Jake Hager Recalls Pitching Groot-Like Character After Debuting ‘I Like This Hat’ Catchphrase: I Feel Like The Hat Could Have Been Way Bigger

Jake Hager recalls pitching a character that only spoke one phrase but was still understood by his friends.

During his run in All Elite Wrestling as a part of the Jericho Appreciation Society, Hager found himself as more of a comedy act than he could have imagined when his catchphrase surrounding a purple bucket hat caught on with fans.

While speaking to Insight With Chris Van Vliet in a new interview, Jake Hager spoke on the topic of politics in wrestling and how it could be a struggle to deal with them when you wanted to pitch new ideas that could lead to success, talking about an example where he pitched an idea where he would be like the character of Groot from Guardians Of The Galaxy, who only spoke in one phrase, but was still understood.

“That’s really what I (had) come to realize, too, with pro wrestling, which I love it. I had a great career. I was very blessed to have the opportunities that I had in it. But in pro wrestling, your hard work doesn’t always determine your success, right? This is why I kind of wish I would have stayed with MMA because my hard work would have a hundred percent directly contributed to my success. There’s politics (in wrestling), the audience of one. I feel like the hat could have been way bigger. But he (Tony Khan) didn’t like me. Like I pitched an idea. I think this is great. I wanted to turn into Groot from Guardians Of The Galaxy where I would say, ‘I like this hat’, and everybody in JAS would know what I’m saying. I’m not saying I like this hat. I’m not saying I am Groot. You know, they would just play off of it.”

Elsewhere in the same interview, Hager claimed that Tony Khan stormed into a talent meeting following the chaotic CM Punk situation. You can read more about that here.

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