JBL after Mania?

[Guest Deadbolt]

Lets say JBL drops his title to John Cena, can he be successful with his JBL gimmick without holding the WWE championship, or at least being in the hunt for it?

 

I don't really know how well the gimmick would do without him holding the title, because he's held it for 95 percent of the time that he's had the new JBL gimmick. But I would be one to speculate its failure if JBL isn't going after the world title, or at least the United States title, which OJ holds.

 

Leaving yet another question in my mind. Does the JBL gimmick work as a face? If the cabinet turns on JBL for/after losing the title (like DX did to Shawn several years ago), is JBL a successful face? I just can't see the WWE dropping him back down the card after having an almost year WWE title reign.

[Guest bigm350]

That's a good question. JBL's gimmick is all about the title IMO, and it would be odd to see where the WWE would go with him after his program with Cena.

 

I also don't see the JBL character being a face. Its just not a face character.

[Downhome 0]

JBL after WrestleMania?

 

World Champ.

[gWIL 0]

God, I hope so.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

JBL after WrestleMania?

 

World Champ.

WWE Champ. I would expect him to retain.

[Guest JMA]

I'd like to see him put back into a program with Eddie myself. JBL's best matches ever were with Eddie and the two really seemed like they hated each other during their feud. Eddie could finally go over JBL clean, maybe in a "hair vs. hair" match (which are big in Mexico).

 

Afterwards, I'd like to see JBL job to ALL the people he went over (Booker T, Taker, Big Show, ect) before winning the United States Championship (which he should've won instead of the WWE title). I think he would actually make money for the company as the US Champ rather than the WWE Champ. Needless to say, he would have a long run as US Champion.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I watched the 05 Rumble again today... man, you really take for granted the weekly "Eddie" chants until you watch a match with 29 other guys, note that Eddie gets the most boos for being eliminated, followed by a loud "Eddie" chant on his exit from the arena floor. He really should hold the belt again this year.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Yes, I think he can be successful as the rich & powerful guy that throws his money around just because he can, like Ted Dibiase, but a whole lot less talented.

 

And, I agree that his gung-ho jingoistic persona would have made him a better US champ than world champ.

[Guest Deadbolt]

Maybe after several attempts to regain the title, he will slowly start to turn back to his old ways of drinking and gambling, thus Olando Jordan will then try to take control of the cabinet and toss JBL to the curb. Then after a few weeks JBL will return as Bradshaw clearing house. This will then set up a good feud of Bradshaw and the cabinet. Plus I think it would be cool if he would hook up with the Big Show and possably start a new type of APA.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Break him up from his group, turn the heatless wonder Orlando face and feud for the US title. As big of a JBL mark as I am I really don't see him as higher than US champ anyway.

[Zack Malibu 0]

He'll lose the belt, and stay upper card heel for SD! eventually doing the DiBiase/Virgil deal with he and Jordan. I doubt he'll be put on RAW during the draft lottery this year. I could also see him regaining the WWE belt later in the year.

 

I also see an Orton/JBL feud if the old rumors of Randy being one of the RAW guys to be switched takes place.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I could see an interview segment with JBL if he loses the belt.

[Sass 0]

Let him and his cabinet feud with Ron Simmons and the new Nation of Domination.

[Downhome 0]

WWE Champ.  I would expect him to retain.

Bah, that's what I meant.

 

He's going to retain, and he's going to hold onto his title for quite a few months after WM. I can't think of anyone I'd even be happy with beating JBL, who hasn't lost to him already. After JBL going this long as champ, it's going to take someone REALLY special to beat him. I'm expecting it to be some underdog, someone you wouldn't expect to beat him, when he finally drops the title.

 

And John Cena does not fit that bill.

[Guest Tjhe CyNick]

I would keep him in the title hunt.

 

Kinda depends how they want to run with Cena. They might try to do a really long run for Cena, in which case JBL would have to go down to the US title divison (maybe he could "ask" Orlando to give up the US title because he's the leader). Or if they do like they did with Austin and Rock, they could have Cena and JBL trade the title a couple fo times, which would keep JBL in the top mix.

[Guest JMA]

One thing that I'd like to see happen at WrestleMania is John Cena taking out the Cabinet before his match with JBL. It would be similar to how Austin took out DX that one time.

[Downhome 0]

I think someone new is going to join JBL's Cabinet at WrestleMania, helping JBL win. After that I think Cena will feud with whoever it is for a few weeks, before going back to JBL himself.

[AlaskanHero 0]

If JBL loses the title, I'd like to see the bottom just completely drop from under him. Make him lose the Cabinet, his limo, his money, everything. As much as I like the JBL character, I just think it would be funny to see JBL begging someone he cheated for money. You know, in a mean kind of way.

[reign 0]

He'll retain as he should... it'll be Batista's night in the last match...Cena's not ready and I'm tired of young champions...besides there are no heels on SD! for him to face...JBL's character is being the World Champ and nothing else IMO...a U.S Title run would only be after he's lost the WWE Title(much later) and can't regain it and in a panic tries to take OJ's U.S title...

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I agree that the US Title would have been a better fit for JBL last June, but he's above that level now.

[Guest lactose]

WWE Champ.  I would expect him to retain.

Bah, that's what I meant.

 

He's going to retain, and he's going to hold onto his title for quite a few months after WM. I can't think of anyone I'd even be happy with beating JBL, who hasn't lost to him already. After JBL going this long as champ, it's going to take someone REALLY special to beat him. I'm expecting it to be some underdog, someone you wouldn't expect to beat him, when he finally drops the title.

 

And John Cena does not fit that bill.

funaki ?

[Brett Favre 0]

He'll retain as he should... it'll be Batista's night in the last match...Cena's not ready and I'm tired of young champions...besides there are no heels on SD! for him to face...JBL's character is being the World Champ and nothing else IMO...a U.S Title run would only be after he's lost the WWE Title(much later) and can't regain it and in a panic tries to take OJ's U.S title...

Did Lesnar and Orton really tire you of young champs?

[Guest Tjhe CyNick]

How is Cena not ready?

[Brett Favre 0]

He's not liked much around here. That's how.

 

I don't understand it. Pair him up with a good wrestler (Eddie, Kurt, Jericho, Benoit), and he'll give you a good match. He's over as fuck, and business isn't improving with JBL.

[TheBostonStrangler 0]

How about Mysterio? Giving Rey a one-month title run where he somehow beats JBL would be amazing, and Mysterio deserves a chance at the main event. EVERYONE in the arena would get behind it, and Mysterio getting a main event push would appeal to the Latino demographic that watches SD. And it would be a nice way to prove to the cruisers that there's hope for them.

[Guest Brian]

They'd need to do a big haul-over on Mysterio. They had a chance to really push him back when he came in and was feuding with guys near the top, and since then he's flaundered.

[Downhome 0]

I fully expect Rey to be a World/WWE champ before too long. Not right now, not in the next few months, but before too long. It might be for just one week or one month, but it'll happen.

 

I almost expect it to be someone from RAW that finally beats JBL, and NO not HHH.

[Sass 0]

Vince rolled out RTC in 2000 and that gimmick was totally out of left field at the time when booking and matches were at a fever pitch compared to how mediocre 1999 was (Russo burned out fast).

 

Tanking his own show with a cummy gimmick (IRS, RTC, JBL) that makes no sense or has no build-up has never stopped Vince before. I know many people who stopped tuning in regularly because of how embarassing RTC was and how shoddy of a group they were. Winning the tag team belts in an effort to give the group credibility only managed to discredit the tag team belts.

[bob_barron 0]

I don't think he tanked a show with IRS. IRS was never anything more then a midcarder who was never taken that seriously.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Personally, if JBL does lose the WWE Title to Cena, I would like to see a slight revamp of the post Mania 15 deal with Cena playing Austin and JBL playing The Rock...but with a twist.

 

Now, should Cena win the WWE title, I somewhat expect JBL to steal the title belt from him, claiming that he was never truly beaten for the belt by some bullshit means. Of course, this would lead to Cena creating his own version of the WWE title belt (like some people have suggested, a modified version of the classic 88-98 design).

 

Thus, leading to a rematch between Cena and JBL at either a special Smackdown the week of Backlash (which is a Raw PPV) or the next Smackdown PPV.

 

...of course, my other thought would be that Cena hires a returning Brock Lesnar to make sure the Cabinet doesn't get involved in the match, with the promise of the first shot at the belt if Cena wins. But that's just me.