WWE Hall of Famer JBL was known for a strong bear hug maneuver in his wrestling years. However, an encounter with a real bear proved to be more challenging than he anticipated.
In an episode of the podcast “Something to Wrestle”, the former WWE titleholder recounted his unexpected showdown with an actual bear. His recounting of the incident went as follows:
“I was once wrestling a bear while in university. I had been drinking with mates, and got into trouble when the athletic director, who was none too fond of me, caught wind. It was not a high point in my life.”
As things progressed, JBL was dared to grapple with a bear across town at a local bar. The incentive was ,500 if he could successfully flip the bear onto its back. JBL elaborated on this,
“My hand still bears a scar…the bear bit me at some point. I was bleeding profusely. It was a nightmare. That bear dominated me. It was akin to something out of a National Geographic documentary…The bear was wrestling with the same, if not more, intensity as me.”
JBL gave a wry remark that he was grateful that “it wasn’t the bear’s mating season.” In the absence of any delineated rules, the implication was that the bear emerged victorious from their brawl.