"Eddie was everything to me" - Former WWE Champion on his real-life friendship with Eddie Guerrero
WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield has opened up about his friendship and professional relationship with the late great Eddie Guerrero.
JBL won his first WWE Championship in a Texas Bull Rope match at The Great American Bash in 2004 against the Latino Heat. Their feud solidified him as a major heel, and it propelled him to the top of the company.
During a recent appearance on Lucha Libre Online, JBL spoke about how much Eddie Guerrero meant to him. He added that the latter wanted him to achieve a lot of success. Furthermore, he said he wouldn't be who he is today if not for Guerrero.
"Eddie was everything to me. He was a good friend of mine. He was a groomsman at my wedding and I did part of his eulogy, because we were such good friends. But Eddie wanted me to succeed and Eddie was the right guy. If it had been anybody but Eddie Guerrero to start with, I don't think JBL, you guys wouldn't be interviewing me today. And if you were, you would've interviewed me as Bradshaw as part of the APA, because there wouldn't have been that championship run... He loved me enough, and was selfless enough to be able to want to put me over and make me into a main event guy with him. And without him, without that's that selfless act JBL would not be here today," said JBL. (6:36-7:27)
JBL on facing Eddie Guerrero at Judgement Day 2004; says the match would have been a one-off if it didn't go well
Eddie Guerrero and @JCLayfield made magic together ✨
#WWEHOF https://t.co/8dDYmXMIW8
At Judgement Day 2004, JBL and Latino Heat collided for the WWE Title in a very gruesome match. The WWE Hall of Famer won the bout via disqualification, but Eddie Guerrero retained the title.
JBL spoke about the match, saying it would've been a one-off affair if it didn't go well. He also discussed defeating Eddie for the WWE Championship at The Great American Bash.
"It started at the Judgment Day, the pay-per-view before and I knew that if this match didn't go well, that this was gonna be a one off, you know, they needed somebody for that match... Eddie worked so hard for me to get me over in that match. That's what gave me the Great American Bash. And Eddie was, you know, he was ecstatic for me. When I say that I mean, it's, here's a guy who worked his whole life to be a champion and he was a great champion, in my mind, the greatest Latino star of all time, by far. When he lost the title to me, he was happy for me. And that tells you what kind of man Eddie Guerrero was... I can't say enough good things about Eddie," said JBL. (8:19-9:13)
It has been 17 years since Eddie passed away, but his legacy remains intact. Even during his WWE Hall of Fame speech, JBL stated that he wouldn't have been the same if it weren't for the WWE Legend.
What is your favorite Eddie Guerrero moment? Sound off in the comments below.
Please credit Lucha Libre Online and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.