After several months, the feud culminated in a match at WrestleMania VII, in which both contestants were blindfolded (though both Roberts and Martel did later confess to having some limited vision due to mesh holes in the masks - these were briefly visible due to Jake putting his hand inside the mask after donning it shortly before the start of the match). Wash on gentle, cold water. His 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. As he toldone website, "Carrying that 100-pound snake around was brutal on my body." When your life is mostly drugs and alcohol seasoned with a little wrestling, you're probably running afoul of the law every now and again. Once he reached the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in March 1986, he would bring a Burmese python (most were named "Damien") to ringside in a canvas bag. His most famous son, Jake the Snake, was the result of Smith's rape of his mother. On the March 11, 1989, episode of Saturday Night's Main Event XX, Andr got involved in a match between Rick Rude and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, siding with fellow Heenan Family member Rude. RA Rates: Major Fun Save to My Sights More on Marsh's Free Museum Roberts did not appear at the Royal Rumble event, but was announced as part of the 2014 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Hopefully Im building a lot of people as we speak, showing them a way out of their alcohol addiction or your drug addiction, Roberts said. Since he still loved to wrestle, he did not make this transition well. [3] He often brought snakes into the ring, most famously a python. At that point his savior arrived: Diamond Dallas Page, an ex-wrestler whom Roberts had trained back in the day. 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. [5], In 1964, the Kentuckians made a brief stop in the WWWF in the Northeast. Though he never won a world title or headlined a WrestleMania, he's just as much an '80s WWF icon as Hulk Hogan or Randy Savage. According to Jaker, a year after his sister left, she had a child with this older man. Its pretty impossible to invest in somebody that might not be there in the end, that hes a loose cannon, who cant guide him, you cant control it., After Roberts second run in WWE ended in 1997, he would pop up around the industry from time to time in ECW, WWE and TNA. In February 1993, he took part in a tour in Australia. Roberts made an appearance on March 14, 2005, on Raw, where he confronted Randy Orton, who was preparing to challenge The Undertaker at WrestleMania 21. After SummerSlam, Roberts was placed in a feud with Randy Savage. The WWE Hall of Famer never won a singles title in WWE, partly Roberts said he believes because McMahon was afraid of relying on him because of his issues outside the ring. He was apparently passed out in the locker room, with mere moments to go before he was set to wrestle. Also, Smith apparently only went after her because the woman he had been dating Jake's grandmother had passed out, so Smith decided to go into another room and be with somebody else. Jake, perhaps finally sick of his old life, gave the program a shot between that and actually eating real food for once, he dropped 40 pounds in just a few months and dedicated himself entirely to the program. Roberts has been praised for his ring psychology. But at the time, whenever the fans started chanting DDT and I was with Hogan that was not a good thing and it cost me a lot of money. Jake "The Snake" Roberts, 59 -- The Lowest Point It was a long journey - it's been almost three years now. [28] To go along with his new gimmick, his new albino Burmese python was named "Revelations". Roberts also stated 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. Roberts was present at Wrestlecon 2018, where he was . Moments later when the lights came back on, Roberts was already in the ring, and proceeded to give Tommy Dreamer a clothesline. Jake "The Snake" Roberts didn't feel pain when he wrestled. Everyone was scared of the snake, and that's exactly what I wanted. The actual match lasted maybe a minute. The sudden news of the death of WWE Hall of Famer Jake 'The Snake' Roberts was indeed a shock to as many that heard it and it was really believed to be truth because of the ill health of the legend. After spending over a year in hiatus, Roberts returned to WWF at the Royal Rumble in 1996, as a Bible-preacher. After being woken up and angrily demanding an 8-ball, Roberts stumbled into the arena and began mumbling at both the fans and Lightning. Roberts lived with his grandmother until she died in 1966, forcing him to move back to live with his father and his new wife. WWE icon Jake "The Snake" Roberts has detailed how his life spiraled so wildly with drink and drugs that he tried to commit suicide several times. Jake the Snake Roberts, Biography. After the match, Roberts mounted an offensive against DiBiase and Virgil and then began giving away DiBiase's "money" including giving some money to actress Mary Tyler Moore who was seated at ringside. That led to him reaching out to his friend Diamond Dallas Page and living with him for the next two years. Such callousness motivated Jake to pursue wrestling full-time to show his dad how wrong he was. Roberts has a role in the 2019 film The Peanut Butter Falcon. I never got a nickel out of that. Knowing what Jake's gone through, it's little surprise that the Snakeman eventually turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with life. Its a moment he doesnt take for granted. He announced he would referee the Monster's Ball match between Brother Runt, Abyss, Raven, and Samoa Joe at Bound for Glory. The segment went on longer than planned, and Savage's blood was clearly visible as it dripped from the puncture wounds. The Snake's still here, so clearly he beat it. He later had two more children, Michael and Robin, with his second wife Marsha. Its so good, Roberts said. Roberts wrestled for the WWE in the late '80s and '90s and was infamous for bringing a pet snake . It was a necessity. His children Jake, Robin, Michael, and Richard were interviewed. The tour kicked off on November 6, 2018, at the Lookout Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska. Throughout his career, Roberts, often considered one of professional wrestling's most iconic figures, was known for his intense and cerebral promos, dark charisma, extensive use of psychology in his matches, and innovative use of the DDT finishing move (which was later named the "coolest" maneuver of all time by WWE). February 26, 2023. It's not perfect, wrapped up in a bow, but a work in progress. Roberts stated in a shoot interview with Jim Ross that the feud with Savage had to end early because Elizabeth's parents were upset with Savage for not protecting Elizabeth when Roberts kayfabe slapped her. via playsleague.com Oct 19, 2020 | By Marsha Smith | Los Angeles Review of Books. Her areas of practice include general legal advice, probate . DAYS OF THE WEEK On Monday I drink instant espresso with fake sugar. There is a point in the A&E documentary where he happily says, Im that guy thats doing the right thing. Being able to do so without lying has been freeing. On May 18, 2013, Roberts returned to the ring for First State Championship Wrestling, a Delaware-based wrestling promotion, as part of an eight-man tag team main event. From there, he went to Mississippi to work with promoter George Culkin. Join Jake and co-host Marcus DeAngelo as they navigate some of the stories and memories from his life growing up as a 2nd generation wrestler, to his incredible fame in the 80s and 90s, to some of the more difficult times he had to overcome on the road to recovery. [6], Roberts started his career in 1974 in the Louisiana area, as a referee and wrestler, making his name in Mid-South Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and Georgia Championship Wrestling. While working in Mid-South in 1986 he caught the eye of Vince McMahon and WWE then the WWF. Despite all that, he had an image to uphold since he was a face (good guy) for much of his WWF tenure. The documentary opens with Roberts, who has eight children, fishing on a boat with two of his sons, Derek and Dustin. Sadly, this is what can happen when someone who hates snakes is in charge of one. He was no better in the ring, forcing fans to rub his bare chest, pretending his snake was a pants-snake, and stumbling around the ring while barely acknowledging anything Neidhart was trying to do. On the November 2 episode of Saturday Night, Tony Schiavone conducted a sit-down interview with Roberts regarding the decision of Bill Watts to ban his bringing of the snake to ringside, and his impending first-round match against Dustin Rhodes in the first round of the King of Cable tournament. 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. He had a massive following. But at 18, he decided to give wrestling a try to prove his toughness to his infamous father Grizzly Smith. PWA wrestler "Rockstar" Robbie Gillmore then interrupted Roberts and attempted to make an alliance based upon the fact that Robbie wears an 80s style shirt featuring a cobra. If you're not an Amazon Prime subscriber, the immersive documentary is also available to rent on Vudu ($2. Their first match was at This Tuesday in Texas pay-per-view on December 3 in San Antonio, Texas, which saw Savage earn a victory over Roberts. While in Stampede Wrestling, Roberts feuded with the Junkyard Dog.[7][8]. The legendary Jake the Snake features race-driven geometry in a tough yet light aluminum frame and a full carbon flat mount disc fork, and is accompanied by tubeless ready wheels wrapped with Maxxis All Terrane tires, a SRAM Apex 1x11 drivetrain, and TRP hydraulic disc . He was known in the Mid-South Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and Georgia Championship Wrestling at that time. [15] After Rude began insulting Roberts, Cheryl slapped him, angering Rude before Roberts ran out for the save. Still, it might've been a blessing in disguise: If he was drinking that much on a mediocre salary, he probably wouldn't have survived with more money to buy booze. Jake "The Snake" Roberts is widely known as one of the greatest minds in wrestling and a master of psychology in the ring and on the microphone. So when Dallas brought this to me, the first thing I did was scream, No way! In November 2020, Roberts was taken to the hospital after feeling breathless during a long period of persistent coughing. [5] Notably, although Ambrose's onscreen character was unconscious, he himself was visibly attempting not to smile during the segment as Roberts had been his favorite wrestler during his childhood. My God, he giveth but he ain't got the balls to do nothin' else." He's known for having innovated one of wrestling's most inspired finishing moves in the DDTa swift symphony of high impact offense where an opponent's head is held in a front face lock before. In January 1967, the Kentuckians showed up in Japan's International Wrestling Enterprise. The Resurrection of Jake the Snake is now streaming for free on Prime Video! Ive built crossbows. 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. 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.[31]. [5] His weight had ballooned to over 300lb (136kg) and he was having trouble doing simple tasks such as walking without becoming short of breath. On June 14, 2014, Roberts participated in a six-man tag match in the main event for Reborn Wrestling (a Christian wrestling organization in Johnson City, Tennessee), teaming with The Stallion and Alex Cage to defeat E. Z. 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. He began wrestling in 1975, and the drinking only escalated from there. In some cases, shady people in his profession made his life harder by making his wallet thinner. [24] Roberts and the Undertaker attacked Savage, until Sid Justice ran them off. [4] While wrestling in Texas, Smith met Luke Brown, who he followed to Oklahoma. According to Jake, Smith had gotten her pregnant three times before turning 18, so it's no surprise she would try escaping that situation through any means necessary. In his promo, Roberts claimed that he had a "client" incoming to AEW to bring him down, hinting that he would be a manager for a new talent. Jake, untrained and drunk, got battered and stretched worse than he'd ever been. It was at this time that Roberts' problems with the discs in his back were publicly acknowledged, as DiBiase attacked Roberts after a victory over his bodyguard Virgil on WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Jake's father was a wrestler named Grizzly Smith, who was a cold, uncaring monster in every sense of the word. He was released in February 1997. 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 1996 King of the Ring tournament. [61], Jim Ross in one of the episodes of his 'Grilling JR' podcast revealed that Roberts still remains in poor health with breathing issues and pending surgeries.[62]. Jake Roberts. This led to a relapse with drugs and alcohol. June 26, 2020. But while most fans know he's been an addict since at least the '90s, the truth is he started much earlier, long before anyone knew who he was. Jake Roberts' life didn't take long to turn tumultuous. After Honky Tonk won the Intercontinental Championship from Ricky Steamboat, Roberts unsuccessfully challenged him for the Championship several times throughout the rest of 1987. [36], 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.[37]. But behind the scenes he was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and haunted . After all, if people get close they may sense weakness and vulnerability, two parts of Jake's personality he wasn't ready to confront. The culmination of their feud took place at WrestleMania VI at the Skydome in Toronto, wherein a match where the Million Dollar Belt was on the line, DiBiase gained a count-out victory over Roberts, thus regaining his non-sanctioned title. Its allowed him to truly feel good about himself for the first time in a long time. He was married to Michelle Hyde, Paula Lorraine Gay and Marsha. It's got a slightly higher stack height so it's practical as a commuter. By 2012, Roberts was a total mess. Roberts felt he was not only being lied to, but also being betrayed. He was drunk out of his mind, slurred an incoherent speech about how he cheats at blackjack, and could barely stand up. Roberts was set to wrestle Jim Neidhart, but a pre-match interview showed he was in no condition to wrestle, or do anything really. On October 20, 2002, Roberts became the NWA UK Hammerlock Heavyweight Champion in Maidstone, Kent, England by defeating "Vigilante" Johnny Moss. Smith, who was wrestling under the ring name Ski Hi Jones, and Jonathan held the title from March 25, 1968 until the following month, when The Assassins regained the championship in a rematch. [45] At Double or Nothing on May 23, 2020, Archer lost the final to Cody Rhodes after Mike Tyson prevented Roberts from interfering on Archer's behalf in the finals match for the new AEW TNT Championship. This match ended in a DQ. I was in a bad mood and underproductive and wouldn't, couldn't get up off the couch unless I had something to drink.". 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 Bodhi as "Team Jake". Sixteen years later, some of Jakes parts are still hard to watch, and not everythings as instantly wonderful as this scene: Jake The Snake Roberts Says Beyond The Mat Raped Him And His Family, Watch Kenny Omega Make His Return To AEW With The Young Bucks, The Best Post-Wrestling Acting Careers, Ranked, Snoop Dogg Did An Awkward Snoop Splash Off The Top Rope On All Elite Wrestling, Video Of A Coronavirus Vaccine Delivery Had Everyone Making The Same Sports And Wrestling Jokes, One Of The Best Pro Wrestlers In The World Is Reportedly Coming To WWEs NXT UK, NXT Trainees Reportedly Complained To Authorities Investigating WWE Venues As Possible COVID Hotspots. He was diagnosed with the flu two weeks earlier and ignored doctors' advice of rest and continued to travel to events. 30 years later, Roberts has lost nearly everything to his inner demons. Aurelian Smith Jr. better known by the ring name Jake "The Snake" Roberts, is an American professional wrestler and actor signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs as manager to Lance Archer. Other types used were a reticulated python named Lucifer, an unnamed devenomized cobra, and an albino Burmese python named Revelations (during Roberts' Christian conversion gimmick in 1996). Following the loss to Sting he continued his feud, facing him on several house shows immediately after the event. [5] He was inducted by Diamond Dallas Page on April 5, 2014. Smith, who had wrestled under the ring names Jake Smith and Tiny Anderson,[4][2] began competing as Grizzly Smith, although he also wrestled as Tiny Smith. He appeared at the 1997 Royal Rumble where he entered at no. 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, while not beating the 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 XII. "[39] After his induction, he would continue to make sporadic appearances, and would also be a regular on WWE Story Time, even making an appearance on the show after his AEW debut. [2] Together, they won the Georgia version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship in 1962 and held them until dropping them to Lenny Montana and Gypsy Joe on November 23 of that year. Although the subsequent feud on the house show circuit saw Andr victorious after most of those matches, Roberts can claim a victory via disqualification over Andr after The Giant attacked special guest referee and former foe Big John Studd at WrestleMania V. 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