In any sport, there is always a fear that some heroes will go undiscovered, underappreciated, and unsung. JBL is one such name who, despite being one of the top guys in the company, is now practically low-balled by fans. However, during the era of John “Bradshaw” Layfield, he was definitely one of the most relevant stars. From the APA days to his journey as JBL, he had a career to remember.
During a recent interview, The Undertaker was asked about the most underrated wrestler he ever worked with. The answer, JBL, probably shocked everyone as fans expected some fancier names. But if The Undertaker appreciates a wrestler, especially in his 30-year illustrious career, we need to take a closer look, right?
Top 5 Matches of JBL
When JBL made a comeback with Baron Corbin, fans started to talk about him again. However, as the storyline went nowhere, what we got was dull storytelling. But that won’t prevent us from revisiting his long career. Talking about his best matches, JBL was never a technical genius, but what made him special was his character work. JBL vs. Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Triple H is definitely one of the best works by JBL. The top guys packed into a single match, it was definitely a star-stacked match, and fans loved it.
Shawn Michaels has a knack for turning anything into a classic. Two of the best wrestling characters clashed, and you can’t expect anything less than a quality bout. JBL vs. Shawn Michaels at No Way Out 2009 was one such match that fans will always love.
JBL vs. John Cena, as John Cena’s first WWE Championship defense, had fans expecting a good match but were treated with something even better. JBL vs. Chris Benoit is also remembered as one of JBL’s best matches. Keeping the controversial incident aside, Chris Benoit had the potential to be one of the best stars in WWE, and his bout with JBL was definitely special. The match for the US Championship became one of the best matches for that belt.
Pure nostalgia comes in the form of JBL vs. Eddie Guerrero. Fans count it as JBL’s best match. Like Shawn, Eddie had the charisma. Besides that, both Eddie and JBL were quite dedicated to their characters, and the build-up to this match was as good as the match itself.
Undertaker Validates the Greatness of JBL
When talking about a stamp of legacy, very few have as much authority as The Undertaker. During an interview, The Undertaker narrated that JBL is one of the best wrestlers in the business and marked him as one of the most underrated names in WWE.
“Most underrated?… because he had his run, his big run late, I don’t think people realize how good JBL was. He came in as the cowboy and then, you know, he was an Acolyte and then the APA. But it wasn’t until he became JBL that I think he got to showcase his true ability. Not only being able to cut promos but also his work as a heel.”