Kane Reflects on Isaac Yankem: Working With Jerry Lawler Was the One Bright Spot

Before he became the Big Red Machine, Glenn Jacobs spent time in WWE as Isaac Yankem, D.D.S. — and looking back, he isn’t exactly nostalgic about the gimmick. In a recent interview, Kane opened up about his days playing Jerry Lawler’s villainous dentist, making clear that the character itself wasn’t something he looks back on fondly. The one exception? Getting to share the ring with the King.

Kane stated that the only genuinely positive thing about the Isaac Yankem run was the opportunity it gave him to work alongside Jerry Lawler. That silver lining is easy to understand. Lawler was one of WWE’s most experienced performers and sharpest minds in 1996, a veteran of decades in the business who knew how to get the most out of a program. For a younger Jacobs still learning his craft on the main roster, having that kind of mentor-adjacent figure to work with would have been invaluable regardless of the character wrapping it.

Isaac Yankem debuted in 1996, positioned as Lawler’s personal dentist and muscle. The alliance grew directly out of Lawler’s humiliating loss in a Kiss My Foot match, giving him a storyline reason to enlist an imposing hired hand. The concept of a maniacal wrestling dentist was, to put it charitably, a tough sell, and the character never gained lasting traction.

Of course, the story has a well-known ending. Jacobs eventually found his footing with the Kane persona, which debuted in 1997 and went on to become one of the most enduring characters in WWE history. Isaac Yankem is best remembered today as a footnote — but apparently even footnotes can carry a worthwhile lesson if the right person is standing across from you.