Never say never in the WWE, because one man we never thought we’d see get a chance to speak on WWE television will be returning to induct the Rock N Roll Express into the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame. WWE announced today that legendary manager Jim Cornette will induct his long time rivals into the Hall on Friday, March 31st in Orlando.
Cornette, who managed the Rock N Roll Express’ greatest rivals, The Midnight Express, during the 80s and 90s had been on bad terms with the WWE ever since he was suspended in 2005 for slapping OVW developmental wrestler Santino Marella backstage after Marella had “no-sold” fellow wrestler The Boogeyman by laughing at him during a live OVW event. Shortly after Cornette returned from his suspension, a separate incident occurred and the WWE released him from his contract in July 2005.
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Ever since the incident, Cornette has been very outspoken in his criticism of the WWE product and nearly every one who works for the organization. It’s been assumed by many that the former manager had burned way too many bridges to ever get a call back, but give Vince credit where it’s due–Cornette is absolutely the right choice to induct the Express into the Hall.
Jim gave his thoughts on Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson as well as being chosen to give their speech.
“By any standard, Ricky and Robert belong in the Hall of Fame,” Cornette told WWE.com in an exclusive interview. “And that’s whether its longevity as a team, the attendance records they set, or the great matches that they had, which fans can still see on WWE Network.”
“Superman needs Lex Luthor, Batman needs The Joker, and we were the antithesis of everything The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express stood for and their wrestling style. It just clicked,” Cornette said.
“I said these horrible, degrading things about these two, fine, young, upstanding examples of American boyhood,” Cornette continued, “and people, on numerous occasions, tried to kill us.”
“Fans literally gave them pictures and gifts at the matches,” Cornette said. “They considered them members of the family. I’ve seen inside fans’ houses, and they would have pictures of Jesus on the wall, and next to it would be a picture of The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. That’s no lie.”
“Between the ’80s with The Midnight Express and the ’90s with The Heavenly Bodies, and then in the 2000s on the reunions with The Midnights, I think only Bobo Brazil and The Sheik had a longer-running rivalry,” Cornette said.
“And I still haven’t put an end to Rock ‘n’ Roll! I haven’t been able to do it, so I guess I have to roll over and induct them.”
You can watch Jim Cornette induct The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express into the WWE Hall of Fame when the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony airs live on WWE Network on Friday, March 31 at 8 ET/5 PT!
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