Billy Gunn once got a great match out of Heidenreich, and it changed the role Gunn had moving forward in WWE.
Sometimes, being able to make others shine can be a detriment in professional wrestling. John Bradshaw Layfield shared one such story on the latest episode of the Something to Wrestle podcast. JBL spoke by the time where he saw Billy Gunn have a great match with Heidenreich in Japan and immediately told Gunn that he had screwed up because he was now going to be put with any WWE Superstar that wasn't the best worker.
Sure enough, Bradshaw says that shortly after that match, that's the exact spot Gunn found himself in.
"We were in Japan one time, and Billy Gunn had a match with Heidenreich. Heidenreich was not a great worker. Billy got this great match out of him. I mean, great match, out of him. When he came back, I said, 'Boy, Billy, did you ever screw up, son.' He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'They're going to stick you with everybody that can't work now.' Sure enough, after that, they found out what a great match they had, and Billy got stuck with everybody that couldn't work because Billy could get them over, or at least, Billy could make them look like they belonged, and made them look the best they could look. Bbecause Billy was in that role, it hurt him some because he was that freaking good."
Billy Gunn is still in the wrestling industry today. He recently returned to AEW alongside the returning Anthony Bowens at AEW Dynasty.
Heidenreich left the wrestling industry in the 2000s after his run in WWE.
Elsewhere in this podcast, JBL revealed that the WWE wanted him to be in the 2023 Royal Rumble Match. Read why he declined here.
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