JBL Explains Why He Personally Chose Rey Mysterio for His Final WWE Match

JBL has revealed why he personally chose Rey Mysterio to face him in what became the final match of his WWE career, explaining that the decision came from his deep respect for Rey and his connection to the late Eddie Guerrero. JBL also admitted that serious back and neck problems had left him unable to continue wrestling at the level he wanted.

Speaking on Something to Wrestle, JBL looked back at his final WWE match against Mysterio at WrestleMania 25 in 2009. By that point, JBL's body was already giving him problems, and he knew he was near the end of his in-ring career.

When asked why the match was so short and whether others knew it would be his last, JBL said he believed Mysterio probably knew, while making clear that choosing Rey was his own decision. “Yeah, I assume that Rey knew as well. I think he knew. You know, I chose Rey because, I chose Rey. I mean, that was a definitive choice that I made because of my love for both Rey and for Eddie.”

The Eddie Guerrero connection played a large role in that choice. JBL and Guerrero had worked one of the most memorable rivalries of JBL's career, including the program that led to JBL winning the WWE Championship in 2004. Years later, JBL wanted his final match to involve someone who meant something to him personally.

He also explained that the short length of the WrestleMania match wasn't because WWE had simply decided to rush through it. JBL said his physical condition had reached the point where he could barely train.

“And I couldn't do much more. My back was hurt. And that's about all I could do was get in the ring, get out. I couldn't, I couldn't hardly work out. I couldn't do much. My back was really bothering me and it was time to get out of the ring.” JBL said making it to Texas for WrestleMania 25 mattered to him because of his own history with the state and because the Von Erich family was being honored that weekend.

“I just was hoping to make it to Texas because that was a big deal to me. I believe that's the weekend that the Von Erichs went in the Hall of Fame and that was really cool for me growing up watching the Von Erichs, watching them go in the Hall of Fame and then going out there and wrestle my last match in Texas.” The match ended with Mysterio defeating JBL in less than a minute to win the Intercontinental Championship. Afterward, JBL grabbed a microphone and simply said, “I quit,” bringing his full-time in-ring career to an end.

JBL admitted that retirement was not something he wanted. “I didn't want to retire. I retired because I had to, not because I was choosing to.” He also remembered watching Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker later that night before leaving the building, calling it one of the best matches he had ever seen. “I remember sitting there before I left, it was Shawn and Taker in the ring. And I remember sitting there just watching thinking, I've just watched the best match I've ever seen. It's a good time to go home.”

Vince McMahon also spoke with JBL after the match. “Vince came out and hugged me and told me thank you. And, you know, it was Vince wanted me to have the promo at the end. Vince wanted me not to say anything, just say ‘I quit.’ And that was his idea.”

JBL then left the arena and drove home, ending a wrestling career that had included the APA, a lengthy WWE Championship reign and years as one of WWE's most recognizable heels.