WWE Legend Discusses His Hesitation to Rank Shawn Michaels Among Wrestling's Greatest Icons

In a recent episode of his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jake “The Snake” Roberts shared his thoughts on Shawn Michaels' status as an "all-time great" in wrestling. Roberts expressed that while Michaels is close to reaching that pinnacle, he doesn't place him at the utmost tier, especially when considering the full scope of what it means to be a top figure in wrestling. "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?" Roberts stated.

He further elaborated that Michaels did not generate significant revenue as a champion, which he believes is a crucial aspect of wrestling's essence. "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," he added. Despite acknowledging Michaels' hard work and impressive performances in the ring, Roberts questioned his believability as a champion due to his size, compared to larger wrestlers. "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," Roberts concluded, highlighting the challenges he sees in awarding the championship to smaller wrestlers.