Originally published on ProWrestlingSheet.

John Layfield paid homage to his late friend Eddie Guerrero during his touching WWE Hall Of Fame induction speech.

"JBL would have never existed if it hadn't been for Eddie Guerrero," Layfield said. 

The former WWE champ doubled down on his Eddie praise in a backstage interview later in the night. “Everything that JBL became was because of Eddie Guerrero,” he said.

Layfield and Guerrero were close friends in real life but fierce rivals in the ring.

In 2004 the pair went one-on-one for the WWE Championship at two consecutive SmackDown PPVs. Their match at Judgement Day that year is considered one of the most intense, bloody encounters in WWE history.

JBL would defeat Eddie for the WWE Championship at The Great American Bash and cement his status as the top heel in the business.

Layfield's Hall Of Fame induction was announced on WWE Backstage in March of last year with host Renee Young tossing to a video package on the wrestler/announcer’s legendary career.

JBL was also in attendance for the announcement and talked about he was honored by the decision.

Layfield, who held the WWE Championship for 280 days, received a video message during the appearance from John Cena who talked about how the induction was very much earned.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 Hall Of Fame induction ceremonies combined the classes of 2020 and 2021.