JBL Recalls Telling CM Punk He'd Put Him Over 'As Strong As Possible' In WWE
Punk and JBL feuded in 2008
Oct 15, 2021
John 'Bradshaw' Layfield has recalled telling CM Punk he wanted to put him over 'as strong as possible' when the duo first feuded in WWE.
Punk and JBL clashed over the World Heavyweight Championship in 2008, with the Second City Saviour just at the beginning of his first World Title run while Layfield was planning on retiring just a few months later.
With that in mind, the 'Wrestling God' had no issue helping to build the future of the business by making Punk look the best he possibly could in their matches.
Speaking on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, he said: "I had a chance to put over CM Punk when he first came in; [John] Cena, and those guys. That was my role and I said, ‘I’m gonna put you over as strong as possible.’
"I remember the first time we were in Madison Square Garden, me and CM Punk, we were in the last match. I said, ‘You gotta make your name in The Garden. I’m gonna work my a** off tonight for you and I’ll put you over right in the middle,’ which is what was called. It wasn’t like I came up with that.
"But I remember that was just the respect you get from coming down in the business, guys from my past, you, guys [saying] to me, ‘Okay, here’s what I’m gonna do to pay it forward,’ and that’s what you’re supposed to do. Not everybody does it but when it happens, you get much love from people when you do something like that."
