Jake Roberts wanted Vince McMahon to fire two WWE Hall of Famers
WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts recently shared that he once asked Vince McMahon to fire Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart.
Hart and Michaels' individual careers and accomplishments earned them the rightful spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. The duo had one of the most notorious rivalries, both on and off-screen. One of the most talked about moments from their feud is the infamous "Montreal Screwjob" at Survivor Series 1997.
During his appearance on Talk Is Jericho, Jake Roberts recalled working on WWE's creative team in the 90s. He had asked Vince McMahon to fire both men due to their backstage conflicts.
He also disclosed that The Chairman had to spend hours talking to the duo so that they could both work together.
“I used to have to sit when we were writing television when Shawn and Bret were throwing their pissy fights against each other. We would be trying to write television, and Vince would get on the phone for three hours with those two cats. Trying to get them to wrestle each other. I said, ‘Vince, what are you doing? Fire the mother****ers, man, tell them to hit the f***ing road,” Roberts said. (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
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Bret Hart will eventually leave WWE for WCW in 1997 and retire in 2000. However, he returned to the Stamford-based promotion in the mid-2000s, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. His last appearance in the company was during SummerSlam 2019.
Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels went on to define WWE's Attitude Era. He retired in 2010 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame the following year. The Heartbreak Kid currently works as a writer-producer for NXT.
Jake Roberts shared his candid thoughts on The Kliq
Aside from Michaels and Hart, the AEW star also decided to speak about one of pro wrestling's most well-known factions, The Kliq.
The iconic group consisted of Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Sean Waltman. During the same Talk is Jericho appearance, Roberts expressed his dislike for the stable, stating how they nearly killed the pro wrestling business.
“When he[Vince McMahon] brought me back in ‘96 he told me, ‘Jake, look around and see where you think the problem is.’ I said, ‘It’s real simple, man, the inmates are running the asylum, The Kliq.’ The Kliq nearly killed the business. Everybody says how great they were, well let me tell you something, they drove it to the ground, whatever.”
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Despite Roberts' disdain, it can't be denied that many people, including the company's current roster, looked up to The Kliq and stated them as inspiration. On the other hand, the Hart vs. Michaels feud is considered one of the best feuds in the business.
What are your thoughts on Jake Roberts' assessment of The Kliq and Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels? Sound off in the comments below.