1. John Layfield is currently signed to WWE, where he is an ambassador and commentator for the company.
55 Facts About John Layfield
1. 2.
John Layfield was inducted into the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2020.
3.
John Layfield is currently a finance commentator and is featured regularly on Fox News and Fox Business.
4.
John Layfield is employed by Northeast Securities as its senior vice president.
5.
John Layfield was a collegiate American football player for Trinity Valley Community College and for Abilene Christian University.
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At Abilene, John Layfield was a two-year starter on the offensive line and was named first-team All-Lone Star Conference as a junior and senior.
7.
John Layfield signed with the Los Angeles Raiders as an undrafted free agent, but was released before the 1990 season began.
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John Layfield did play in the World League of American Football, starting all ten games of the 1991 season at right tackle for the San Antonio Riders, wearing jersey number 61.
9.
John Layfield was trained initially by Black Bart and Brad Rheingans.
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John Layfield debuted in September 1992 in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas.
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John Layfield formed the tag team "Texas Mustangs" with Bobby Duncum Jr.
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In January 1993, John Layfield went on his first overseas trip to Japan, wrestling for George and Shunji Takano's Network of Wrestling.
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John Layfield would wrestle for Federacion Internacional de Lucha Libre, where he won its Heavyweight Championship.
14.
John Layfield won the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship on January 14,1995, defeating Kevin Von Erich.
15.
John Layfield was set to join Smoky Mountain Wrestling in December 1995, to wrestle Buddy Landel, but this did not happen due to the company closing in November.
16.
In December 1995, Layfield debuted in the World Wrestling Federation, losing to Savio Vega in a dark match.
17.
John Layfield made his televised debut on the January 27,1996, episode of WWF Superstars as "Justin 'Hawk' Bradshaw," defeating Bob Holly in his debut match.
18.
John Layfield lost a Caribbean Strap Match to Savio Vega on the September 22,1996, PPV In Your House 10: Mind Games.
19.
In February 1997, John Layfield paired up with his storyline cousin Barry Windham to form The New Blackjacks, John Layfield cut off his long hair and completed with the traditional "Blackjack" handlebar mustaches and short, dyed black hair.
20.
Windham's injuries piled up throughout 1997 and John Layfield wrestled only occasionally on TV as Blackjack Bradshaw worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from November to December of that year.
21.
John Layfield earned a shot at the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship against Jeff Jarrett at No Way Out of Texas: In Your House and won by disqualification, but Jarrett retained the title because a title cannot change hands by a disqualification.
22.
John Layfield defeated Vader in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at Breakdown which was won by Bradshaw.
23.
John Layfield was out of action for six months until returning to Ohio Valley Wrestling and then a few weeks later to the active WWE roster.
24.
John Layfield left them after telling Bradshaw to think about his own future.
25.
John Layfield was initially released, but he was later re-hired to work behind the scenes in the WWE under various roles.
26.
John Layfield began his first main event push as Kurt Angle and Big Show were injured and Brock Lesnar left the company, with someone needed to face the current WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero.
27.
John Layfield began referring to himself as John Bradshaw Layfield, or JBL.
28.
John Layfield's finishing move's name was part of the overhaul, becoming the Clothesline From Wall Street until he later changed it back to its original name.
29.
John Layfield justified these actions by explaining, "I am retired, not dead".
30.
John Layfield made his return to WWE on the March 7,2011, episode of Raw as Michael Cole's choice for special guest referee for his match against Jerry Lawler at WrestleMania XXVII on April 3.
31.
John Layfield cut a promo claiming he was starting his "journey back to the main event at WrestleMania," before being interrupted by Stone Cold Steve Austin just as he was about to sign the contract.
32.
On March 31,2012, John Layfield inducted his former tag team partner and real life best friend Ron Simmons into the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame.
33.
John Layfield later re-signed with WWE and returned to the SmackDown broadcast team on a full-time basis, alongside Josh Mathews and eventually Michael Cole.
34.
John Layfield made his first appearance on the American Sports Network on October 1,2016, when ACU hosted the University of Central Arkansas.
35.
From October 2022 until February 2023, John Layfield worked as the manager of Baron Corbin.
36.
In 2003, John Layfield published a book on financial management titled Have More Money Now.
37.
In 2008, John Layfield Energy launched a drink called MamaJuana Energy.
38.
In March 2009, John Layfield Energy became the main sponsor and advertiser of Ohio Valley Wrestling, a former WWE developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky.
39.
John Layfield has lived full-time in Bermuda since shortly after his retirement from in-ring activity.
40.
The organization is an offshoot of Beyond Sport, a South African nonprofit that uses running for similar purposes; John Layfield was introduced to that group's founder when he and his wife visited the country for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
41.
John Layfield spends much of his time outside of WWE with the organization, filling duties as varied as celebrity fundraising and mowing the rugby field.
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John Layfield is a global ambassador for Beyond Sport alongside figures such as Tony Blair and Desmond Tutu.
43.
In 2004, John Layfield was hired by CNBC to be a contributor.
44.
John Layfield left CNBC and was hired by Fox News and sister network Fox Business as a business commentator.
45.
In November 2012, John Layfield started hosting a new show on WWE's YouTube channel alongside Michael Cole and Renee Young called The JBL and Renee Show.
46.
John Layfield used to run the website John Layfield Report which highlighted a variety of his views and opinions in numerous articles.
47.
John Layfield has appeared as a playable character in a number of WWE video games.
48.
John Layfield appears as a commentator for several games, including WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2008, WWE 2K16 and WWE 2K17.
49.
John Layfield began broadcasting American football games in 2016, serving as analyst for a pair of Abilene Christian University radio broadcasts and two Southland Conference games televised on American Sports Network.
50.
In 2021, John Layfield began hosting a podcast series with Gerald Brisco.
51.
John Layfield's parents are Lavelle Layfield, who is a minister, and Mary Layfield.
52.
John Layfield married his second wife, Meredith Whitney, on February 11,2005, in Key West, Florida.
53.
John Layfield was previously married to Cindy Womack on June 6,1994, but divorced in 2003.
54.
John Layfield admitted to hazing Miz and said that he did not regret doing so.
55.
The allegations coincided with the release of former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts' autobiography, in which he alleged that John Layfield stole his passport.