John Bradshaw Leyfield – the Good News and the Bad News

I will admit that I was baffled by the decision to push Bradshaw as a main even heel. His previous semi-push had been a flop and he seemed unable to play anything other than a cheap Stone Cold clone with a softer body and more hair. Or any hair. But I was wrong. Or at least half wrong. I stand by much of what I said and thought. The timing of his push – with mere days separating two completely different characters and no period of transition – was badly done. And, as we’ll see, it’s still not all roses in the garden of JBL.

Good News – JBL’s on screen character is improving week by week. The JR Ewing heel seems to have subtly changed into an insincere politician. There can’t be any doubt that the neat haired, big smiling, baby kissing, hand shaking JBL is a reflection of America’s current Presidential election. Men (and it’s always men) with millions of dollars, hundreds of white teeth and dozens of faces sucking up to the people in front of them while offering nothing more than rhetoric and hollow platitudes.

Bad News – John Bradshaw Leyfield may be improving in the personality department but John Leyfield is degenerating. He is an asshole and seems to take every opportunity of reminding people he is an asshole. He rants and raves about the internet and those people online who criticise him have no right to do so because they’re just pansies who have never laced up a pair of rasslin’ boot in their lives. Et cetera. He was bitter because they slagged him off when they saw him as undeserving of his push so he went off on one. He so offended the net community that when his Nazi salutes and goose stepping while on tour in Germany was reported they jumped on it. Suddenly the whole world knew about Bradshaw’s offensive attempt at getting heat. The internet fans told CNBC and, once they knew officially, they had no option but to sack him. This in turn has made him more bitter towards the net and he’s just had another rant on WWE Byte This. Afterwards he always claims he is in character and just being a heel but we’re smart enough to know the difference. He may be big and he may be a Texan but this is one fight he will never win.

Good News – His three high profile matches as a headliner have all be good to excellent. The two I’ve seen – his bloodbath win and the cage match on Smackdown – both rated ***1/2 or above in the major newsletters while his GAB match is reported to have been just as good. For someone who had never been known for work rate and who was now in his late 30s and past his athletic prime, it is to his credit that his best matches have come exactly when they were needed.

Bad News – All three matches were against Eddie Guerrero who ranks in the top two or three wrestlers in the world. Even an injured Eddie (which was the case in the cage match) is better than 90% of the workers in the business. The real test of whether Bradshaw can deliver main event calibre matches will come at Summerslam when he defends the title against the Undertaker. Now, Taker is probably Bradshaw’s best friend behind the scenes so he won’t be his usual unprofessional self and tank the match but it is still a long way from being carried by Eddie to having to carry Taker.

Good News – Once upon a time Bradshaw made me change the channel. Not literally perhaps as I was watching the show on video or TiVo so I just fast forwarded. But saying he made me fast forward sounds almost like a compliment. These days I enjoy his segments. I like his music – how many other main event guys have a cow mooing in their theme tune? I like how he smiles and shakes hands. I like his limo, the horns, his hat, his 1970s jacket-and-towel ring attire. In short I like the character. I’ll listen to his promos (they are certainly better than Trips’ endless diatribes) and even watch his matches. He understands how to work as a heel and actually seems to be enjoying playing chickenshit instead of his APA no-sell routines. Even though he towers over Eddie Guerrero he convincingly acts scared of him. Partly this is down to Eddie’s ability to play Latino-gone-loco but credit is also due to Bradshaw for, yes I’ll say it, doing the right thing for business.

Bad News – While I may be enjoying Bradshaw it doesn’t look as if everyone is. Certainly he’s not attracting a new audience for the beleaguered Smackdown brand. Eddie wasn’t a strong draw as champion but he at least engaged the Latino audience. For a main event guy to be a success he needs to draw. Hogan drew the kids who liked a super hero. Austin drew the frustrated man on the street who wished he could beat up his boss just like Stone Cold. Rock drew women and people who loved the charisma of superstardom. The nWo drew the same would-be-rebels as Slipknot. Kids who don’t know the difference between over paid prima-donnas who merely act rebellious and genuine anti-authority figures. Bradshaw doesn’t attract anyone. In time we may get a small increase as people watch to see who can beat him but there is no section of society that his character can tap into.

Good News – He’s not got the sequinned suits with dollar signs on them like Ted DiBiase did when he was the Million Dollar Man.

Bad News – He’s no Ted DiBiase.