Jbl Retiring?

[LKP]

WWE Intercontinental Champion John Bradshaw Layfield, 42, has been telling people backstage that he will likely be retiring from the ring by May. His back problems that caused him to originally retire in 2006 have resurfaced and his retirement from WWE appears imminent. Layfield is not listed in the May house show bookings that have been released.

As noted earlier, Layfield recently claimed he would be doing something historical that would shock the wrestling world at Wrestlemania XXV. Regarding his claim, it's been speculated that JBL will retire as the Intercontinental Champion, something nobody with the exception of Trish Stratus as WWE Women's Champion at the 2006 Unforgiven pay-per-view has ever done.

In a strange pairing, Layfield will be teaming up with Vladimir Kozlov against the team of Undertaker and Shawn Michaels next week on Raw. It's interesting to note that in a blog post yesterday, Jim Ross actually speculated on a Layfield vs. Kozlov feud. While this is only speculation, Dave Meltzer believes the strange pairing could indicate a quick Kozlov/JBL break-up, allowing JBL to go to his home state of Texas at WrestleMania XXV as the babyface and face "The Moscow Mauler" with the Intercontinental Championship on the line. It would cast JBL in the right atmosphere for a retirement ceremony/moment.

Considering CM Punk is already tied to the Money in the Bank Match, he will definitely not be facing JBL at WrestleMania â€â€￾ so there's not many candidates left. With the exception of Kozlov, the highest slotted candidate not already accounted for on the lineup at "The 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania" is Rey Mysterio. However, nothing has been done to even start anything in that direction, and time is running short. Following next week's show, there will only be two weeks left to build towards WrestleMania.

Very interesting story there and jbl being a face as jbl is different. But thinking about it it does actually make sense jbl being face vs kozlov. But will people care enough to get behind jbl? If so they got 3 weeks to build up quick face run for Jbl. Ans as for jbl retiring with the ic title would be strange but i don't wanna see the ic title retried. I mean i know it seems they don't add that much value to it now but is like to see it around the wwe somehow.

 

[LegendKiller0123]

JBL as Face = Fail

But I would like to see him go back on the stick because that was an awesome time for Smackdown with him as color commentator...

Bradshaw will ALWAYS have a place in WWE and with his own business he doesnt really NEED to be in the ring anymore... Im sure they will make him either an on air talent again or a Road Agent..

Its a shame though... He is in the top 5 best heels right now...

 

[PeepShow]

http://www.impactwrestling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31086

 

[Christian 2.0]

JBL is one of the greatest talkers in the history of wrestling, the end. His matches though, were not. I did really like how winning the IC title was made a big deal. At least judging by his actions. Cool ending.

 

[Airfixx]

^^^The title change really could have done with SOME kind of hype though, even if it was just at the very begining of Raw i.e. "TONIGHT: IC championship match blah" )... You'd be forgiven for thinking they were looking for an low profile way of taking the belt off of Punk.

 

[Seventh Reason]

Portions of that statement are simply unbelievable.

Could never imagine that within a month, JBL could turn face, particularly as a result of Vladimir Kozlov, whose heel reactions are pretty mild as it is.

And finally, aren't both Kozlov and JBL topping the list as the worst ring performers in the company? That would be a nice combination! I guess, mathematically, it could be a good match (Negative multiplied by negative = ???).

Commentary on ECW?

 

[plachi]

JBL retiring- all I can say is about bloody time. He has an incredible talent to make any match he's in boring as hell. A talent that Kozlov seems to have as well, so a match betwen those two would be fitting, but awful.

 

[Jay Swagger]

I like JBL a lot, and seeing him retire i'd like to see, and dislike. I'd like it because its good for him and he needs to do it. Plus he can go back doing commentary which he is phenomenal at. And I'd dislike it because I still want JBL to have one more run with the Heavyweight/WWE Title. But him as the I Champion is good enough. I'd rather see him retire in a match teaming with Ron Simmons, but this will be good. Let him have a babyface retirement, and not a "na na na na...goodbye" retirement.

 

[LuigiTheMan]

Jbl is old but he still get it. He still have the power to compete vs other westlers. Well it shure that he should retired but not one maybe in 1-2 years

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

I didn't like his recent run sans the Cena program from last summer and he has never really been his old self. So in a way its a loss but a blessing in disguise as he'll easily replace one of the awful commentary personalities on one of the shows (hopefully Grish,or Cole) but teaming him up with J.R would be somethin sweet.

 

[LKP]

I'm still having trouble in thinking about jbl vs kozlov at WM25. I'm guessing Rey vs kozlov vs jbl at Wm25 for ic title. I say this cause Rey has not got a match up yet so there my guess.

 

[Klide]

he retired before in the past and i wouldent be surprised if he would retire for sure now..he might go help out in ovw when hes finished