Jake Roberts Names WWE Legend He Wants In The Hall Of Fame
This week's episode of DDP's Snake Pit saw Jake Roberts and Diamond Dallas Page share stories about going into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who was inducted in 2014, believes there are a number of personalities who have been inducted that shouldn't have been. He also suggested that there should be a voting system.
"I still had a little sore spot in the back of my mouth that it should have happened years before [being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame]," Jake said. "Because I've seen so many people that went in who I feel shouldn't have gotten there. That's my only beef with the Hall of Fame, is that there are people in there that shouldn't be. I think it needs to be taken to the people, maybe given a vote.
"Maybe the guys in the Hall of Fame should vote for who comes in next. The system they're using now stinks. Whether it be Hunter or whoever, I just don't like the system they use and they put people in there who have nothing to do with wrestling. You know wrestling, there should be something out there just for wrestlers."
Jake Roberts also stated that he believes that the late former WWE Superstar Kamala should be inducted, although understands that the veteran became bitter.
"There's another guy who I think should definitely be in there," Roberts said. "And I'm sure because of things that were said and done he'll probably never get there, and that's Kamala. Kamala was a great character and he made a lot of money. James Harris was a sweet, sweet man. What a voice he had as a singer. He could sing like a bird. You would never have thought a country and western singer, he'd made you cry, man.
"He had some really bad health problems and he became very bitter. He just wanted help and he said some things that, of course, are going to stick and will probably keep him out of the hall, but I would have loved to see James there."
Roberts was asked what he feels should be the criteria to go into the WWE Hall of Fame should be, and "The Snake" expressed that the individual should have at least done five years in the ring.
"At least five years," Jake Roberts stated. "At a point where, you don't have to be the main event, but you would have to be someone who shook the business. That went out and did the work. That's the thing, gotta be one hundred percent in. Popularity has to be a part of it. You know, if the fans gravitated towards you, or rose you up, definitely. There's so much to be considered.
The former NWA National Television Champion also reflected on the night he returned to WWE on January 6, 2014, during an "Old School" episode of Monday Night RAW.
"The electricity that hit me, man, wow," Jake Roberts explained. "I hadn't breathed like that in years, man, and my lungs just – wow. It's that magical moment when you go out in front of those fans and they hit you with all that love. I got the yellow Cobra and I go out there – the Python. I go out there and wind up putting the snake on [Dean] Ambrose, and CM Punk, 'oh my god, the snake sh*t on you.' Ambrose starts laughing whilst laying there. Thanks for killing my gimmick, kid.
"But I got so much respect for CM Punk that night, who wasn't one of my guys who I thought I'd like because he went over to the ropes and sat down and give me the whole ring. If he'd been standing, he'd have been drawn part of that. But he gave me the whole ring and let me enjoy that super, fantastic moment, because brother, it'd been a long time."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit DDP's Snake Pit Podcast with an h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.