackdown for a month or so then missed him in the ring. i didnt like when he moved to raw. thats the start of the end for him. i wish he could come back today and be one of the top heels on smackdown. they need some more big people on that show and JBL will do great for that brand

 

[gd]

11/10, I'd say. Absolutely love JBL. Sure, he wasn't a great wrestler or anything, but his gimmick was pretty freakin' sweet. Tell us about how rich you are JBL. O ya, baby, that's the way I like it.

Hell, it was even good enough to get him to the main event, where he never would've been without it, due to him being a fat old guy and all.

Like I said, JBL is awesome. His hat is awesome. His juice company is awesome. His wife is awesome. His hair is awesome. His gimmick is awesome. For real.

 

[simeon63]

The JBL character was a pretty good, he played the part very well and you get the feeling most of his character was based on him. The downfall was JBL'S conditioning the guy had man boobs and was not in great shape so they brought some negativity into the character.
But him being driven out in a limo was sweet, to rather stupid entrance music. Over all I will rate the JBL character a 6/10.

 

[Tully]

I loved the gimmick and JBL himself. Great ring worker, fantastic on the mic, had the true attitude of a heel, and seemed to completely relish the role. I think the "wealthy Texas cowboy" thing worked well and using 'Wall Street' rather than, say 'oil baron' or something else was a good idea, as it's less regional in nature.

In short, I'd give JBL 10/10. One of the greatest heels in WWE history.

PS: Compare him to guys like Shaemus today and it's laughable how much better he was than they are.

 

[Sasori]

JBL was amazing hell, I think as far as this century goes he may have generated more heat than anyone, even more heat than Vicki Guerrero. And thats an accomplishment by itself. Not only that but add his all most one year title reign, and you got an all time great, JBL really proved me wrong as I was never into the APA. The fun redneck just weren't my thing I guess, but he stepped up from being a tag team guy to main eventing Wrestlemania as a world champion.

SO for the improvements he made and success he gained, I give the gimmick an 8/10.

 

[M. Winters]

I absolutely loved this gimmick. Every time JBL got on the mic he essentially saved Smackdown for me and made it interesting. I don't think anyone since had matched JBL's I guess, natural arrogance? It just seemed so real for me when he would get into the ring and declare himself a wrestling god. Even his stint as an announcer made Smackdown a more enjoyable program.

9/10

 

[LitasRevenge79]

I gotta say, I've ALWAYS been a fan of JBL from the beginning, when he was Justin Hawk (I hope that's right), then as APA group, and even as JBL, the NY cowboy. He's perfect as the loud bragadocious heel type that is an over the top personality that mocks the DALLAS- JR Ewing type persona. It is that, with him that made that gimmick so successful. Had they had anyone else try that, I doubt it would be as memorable as it is today. Even as JBL was relegated temporarily to the announce table, it was a welcome delight to hear him call matches because he used that same gimmick to call matches, and you could always expect that same persona to be in the matches in some way, shape, or form. Even if someone cheated, did an uncool move, or he saw a diva he lusted for, it was classic JBL using his character to his advantage. I swear, that is what made me keep tuning into SD regularly to see what great one liners he'd use, like "There's the next Mrs. Layfield." or in terms of Edge "That man is a genius." or when scolding Cole for berating someone for cheating "That's not cheating, that's being skillful/clever..etc" I give this gimmick a 9 out of 10, because I only wish he would've stayed on SD, because I think that was more his edge, and I wanted to see him when they came back thru my town.

 

[CJ The Pirate]

I've loved Bradshaw for years. As a kid I would either choose him in video games, or create him if I had to and take him to the WWE title. I'd write storylines and feuds for him to have, one particular one with a Face Bradshaw taking on a Heel Farrooq in a rivalry fuelled by Farrooq's jealousy of Bradshaw's money. This was around 2000, 2001 I think. For a heel version of this character to come out only years later, it was a dream.

At first I wasn't too pleased about it. I wanted to cheer for him and I wanted others to enjoy him as much as I did. But I started to realise just how good he was as heel and exactly where that was taking him. I even managed to start a pretty loud J-B-L chant at a Smackdown taping in Manchester in 2005 (I think - The same show, Mysterio faced Kurt Angle in an amazing match after winning a Battle Royal).

JBL was a great cowardly heel character and him holding onto the belt by any means possible just generated more and more heat for him.

He was gold on the mic, Gold next to Michael Cole and a legitimate bad ass. Sure, he had his haters backstage for his attitude but I always loved what I saw.

Gimmick Rating. 8/10 - He wasn't given the opportunity long enough to make it truly great.

 

[The Crock]

9/10 Great gimmick. I personally loved this, he was the guy you really love to hate. He played the character perfectly, and you said it best Ferbs "The Wall Steeet Cowboy"... It describes him perfectly. He played a rich pompous guy who still had those touches of "cowboy" in him. He defintely deserved to have that long of a title reign, he busted his ass for years as Bradshaw in the A.P.A., and shined when he got his opportunities ad a singles star. This was an awesome gimmick and he had some great feuds as JBL. His feud with John Cena was excellent, and it was captivating. Also, his entrance as JBL was great too, really fit the gimmick. He had the stock exchange bells in the music along with a cowboy theme. His limo had bull horns on it, couldn't get much more "Wall Street Cowboy" than that. Great thread, great gimmick.

 

[Trivia247]

I remember that night when he came out and tapped the fans hands with his...then dabbed hand sanitizer on himself after each hand touch...giving that s##t eating grin all the way you knew he was going heel.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I feel like a Christian among the lions but hell I gotta give my 2 cents in between this JBL love-fest too.

5/10

Nothing. I saw nothing in his character rather than an excuse to take a bathroom break when he was in the ring.
He was a good talker, but never really captivating and for me generated the please sod off heat rather than the good heat.
His reign was bland as no high quality matches came off it, a typical slow-pace brawler, and really it was not up for my taste.

And I did love it when Paulie shut him up!

 

[SuperSteve16]

The rich JBL has to be one of the greatest heel ever in the WWE. JBl's character was great as soon as he's character made its debut, not allowing imigrants into america. He had some fantastic fueds against the likes of John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho and Batista. He was also a very good commentator. This character only gets a 9 because he became a bit to slow nas a wrestler near the end of his career.
9/10

 

[excel_excel]

Damn I liked his gimmick a lot. A very cowardly yet bully type heel. Great promo's and he made everyone hate him!
His only problem was that he wasn't that great a wrestler (his feud with Cena showed this) and he was pushed into the main event picture too fast. If they'd brought in his new gimmick and slowly built it, getting his 'cabinet' together and THEN won the title I feel he would have had a much bigger impact.
Great commentator as well!
Overal: 7/10

 

[Bobby B]

Damn I liked his gimmick a lot. A very cowardly yet bully type heel. Great promo's and he made everyone hate him!
His only problem was that he wasn't that great a wrestler (his feud with Cena showed this) and he was pushed into the main event picture too fast. If they'd brought in his new gimmick and slowly built it, getting his 'cabinet' together and THEN won the title I feel he would have had a much bigger impact.
Great commentator as well!
Overal: 7/10

Doesn't that show how good the gimmick was though? The fact that it carried a below average wrestler to the top.

I guess if your addressing the gimmick as the character plus the wrestler behind him - they your 7/10 rating is fine.

But I see the gimmick as just the character - hence why I rated it so high.

 

[Dum Dum Dudley]

I personally can not say 10/10 or even a laughable 11/10 for this gimmick for a one main reason and it is what CJ the Pirate stated: time. He wasn't using this gimmick long enough for it to be a true classic or a 10/10. 'The Texas Rattlesnake' and 'The People's Champ' are the gimmicks that deserve a 10/10 because they were incredibly over and lasted for years and years.
But back on topic, i actually did enjoy the gimmick. It was different and the contrast between 'cowboy' and 'business man' was always entertaining. He could deliver a really emotional and patriotic promo that utilised the 'cowboy' aspect of the gimmick, then flip it 180 degrees and do a very serious, business like promo too. I liked the little touches too like the bull-horns on the limo but again, i don't think he utilised this gimmick long enough to get a 10/10.
I believe a reasonable and fair verdict would be 7/10. Between '04-'06 as a competitior, 06-07 as an announcer and then '07-'09 JBL was a hugely entertaining heel and i thought his gimmick was good. However, its the Undertakers, the John Cenas and the Ric Flairs of the world whose gimmicks truly deserve a 10/10. I can understand people enjoying his work but realistically, 10 out of 10 is quite generous.

 

[Slack]

I liked the gimmick, I'll give it a 10. The reason is simple, it mixed so many different types of characters into one. It mixed the stereotypical conservative wall street guy with a JR Ewing type of character. It was a character that was made to be hated, and hated he was.

Also as JBL not being a good wrestler, that isn't important to the WWE. And I don't know if he was pushed into the main event too fast, heck he was in the WWE for like what 10 years before getting into the main event.

 

[A**hole]

It was a very good gimmick and hopefully someday will be resurrected to replace Lawler.
Without doubt it puts him up there with Jesse Ventura as a color commentator, if he never got in the ring it would get 10/10 but he did so overall I'd give it 8

 

[I_got_bant_for_idiocy]

. He had some fantastic fueds against the likes of John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho and Batista. 9/10

dont forget the late great eddy, the strap match was crazy and sooo much blooood, though his feud with eddy was the best feud he had

id rate the gimmick a 8/10

 

[The Holy One]

This was truly one of the best gimmicks in the decade. It was with this gimmick that JBL carried SD after Brock Lesnar left and before John Cena became big. John had all the tools to make this gimmick work. He had the persona of the cowboy with wall street influence and could work the mic as a rich man should. He could make any crowd hate him in an instant during his run on Smackdown. It also helped that he was actually a wall street guy in real life. The fact that the gimmick work so well despite John not being a great wrestler only proves how great the gimmick was. I give it a 9.5/10.

 

[SpoodBeest]

John "Bradshaw" Layfield was the savior of John Layfield's wrestling career. Before he became JBL he seemed to be going no where as Bradshaw teaming with Ron Simmons in the APA. Then he turned on Simmons, and debuted a new wall street billionaire type gimmick. But the way they transitioned his character was basically random. One week Bradshaw, the net JBL. Then he was put in a feud with Eddie Guerrero for the WWE title right after re-debuting as this new character. Eventually he got the best of Eddie during the feud and ended up winning his first and only WWE Championship of his career.

However this brings me to my next point. It let Layfield show his personality. JBL was always known as being a mic master. His promos were always solid and he knew just the right things to say to get the audience all riled up. He had a feud with basically every major star on SmackDown and knew how verbally rip them at every chance he got. Which in turn pissed off the audience more so. You also had to lobe his praise for New York and constant bashing of Texas whenever they would go there saying that state did nothing for him during the time he was there. A lot of good stuff came out of this gimmick. The only issue Bradshaw had was that he wasn't that good of a worker but his character and personality made up for that. Also if you gave him the right opponent or even match stipulation he could really shine as well.

It was the gimmick that saved his career and made him relevant from 2004 until his retirement in 2009. Even when he was a color commentator he was always entertaining to listen too and I actually was bummed when he left the booth to go back and compete and they decided to replace him with Jonathan Coachman (uggh). Anyway the JBL gimmick was always entertaining and really got to show us what John Layfield could bring to the table when he had a bigger presence. It was worth while to watch and layfield made it work every step of the way. A huge 9.5/10 score from me for this gimmick.