JBL Explains Why He Turned Down 2023 Royal Rumble Spot

John Bradshaw Layfield may have been in the building for the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble, but fans wondering why he didn’t mix it up in the ring finally have their answer—he flat-out declined.

Speaking on the Something to Wrestle podcast, the former WWE Champion revealed that WWE asked him to participate in the Royal Rumble match that year, held at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. His response was simple and brutally honest.

“I can’t get in the Royal Rumble!” JBL said. “They said, ‘Oh, Booker’s in it.’ I said, ‘Yeah, he’s in shape, and he looks good. I’m not!’”

Booker T, a Texas native, did appear in the match and even got a huge hometown reaction. JBL, on the other hand, stuck to his role escorting Baron Corbin to the ring—but things almost got more physical than expected thanks to Brock Lesnar.

“I found out, at the Royal Rumble, that Brock Lesnar was coming out right after I walked Baron Corbin out, and I came back, and I literally told Brock, ‘Brock, you do not walk out of this dressing room until I’m back. You’ll break me,’” JBL added.

For those keeping score, Brock Lesnar ended up entering the match two spots before Corbin. Between them, they only lasted 2 minutes and 35 seconds combined—but JBL wasn’t taking any chances.

These days, the WWE Hall of Famer is focusing more on his health, having recently undergone stem cell treatment. While he’s popped up in promotions like AAA, GCW, and even made appearances for TNA, JBL seems more interested in staying out of the ring than stepping back into it. Still, wrestlers like Frankie Kazarian have openly said they’d love to lock up with him.

JBL also weighed in recently on possibly returning to WWE commentary full-time, but it’s clear when it comes to taking bumps—especially with Brock Lesnar around—he’s keeping his distance.