JBL Leaves WWE and History of Bullying
It's unknown if this has anything to do with the workplace harassment incidents with Mauro Ranallo that became news back in late April when Ranallo quit. It's possible that WWE waited to let JBL go to make it look like the two are unrelated.
Dave Meltzer outlined a history of JBL incidents in the April 17 Wrestling Observer. These include:
- Pressuring Jeff and Matt Hardy to drive drunk when they were new with the company. The Hardy Boys refused. JBL told them to "Go to Hell." Later, they their bags, money, credit cards were stolen from the locker room. JBL taking credit, said "What's wrong guys?"
- He also tried to pressure the Hardy Boys to put toothpicks in the keyhole of Don Callis' rental vehicle.
- Former announcer Justin Roberts said in his book that JBL stole his passport while in the UK. "I had to fly to London and go to the U.S. embassy to get a new passport. Once I got a new passport, I took the train to the airport ane eventually got a flight back. I traveled from London to Boston, Boston to Phoenix, then drove from Phoenix to Tucson for TV for Smackdown," Roberts said.
There are many other examples provided by Meltzer.
To be fair, a lot of people have had positive experiences working with JBL. Jim Cornette is one.
If you check out JBL's twitter, it does appear that JBL touched a lot co-workers' lives in a positive way as well.
Here's a tweet from Sami Zayn to JBL.
Who do you want to see replace JBL?
Gimme back Mauro! I'm honestly not sad to see JBL go away for awhile.
Think about it. Mauro just called the biggest shoot fight in world history (Mayweather vs McGregor). But Vince ran him off. I think he's back now calling NXT, but I haven't watched NXT in awhile. I really do think Vince has lost touch and I look forward to the HHH-Stephanie era. Wouldn't it be really sweet if they asked JR to step in for him? He is back with the company.
We have both Mauro and JR signed to the company either would be acceptable commentators. I believe though that Tom Phillips would have to move over to color. Neither Mauro or JR can keep from getting TOO excited about the action. I dunno what they're going to do but they got two days to figure it out now.
As I was watching Mayweather vs McGregor, I thought I recognized a voice and lost my shit over Mauro more than the actual fight hahah.