1. John Laurinaitis has wrestled for such promotions as World Championship Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and WWE.
37 Facts About John Laurinaitis
1. 2.
John Laurinaitis is the brother of Joe and Marcus, and is the uncle of former National Football League player James Laurinaitis.
3.
In WWE, Laurinaitis worked in the talent relations office for eight years, and as occasional professional wrestler from 2011 until 2012.
4.
John Laurinaitis was promoted again to Head of Talent Relations in 2021 until his release in 2022.
5.
John Hodger Laurinaitis was born on July 31,1962 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
6.
John Laurinaitis was a flag-bearer for The Sheepherders and followed them to another NWA territory, Jim Crockett Promotions.
7.
John Laurinaitis enjoyed significant championship success and acclaim during his tenure, becoming a two-time All Asia Tag Team Champion, a four-time World Tag Team Champion, and the winner of the New Year's Heavyweight Battle Royal on January 2,1991, at Korakuen Hall.
8.
On February 28,1998, John Laurinaitis would reach the highest point of his singles career as he challenged Mitsuharu Misawa for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.
9.
John Laurinaitis retired from the ring in June 2000 after the split between All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah.
10.
John Laurinaitis soon returned to World Championship Wrestling, where he replaced Vince Russo as head booker.
11.
John Laurinaitis was responsible for booking the highly acclaimed one-night single elimination tournament held for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship that was won by the debuting Lance Storm.
12.
John Laurinaitis was hired in as a road agent after WWF's acquisition of certain assets of WCW in March 2001 and in June on the same year, John Laurinaitis was promoted to director of talent relations.
13.
In June 2004, John Laurinaitis replaced Jim Ross as vice president of talent relations, then being promoted to senior vice president in February 2007 and finally to executive vice president in March 2009.
14.
However, when Stephanie McMahon took over talent relations and handed over the reins to her husband, Paul Levesque, John Laurinaitis moved down from his executive duties to being senior vice president of talent operations.
15.
John Laurinaitis subsequently made an appearance alongside McMahon as a corporate stooge during the main event of the Money in the Bank pay-per-view the following month.
16.
The next night on Raw, John Laurinaitis appeared alongside McMahon as McMahon announced an 8-man tournament to decide a new WWE Champion following Punk's departure from the company.
18.
Nash interfered in the match after John Laurinaitis sent a text at ringside.
19.
That same night, John Laurinaitis fired Jim Ross and reinstated The Miz and R-Truth, who had been suspended following repeated attacks.
20.
John Laurinaitis then scheduled a WWE Championship match between Punk and Ziggler at the Royal Rumble, in which he named himself guest referee.
21.
John Laurinaitis began to declare himself as the soon to be permanent General Manager.
22.
John Laurinaitis subsequently began a feud with SmackDown general manager Theodore Long.
23.
On that week's edition of SmackDown, John Laurinaitis wrestled his first match in eleven years, losing to Theodore Long in a singles match.
24.
John Laurinaitis continued his feud with Long until WrestleMania XXVIII, where both Long and John Laurinaitis chose a team of six wrestlers to represent them, with the winning team earning general manager control over both brands.
25.
At Over the Limit, John Laurinaitis defeated Cena despite taking a heavy beating after Big Show interfered and attacked Cena.
26.
The next night on Raw SuperShow, in his final show in charge, John Laurinaitis booked himself in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match, teaming up with Big Show and David Otunga against Cena.
27.
John Laurinaitis appeared at Survivor Series, alongside Los Matadores, R-Truth, Santino Marella and Fandango, and at the 2013 Slammy Awards, presenting the Rookie of the Year award to The Shield.
28.
On SmackDown's 15th Anniversary Special on October 10,2014, John Laurinaitis formed a team to face Teddy Long's team to be determined as the greatest general manager in SmackDown history.
29.
John Laurinaitis appeared at the Slammy Awards in December and, on March 28,2015, he inducted The Bushwhackers into the WWE Hall of Fame.
30.
John Laurinaitis made his appearance during the June 20,2016 episode of Raw but was escorted off the stage by Shane McMahon.
31.
On January 22,2018, John Laurinaitis was one of the guests that appeared on stage during the 25th Anniversary episode of Raw.
32.
At Money in the Bank on May 10,2020, John Laurinaitis made a cameo appearance during the Men and Women's Money in the Bank match, which was filmed inside the WWE headquarters.
33.
In March 2021, John Laurinaitis was re-hired by WWE as Head of Talent Relations.
34.
John Laurinaitis is the innovator of the cutter maneuver, which he dubbed the Ace Crusher.
35.
John Laurinaitis created the move while training with Barry Windham in 1987 and began using it a year later in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
36.
John Laurinaitis is the uncle of James Laurinaitis, former linebacker for the St Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints.
37.
On September 3,2015, John Laurinaitis became engaged to Kathy Colace, who is the mother of The Bella Twins and the mother-in-law of former WWE champion Bryan Danielson.