John “Bradshaw” Layfield was a lot closer to lacing up his boots again than most fans realized — but a sudden creative shift in TNA ultimately pulled the plug on the idea.
Speaking recently on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, the WWE Hall of Famer addressed the growing buzz about a potential in-ring comeback. Between appearances in GCW and AAA, along with reports that he had been training with veterans Jody Malenko and Gerald Brisco, speculation had been building that JBL was preparing for something substantial.
As it turns out, those rumors weren’t far off.
Layfield confirmed that he had agreed in principle to work with TNA last year. However, after a change in the company’s creative direction, he decided it was no longer something he wanted to be part of.
According to JBL, the revised plans simply didn’t make sense — not from a storytelling standpoint and not from a business one. Rather than force something he didn’t believe in, he chose to step away, noting that there are no hard feelings and that he still maintains a positive relationship with the promotion.
Interestingly, the creative decision-maker behind the change was reportedly let go shortly afterward. Around the same time, WWE’s evolving relationship with TNA shifted the broader landscape, and the proposed return never resurfaced.
TNA wasn’t the only company where plans changed. JBL also revealed that he had discussions about doing something with AAA in Mexico. But once WWE became more directly involved, his role pivoted. Instead of stepping back into the ring, Layfield found himself transitioning into commentary duties.
In hindsight, JBL seems perfectly fine with how things played out — even joking that WWE moving him to commentary might have been a subtle message.
That doesn’t mean he isn’t taking training seriously.
At 59 years old, Layfield has built out a personal training setup complete with mats, suplex dummies, and conditioning equipment, and he’s clearly enjoying the grind. While he stopped short of confirming any concrete return plans, he admitted there’s at least an outline of an idea floating around.
For now, JBL appears content staying active, staying in shape, and keeping his options open. If he does make one more walk to the ring, it won’t just be for nostalgia. As he made clear, any comeback would need to make sense creatively — and, just as importantly, be good for business.
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