On a recent edition of his “Six Feet Under” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker explained why Jake “The Snake” Roberts isn’t generally included in the discussion on people’s lists of the Mount Rushmore of wrestling.
The Undertaker then revealed his personal Mount Rushmore comprising Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Steve Austin.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the logic behind his personal Mount Rushmore: “Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Stone Cold [Steve Austin]. Those four guys are not the greatest wrestlers that have ever come down the pike. Those guys aren’t the best psychologists. Those guys are on Mount Rushmore because of their contributions to the business. What they meant to the business.”
On Andre the Giant being a global superstar: “Andre was doing The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson long before any wrestler was. Andre was the face of wrestling. He was an attraction all over the world. He made wrestling cool to a lot of people who would never be exposed to wrestling. … Andre was friends with everybody. He was friends with [Muhammed] Ali. He was friends with [Arnold] Schwarzenegger. He was friends — he had all these people because he was just bigger than life.”
On the importance of Hulk Hogan: “Hogan of course. Hogan in the late 80s turned wrestling — he was the one there in Vince’s vision and take it on a national stage.”
On his thoughts on Ric Flair: “Obviously, Ric Flair … I mean he’s the champ. He’s what you think of [the world champ in wrestling].”
On Steve Austin: “Stone Cold, he was part of the biggest probably the most, I don’t know, the most popular era ever wrestling. We know where this era is, and what it’s going to top out at. It’s growing exponentially, but it’s not growing like it did when Steve took over. Stone Cold was on another level.”
On why Jake Roberts doesn’t get included in his Mount Rushmore: “So that’s how I come up with my Mount Rushmore because people always ask me, “You love Shawn Michaels, working with Shawn Michael. You say Shawn Michaels.’ Shawn Michaels was great. There’s nobody in the ring better than Shawn Michaels, but Shawn Michaels didn’t have as big an influence on the industry as a whole and an impact. Same with Bret Hart. Bret Hart in the ring, I mean nobody better than Bret Hart in the ring, but you, it’s just what your impact is on the industry. That’s how I come up with mine and that’s why — I think that’s the same with with Jake. You know if you give me, if you narrow my Mount Rushmore down like give me the Mount Rushmore of heels or something like that, yeah. Then you’re going to put a Jake The Snake in there or you just need to be a little more specific, but if you go to Mount Rushmore that’s that’s the way I think about it. It’s not skill or what you can do in the ring. It’s what your influence over the whole industry was.”
In a recent episode of his “Six Feet Under” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker shared his thoughts on why Jake “The Snake” Roberts is not typically included in discussions about the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. The Undertaker also revealed his personal Mount Rushmore, which includes Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Steve Austin.
When discussing his personal Mount Rushmore, The Undertaker emphasized that these four individuals are not necessarily the greatest wrestlers or psychologists in the industry. Instead, they are included because of their significant contributions to the business and what they meant to it.
The Undertaker first highlighted Andre The Giant, who he described as a global superstar. Andre was not only a wrestler but also made appearances on popular shows like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He was an attraction all over the world and helped make wrestling cool for people who may not have been exposed to it. Andre’s larger-than-life persona allowed him to form friendships with celebrities like Muhammed Ali and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Next, The Undertaker discussed the importance of Hulk Hogan. He credited Hogan for turning wrestling into a national phenomenon in the late 80s. Hogan played a pivotal role in Vince McMahon’s vision to take wrestling to a broader audience and elevate it to new heights.
Ric Flair was another wrestler included in The Undertaker’s Mount Rushmore. Flair is widely regarded as one of the greatest world champions in wrestling history. His charisma, in-ring skills, and ability to captivate audiences solidified his position as a top figure in the industry.
Lastly, The Undertaker mentioned Steve Austin, who he believes was part of the most popular era in wrestling. Austin’s rise to stardom during the late 90s, known as the “Attitude Era,” propelled wrestling to new levels of popularity. The Undertaker acknowledged that the current era may be growing exponentially, but it has not reached the same level of success as when Austin was at the forefront.
When explaining why Jake Roberts is not included in his Mount Rushmore, The Undertaker emphasized that it is not about individual skill or in-ring abilities. Instead, it is about the influence and impact a wrestler had on the entire industry. While he acknowledged that Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart were exceptional in the ring, he believed their impact on the industry as a whole was not as significant as the wrestlers on his Mount Rushmore.
The Undertaker’s perspective provides insight into how different wrestlers are evaluated when it comes to their lasting impact on the wrestling industry. It highlights the importance of considering a wrestler’s overall influence rather than just their technical abilities.