Jake Roberts
Encyclopedia
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. (born May 30, 1955) is a second-generation American
professional wrestler
, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith. He is best known by his ring name
of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and often brought snake
s into the ring, including a python
named Damien and even a de-venomed cobra
.
Roberts is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation
—the first between 1986-92, and the second between 1996-97. He wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance
in 1983, World Championship Wrestling
in 1992, and the Mexico
-based Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
between 1993 and 1994 and again in 1997. He appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling
during the summer of 1997, and made appearances for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
from 2006 through 2008.
Throughout his career he was known for his intense and cerebral promos, his dark charisma
, his extensive use of psychology in his matches, and has been credited as inventor of the DDT maneuver
. Roberts was also one of the subjects of the 1999 documentary film Beyond the Mat
.
. The feud began on a nationally televised episode of Saturday Night's Main Event in May 1986. Roberts executed the DDT on Steamboat on the floor right in front of his wife, Bonnie, whom Roberts had pointed to just before delivering the blow and then proceeded to rest his snake Damien on top of a prone Steamboat. Roberts went so far as to put the snake in Steamboat's mouth. He later stated that he was initially against doing the angle for fear that he might seriously injure or kill Steamboat. While Vince McMahon
and booker George Scott
were adamant about wanting the DDT to take place on the floor, he refused until Steamboat told him that he would be able to adequately protect himself from injury. Steamboat was rendered unconscious and sustained a concussion. After Steamboat's recovery, the feud featured Steamboat introducing a "Komodo dragon
" (actually a small alligator
) as his "pet" to combat the psychological effects Roberts' reptilian counterpart had on most adversaries. The feud continued with Steamboat winning most of the matches (losing only one because he threw Roberts back in the ring before the 10 count, then not beating said count himself), most notably a Snake Pit Match (ostensibly a no-DQ match) at The Big Event
in Toronto
, and the rematch on the October 1986 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. Since their feud ended, both men have cited tremendous respect for one another, stating that the feud was a personal favorite for both. When asked about "The Dragon" in an interview, Roberts stated, "[Steamboat] was a great wrestler, but an even better man." Roberts began hosting a talk segment called "The Snake Pit," which debuted on the first episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge
. "The Snake Pit" was patterned after "Piper's Pit
," wherein Roberts would conduct interviews with wrestlers or managers to help push wrestlers and get feuds over with the crowd. The segment was eventually moved to WWF Superstars of Wrestling
(to replace "Piper's Pit") before the last segment aired in July 1987.
In November 1986, Roberts challenged Randy "Macho Man" Savage for the Intercontinental Championship in a nationally televised match. Before the match, announcer Vince McMahon stated that the fans would probably support Savage against the disliked Roberts. However, to the surprise of both McMahon and fellow broadcaster Jesse Ventura
, the fans cheered loudly for Roberts throughout the fight. The match ended in a double disqualification. Around this time, the WWF was trying to get a feud between Roberts and Hulk Hogan
going, but after Roberts DDT'd Hogan during an episode of The Snake Pit, too many people started chanting for the DDT rather than for Hogan, forcing them to step away from this like it never happened.
He officially turned face when he feuded with The Honky Tonk Man
, a heel with an Elvis impersonator
gimmick. The Honky Tonk Man attacked Roberts with a guitar during his interview segment The Snake Pit. In reality, The Honky Tonk Man's guitar shot legitimately injured Roberts' neck. The shot was prior to the use of gimmicked breakable guitars, so it caused a legitimate injury. The Honky Tonk Man denies that he legitimately injured Roberts, although Jimmy Hart
, as well as a video of the incident (seen on the Pick Your Poison DVD) suggests otherwise. The attack led to their match at WrestleMania III
in which Roberts had Alice Cooper
in his corner. He would go on to unsuccessfully challenge The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship
several times throughout the rest of 1987. The initial plan was for Roberts to win the Intercontinental Championship shortly after The Honky Tonk Man's win over Ricky Steamboat
and begin an angle with the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
, but because of the injuries he suffered from the guitar shot, the decision was made to keep the belt with The Honky Tonk Man.
Perhaps his best-known feud was against "Ravishing" Rick Rude, who began a gimmick of selecting a woman from the crowd to kiss after each match. In one segment, Rude chose Roberts' real-life wife, Cheryl, who refused the kiss. After Rude began insulting Roberts, Cheryl slapped him, angering Rude before Roberts ran out for the save. This began a heated feud throughout the summer of 1988, which escalated after Rude began wearing a pair of tights emblazoned with a visage of Mrs. Roberts, (another act that was not sanctioned by WWF at the time and was Rude's own brainchild) which an irate Roberts tore off. Many believe this angle was far ahead of its time, a precursor to The Attitude Era
.
. On a nationally televised Saturday Night's Main Event, Roberts and Rude fought to a no-contest, and Andre came out to help Rude. Roberts used his snake, Damien, to scare Andre into an eventual "heart attack." Although the subsequent feud on the house show circuit saw Andre victorious after most of those matches, Roberts can claim a victory via disqualification over André after André attacked special guest referee Big John Studd
at WrestleMania V
.
Shortly after his feud with André had ended, Roberts entered into a feud originally scheduled to happen years before with Ted DiBiase
. Instead of fighting for the Intercontinental Championship, the prize of the feud was DiBiase's Million Dollar Belt
. It was at this time that Roberts' disc problems were publicly acknowledged, as DiBiase attacked Roberts after a victory over his bodyguard Virgil
on WWF Superstars of Wrestling
. In the attack, Roberts was (storyline) injured by DiBiase and needed time off to have surgery to repair the damage. Roberts returned and feuded with DiBiase throughout the end of 1989 into 1990, including a point where Roberts stole DiBiase's Million Dollar Belt
, daring him or Virgil to reach into the canvas sack to retrieve it. The culmination of their feud took place at WrestleMania VI
, where in a match where the Million Dollar Belt was on the line, DiBiase gained a count-out victory over Roberts, thus regaining the non-sanctioned title. After the match, Roberts mounted an offensive against DiBiase and Virgil and then began giving away DiBiase's "money".
Following a brief feud with Bad News Brown
in the summer of 1990, Roberts feuded with Rick "The Model" Martel
throughout late 1990 into early 1991, after Martel (kayfabe
) blinded Roberts by spraying cologne into his eyes. Roberts went so far as to wear white contact lenses to "prove" his blindness. After several months, the feud culminated in a match at WrestleMania VII
, in which both contestants were blindfolded. The bout ended after Roberts beat Martel with a DDT.
after he "squashed" Damien with a pair of Earthquake splashes during a televised match; in actuality, Roberts' bag contained hamburger stuffed in pantyhose
with a small motor to make it appear that a live snake was in the bag. When the match aired on WWF Superstars of Wrestling
, footage of Earthquake landing on Damien was interrupted with cutaway shots to that show's "Events Center," but when aired later on WWF Prime Time Wrestling
the following week, Earthquake's actions toward Damien aired uninterrupted and uncensored. The feud was advanced when, several weeks later, Earthquake appeared on WWF Prime Time Wrestling and served "Quakeburgers" to co-host Lord Alfred Hayes, later revealing that the meat was ground from Damien's carcass.
Roberts appeared on Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
's interview segment The Barbershop and stated that "You could do two things: Roll over and die, or get yourself a bigger snake", in which he revealed that his new snake was a larger python, a reticulated python whom he named "Lucifer" — the supposed big brother of Damien and "the devil
himself."
Roberts began a heel turn later in the summer of 1991 following a series of televised vignettes featuring the Ultimate Warrior
turning to Roberts for help in his feud with The Undertaker. In the set-up, Roberts explained to Warrior that, after passing three tests, he would have the "knowledge of the dark side" to defeat Undertaker. The segments included Warrior being locked inside a coffin (a reprise of an incident that occurred on The Funeral Parlor, hosted by the Undertaker's manager, Paul Bearer; earlier in the year); the Warrior being "buried alive" in dirt before being abandoned; and Warrior walking through a room full of live snakes to reach a chest containing "the answer." During the latter segment, the Warrior opened the chest, only to be immediately bitten by a King Cobra
(the snake was a rubber prop). As Warrior "weakened" from the "effects" of the cobra's strike, Roberts was joined by The Undertaker and Paul Bearer, revealing the three were working together all along; Roberts closed the final segment by proclaiming, "Never trust a snake." A series of matches were planned, but the feud was canceled after the Ultimate Warrior was fired by the WWF the night of SummerSlam
.
After SummerSlam, Roberts was placed in a feud with "Macho Man" Randy Savage
. The set-up story had Roberts crashing the post-SummerSlam wedding reception of Savage and Miss Elizabeth
; Roberts' presence was explained when Elizabeth opened a gift package to reveal a live snake. Roberts and The Undertaker appeared to beat up Savage, until Sid Justice
ran them off. Roberts was then in a short feud with Sid Justice. It began when Sid was scheduled to wrestle "El Diablo", The Undertaker came out and accepted the Challenge to Sid. Then when "El Diablo" unmasked himself, it revealed to be was Jake. Jake proceeded to unleash a king cobra on Sid, until Hacksaw Jim Duggan saved him. Sid and Jake wrestled on Superstars a week later. But soon, Sid injured his biceps, which forced the feud to end.
Roberts immediately began berating Randy Savage in a series of promos, aware that Savage - who had lost a retirement match to the Ultimate Warrior earlier in the year - was unable to exact revenge. During an October 21 taping for WWF Superstars of Wrestling in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Roberts goaded Savage into the ring and brutally attacked him, eventually tying Savage into the ropes and getting a live cobra to bite his arm; the snake was devenomized and, according to Roberts' DVD Pick Your Poison, he had trouble getting the cobra to release his bite. The segment went on longer than planned, and Savage's blood was clearly visible as it dripped from the puncture wounds. The footage of Savage suffering was censored with a large "X" when aired on WWF Superstars of Wrestling on November 23, but aired uncensored on cable television. Ironically, the snake died shortly afterwards, causing Savage to later joke that the snake got the venom from him.
WWF president Jack Tunney
reinstated Savage as an active wrestler to get revenge for the attack. To explain the absence of the cobra in kayfabe, Tunney "banned" Roberts from ever bringing a snake to the ring again. Savage and Roberts feuded for the next few months. Their first match was at the Tuesday in Texas pay-per-view
December 3 in San Antonio, Texas, which saw Savage earn a victory over Roberts; the two continued to brawl after the match, and Roberts eventually gained the upper hand by laying Savage out with a series of DDTs. Roberts then demanded that Elizabeth beg him to stop the assault, but when he was dissatisfied with her pleas, he slapped her in the middle of the ring. The feud would continue through the early part of 1992, and included Savage eliminating Roberts from that year's Royal Rumble
match. The feud ended on Saturday Night's Main Event, with Savage getting the win. Roberts, livid at having lost to him and having received two of Savage's flying elbow drops (one of which happened after the match; Savage was going for a third until officials intervened), was helped backstage. Enraged, he grabbed a steel chair and said that he was going to hit whoever came backstage first, whether it was Savage or Elizabeth. Just as Roberts was about to swing the chair, an unknown person stopped him. Roberts turned to confront this person, who turned out to be the Undertaker; Roberts was distracted long enough for Savage to hit him with the chair instead. That incident helped set up Roberts' feud with the Undertaker, who along with Bearer were in the midst of a face turn. Roberts appeared on The Funeral Parlor to demand answers from the Undertaker about why he stopped him from attacking Elizabeth. When Roberts was dissatisfied with the answers, he DDT'ed Bearer and, after jamming Undertaker's hand in a coffin, began hitting him with a steel chair; however, Undertaker was able to fend off the blows and chased Roberts backstage. At WrestleMania VIII
, Roberts lost the match.
The WrestleMania VIII match turned out to be Roberts' last for the WWF for nearly four years. Roberts' departure came after he was upset that WWF chairman Vince McMahon
did not offer him a position on the writing staff, despite being promised such previously. After Pat Patterson stepped down from his post on the writing staff, McMahon decided that out of respect for Patterson, the spot would be left vacant. Roberts felt he was not only being lied to, but also being betrayed. In response, he threatened to no-show WrestleMania if he was not given a release from his contract.
(WCW) alongside his father, Grizzly Smith, where he aligned himself with The Barbarian
and Cactus Jack
to feud against Sting and Nikita Koloff
. However, before he could officially join WCW, he had to wait almost 90 days. According to the Pick Your Poison DVD, Roberts had initially signed a lucrative contract under Kip Allen Frey
, who was running WCW at the time. On the 87th day, Frey stepped down and was replaced by Bill Watts
, for whom Roberts had legitimate heat
with back in his days at Mid-South Wrestling. Ultimately, Roberts estimates that he went from making about $
3.5 million a year to approximately $200,000 a year.
His first major TV wrestling appearance for WCW was at Clash of the Champions
, where his team won a 4-man elimination tag match. Roberts scored a pinfall victory over Sting, which built their feud further. His single WCW pay-per-view
match was against Sting at Halloween Havoc in 1992. Their match was determined via the Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal gimmick. There was a series of gimmick matches on the wheel, but because the wheel itself was not gimmicked, neither Roberts nor Sting knew the kind of match they'd be wrestling until the wheel stopped spinning. When the wheel stopped, it had landed on what many pundits believed was the worst option—the Coal Miner's Glove match. While it was the company's top-selling PPV for several years, Roberts soon left WCW.
promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
(AAA) in April 1993, causing the defeat of Konnan
on the career vs. career match at TripleMania I
. Jake's run-in started a feud that lasted until 1994 at TripleMania II-C
, in which Konnan managed to defeat Roberts in a hair vs. hair match.
For some months of 1997 Roberts fought again in the AAA, teaming with Gorgeous George III
, Glenn Jacobs, and Rick Bognar. This stint was not successful and Roberts left after TripleMania V.
in 1996, as a Bible
-preaching face
. To go along with his new gimmick, his new Albino Burmese Python was named "Revelations
." His gimmick also mirrored his real life, as Roberts had recently become a born-again Christian
and had been preaching around the country.
During his second tenure with the company, Roberts was pushed as a "Cinderella
story" and faced "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in the final match of the King of the Ring tournament. Due to injuries received at the hands of Vader in their semi-final match that night, Austin easily defeated him and mocked his recital of the biblical passage John 3:16
by saying "You sit there, and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere... Talk about your Psalms
, talk about your John 3:16 ... Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!". The catchphrase would help propel Austin to the top of the WWF and pro wrestling throughout "The Attitude Era
" of the late 1990s to early 2000s. Roberts next feuded with Jerry "The King" Lawler
, who went to great lengths to ridicule Roberts' past bouts against alcoholism
. At one point, Lawler spat real whiskey at Roberts.
In November 1996, Roberts, Vader, and Brother Love
appeared on the ABC
sitcom
Boy Meets World
for one episode. In early 1997, the WWF wanted Roberts to wind down his in-ring career and to join the backstage side of the company. Since he still loved to wrestle, he did not make this transition well. This led to a relapse with drugs and alcohol. He was fired in February 1997. According to the Pick Your Poison DVD, after his firing, his long-time wife Cheryl filed for divorce.
. His introduction came towards the end of a match between Lawler and Tommy Dreamer
, which was the main event of the show. As the match went on, the arena lights were turned off. Moments later when the lights came back on, Roberts was already in the ring, and had given his signature DDT on Dreamer. He then went to the camera man and screamed; "Your God... he giveth, and he can taketh away. My God, he giveth... but he aint got the balls to do nothin' else." He promptly clotheslined Lawler, dragging him over Dreamer for the victory in Lawler's favor before exiting the ring.
. Throughout the film he made numerous confessions about his tragic past, including the murder of his sister and the collapse of his marriage. Amongst the more disturbing moments was Roberts reportedly smoking crack
in a hotel room after a reunion with his daughter Brandy, though the act is not shown on camera. In 2005, Roberts, along with others, heavily criticized the film for showing him in a negative light, complaining that the depiction of him was "not the real Jake Roberts." Roberts also claimed that director Barry Blaustein and Terry Funk
lied to him about the aims of the film, telling him it was a television special
on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
, where he began competing for Brian Dixon's All Star Wrestling
. In December, he made his debut for Ricky Knight's World Association of Wrestling in Lowestoft
. On October 20, 2002, Roberts became the NWA UK Hammerlock
Heavyweight Champion in Maidstone
, Kent
, England
by defeating "Vigilante" Johnny Moss. Moss regained the title the next night in Ashford, Kent
, though. In November 2002, Roberts started his own wrestling promotion in the UK, called "Real Stars of Wrestling".
Roberts made his final British appearance at WAW's October Outrage show in Canvey Island, Essex, once again teaming with Steve Quintain against the UK Pitbulls. However, Roberts turned up at the show "in no fit state to compete", but went ahead with his match. Roberts cut a drunken promo paying tribute to Ray Traylor
, who had died a few days before, and almost got into a scuffle with several WAW wrestlers who were sent out to defuse the situation. This involved challenging Zak Zodiac, son of Ricky Knight and Sweet Saraya
, and who was only 13 at the time, to a fight.
Roberts made a World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) appearance on March 14, 2005 on Raw
, where he confronted Randy Orton
, who was preparing to challenge The Undertaker at WrestleMania 21
. Roberts warned Orton that facing The Undertaker, particularly at WrestleMania, could be a soul-altering experience; he then fell victim to Orton's "RKO," helping to fuel Orton's "Legend Killer" gimmick. He worked with the company to create a DVD
retrospective of his career (the aforementioned Pick Your Poison DVD), which was released later that year.
. He announced he would referee the Monster's Ball match
between Brother Runt
, Abyss
, Raven
, and Samoa Joe
at Bound for Glory. Roberts proceeded to cut a rambling, incoherent promo that was barely audible to the live audience. At least once, he ended up on his back during the promo and had trouble getting up. The promo lasted a couple of minutes live but was so incoherent that it was edited down to about 15 seconds on the broadcast of Impact! He had a snake in a bag, which he placed on Brother Runt after Runt came out and confronted Roberts. At one point, he even stuffed the snake's head down the front of Runt's pants. The confrontation was only partially aired on Impact!. At Bound for Glory, he performed his signature DDT on Raven, giving Samoa Joe the win in the match. Roberts did his signature after match ritual by putting a snake (which resembled "Revelations") on Raven.
Roberts made a one-night return to TNA in 2008 as a guest of "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal
and SoCal Val's storyline wedding at Slammiversary
.
's Houston-based Pro Wrestling Alliance
(PWA) promotion, in which he cut a promo urging those who want to enter the wrestling business to not follow along his path. At one point he stated that he loved the wrestling business more than anything else in the world. PWA wrestler "Rockstar" Robbie Gillmore then interrupted Jake and attempted to make an alliance based upon the fact that Robbie wears an 80s style shirt featuring a cobra. Jake had just stated that all he ever wanted was a little respect, and the Rockstar's interruption irritated him. Jake then attacked Gillmore.
In May 2009, Roberts joined the Jim Rose Circus
for the Jim Rose Circus vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts: The Legends Collide Tour. Advertised as "a grueling 40 city campaign" containing pretty girls, wrestling, amazing circus stunts, and a fist fight, the tour features Jim Rose
and wrestler Sinn Bouldi as "Team Jake".
On January 29, 2011, Roberts wrestled what was billed as his retirement match, when he defeated Sinn Bodhi at the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
(PWG) show during the WrestleReunion 5 weekend.
in a match where he had his opponent, The Grappler
, in a front facelock, but when Jake tripped over Denton's foot he fell backwards and Roberts' opponent landed on his head. From that match, Roberts claimed the move as his finisher, calling it the DDT
, though instead of falling back, he stepped back before falling (which, as he explained on his DVD
Pick Your Poison, was the quickest way to drive his opponent's head into the mat and also gave the move a "snap" effect). When asked what the initials DDT stood for, he famously replied "The End." In the 2005 DVD documentary, World Wrestling Entertainment
employee Bruce Prichard
said Roberts named the move after the pesticide of the same name
. Roberts has also said often that "DDT" stands for "Drop Dead Twice". Roberts has further been said to claim it stands for "Don't Do it Twice." Many critics of Roberts are quick to point out that he never tells a story the same way twice and that if asked the same question in two separate interviews, Jake Roberts is known for giving two completely different versions of the "honest to God truth".
Roberts derived his nickname
for being known as "snake like" and untrustworthy. Roberts also said on the Pick Your Poison DVD that he got his nickname by copying Oakland Raiders
quarterback
Ken "The Snake" Stabler
(of whom Roberts was a huge fan). To accentuate this, he would often slide ("slither") into and out of the ring on his belly under the bottom rope. Once he reached the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in March 1986, Roberts would bring a huge, live Burmese Python
(though various snakes were used over the years, most were named "Damien") to ringside in a canvas bag. Other snakes used were a Reticulated Python named Lucifer, who was called Damiens' older brother after Earthquake
sat on the bag that (kayfabe
) contained Damien, an unnamed de-venomized Cobra
that bit Macho Man Randy Savage
, and an albino Burmese Python named Revelations (during Jake's Christian conversion gimmick in 1996). After executing a DDT, Roberts would coil the constrictor around the opponent's neck, and the snake would slither around on top of the fallen wrestler, sometimes appearing to strangle him. Besides the fact that numerous fellow wrestlers and commentators were legitimately afraid of snakes, it was a masterful show as the wrestler lay twitching and sometimes foaming at the mouth with the monstrous snake appearing to squeeze the life out of him.
and a half-sister, Robin
, both of whom also became wrestlers (Sam Houston
and Rockin' Robin
).
Roberts married his first wife Karen Rauschuber on February 27, 1975. The couple have a daughter named Brandy Grace (born July 29, 1975) who appeared in the 1999 wrestling documentary, Beyond the Mat
. Roberts also has twin sons from his first marriage, named Dustin and Derek (born 1980). On August 2, 1984 Roberts married his second wife, Cheryl Hagood. The couple had 2 children before divorcing in 2000.
In 2004, Roberts faced a charge of "causing unnecessary suffering" after his snake, "Damien", was allowed to starve to death in the garage of his London Colney
home.
In 2007, WWE started a policy that they would pay all expenses for any former WWWF/WWF/WWE performer who needed to enter into any form of drug rehabilitation
. According to various wrestling news reports, as well as his own MySpace
page, Roberts was placed in a 14-week voluntary rehab program by WWE as of December 10, 2007. In May 2008, Jim Ross
reported that, "Jake Roberts has been doing well the past few weeks, after completing a treatment program." Roberts' official MySpace page reported that he was back to working indy
shows. Roberts is an unlockable character in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
, alongside several other legends, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin
, Jimmy Snuka
, and Terry Funk
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith. He is best known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and often brought snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s into the ring, including a python
Python
The Pythonidae, commonly known simply as pythons, from the Greek word python-πυθων, are a family of non-venomous snakes found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Among its members are some of the largest snakes in the world...
named Damien and even a de-venomed cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
.
Roberts is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
—the first between 1986-92, and the second between 1996-97. He wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
in 1983, World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
in 1992, and the Mexico
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
-based Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
between 1993 and 1994 and again in 1997. He appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
during the summer of 1997, and made appearances for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
from 2006 through 2008.
Throughout his career he was known for his intense and cerebral promos, his dark charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
, his extensive use of psychology in his matches, and has been credited as inventor of the DDT maneuver
DDT (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
. Roberts was also one of the subjects of the 1999 documentary film Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
.
1986–1988
Roberts' first major feud was against Ricky "The Dragon" SteamboatRicky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
. The feud began on a nationally televised episode of Saturday Night's Main Event in May 1986. Roberts executed the DDT on Steamboat on the floor right in front of his wife, Bonnie, whom Roberts had pointed to just before delivering the blow and then proceeded to rest his snake Damien on top of a prone Steamboat. Roberts went so far as to put the snake in Steamboat's mouth. He later stated that he was initially against doing the angle for fear that he might seriously injure or kill Steamboat. While Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and booker George Scott
George Scott (wrestler)
George Scott was a Canadian professional wrestler, booker and promoter. From the 1950s until the 1970s, he and his younger brother Sandy competed as The Flying Scotts in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, particularly the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic...
were adamant about wanting the DDT to take place on the floor, he refused until Steamboat told him that he would be able to adequately protect himself from injury. Steamboat was rendered unconscious and sustained a concussion. After Steamboat's recovery, the feud featured Steamboat introducing a "Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
" (actually a small alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
) as his "pet" to combat the psychological effects Roberts' reptilian counterpart had on most adversaries. The feud continued with Steamboat winning most of the matches (losing only one because he threw Roberts back in the ring before the 10 count, then not beating said count himself), most notably a Snake Pit Match (ostensibly a no-DQ match) at The Big Event
The Big Event
The Big Event was a major World Wrestling Federation show which took place on August 28, 1986 at the Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The show drew a legitimate crowd of 61,470 fans which was an outdoor attendance record at the time. The event set an attendance record for a...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and the rematch on the October 1986 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. Since their feud ended, both men have cited tremendous respect for one another, stating that the feud was a personal favorite for both. When asked about "The Dragon" in an interview, Roberts stated, "[Steamboat] was a great wrestler, but an even better man." Roberts began hosting a talk segment called "The Snake Pit," which debuted on the first episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge
WWF Wrestling Challenge
WWF Challenge is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was syndicated weekly and aired from 1986 to 1996. The show premiered as WWF Wrestling Challenge and became simply known as WWF Challenge in 1995. The show featured matches, pre-match...
. "The Snake Pit" was patterned after "Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit was an interview segment featuring Roddy Piper which was a mainstay of WWF/WWE television from 1984 to 1987, and then returned briefly in 1989. Also, Piper hosted similar segments while wrestling for other promotions in 2003 - 2011....
," wherein Roberts would conduct interviews with wrestlers or managers to help push wrestlers and get feuds over with the crowd. The segment was eventually moved to WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
(to replace "Piper's Pit") before the last segment aired in July 1987.
In November 1986, Roberts challenged Randy "Macho Man" Savage for the Intercontinental Championship in a nationally televised match. Before the match, announcer Vince McMahon stated that the fans would probably support Savage against the disliked Roberts. However, to the surprise of both McMahon and fellow broadcaster Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
, the fans cheered loudly for Roberts throughout the fight. The match ended in a double disqualification. Around this time, the WWF was trying to get a feud between Roberts and Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
going, but after Roberts DDT'd Hogan during an episode of The Snake Pit, too many people started chanting for the DDT rather than for Hogan, forcing them to step away from this like it never happened.
He officially turned face when he feuded with The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
, a heel with an Elvis impersonator
Elvis impersonator
An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies famed American musician Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators can work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts are in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis...
gimmick. The Honky Tonk Man attacked Roberts with a guitar during his interview segment The Snake Pit. In reality, The Honky Tonk Man's guitar shot legitimately injured Roberts' neck. The shot was prior to the use of gimmicked breakable guitars, so it caused a legitimate injury. The Honky Tonk Man denies that he legitimately injured Roberts, although Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
, as well as a video of the incident (seen on the Pick Your Poison DVD) suggests otherwise. The attack led to their match at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
in which Roberts had Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
in his corner. He would go on to unsuccessfully challenge The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
several times throughout the rest of 1987. The initial plan was for Roberts to win the Intercontinental Championship shortly after The Honky Tonk Man's win over Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
and begin an angle with the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
, but because of the injuries he suffered from the guitar shot, the decision was made to keep the belt with The Honky Tonk Man.
Perhaps his best-known feud was against "Ravishing" Rick Rude, who began a gimmick of selecting a woman from the crowd to kiss after each match. In one segment, Rude chose Roberts' real-life wife, Cheryl, who refused the kiss. After Rude began insulting Roberts, Cheryl slapped him, angering Rude before Roberts ran out for the save. This began a heated feud throughout the summer of 1988, which escalated after Rude began wearing a pair of tights emblazoned with a visage of Mrs. Roberts, (another act that was not sanctioned by WWF at the time and was Rude's own brainchild) which an irate Roberts tore off. Many believe this angle was far ahead of its time, a precursor to The Attitude Era
The Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
.
1989–1990
Roberts moved from the feud with Rude into a feud with André the GiantAndré the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
. On a nationally televised Saturday Night's Main Event, Roberts and Rude fought to a no-contest, and Andre came out to help Rude. Roberts used his snake, Damien, to scare Andre into an eventual "heart attack." Although the subsequent feud on the house show circuit saw Andre victorious after most of those matches, Roberts can claim a victory via disqualification over André after André attacked special guest referee Big John Studd
Big John Studd
John William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor who was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd.-Career:...
at WrestleMania V
WrestleMania V
WrestleMania V was the fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 2, 1989 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey...
.
Shortly after his feud with André had ended, Roberts entered into a feud originally scheduled to happen years before with Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
. Instead of fighting for the Intercontinental Championship, the prize of the feud was DiBiase's Million Dollar Belt
Million Dollar Championship
The Million Dollar Championship was a professional championship in WWE created by The "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. The Million Dollar Belt was designed by Terry Betteridge of Betteridge Jewelers in Stamford, Connecticut. The belt is gold plated, made with cubic zirconia, and has three tiny...
. It was at this time that Roberts' disc problems were publicly acknowledged, as DiBiase attacked Roberts after a victory over his bodyguard Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
on WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
. In the attack, Roberts was (storyline) injured by DiBiase and needed time off to have surgery to repair the damage. Roberts returned and feuded with DiBiase throughout the end of 1989 into 1990, including a point where Roberts stole DiBiase's Million Dollar Belt
Million Dollar Championship
The Million Dollar Championship was a professional championship in WWE created by The "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. The Million Dollar Belt was designed by Terry Betteridge of Betteridge Jewelers in Stamford, Connecticut. The belt is gold plated, made with cubic zirconia, and has three tiny...
, daring him or Virgil to reach into the canvas sack to retrieve it. The culmination of their feud took place at WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
, where in a match where the Million Dollar Belt was on the line, DiBiase gained a count-out victory over Roberts, thus regaining the non-sanctioned title. After the match, Roberts mounted an offensive against DiBiase and Virgil and then began giving away DiBiase's "money".
Following a brief feud with Bad News Brown
Allen Coage
Allen James Coage was an American professional wrestler with the WWF and Stampede Wrestling among many other companies, better known by his ring names Bad News Brown and Bad News Allen. He was also the 1976 Olympic bronze medal winner in judo, in the heavyweight division...
in the summer of 1990, Roberts feuded with Rick "The Model" Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
throughout late 1990 into early 1991, after Martel (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
) blinded Roberts by spraying cologne into his eyes. Roberts went so far as to wear white contact lenses to "prove" his blindness. After several months, the feud culminated in a match at WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII was the seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 24, 1991 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California...
, in which both contestants were blindfolded. The bout ended after Roberts beat Martel with a DDT.
1991–1992
In early to mid-1991, Roberts engaged in a feud with EarthquakeJohn Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
after he "squashed" Damien with a pair of Earthquake splashes during a televised match; in actuality, Roberts' bag contained hamburger stuffed in pantyhose
Pantyhose
Pantyhose are sheer, close-fitting legwear, covering the wearer's body from the waist to the feet. Mostly considered to be a woman's and girl's garment, pantyhose appeared in the 1960s, and they provided a convenient alternative to stockings...
with a small motor to make it appear that a live snake was in the bag. When the match aired on WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
, footage of Earthquake landing on Damien was interrupted with cutaway shots to that show's "Events Center," but when aired later on WWF Prime Time Wrestling
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
WWF Prime Time Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It aired on the USA Network from 1985-1993. A precursor to Monday Night Raw, Prime Time Wrestling was a two-hour long, weekly program that featured stars of the World Wrestling...
the following week, Earthquake's actions toward Damien aired uninterrupted and uncensored. The feud was advanced when, several weeks later, Earthquake appeared on WWF Prime Time Wrestling and served "Quakeburgers" to co-host Lord Alfred Hayes, later revealing that the meat was ground from Damien's carcass.
Roberts appeared on Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
Edward Leslie
Edward Harrison "Ed" Leslie is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Brutus The Barber Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship Wrestling under a variety of names, mainly as "The Disciple" of real-life best friend...
's interview segment The Barbershop and stated that "You could do two things: Roll over and die, or get yourself a bigger snake", in which he revealed that his new snake was a larger python, a reticulated python whom he named "Lucifer" — the supposed big brother of Damien and "the devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
himself."
Heel turn
Roberts began a heel turn later in the summer of 1991 following a series of televised vignettes featuring the Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
turning to Roberts for help in his feud with The Undertaker. In the set-up, Roberts explained to Warrior that, after passing three tests, he would have the "knowledge of the dark side" to defeat Undertaker. The segments included Warrior being locked inside a coffin (a reprise of an incident that occurred on The Funeral Parlor, hosted by the Undertaker's manager, Paul Bearer; earlier in the year); the Warrior being "buried alive" in dirt before being abandoned; and Warrior walking through a room full of live snakes to reach a chest containing "the answer." During the latter segment, the Warrior opened the chest, only to be immediately bitten by a King Cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
(the snake was a rubber prop). As Warrior "weakened" from the "effects" of the cobra's strike, Roberts was joined by The Undertaker and Paul Bearer, revealing the three were working together all along; Roberts closed the final segment by proclaiming, "Never trust a snake." A series of matches were planned, but the feud was canceled after the Ultimate Warrior was fired by the WWF the night of SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1991)
SummerSlam was the fourth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 26, 1991 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York....
.
Feuds with Sid Justice, Randy Savage and Undertaker
After SummerSlam, Roberts was placed in a feud with "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
. The set-up story had Roberts crashing the post-SummerSlam wedding reception of Savage and Miss Elizabeth
Miss Elizabeth
Elizabeth Ann Hulette , best known as Miss Elizabeth, was an American professional wrestling manager. She gained international fame from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation, and the mid-1990s in World Championship Wrestling in her role as the manager to the late...
; Roberts' presence was explained when Elizabeth opened a gift package to reveal a live snake. Roberts and The Undertaker appeared to beat up Savage, until Sid Justice
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
ran them off. Roberts was then in a short feud with Sid Justice. It began when Sid was scheduled to wrestle "El Diablo", The Undertaker came out and accepted the Challenge to Sid. Then when "El Diablo" unmasked himself, it revealed to be was Jake. Jake proceeded to unleash a king cobra on Sid, until Hacksaw Jim Duggan saved him. Sid and Jake wrestled on Superstars a week later. But soon, Sid injured his biceps, which forced the feud to end.
Roberts immediately began berating Randy Savage in a series of promos, aware that Savage - who had lost a retirement match to the Ultimate Warrior earlier in the year - was unable to exact revenge. During an October 21 taping for WWF Superstars of Wrestling in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Roberts goaded Savage into the ring and brutally attacked him, eventually tying Savage into the ropes and getting a live cobra to bite his arm; the snake was devenomized and, according to Roberts' DVD Pick Your Poison, he had trouble getting the cobra to release his bite. The segment went on longer than planned, and Savage's blood was clearly visible as it dripped from the puncture wounds. The footage of Savage suffering was censored with a large "X" when aired on WWF Superstars of Wrestling on November 23, but aired uncensored on cable television. Ironically, the snake died shortly afterwards, causing Savage to later joke that the snake got the venom from him.
WWF president Jack Tunney
Jack Tunney
John "Jack" Tunney was a Canadian wrestling promoter. Tunney was known worldwide for his appearances on World Wrestling Federation television as the promotion's figurehead president, suspending wrestlers, stripping them of titles, and ordering matches...
reinstated Savage as an active wrestler to get revenge for the attack. To explain the absence of the cobra in kayfabe, Tunney "banned" Roberts from ever bringing a snake to the ring again. Savage and Roberts feuded for the next few months. Their first match was at the Tuesday in Texas pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
December 3 in San Antonio, Texas, which saw Savage earn a victory over Roberts; the two continued to brawl after the match, and Roberts eventually gained the upper hand by laying Savage out with a series of DDTs. Roberts then demanded that Elizabeth beg him to stop the assault, but when he was dissatisfied with her pleas, he slapped her in the middle of the ring. The feud would continue through the early part of 1992, and included Savage eliminating Roberts from that year's Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1992)
Royal Rumble was the fifth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 19, 1992 at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York...
match. The feud ended on Saturday Night's Main Event, with Savage getting the win. Roberts, livid at having lost to him and having received two of Savage's flying elbow drops (one of which happened after the match; Savage was going for a third until officials intervened), was helped backstage. Enraged, he grabbed a steel chair and said that he was going to hit whoever came backstage first, whether it was Savage or Elizabeth. Just as Roberts was about to swing the chair, an unknown person stopped him. Roberts turned to confront this person, who turned out to be the Undertaker; Roberts was distracted long enough for Savage to hit him with the chair instead. That incident helped set up Roberts' feud with the Undertaker, who along with Bearer were in the midst of a face turn. Roberts appeared on The Funeral Parlor to demand answers from the Undertaker about why he stopped him from attacking Elizabeth. When Roberts was dissatisfied with the answers, he DDT'ed Bearer and, after jamming Undertaker's hand in a coffin, began hitting him with a steel chair; however, Undertaker was able to fend off the blows and chased Roberts backstage. At WrestleMania VIII
WrestleMania VIII
WrestleMania VIII was the eighth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 5, 1992 at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, Roberts lost the match.
Departure
The WrestleMania VIII match turned out to be Roberts' last for the WWF for nearly four years. Roberts' departure came after he was upset that WWF chairman Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
did not offer him a position on the writing staff, despite being promised such previously. After Pat Patterson stepped down from his post on the writing staff, McMahon decided that out of respect for Patterson, the spot would be left vacant. Roberts felt he was not only being lied to, but also being betrayed. In response, he threatened to no-show WrestleMania if he was not given a release from his contract.
World Championship Wrestling (1992–1993)
Roberts went on to work for World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) alongside his father, Grizzly Smith, where he aligned himself with The Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
and Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
to feud against Sting and Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
. However, before he could officially join WCW, he had to wait almost 90 days. According to the Pick Your Poison DVD, Roberts had initially signed a lucrative contract under Kip Allen Frey
Kip Allen Frey
Kip Allen Frey is a venture capitalist and an adjunct professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy of Duke University. He served as President and CEO of several companies and has presided over company transactions that produced more than $1 billion of value for investors.-Early life and...
, who was running WCW at the time. On the 87th day, Frey stepped down and was replaced by Bill Watts
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
, for whom Roberts had legitimate heat
Heat (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, heat refers to both crowd reaction and real-life animosity between those involved in the professional wrestling business. In terms of crowd reaction, heat is usually either cheers for a babyface or boos for a heel...
with back in his days at Mid-South Wrestling. Ultimately, Roberts estimates that he went from making about $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3.5 million a year to approximately $200,000 a year.
His first major TV wrestling appearance for WCW was at Clash of the Champions
Clash of the Champions
The Clash of the Champions were a series of professional wrestling television specials aired by World Championship Wrestling. The specials were supercards intended to feature pay-per-view caliber matches, similar to World Wrestling Federation's Saturday Night's Main Event.The first Clash of the...
, where his team won a 4-man elimination tag match. Roberts scored a pinfall victory over Sting, which built their feud further. His single WCW pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
match was against Sting at Halloween Havoc in 1992. Their match was determined via the Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal gimmick. There was a series of gimmick matches on the wheel, but because the wheel itself was not gimmicked, neither Roberts nor Sting knew the kind of match they'd be wrestling until the wheel stopped spinning. When the wheel stopped, it had landed on what many pundits believed was the worst option—the Coal Miner's Glove match. While it was the company's top-selling PPV for several years, Roberts soon left WCW.
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Roberts debuted in the MexicanMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
(AAA) in April 1993, causing the defeat of Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
on the career vs. career match at TripleMania I
TripleMania I
TripleManía I was the first ever TripleManía wrestling show promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . The show took place on April 30, 1993 in Mexico City, Mexico. The Main event featured a "Retirement" match where the storyline was that the person that lost would have to retire from...
. Jake's run-in started a feud that lasted until 1994 at TripleMania II-C
TripleMania II-C
TripleManía II-C was the fourth overall TripleManía wrestling show promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . 1994 was also the first year to feature the "TripleManía Series" of shows with 3, referred to as II-A, II-B and II-C, where this was the third and final of the series. The show took...
, in which Konnan managed to defeat Roberts in a hair vs. hair match.
For some months of 1997 Roberts fought again in the AAA, teaming with Gorgeous George III
Robert Kellum
Robert Kellum is a professional wrestler and actor, best known as The Maestro in World Championship Wrestling. He has also had success in the United States Wrestling Association and Smokey Mountain Wrestling, as well as the World Wrestling Council...
, Glenn Jacobs, and Rick Bognar. This stint was not successful and Roberts left after TripleMania V.
World Wrestling Federation (1996–1997)
Roberts returned to WWF at the Royal RumbleRoyal Rumble (1996)
Royal Rumble was the ninth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 21, 1996 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California....
in 1996, as a Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
-preaching face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
. To go along with his new gimmick, his new Albino Burmese Python was named "Revelations
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
." His gimmick also mirrored his real life, as Roberts had recently become a born-again Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and had been preaching around the country.
Cinderella (sports)
In American and Canadian sports, a Cinderella or "Cinderella Story" refers to a team or player who advances much further in a tournament or career than originally anticipated. Cinderellas tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the championship game at the end of the...
story" and faced "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in the final match of the King of the Ring tournament. Due to injuries received at the hands of Vader in their semi-final match that night, Austin easily defeated him and mocked his recital of the biblical passage John 3:16
John 3:16
John 3:16 is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Christian Bible, and has been called the most famous Bible verse...
by saying "You sit there, and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere... Talk about your Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, talk about your John 3:16 ... Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!". The catchphrase would help propel Austin to the top of the WWF and pro wrestling throughout "The Attitude Era
The Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
" of the late 1990s to early 2000s. Roberts next feuded with Jerry "The King" Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, who went to great lengths to ridicule Roberts' past bouts against alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. At one point, Lawler spat real whiskey at Roberts.
In November 1996, Roberts, Vader, and Brother Love
Bruce Prichard
Bruce Prichard is a professional wrestling personality, best known as a manager and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment , where he portrayed Brother Love, the original manager of The Undertaker...
appeared on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the...
for one episode. In early 1997, the WWF wanted Roberts to wind down his in-ring career and to join the backstage side of the company. Since he still loved to wrestle, he did not make this transition well. This led to a relapse with drugs and alcohol. He was fired in February 1997. According to the Pick Your Poison DVD, after his firing, his long-time wife Cheryl filed for divorce.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1997)
During the summer of 1997, Jake debuted in ECWExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
. His introduction came towards the end of a match between Lawler and Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, which was the main event of the show. As the match went on, the arena lights were turned off. Moments later when the lights came back on, Roberts was already in the ring, and had given his signature DDT on Dreamer. He then went to the camera man and screamed; "Your God... he giveth, and he can taketh away. My God, he giveth... but he aint got the balls to do nothin' else." He promptly clotheslined Lawler, dragging him over Dreamer for the victory in Lawler's favor before exiting the ring.
Beyond the Mat and Heroes of Wrestling
In 1999, Roberts was unflatteringly featured in the wrestling documentary Beyond the MatBeyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
. Throughout the film he made numerous confessions about his tragic past, including the murder of his sister and the collapse of his marriage. Amongst the more disturbing moments was Roberts reportedly smoking crack
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
in a hotel room after a reunion with his daughter Brandy, though the act is not shown on camera. In 2005, Roberts, along with others, heavily criticized the film for showing him in a negative light, complaining that the depiction of him was "not the real Jake Roberts." Roberts also claimed that director Barry Blaustein and Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
lied to him about the aims of the film, telling him it was a television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
Great Britain; All Star/WAW/Hammerlock/WWE (2001–2005)
In 2001, Roberts moved to Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, where he began competing for Brian Dixon's All Star Wrestling
All Star Wrestling
All Star Wrestling is a British Professional wrestling promotion also known as All Star Promotions, Superslam Wrestling and Big Time Wrestling and originally known as Wrestling Enterprises , run by Brian Dixon and based in Liverpool, England...
. In December, he made his debut for Ricky Knight's World Association of Wrestling in Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
. On October 20, 2002, Roberts became the NWA UK Hammerlock
NWA UK Hammerlock
NWA UK Hammerlock was a British professional wrestling promotion based in Kent.-History:Established in 1993 by former wrestler turned promoter Andre "Sledgehammer" Baker, it is one of the National Wrestling Alliance's territories...
Heavyweight Champion in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by defeating "Vigilante" Johnny Moss. Moss regained the title the next night in Ashford, Kent
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
, though. In November 2002, Roberts started his own wrestling promotion in the UK, called "Real Stars of Wrestling".
Roberts made his final British appearance at WAW's October Outrage show in Canvey Island, Essex, once again teaming with Steve Quintain against the UK Pitbulls. However, Roberts turned up at the show "in no fit state to compete", but went ahead with his match. Roberts cut a drunken promo paying tribute to Ray Traylor
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
, who had died a few days before, and almost got into a scuffle with several WAW wrestlers who were sent out to defuse the situation. This involved challenging Zak Zodiac, son of Ricky Knight and Sweet Saraya
Sweet Saraya
Julia Hamer is an English professional wrestler, better known by her ring name Sweet Saraya.-Professional wrestling career:...
, and who was only 13 at the time, to a fight.
Roberts made a World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) appearance on March 14, 2005 on Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, where he confronted Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
, who was preparing to challenge The Undertaker at WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21 was the twenty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It started off with an interpormotional battle royal, for which Booker T...
. Roberts warned Orton that facing The Undertaker, particularly at WrestleMania, could be a soul-altering experience; he then fell victim to Orton's "RKO," helping to fuel Orton's "Legend Killer" gimmick. He worked with the company to create a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
retrospective of his career (the aforementioned Pick Your Poison DVD), which was released later that year.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2006–2008)
Roberts made an appearance on the October 19, 2006 edition of TNA Impact!TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
. He announced he would referee the Monster's Ball match
Monster's Ball match
A Monster's Ball match is a professional wrestling, hardcore match staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The name is derived from the 2001 film Monster's Ball....
between Brother Runt
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
, Abyss
Chris Parks
Christopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
, and Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
at Bound for Glory. Roberts proceeded to cut a rambling, incoherent promo that was barely audible to the live audience. At least once, he ended up on his back during the promo and had trouble getting up. The promo lasted a couple of minutes live but was so incoherent that it was edited down to about 15 seconds on the broadcast of Impact! He had a snake in a bag, which he placed on Brother Runt after Runt came out and confronted Roberts. At one point, he even stuffed the snake's head down the front of Runt's pants. The confrontation was only partially aired on Impact!. At Bound for Glory, he performed his signature DDT on Raven, giving Samoa Joe the win in the match. Roberts did his signature after match ritual by putting a snake (which resembled "Revelations") on Raven.
Roberts made a one-night return to TNA in 2008 as a guest of "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal
Jay Lethal
Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor , where he is the ROH World Television Champion...
and SoCal Val's storyline wedding at Slammiversary
Slammiversary (2008)
Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 8, 2008 from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi. It was the fourth event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the sixth anniversary of the...
.
PWA; Jim Rose Circus; and retirement (2008–2011)
Roberts made an appearance at Booker TBooker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
's Houston-based Pro Wrestling Alliance
Pro Wrestling Alliance
Pro Wrestling Alliance is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Houston, Texas. It was started in 2005 by Booker T.-History:The Pro Wrestling Alliance used to hold monthly events at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, Texas...
(PWA) promotion, in which he cut a promo urging those who want to enter the wrestling business to not follow along his path. At one point he stated that he loved the wrestling business more than anything else in the world. PWA wrestler "Rockstar" Robbie Gillmore then interrupted Jake and attempted to make an alliance based upon the fact that Robbie wears an 80s style shirt featuring a cobra. Jake had just stated that all he ever wanted was a little respect, and the Rockstar's interruption irritated him. Jake then attacked Gillmore.
In May 2009, Roberts joined the Jim Rose Circus
Jim Rose Circus
The Jim Rose Circus is a modern-day version of a circus sideshow. It was founded in Seattle by Jim Rose in the early 1990s. The sideshow came to prominence as a second stage show at the 1992 Lollapalooza festival, then called the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow...
for the Jim Rose Circus vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts: The Legends Collide Tour. Advertised as "a grueling 40 city campaign" containing pretty girls, wrestling, amazing circus stunts, and a fist fight, the tour features Jim Rose
Jim Rose Circus
The Jim Rose Circus is a modern-day version of a circus sideshow. It was founded in Seattle by Jim Rose in the early 1990s. The sideshow came to prominence as a second stage show at the 1992 Lollapalooza festival, then called the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow...
and wrestler Sinn Bouldi as "Team Jake".
On January 29, 2011, Roberts wrestled what was billed as his retirement match, when he defeated Sinn Bodhi at the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla is a professional wrestling promotion that is run by wrestlers themselves as it was created by Southern California wrestlers Disco Machine, Excalibur, Joey Ryan, Scott Lost, Super Dragon, and Top Gun Talwar...
(PWG) show during the WrestleReunion 5 weekend.
Gimmick
Jake Roberts claims to have invented the DDTDDT (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
in a match where he had his opponent, The Grappler
Len Denton
Len Denton is a semi-retired professional wrestler, best known by his ring name The Grappler.While wrestling as The Grappler in Pacific Northwest Wrestling , his gimmick was a loaded boot, and later a loaded mask, which he had started wearing earlier in his career after losing a hair match and...
, in a front facelock, but when Jake tripped over Denton's foot he fell backwards and Roberts' opponent landed on his head. From that match, Roberts claimed the move as his finisher, calling it the DDT
DDT (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
, though instead of falling back, he stepped back before falling (which, as he explained on his DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
Pick Your Poison, was the quickest way to drive his opponent's head into the mat and also gave the move a "snap" effect). When asked what the initials DDT stood for, he famously replied "The End." In the 2005 DVD documentary, World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
employee Bruce Prichard
Bruce Prichard
Bruce Prichard is a professional wrestling personality, best known as a manager and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment , where he portrayed Brother Love, the original manager of The Undertaker...
said Roberts named the move after the pesticide of the same name
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
. Roberts has also said often that "DDT" stands for "Drop Dead Twice". Roberts has further been said to claim it stands for "Don't Do it Twice." Many critics of Roberts are quick to point out that he never tells a story the same way twice and that if asked the same question in two separate interviews, Jake Roberts is known for giving two completely different versions of the "honest to God truth".
Roberts derived his nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
for being known as "snake like" and untrustworthy. Roberts also said on the Pick Your Poison DVD that he got his nickname by copying Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Ken "The Snake" Stabler
Ken Stabler
Kenneth "Kenny" Michael Stabler , is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders , the Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints...
(of whom Roberts was a huge fan). To accentuate this, he would often slide ("slither") into and out of the ring on his belly under the bottom rope. Once he reached the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in March 1986, Roberts would bring a huge, live Burmese Python
Burmese Python
The Burmese Python is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest snakes in the world, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of Southern- and Southeast Asia. They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees...
(though various snakes were used over the years, most were named "Damien") to ringside in a canvas bag. Other snakes used were a Reticulated Python named Lucifer, who was called Damiens' older brother after Earthquake
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
sat on the bag that (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
) contained Damien, an unnamed de-venomized Cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
that bit Macho Man Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, and an albino Burmese Python named Revelations (during Jake's Christian conversion gimmick in 1996). After executing a DDT, Roberts would coil the constrictor around the opponent's neck, and the snake would slither around on top of the fallen wrestler, sometimes appearing to strangle him. Besides the fact that numerous fellow wrestlers and commentators were legitimately afraid of snakes, it was a masterful show as the wrestler lay twitching and sometimes foaming at the mouth with the monstrous snake appearing to squeeze the life out of him.
Personal life
Roberts is the son of wrestler Grizzly Smith, with whom he had a strained relationship. He has a half-brother, MichaelMichael Smith (wrestler)
Michael Maurice Smith is a second generation professional wrestler who is best known for competing under the ring name Sam Houston in the 1980s...
and a half-sister, Robin
Robin Smith (wrestler)
Robin Denise Smith , better known by her ring name Rockin' Robin, is a retired American professional wrestler. As the daughter of Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith, she is a second generation wrestler. Her brother Sam Houston and half-brother Jake "The Snake" Roberts are also wrestlers. Smith worked for the...
, both of whom also became wrestlers (Sam Houston
Michael Smith (wrestler)
Michael Maurice Smith is a second generation professional wrestler who is best known for competing under the ring name Sam Houston in the 1980s...
and Rockin' Robin
Robin Smith (wrestler)
Robin Denise Smith , better known by her ring name Rockin' Robin, is a retired American professional wrestler. As the daughter of Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith, she is a second generation wrestler. Her brother Sam Houston and half-brother Jake "The Snake" Roberts are also wrestlers. Smith worked for the...
).
Roberts married his first wife Karen Rauschuber on February 27, 1975. The couple have a daughter named Brandy Grace (born July 29, 1975) who appeared in the 1999 wrestling documentary, Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
. Roberts also has twin sons from his first marriage, named Dustin and Derek (born 1980). On August 2, 1984 Roberts married his second wife, Cheryl Hagood. The couple had 2 children before divorcing in 2000.
In 2004, Roberts faced a charge of "causing unnecessary suffering" after his snake, "Damien", was allowed to starve to death in the garage of his London Colney
London Colney
London Colney is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It is located to the north of London, at Junction 22 of the M25 motorway....
home.
In 2007, WWE started a policy that they would pay all expenses for any former WWWF/WWF/WWE performer who needed to enter into any form of drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
. According to various wrestling news reports, as well as his own MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page, Roberts was placed in a 14-week voluntary rehab program by WWE as of December 10, 2007. In May 2008, Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
reported that, "Jake Roberts has been doing well the past few weeks, after completing a treatment program." Roberts' official MySpace page reported that he was back to working indy
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
shows. Roberts is an unlockable character in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 2 , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation Portable , Wii and Xbox 360 systems. It is the seventh game in the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series and the final game under the SmackDown vs...
, alongside several other legends, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
, Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
, and Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
– Innovated
- DDT
- Signature moves
- Arm wrench short-arm clothesline
- Gutbuster
- Swinging knee lift
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Alice CooperAlice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
(WrestleMania IIIWrestleMania IIIWrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
) - Paul ElleringPaul ElleringPaul Ellering is a retired professional wrestling manager.-Professional wrestling career:Before entering the wrestling business, Ellering was an accomplished weightlifter...
- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Paul JonesPaul Jones (wrestler)Paul Jones is a retired professional wrestler and manager. He had success in the National Wrestling Alliance 's Mid-Atlantic region, including an NWA World Tag Team title reign with Ricky Steamboat.-Career:...
- Sherri MartelSherri MartelSherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
- Cheryl Roberts (wife)
- Kevin SullivanKevin Sullivan (wrestler)Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
- Alice Cooper
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "The Snake"
- "The Founder of The DDT"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
- "Snake" by Jim JohnstonJim JohnstonJim Johnston may refer to:* Jim Johnston , member of the Bristol band Monk & Canatella* Jim Johnston , composer of music for WWE* Jim Johnston * Jim Johnston , American television director and producer...
(1986–1992, 1996–1997, 2005) - "Trust Me" by Jim Johnston (1992)
- "Snake" by Jim Johnston
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- "Satan's Sister" (WCW) 1992
- "Master of the DDT" by L.Velez,J.Papa and M.Hayes (1992)
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- "Hiss Me" by Dale OliverDale OliverDale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
(2006)
- "Hiss Me" by Dale Oliver
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
Championships and accomplishments
- All-Star Wrestling Network (Georgia)
- AWN World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- Americas Wrestling Federation
- AWF Puerto Rican Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Bad Boys of Wrestling
- BBOW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Georgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA National Television ChampionshipNWA National Television ChampionshipThe NWA National Television Championship was a secondary singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Georgia Championship Wrestling territory. It started as the NWA Georgia Television Championship. It was later renamed the National TV Championship...
(1 time) - NWA World Television Championship (Georgia version)NWA National Television ChampionshipThe NWA National Television Championship was a secondary singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Georgia Championship Wrestling territory. It started as the NWA Georgia Television Championship. It was later renamed the National TV Championship...
(2 times)
- NWA National Television Championship
- Mid-South Wrestling Association
- Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Mid-South Television ChampionshipUWF Television ChampionshipThe UWF Television Championship started out as the Mid-South Television Championship in 1984 and was then represented by a medal. It was renamed when Mid-South Wrestling changed its name to the UWF in 1986 and the title medal was replaced by a belt...
(1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1996)
- PWI ranked him #100 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
- Smoky Mountain WrestlingSmoky Mountain WrestlingSmoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
- SMW Heavyweight ChampionshipSMW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe SMW Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. It existed from 1992 until 1996 when SMW folded. "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony held the title the most times with three reigns. The United States Wrestling Association briefly recognized the SMW Heavyweight...
(1 time)
- SMW Heavyweight Championship
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
(1 time)
- Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
- World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Chris Adams and Gino HernandezGino HernandezCharles Eugene Wolfe, Jr. was a professional wrestler better known by his ring name Gino Hernandez. His in-ring nickname was "The Handsome Half-Breed" -Career:...
- WCCW Television ChampionshipWCCW Television ChampionshipThe WCWA Television Championship was a secondary championship that was used and defended in the World Class Wrestling Association. Originally created in 1979 as the WCCW Television Championship, it was primarily defended on their weekly television show...
(1 time)
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez
External links
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts at Facebook
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- WWE Alumni profile