Login
Login

The Cabinet (professional wrestling)

{{Short description|Professional wrestling stable}}

{{Infobox professional wrestling team

| article_name = The Cabinet

| image = Thecabinet.jpg

| caption = Orlando Jordan (left) and John “Bradshaw” Layfield (right)

| members =

| former_members = John “Bradshaw” Layfield (leader)
Orlando Jordan
Amy Weber
Doug Basham
Danny Basham
Jillian Hall

| debut = {{Start date and age|2004|08|12}}

| disbanded = {{End date and age|2006|05|26}}

| years_active = 2004–2006

}}

The Cabinet was a Heel professional wrestling stable in WWE on the SmackDown! brand from 2004 to 2006. Led by John “Bradshaw” Layfield, the group portrayed a presidential-style cabinet, with members holding titles mirroring those of U.S. government officials. The stable was formed shortly after JBL won the WWE Championship at The Great American Bash in 2004 with the aim of protecting JBL's interests as the WWE Champion.

History

= Formation and dominance (2004–2005) =

In mid-2004, following his victory for the WWE Championship, John “Bradshaw” Layfield introduced The Cabinet as his entourage to solidify his status as champion.{{cite web |title=The Cabinet Profile |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/cabinet/ |publisher=Online World of Wrestling |accessdate=October 1, 2023}} The initial members included Orlando Jordan as his “Chief of Staff” and Amy Weber as his “Image Consultant.”{{cite web |title=JBL’s Cabinet |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2005/01/13/jbls-cabinet/ |publisher=Slam! Sports |accessdate=October 1, 2023}}The Basham Brothers (Doug and Danny Basham) would later join as the “Co-Secretaries of Defense".

Throughout late 2004 and early 2005, The Cabinet assisted JBL in retaining the WWE Championship against various challengers, including Eddie Guerrero, The Undertaker, Booker T, Kurt Angle and Big Show.{{cite web |title=John "Bradshaw" Layfield’s WWE Championship reign |url=https://www.wwe.com/titlehistory/wwe-championship/330094 |publisher=WWE |accessdate=October 1, 2023}} Their frequent interference (along with that of Jon Heidenreich and Kurt Angle's proteges Mark Jindrak and Luther Reigns) contributed to JBL's nine-month title reign, which was the longest of the decade until it was later surpassed by John Cena, who ended JBL's reign.

In addition to the WWE Championship, the Cabinet also secured the WWE US Championship (Orlando Jordan) and WWE Tag Team Championship (The Basham Brothers) belts during this time (the Bashams later lost their championships to the team of Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio while Orlando Jordan retained his championship until Summerslam 2005 when he submitted to Chris Benoit in a record 25.5 seconds).

= Membership changes and decline (2005–2006) =

In early 2005, Amy Weber departed from WWE, with her exit explained on-screen by JBL firing her after a series of mishaps.{{cite web |title=Amy Weber quits WWE |url=https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2005/02/amy-weber-quits-wwe-491623/ |publisher=Wrestling Inc. |date=February 10, 2005 |accessdate=October 1, 2023}} The Basham Brothers grew dissatisfied with their lack of recognition and left The Cabinet on the June 16 episode of ‘‘SmackDown!’’{{cite web |title=SmackDown Results – June 16, 2005 |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/06162005/ |publisher=WWE |accessdate=October 1, 2023}} They were later split during the 2005 WWE draft lottery.

After losing the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21, JBL attempted to revitalize his career by hiring Jillian Hall as his “Fixer” and publicist in September 2005.{{cite web |title=SmackDown Results – September 16, 2005 |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/09162005/ |publisher=WWE |accessdate=October 1, 2023}} Despite this addition, The Cabinet's presence dwindled. Orlando Jordan quietly separated from JBL after losing the United States Championship and was released from WWE in May 2006.{{cite web |title=Orlando Jordan released |url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/news/archive/orlandojordanreleased |publisher=WWE |date=May 26, 2006 |accessdate=October 1, 2023}} JBL transitioned to a commentator role before temporarily retiring from in-ring competition, effectively disbanding The Cabinet.

Members

The Cabinet was structured to resemble a political cabinet, with each member holding a specific title:

The group's signature gesture was the “Longhorn” pose, where members raised their arms horizontally at a 45° angle with hands flat, a symbolic representation of JBL's Texas longhorn logo.

= Timeline =

{{#tag:timeline|

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20

PlotArea = left:105 bottom:60 top:5 right:10

Alignbars = justify

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy

Period = from:08/12/2004 till:05/26/2006

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom

ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:08/12/2004 unit:year

Colors =

id:Leader value:red legend:Leader

id:Member value:blue legend:Member

id:Tagteam value:yellow legend:Tag_Team

id:bars value:gray(0.90)

BarData =

bar:Bradshaw text:"JBL"

bar:OJ text:"Orlando"

bar:Amy text:"Amy"

bar:Jill text:"Jillian"

bar:Doug text:"Doug"

bar:Dan text:"Danny"

PlotData=

width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-

bar:Bradshaw from:08/12/2004 till:05/26/2006 color:leader

bar:OJ from:08/12/2004 till:05/26/2006 color:member

bar:Doug from:11/25/2004 till:06/16/2005 color:Member

bar:Doug from:11/25/2004 till:06/16/2005 color:Tagteam width:2.5

bar:Dan from:11/25/2004 till:06/16/2005 color:Member

bar:Dan from:11/25/2004 till:06/16/2005 color:Tagteam width:2.5

bar:Amy from:11/18/2004 till:02/07/2005 color:Member

bar:Jill from:09/16/2005 till:12/16/2005 color:Member

}}

Championships and accomplishments

References

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabinet, The}}

Category:WWE teams and stables