Photo: WWE

JBL On His WWE Status & Future

In a recent interview, former SmackDown Live commentator John Layfield discussed his current WWE status and what his future with the company holds.

“I’m still part of the WWE family which I’m thrilled about. I’ve been there for twenty-one years. I’ll still be going back for WrestleMania and Tribute to the Troops.

“I had no chance to come to places like India and visit Magic Bus, and do some things that I really wanted to do, as long as I was doing commentary every week. So, I got a chance to back off and do a few big events every year which I love doing. Love seeing Ron Simmons from the APA. He comes to all the big events too. But I love being able to come out here and visit with the kids and learning what people are doing, which to me is the most important work in the world.”

Hulk Hogan On Returning To WWE

Ever since being fired from WWE back in 2015, the question has always seemed to be when, not if, Hulk Hogan will return. During a recent television appearance on Fox News’ OBJECTified, Hogan expressed doubts about returning to the company that made him a household name.

When asked flat out if he would return if invited, Hogan simply said, “I don’t know.”

With all of the people that Vince McMahon and WWE have mended fences with over the years, it would be odd if Hogan was the one they couldn’t bring back.

The post Hulk Hogan Talks Returning To WWE; JBL On What His Future Holds appeared first on TopRopePress.com – Wrestling News, WWE News, TNA News, Wrestling Results.

Dave Meltzer indicated in the latest issue of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that ultimately it was not John Layfield’s actions that caused Mauro Ranallo to leave WWE earlier this year but rather the culture that has been headed by Vince McMahon.

The belief is that JBL’s part was the final straw for Mauro. However, it’s worth mentioning that some of the remarks that made Mauro upset were actually fed to JBL during the broadcasts and not entirely his doing.

Regarding Mauro’s terms to return to the company, he will work with Michael Cole and Triple H instead of having to deal with Vince McMahon.

The post Backstage News on Mauro Ranallo Leaving WWE Earlier This Year appeared first on Wrestling News & WWE News, Rumors & Spoilers.

Lawler is joined on today’s show by his co-host Glenn Moore.

Lawler opens today’s show by saying he met Gary Busey at a convention this past weekend and got a picture with him. He laughs while saying that Busey was certainly baked, and he has no idea how Busey can socialize like that everyday.

He also says that he met a fan who has a tattoo of Vince McMahon on his ass. Lawler couldn’t believe it and took a picture of the tattoo which he sent to McMahon. He says that McMahon replied by simply saying, ”
OMG”.

With JBL announcing late last week that he has decided to step away from the Smackdown Live commentary booth, Moore asks Lawler if he has received a call from WWE, offering him his full-time commentary job back. Lawler says he hasn’t received a call, but even if he was offered a full-time job again that’s something he’d really have to think about at this point.

He says that he has grown accustomed to making his own schedule, and working sporadically with WWE has been really great for him. He admits that if WWE offered him the same salary that he was receiving during his last full-time commentary run, it’d be hard for him to turn that down.

The post Dinner With the King Recap w/ Bret Hart – Reliving Their 1993 Feud, Shooting at SummerSlam, Would Lawler Return to WWE Full-Time? More! appeared first on Wrestling News & WWE News, Rumors & Spoilers.

As previously reported, John Bradshaw Layfield is stepping down as an announcer and leaving his commentator position on weekly SmackDown Live programming.

WWE has released the following statement:

“In a tweet posted Friday evening, JBL announced that he is stepping back from his weekly role as SmackDown LIVE announcer to focus on his new role as a Beyond Sport Global Ambassador. The longest-reigning WWE Champion in SmackDown history will continue his more than 20-year relationship with WWE by appearing on events such as WrestleMania and WWE Tribute to the Troops – which JBL inspired in 2003.

WWE admires JBL’s continued determination to make a difference in the lives of at-risk kids in Bermuda and around the world.”

The post WWE Releases Statement on JBL Stepping Down appeared first on Wrestling News & WWE News, Rumors & Spoilers.

Photo: WWE

SmackDown Live commentator John “Bradshaw” Layfield (JBL) has stepped down from his announce table duties, effective immediately. In a message on Twitter, JBL revealed after much consideration, he will no longer commentate for SmackDown and he will focus on his Beyond Sport Global Ambassador role. He won’t fully leave WWE, as he will continue making occasional appearances such as Tribute to the Troops and WrestleMania.

JBL wrote:

After much consideration, I will be stepping back my weekly role as Smackdown Announcer to dedicate more continuous time on the work I have done since 2010 with at risk kids and communities. My new schedule will allow me to continue to be a part of the WWE family and also continue my work that I feel is the most important thing in my life. I will continue my 20+ year relationship with WWE and will appear on such marquee shows as Tribute to the Troops, WrestleMania, amongst others.

With the help of Beyond Sport, I founded Beyond Rugby Bermuda in 2010–which has been recognized as one of the world’s best charities for work with at risk, gang focused, youth intervention. Beyond Rugby Bermuda won the 2014 NACRA Fair Play Award out of 7,000 programs and 17 countries for its work with at risk kids. I was named as a Beyond Sport Global Ambassador–an organization backed by all major sports leagues in the U.S.

I’m proud to say that in addition to being Smackdown’s longest reigning WWE Champion, I inspired WWE’s Tribute to the Troops over 10 years ago. WWE has been my partner in all my philanthropic works and this new deal with WWE ensures that will continue. WWE has made my dreams come true and helped me become a global name. And now, WWE is helping me use that name to make a difference.

The post JBL Steps Down As SmackDown Live Commentator, But Is He Done With WWE? appeared first on TopRopePress.com – Wrestling News, WWE News, TNA News, Wrestling Results.

John Layfield announced on Twitter that he is leaving his position as a play-by-play commentator on SmackDown Live. JBL said that he’s leaving so he can focus on his work with at-risk children and communities.

“After much consideration, I will be stepping back my weekly role as Smackdown Announcer to dedicate more continuous time on the work I have done since 2010 with at risk kids and communities. My new schedule will allow me to continue to be a part of the WWE family and also continue my work that I feel is the most important thing in my life. I will continue my 20+ year relationship with WWE and will appear on such marquee shows as Tribute to the Troops, WrestleMania, amongst others.

With the help of Beyond Sport, I founded Beyond Rugby Bermuda in 2010–which has been recognized as one of the world’s best charities for work with at risk, gang focused, youth intervention. Beyond Rugby Bermuda won the 2014 NACRA Fair Play Award out of 7,000 programs and 17 countries for its work with at risk kids. I was named as a Beyond Sport Global Ambassador–an organization backed by all major sports leagues in the U.S.

I’m proud to say that in addition to being Smackdown’s longest reigning WWE Champion, I inspired WWE’s Tribute to the Troops over 10 years ago. WWE has been my partner in all my philanthropic works and this new deal with WWE ensures that will continue. WWE has made my dreams come true and helped me become a global name. And now, WWE is helping me use that name to make a difference.”

After much consideration, I will be stepping back my weekly role as Smackdown Announcer to dedicate more (cont) https://t.co/An7zuYRFmV

— John Layfield (@JCLayfield) September 1, 2017

JBL has been part of WWE’s commentary team on and off since June of 2006. As of this writing, his replacement has not been announced. We will keep you updated if we hear anything new.

The post JBL Leaving SmackDown Live appeared first on Wrestling News & WWE News, Rumors & Spoilers.

Blocks 1 & 2:

A listener calls into the show and presents an idea he has for the Mae Young Classic. He says that Asuka has been complaining about a lack of competition in NXT as of late, so perhaps she should be entered into the upcoming women’s tournament where she’d have to defend her NXT Women’s Title in every match.

Taz says thats a cool, unique idea, but WWE wouldn’t really be able to explain giving out multiple Title opportunities to women who didn’t earn it. Taz admits that WWE just did this by giving Lana a Title opportunity against Naomi at Money in the Bank, so perhaps they don’t worry about those types of details as much as we’d think.

Another listener calls into the show and asks Taz what your main goal should be as a colour commentator for a wrestling company. Taz says that first and foremost, you should never worry about getting yourself over. Your talking points should always focus on the story that the talents are telling in the ring, and your goal is to do everything you can to get those talents over with the audience.

Taz points out that a lot of commentators seem interested in getting themselves over more than the talents in the ring, and that should never be the case. He adds that colour commentators such as JBL or Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler can get away with that to a degree because they both had lengthy, successful in-ring careers before transitioning to the announce booth.

The post The Taz Show Recap – Calling Live Matches Vs. Taped, Asuka Needs A Challenge, Does Lana Deserve A Title Shot? More! appeared first on Wrestling News & WWE News, Rumors & Spoilers.