Jake 'The Snake' Roberts - Troubled but Loved

Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts - The Story of a wrestling icon

Any wrestling fan that watched the WWF (WWE) in the 1980s knows the name Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

Jake Roberts - A Wrestling Icon

Who was Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts’?

Jake Roberts's highest honour is the gift he gave to the wrestling world: the DDT.

Roberts is credited with the creation of the now uber-popular move.

The Snake was a perennial fan favourite, even while being a heel. His gimmick of coming to the ring with a giant bag that housed an equally giant snake took the wrestling world by storm.

Jake Roberts was a clinical and proficient wrestler between the ropes. He was cold and calculating—just like most people view snakes. He would lure his opponents into attacks and bombard them with his methodical offence meant to wear them down.

Jake Roberts oozed charisma, and though he’s not quite as revered as Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair, Roberts was every bit their equal in the squared circle. In the eyes of many fans, Jake Roberts was the measuring stick.

If an opponent could top The Snake, they had what it took to challenge for the World Championship. For a long time, Roberts was the barometer that all other wrestlers were gauged by.

He was devious, cunning, and always entertaining.

Roberts had bouts of substance abuse in his personal life, and his many issues lead to a tumultuous relationship with the companies he worked for. But one thing was always undeniable, Jake Roberts simply had ‘it,’ that one, singular, indescribable thing that draws people to someone.

That undefinable quality screamed star appeal.

Roberts had it, and everyone who saw him wrestle knew it.

The Early Life of Jake Roberts

Jake Roberts was born in Gainesville, Texas in 1955. Jake was born into wrestling. His father wrestled as Aurelian “Grizzly” Smith, his half-brother, Michael Smith, wrestled as Sam Houston, and his half-sister, Robin Smith, wrestled as ‘Rockin’ Robin. Jake and his two half-siblings all even wrestled in the WWF at the same time in the 1980s.

Sadly, Jake has stated in the past that in his childhood he was sexually and physically abused by his stepmother. Jake had a difficult relationship with his father, and reportedly, the two were never very close.

Robert’s Start in Wrestling

Jake Roberts entered the wrestling world in 1974 as a wrestler and referee. Jake wrestled for Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and Mid-South Wrestling in the 70s and early 80s. “The Snake” persona hadn’t been born yet, and Jake had trouble nailing down a persona that he felt could capture the crowd.

In the late 1970s, Jake travelled to Canada to wrestle for the lauded Stampede Wrestling. During his time there he feuded with the beloved Junkyard Dog.

In 1983, Roberts returned to Georgia Championship Wrestling. He joined Paul Ellering’s Legion of Doom stable. Roberts was able to garner enough attention to warrant a feud with Ron Garvin over the NWA World Television Championship. Their battle lasted until 1984.

After feuding with Garvin, Roberts went to World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) where he joined with Gino Hernandez and “Gentleman” Chris Adams to feud with the Von Erichs. Roberts won the 6-Man Tag Team Titles with Hernandez and Adams and also held the WCCW Television Title.

In 1985, Roberts went back to Mid-South Wrestling until 1986. His last feud in Mid-South was with Dick Slater.

Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts - A great trash talker as well as a great wrestler

World Wrestling Federation

Jake Roberts joined the WWF (now WWE) in 1986. His first stint with the company only lasted 6 years, from 86-92, but the mark Roberts left on the WWF audience would prove to be a lasting one. Roberts's first notable feud in the WWF was with none other than fan favorite and beloved wrestler Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.

Fued with Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat

The Dragon was known for putting on classic matches and that would be the case with Roberts. The two tore the house down everywhere they went, and their feud exploded in popularity among the WWF faithful.

In 1986, on an episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event, Roberts planted Steamboat with his patented DDT outside the ring. And right in front of Steamboats’ wife, Bonnie.

Just before delivering the brutal manoeuvre to Steamboat, Roberts pointed at his wife as if to prove there was nothing he wouldn’t do to get under Steamboat’s skin.

After dropping Steamboat to the ground, Roberts laid his snake, Damien, across Steamboat’s motionless body to create a visual that would stick with fans for years to come.

Their feud spanned several matches and Steamboat won all of them except for one. Even though Roberts continually lost against Steamboat, the two had cemented their names in the eyes of the fans and Roberts quickly became a wrestler that fans loved to dislike.

‘The Snake’ gets a World Title Shot

Roberts got his first title shot against “Macho Man” Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Championship. Vince McMahon and the WWF brass were sure that the fans would fully support the babyface Randy Savage and were shocked to hear the crowd cheering loudly for Roberts throughout the match.

Savage would be victorious and retain his title, but it mattered little: the fans loved Jake “The Snake” Roberts. McMahon, realizing the behemoth he had on his hands with Roberts, wanted to set up a feud between Jake and the most popular and loved man in the WWF; Hulk Hogan.

Roberts had been hosting his own mini-talk show during WWF shows called “The Snake Pit” (a play on Piper’s Pit), and during a segment that featured Hulk Hogan, Roberts dropped him with a DDT.

McMahon was surprised once again when the fans cheered loudly for Roberts and even chanted for the DDT. Not wanting to taint the image of the top star of the company, the start of the feud was ended right after and the incident wasn’t mentioned--erroneously and unfairly, in my opinion.

Roberts would go on to feud with Rick Rude, Andre the Giant, Honky Tonk Man, Ted DiBiase, Bad News Brown, Rick Martel, the Ultimate Warrior, The Undertaker, and Randy Savage.

Time in WCW

Roberts left the WWF in 1992 and joined World Championship Wrestling. Roberts only stayed with WCW for one year and only had one notable feud with Sting. Roberts wrestled in Mexico for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) for two years, notably feuding with Konan, before returning to the WWF in 1996.

During his second stint with the WWF Roberts made it to the finals of the 1996 King of the Ring tournament where he lost to Steve Austin. In the after-match interview, Austin spun the now mega-famous catchphrase: “Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass,” in reference to Roberts’ propensity to quote Bible verses.

Roberts briefly joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1997. In 2001, Roberts moved to Great Britain where he would compete for various promotions until 2005. From 2006 to 2008 Roberts appeared in several TNA events; notably helping Samoa Joe defeat Raven at Bound for Glory in 2006.

From 2008-2011, Roberts wrestled for Booker-T’s Pro Wrestling Alliance (PWA) and appeared on the Jim Rose Circus, which he headlined with Jim Rose. In 2011, he wrestled in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s (PWG) WrestleReunion 5 where he had his retirement match against Sinn Bowdee. Roberts won the match.

Jake Roberts: His most Famous Matches

King of the Ring 1996: Jake Roberts vs. Steve Austin

Jake Roberts and Steve Austin made it to the finals of the annual King of the Ring tournament. In a highly even match, Roberts and Austin warred in front of a packed-out, enthusiastic crowd.

Though Roberts lost the match, he helped cement the beginning of the legacy of one of the most renowned wrestlers of all time: Stone Cold Steve Austin. Such was the experience of Jake Roberts, he was the measuring stick that put people over.

June 27, 1986, The Boston Garden: Jake Roberts vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

Roberts and Steamboat had many great matches in 1986, but perhaps none as classic as their bout at the Boston Garden. Roberts won this match by count-out, the only match he would win during this feud.

The crowd was firmly behind the fan-favourite Steamboat, a true testament to Jake’s ability to draw heat and put his opponent over.

WrestleMania 1992: Jake Roberts vs. The Undertaker

The second WrestleMania match The Undertaker competed in came against Jake Roberts. The two worked tirelessly to put Undertaker over as an unstoppable force of destruction. Jake even hit the DDT twice on The Undertaker but couldn’t keep him down for the count. Roberts lost and this would be his last match during his first stint in the WWF.

Jake Roberts's Wrestling Style

Roberts was famously methodical and calculating in the ring. He was a true ring technician who worked intense ring psychology against his opponents to wear them down until he could drop them with a DDT.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts: Troubled but Loved

Jake Roberts had battled with alcoholism throughout his life and his addiction led to many burned bridges with promotions and fellow wrestlers. A close friend of Roberts, and beloved wrestler himself, Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) committed to helping Roberts get sober. Jake moved in with DDP and the two worked on his getting his life back together.

In 2010 Jake Roberts was inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and in 2014 the WWE Hall of Fame.