WWE Smackdown Live announcer JBL recently spoke with ESPN UK and below are some interview highlights:
Living in Bermuda and his Beyond Rugby program that helps at-risk youth:
“When people look at Bermuda they see the beautiful beaches, the golf courses, the fishing, and that’s what they should see. That’s Bermuda. What they don’t see is the almost predominant black-on-black violence that is unfortunately pervasive throughout the local neighborhoods.”
“I don’t know what I’ve done in the previous 50 years of my life, but nothing compares to what I’m doing right now. At least as far as personal fulfillment with these young men and getting an opportunity to work with some great coaches and volunteers in Bermuda who simply want to do the right thing for young people who, for no fault of their own, are born into circumstances that are not conducive to success.”
The run that led to him becoming the longest-reigning WWE Champion on SmackDown:
“It just happened that I was in the right place at the right time. It was late in my career, and I thought my career was over. I tore my biceps and had two hernia surgeries. I didn’t know if I would do much of anything again, and all of a sudden you have people get hurt.”
“Kurt Angle got hurt, Brock Lesnar had left the company, and [WWE] needed somebody against Eddie Guerrero right away. That’s when the JBL character was created.”
Feuding with WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero:
“We did the storyline where we gave Eddie’s mother a heart attack in El Paso, which almost got me killed. I literally had a police escort out of El Paso and all the way to Odessa. The police told me not to come back, that they thought I would get killed. It was that great. We set an attendance record at Staples Center [in Los Angeles] a few weeks later, and because of Eddie Guerrero, he molded my character. Eddie wanted my character to work.
“If it had been anybody but Eddie Guerrero, you would have never heard of JBL. But because of Eddie, I had that incredible run, and it was just the right time. I had the perfect foil in this incredible Latino star, who was one of my best friends.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
