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#6 John "Bradshaw" Layfield
Previous Wrestlemania Resume:
Wrestlemania 13 - (as Blackjack Bradshaw) with Blackjack Windham, lost alongside The Godwinns and Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon to The Headbangers in a Fatal 4-Way Elimination Tag Match for the WWF Tag Team Championships
Wrestlemania 14 - lost as part of the Tag Team Battle Royal, won by LOD 2000
Wrestlemania 15 - lost as part of the Sunday Night Heat Tag Team Battle Royal, won by D'Lo Brown and Test
Wrestlemania 2000 - lost as part of the Hardcore Battle Royal, won by Hardcore Holly
Wrestlemania X-7 - with Faarooq and Tazz defeated Bull Buchanan, The Goodfather, and Val Venis, known as Right to Censor
Wrestlemania X8 - with Faarooq (as the APA) lost alongside The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz to Billy and Chuck in a Four Corners Elimination Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship
Wrestlemania 20 - with Faarooq (as the APA) lost alongside The Bashams and Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin to Rikishi and Scotty II Hotty in a Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
Wrestlemania 21 - lost to John Cena in a WWE Championship Match
Wrestlemania 22 - defeated Chris Benoit in a WWE United States Championship Match
Wrestlemania 24 - defeated Finlay in a Belfast Brawl
His Finale
Bradshaw entered Wrestlemania 25 the defending WWE Intercontinental Champion, having defeated CM Punk on a March episode of Monday Night RAW. The match was a callback to a feud the pair had in the fall of 2008 over Punk's straight-edge lifestyle but, in retrospect, was designed to give Layfield the honor of being a "Grand Slam" Champion prior to his retirement.
At Wrestlemania, JBL defended against Rey Mysterio, who entered in a mask and ring costume modeled after Heath Ledger's iconic Joker look from The Dark Knight; Bradshaw attacked before the bell even began, attacking Mysterio as he disrobed before being caught off-guard by the opening bell.
Mysterio quickly sent JBL to the middle rope before hitting him with the 619 and a flying splash, taking the title in 21 seconds. A frustrated JBL grabbed a hot mic, struggling to catch his breath and begin talking, before announcing, "I quit!"
He confirmed his in-ring retirement in a blog post later that week.
It Was the End Because
JBL had already been transitioning away from the canvas and toward the commentary desk before this match, and much of 2008 and 2009 were seen as his "victory lap" around the company. Layfield had, at this point, been a professional wrestler for 17 years, and had been with WWE and its developmental leagues for nearly 14 of those years.
He'd already gone part time in 2007, committing to his announcer role (like Savage), but returned to the ring in 2008; with the exception of a 2014 Royal Rumble entry, Wrestlemania 25 was Layfield's last entry as a competitor, while his commentary, WWE Network series, cable news financial reporting, and numerous business and stock market investments financially ensured that he no longer needed to risk his health to pay the bills.
