JBL-WWE Work Out Deal, McMahon's Jet Involved

As noted last night, John Bradshaw Layfield worked out a deal with WWE earlier this week to remain with the company in his role as a commentator on Friday Night Smackdown with Michael Cole.

JBL had given his notice to WWE earlier, with the No Mercy PPV on October 8 scheduled to be his final appearance. However, a new deal was quickly worked out as WWE felt no one else they had in the company was "network-ready" to call Smackdown with Michael Cole and worked out any logistics JBL needed in order to stay.

According to The Pro Wrestling Torch, JBL had wanted to leave WWE because he had been taking on some stressful demands with other projects he has been working on outside of WWE (which is rumored to have been some type of bank investment role in New York City). One of JBL's primary concerns was travel time and getting from the Smackdown tapings every Tuesday back to New York early on Wednesday. A concession was reportedly worked out where JBL could ride in "Air McMahon" (Vince McMahon's WWE corporate jet) after the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday night and fly right home instead of using Wednesday as a travel day.