WWE Hall of Famer JBL recently appeared on the “Something To Wrestle” podcast where he discussed his personal knowledge of the ECW invasion angle during a 1996 episode of WWE RAW.
Here are some notable takeaways from the podcast:
Talking about if he knew in advance about the ECW incursion on WWE RAW, JBL said, “Yes, right before my entrance, I was let in on it. I’ve heard Savio tell a story about it but I am not sure even today if he knew about it beforehand. Bruce had apparently hinted to Savio that something unexpected might occur and instructed him to keep me from retaliating. He was told to refrain me from crossing the railing to confront those guys, by wrapping the rope around my neck and bringing me back into the ring.
JBL continued, “However, I was clued in by Jack Lanza, a close friend, moments before I made my entrance. He advised me to not overreact if anything unexpected takes place at one corner of the ring. After this conversation, I was certain that something unexpected was definitely in store.”
Discussing the course of the match, JBL said, “During the match, Savio jumped out and I heard him suddenly mutter ‘Wrong post’. He then quickly repositioned to the correct location where Sandman was supposed to project a beer in his chest. I recognized that that was the ‘unexpected event’ Jack had hinted at. Savio, like Bruce had instructed, lassoed the rope around my neck, guiding me back into the ring. I played along, pretending to be itching to retaliate, but I was aware of what was happening.”
Concluding the story, JBL said, “When we returned backstage, all the boys were lined up at the Gorilla position, ready to confront the ECW guys. These guys thought that ECW had disobeyed the rules and sabotaged our show. When Lanza informed them about the staged event, they were furious. Reflecting back, I thought it was a reckless decision. There was a high risk of serious injuries.”
He added, “The ECW One Night Stand event in 2005 was one of the most fun nights in my career. I was told not to walk through the crowd due to fear of potential attacks but I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t truly understand the ECW fanbase until I stood amongst them. That’s when I realized the passion these fans had, and why ECW was so successful.”