Heath & JBL Recall Storyline Where Heath Was Undrafted In 2016 WWE Draft

Back when Heath was Heath Slater he got a big storyline by being “undrafted” in the 2016 WWE Draft, and he recently recalled the angle with JBL. Heath was the guest on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw this week and you can see highlights from the discussion about the angle below, per Fightful:

Heath on JBL suggesting Heath be undrafted: “The draft was happening and your ass [JBL] went in there and told Vince, ‘How about one guy doesn’t get drafted?’ Vince was like, ‘What are you thinking?’ ‘Let Slater not get drafted. He’ll run with it.'”

JBL on Vince’s reaction to the idea: “Vince loved it. We’re sitting there in the production room and going over the draft and I’m thinking about parallels to the NFL Draft. It’s a big deal in the NFL Draft, who gets drafted last. We’re wasting a very valuable thing by not drafting somebody last and making a big deal out of it. I went to talk to Vince and said, ‘At the NFL Draft, it’s a real big deal when somebody gets drafted last.’ Vince looks at me and his eye just lit up and he goes, ‘Are you thinking Heath Slater?’ I said, ‘Yes, that’s exactly who I’m thinking.’ Right away, Vince is like, ‘How about he doesn’t get drafted and we turn the lights out on him and he’s a free agent and goes between shows?’ That’s how the whole idea came about.”

JBL on how the angle played out: “I thought it was great, you’re so entertaining and creative. The thought was, you’re not getting drafted in the top five, it really doesn’t matter. Why not do something special for it? Become a free agent and you became the biggest star out of the draft.”