On a recent edition of his “The Snake Pit” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts explained that it was difficult for him to accept Shawn Michaels as a top champion in WWE.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On facing a young Shawn Michaels in WWE: “Oh, that was so horrible. Oh, that match stunk to high heaven. I had him in the ring. And I have the arm and was twisted his arm. So I gave him the [arm] squeeze for him to reverse it. But instead, he just stayed on his knees and went ‘Oh!’ He wouldn’t get up and reverse it. I tried two or three times, Valiant just jerked him, clothesline and DDT’d him, or whatever I did. Couldn’t get him to do anything, man.”
On what Michaels was lacking at that point: “Everything. He lacked everything. Oh my God, yeah he was pitiful.”
On whether Michaels is an all-time great: “I think he was close to being there. I don’t think he was — I don’t put him at the very top. I’ll just say that, I don’t put him at the very top with everything considered, you know? He certainly didn’t draw great money as a champion. And that’s what it’s about, isn’t it? That’s what I thought it was about. I just felt like he was — I mean, he works very hard in the ring. And he does a lot of great s**t. But as far as believability? Stings a little bit, just quite wasn’t there. The size was a lot of it too, you know? I just have a hard time putting the championship belt on anybody that weighs 200 pounds. I really do. When there are guys who weigh 350 and 275 that are ripped, and the belt is on a guy that weighs 200. Oh, I have a hard time with it.”
