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The final inductee is Glenn Jacobs aka Kane
An absolutely awesome video on Kane. Daniel Bryan said he was one of the company's greatest characters ever. You can't argue that.
Kane came out, his mask in a glass case on the podium. He said he was a farm boy from Missouri and he is once again wondering, as he has most of his career, how am I here? Things like this don't happen to people like me. He said that he was surrounding by great people, starting with his parents. They were always big fans of him, even during the lulls of his career. His mother LOVED Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS. She once held a sign that said I RAISED KANE at a show.
His praised his children. He said he missed a lot of ball games, dances and parties. That is his one regret. He also regrets all the time he missed with his wife Crystal. Marriages don't often last in this business but he's been with her over 27 years. He has had a lot of great tag team partners but none as great as his wife.
He said he has countless people to thank but he can't thank everyone. He wanted to thank those who made it possible for him to come to WWE, including Jim Ross, Dutch Mantel and Jim Cornette. He apologized for paying JR back by setting him on fire.
Kane said that if it wasn't for the names you never hear behind the scenes, you would never know names like Kane and others. He thanked a number of people who drive, who make sure the talents are where they need to be and everyone in talent relations. He thanked the camera operators to those working in the truck, those who yell at him from Gorilla and everyone else.
Kane thanked all his "brothers and sisters who put on tights and lance up boots." He said it sounds corny and cheesy, but they put smiles on faces, everyone is better for it.
He thanked Paul Bearer and The Undertaker for being Kane's family. He said that his first match against Undertaker was at SMW's Superbowl of Wrestling, a building that the Knox County's Mayor's office looks out upon. Unabomb managed by Al Snow vs. The Undertaker, the first of many times he was dropped on his head by Undertaker.
When he learned of the Kane character, it was like being Scottie Pippen being invited to come work with Michael Jordan. He said their storyline was the greatest story told in the history of WWE. They used to love pushing Paul Bearer's buttons, once making him so mad he didn't talk to Kane for three weeks. They once scared a trooper who found out he pulled over the Brothers of Destruction.
He said that as a performer, he was always rushing to the next town. Now that he has a chance to reflect, he realized what a journey it has been and that none of it would have been successful without the fans. He thanked the fans for the privilege and for making Kane one of the most memorable characters ever.
He said that if a farm boy from Missouri with no gifts except a good work ethic and stubbornness can stumble through life and fail again and again can go on to be an internationally known entertainer and then entering the Knox County Mayor's Office and then the WWE Hall of Fame - if someone like him can do that, imagine what you can do.
He said Kane would like to leave you with this and set off his pyro to close the show.
Kane had a really nice speech.
That's all for tonight from the WWE Hall of Fame!
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