JBL discussed Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods’ futures following their WWE departures, predicting that both men will be bigger stars outside the company than they are now and that WWE will eventually want them back.
Speaking on Something To Wrestle, JBL was asked about his reaction to the New Day’s exits and what the future holds for them.
“Yes, 100% yeah. I figured they’d just be lifers there. I really thought that. So if they’re betting on themselves, good for them. They’re going to be absolutely fine, because those are incredibly talented people,” JBL said.
He also shared an extraordinary story about his own experience in Malawi that illustrated just how globally significant New Day’s reach had become.
“I was down in Malawi, and I’m working with a bunch of kids out there one day. I am probably 10 miles from a road, 10 miles from electricity lines, 10 miles from running water. It’s one of the poorest areas in the world. And I can’t communicate with them. Finally, one of the kids goes, Kofi. I mean, God. And I looked at this kid, and I said, Kofi Kingston. I was shocked. And one of the kids goes, New Day. You got to be kidding me. Because of that, I connected with them. KofiMania was legit. he was a freaking is a freaking global superstar. So is Xavier Woods. Those guys are incredibly talented. I’ve worked with them a ton of times. I love working with them. They’re very smart. They don’t have to worry about anything with a script or getting them, throwing them off or anything. You can’t throw them off. Not smart guys like that. And so if they’re betting on themselves, that’s what it is. Good for them, they’re going to be absolutely fine, because those are incredibly talented people.”
On whether the departures should surprise anyone, JBL offered a straightforward take on the corporate reality. He also told a story about being asked to take a pay cut from then-WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis.
” It’s a corporation mindset, and they’re making a ton of money. They mean they’re doing something right. And look, they don’t adopt you. You know, that’s the mistake that people think that they make. You know, okay, because you work there, because you’ve been very successful, you’ve been paid for that. Does that mean they have to keep you for life? No, absolutely not. It doesn’t. You’re not adopted, you’re hired, and that always comes to an end. There are guys who stay around and will be around forever, but for the most part, guys come and go, and that’s just part of life.
I’ll tell you an interesting story, which I don’t think I’ve ever told. I was prepping for for surgery, and they’re going to they’re going to quote this, and they’re going to throw him under the bus, and he doesn’t deserve it, not for this, or, I don’t know that on for anything else, not for this. I was prepping for surgery, and Laurnatis calls me and says, We want to reduce your contract I’m preparing for. I’m about to be out for six months. I’m literally in the hospital, and I had my cell phone with me. You know, if you have, sir, I’ve had a bunch of surgeries. You go into surgery and you’ve got your cell phone with you know, until they knock you out, you know. And I’ve learned, though, be sure to take my cell phone from me.
Don’t let me have it until I become completely coherent, because there’s never, there’s no idea what I’m gonna do on it. Man, I’ve done that before, too. Laurnatis calls me and says, Hey, we want to give you. We’re going to restructure your contract, you know, they never say, we’re giving you a pay cut, man, I’m just like, you gotta be kidding me. I’m looking down and about to get IVs in my arm, and I’m looking down. Years later, I talked to Johnny about it, and he had no idea (he was getting surgery). It just happened. But I tell you what, I was pissed off about that forever, for quite some time, because I thought it was on purpose. It turns out it wasn’t so anyway, Johnny has enough problems with people piling on him for something that wasn’t his fault, for him, for people to pile on, but I’ve had it done too, you know, whether I was prepping for surgery or not, they told me at the time we’re going to reduce your salary. I was making good money. Bradshaw was running out. Nobody knew JBL was coming, and so they thought my career was pretty much done. And I was in that same boat. Was that same boat where I was making quite a bit of money and I wasn’t being used that much. I wasn’t the top guy and I wasn’t the new guy. I’m exactly the people you’re talking about. And I had the same thing done. I thought, You know what? This is a downside guarantee, which is a little bit different from now. I thought, I don’t care, because if I’m deserve it, I’m gonna make a lot more money if I don’t deserve it. I always thought I shouldn’t get paid anyway, so it didn’t really bother me. You know, it’s a little bit different now, because there’s not downside guarantees, because they’re not as many house shows and pay-per-views that you can make, you know, several times your salary. I mean, I think I made at one point, good Lord, 10 or 15 times to my downside guarantee when they run something like that, because I never cared about having a huge downside because I always thought it was a meritocracy.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Something To Wrestle with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
