In a blog post on the WWE Universe site on Tuesday, John Bradshaw Layfield said he was going to do “something historic” at WrestleMania XXV.
“I have said all along I am going to do something historic at Wrestlemania, believe me when I tell you-it will blow you away what will happen with JBL at Wrestlemania,” he wrote.
JBL also said in a blog post last week that he was going to appear on Raw to discuss his plans for WrestleMania. However, he did not appear on the show. As it turns out, the segment was dropped due to time constraints.
Regarding JBL’s proclamation, WWE has plans for him to feud with CM Punk over the Intercontinental Championship. His angle with Punk was set to kick off this past Monday on Raw, but as noted, was dropped from the show due to time constraints. This also explains why Punk was not seen during the program.
As noted earlier, the production script for this past Monday’s edition of Raw leaked out on to the Internet on Thursday night. The script called for JBL to cut an in-ring promo, saying he was going to walk into his home state of Texas at WrestleMania XXV as the new Intercontinental Champion. Interim Raw General Manager Vickie Guerrero was going to grant JBL a non-title match against CM Punk on that night’s Raw, telling him he would get a title shot the next week on Raw if he could beat Punk.
According to the script, JBL defeats Punk by disqualification, thus earning his title shot the next week on Raw. Considering Punk is already set to compete in the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania, a title change appears likely.
The JBL/Punk segment was originally scheduled to take place right before the big segment at the top of the second hour featuring Triple H, Randy Orton and his lawyers. However, it was pulled in favor of the short Divas tag match pitting Mickie James & Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix & Jillian Hall. Furthermore, the Divas segment was originally scheduled to take place before the John Cena vs. Edge main event.
Taken verbatim, here is the entire script regarding the JBL/Punk segment, which should take place on this Monday’s edition of Raw.
* JBL Music and Entrance (in white limo)
* JBL Promo: Shawn Michaels isn’t the only one with WrestleMania aspirations. I believe it is my destiny to do something historic on April 5th and after watching clips of Steamboat last week, I now know what it is — walk into my home state of Texas as the NEW Intercontinental Champion. I will bring honor and prestige back to that Title and have what will become the greatest Intercontinental title match of all time. Earlier tonight I went to Vickie Guerrero who told me if I could beat CM Punk in a Non-Title Match tonight; I’d face him for the Title next week. That is what you call controlling your own destiny — something most people including everyone here don’t have the backbone to do. Like it or not, you will all be witnesses to the first chapter of my TRUE destiny when I face CM Punk and…
* CM Punk Music and Entrance
* Crash to Break
+3:00=
DURING THE BREAK: MATCH BEGINS
Segment Five: CM Punk vs. JBL – Non-Title Match
Producer: Mike Rotunda
Time:
* Match joined in progress
* Finish — DQ
* Lilian Garcia Announcement — WINNER of the match due to a disqualification — John “Bradshaw” Layfield
* JBL celebrates
* JBL music out
Now that’s it out there, it should be interesting to see if WWE changes course. To find out, tune in to the longest running weekly episodic television show in history, Monday Night Raw, this Monday night at 9/8 CT on the USA Network.
See the LEAKED script for Monday’s Raw here (>>)