WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts candidly discussed his regrettable match against Sting at WCW Halloween Havoc 1992, specifically a Coal Miner’s Glove match.
In an episode of the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast, Jake Roberts expressed profound disdain for the match, labelling it as one of his worst, and critiqued the concept of the bout. Roberts didn’t mince words, expressing his bewilderment at the match stipulation, stating:
Great thing the commercials were good because that was it. The match stunk and so did the idea. That was such a horrible thing to choose. What in the hell man?
He vehemently objected to the idea of a Coal Miner’s Glove match, emphasising his unwillingness to engage in the stipulated pole-climbing aspect. Roberts directed his incredulity towards Bill Watts, the individual behind the match concept.
I’m not climbing no pole, are you serious Bill [Watts]? That is the best thing that you could come up with? I thought it was ridiculous and the match was one of my worst matches.
Furthermore, Roberts delved into Sting’s mindset at the time, suggesting that Sting’s weariness with shouldering the responsibility of drawing large crowds may have impacted his commitment to the match. Roberts attributed this complacency to the security provided by contractual agreements, highlighting the detrimental impact of such arrangements on wrestlers’ motivations.
Sting wasn’t very excited to wrestle back then and he had gotten tired of being the guy that everybody depended on to bring in the big house he was getting lazy because he had that contract and that is the bad thing about contracts is that guys get lazy and are like well, I’ll get all my money anyway.
Drawing parallels to his current endeavours, Jake Roberts emphasised his unwavering dedication to his craft, emphasising the importance of wholehearted commitment and effort in every performance. He underscored his belief in expending all his energy during his shows, equating the experience to the physical exertion of a wrestling match.
I go out there and I gut it and it is kind of crazy but after an hour or an hour and twenty minutes out there on stage I feel like I worked a damn match and I am using that energy and I pour it out.
Which Promoter Does Jake Roberts Think Didn’t Know How To Book?
Jake Roberts stated that legendary promoter Ole Anderson didn’t know how to book anyone but himself. He stated that he didn’t like Anderson but that still worked for him.
H/t to TJRWrestling.net