JBL has recalled being escorted to the El Paso city limits by police after a 2004 WWE angle involving Eddie Guerrero‘s mother generated fears for his safety.
The incident took place at a WWE live event in El Paso during Mother’s Day weekend in May 2004. Eddie Guerrero was honouring his late father, Gory Guerrero, and presenting flowers to his mother, Herlinda, when JBL interrupted and became involved in an angle in which she suffered a storyline heart attack.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, JBL revealed that the idea originated with the Guerrero family as WWE attempted to generate more interest in his feud with the reigning WWE Champion.
“The whole thing with Chavo, Chavo Senior came up. I don’t know if it’s Chavo Senior or Eddie came up with the idea of his mother having a heart attack in El Paso, but it was a great story,” JBL said.
JBL recalled Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero Sr. discussing how far the angle should go, with Chavo jokingly suggesting that JBL should physically attack their mother. Eddie firmly rejected the idea. Instead, JBL grabbed Herlinda and allowed her to control her own fall to the mat, creating the appearance that he had manhandled her.
“I’m gonna take care of her,” JBL said. “I’ve got Eddie Guerrero and every brother in the world backstage. I’m not worried about these 10,000 fans. Guerrero brothers, I was worried about.”
JBL Says Police Feared For His Safety After Eddie Guerrero Angle
JBL praised Herlinda’s performance, joking that no one in the Guerrero family could not work.
“She looked like she had a heart attack,” he said.
The effectiveness of the angle created a potentially dangerous situation inside the arena. JBL remembered the crowd initially becoming completely silent before the atmosphere began to turn increasingly hostile.
Because the incident took place at a live event rather than a television taping, WWE needed to ensure the angle was successfully captured on camera before JBL could leave.
“We had cops going, John, you’ve got to,” he said. “Because you could feel the place was about to riot. And we got to get it on camera. There’s no reason to do it if you don’t get it on camera.”
Once JBL reached the backstage area, police quickly moved him out of the building and into his waiting car.
“They took me to the city limit sign, and they said, ‘Do not come back. We think you will be killed.’”
JBL was instructed to continue driving to Odessa, where he was already scheduled to travel before flying out. According to JBL, concerns surrounding the reaction were so significant that WWE remained reluctant to book him in El Paso two years later.
“They wouldn’t book me there. They thought I’d be killed,” he said. “They thought something would happen to me. I had that much heat.”
The angle fueled JBL’s rivalry with Eddie Guerrero throughout 2004. JBL ultimately defeated Guerrero in a Texas Bullrope Match at The Great American Bash on June 27 to win the WWE Championship.
Despite their heated television rivalry, JBL and Guerrero were close away from the ring. JBL said Eddie Guerrero loved the JBL character and noted that he later served as a groomsman at his wedding.
