“Reach out for me. I’m a snake… Never trust a snake.” Often regarded as one of the greatest minds in professional wrestling, Jake “The Snake” Roberts is also perhaps the greatest speaker in the industry’s long history. Calm and deliberate, his cadence and expertise of the spoken word have become the stuff of legends. During one of the peaks of professional wrestling, populated by colorful, loud, and over-the-top personalities, Roberts’ grounded, realistic approach stood out. Nowhere was this more evident than in his promos.
Any professional wrestling historian will agree that the legacy of Jake “The Snake” Roberts will be his collection of masterful promos over the years. Even though he was a gifted wrestler, applying a methodical, technical approach, “The Snake’s” ability to speak was second to none. Very few can match his body of work from a verbal standpoint. To this end, let’s take a trip through the career of this silver-tongued devil with the ominous sack draped over his shoulder. Here are some of the most memorable promos of Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
“Wallowing in the muck of avarice…” – Jake Roberts Addresses Ted DiBiase
WrestleMania VI – April 1, 1990 – Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Given his reputation as one of wrestling’s greatest villains, it may surprise newer fans that Jake “The Snake” Roberts enjoyed time as a less nefarious character. During the late 1980s, Roberts feuded with many of the World Wrestling Federation‘s most notable antagonists, including The Honky Tonk Man and Rick Rude. This particular promo took place during “The Snake’s” feud with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Their rivalry would reach its apex at WrestleMania VI, with DiBiase’s Million Dollar Championship on the line. During said feud, Roberts stole the unsanctioned title, keeping it in his sack where the slithering Damien awaited. Prior to the match, Roberts cut the promo above.
At the time, the affluent character of DiBiase made for an intriguing foil for Roberts. DiBiase took joy in using his wealth to humble innocent people. Meanwhile, Roberts was determined to beat “The Million Dollar Man” at his own game. This particular promo was cut with the same level of menace as it would be if Roberts was a heel. In this instance, as well as others, there were characters in the WWF more wicked than he was. To top off this memorable promo was “Mean” Gene Okerlund uttering the phrase, “Longfellow couldn’t have said it better.”
“Once upon a time, there was a rabbit hopping down a trail…” – Jake Roberts Addresses The Ultimate Warrior
WWF Superstars – August 24, 1991 – Worcester Centrum, Worcester, Massachusetts
It was during the summer of 1991 when the true colors of Jake “The Snake” Roberts were revealed. At this time, The Ultimate Warrior was involved in a feud with The Undertaker, who was still a fairly new presence in the company. Roberts told the Warrior that to defeat Paul Bearer‘s Undertaker, he would have to complete three tasks. Warrior completed the first two tasks, which saw him become locked in a casket and being buried alive. The third involved The Ultimate Warrior walking through a pit of live snakes to reach a chest for the final prize. This task ended with the Warrior being bitten by a king cobra. Roberts revealed that he was in cahoots with The Undertaker and Paul Bearer the entire time.
In the above promo, Roberts recited a story of a wounded snake being tended to by a kind rabbit. However, once the snake was well, he proceeded to eat the rabbit in question. The way that Roberts told the story was nothing short of cold and calculating. It seemed as if the venom of his words hung onto each syllable. These segments were set to lead to a feud between Roberts and The Ultimate Warrior. However, these plans fell through once the Warrior was fired following SummerSlam that year. Shifting gears, Roberts set his sights on “Macho Man” Randy Savage and his new bride, Miss Elizabeth.
“The best feeling I ever had in my life…” – Jake Roberts Strikes Miss Elizabeth
WWF This Tuesday in Texas – December 3, 1991 – Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas
Once the aforementioned plans for a Roberts/Warrior feud were scrapped, gears shifted. Jake “The Snake” Roberts was arguably at his most vile when he targeted “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth. At SummerSlam 1991, the two were wed in the center of the ring. However, their wedding reception was anything but joyous, as Elizabeth opened a present to reveal a live cobra lying in wait. Roberts and The Undertaker would proceed to crash the celebration, attacking Savage. This feud led to Savage, who served as a commentator during as a time, being reinstated as an active competitor. At This Tuesday in Texas, Roberts fell to Savage. It was Roberts, however, that had the last laugh. Post-match, “The Snake” brutally attacked “Macho Man” before slapping a pleading Miss Elizabeth across the face.
Outraged, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviewed Roberts following the segment. Despite the heinous nature of his actions, Roberts spoke as if Miss Elizabeth was at fault. He took umbrage to her attempts to “grovel and beg for somebody’s life.” Furthermore, he experienced euphoria from striking her, saying that he could “cultivate” her into something he could desire. To say that this promo turned the stomachs of viewers at the time would be an understatement. It illustrated just how demented Roberts was, though it didn’t detract from just how calculating he could be. He knew exactly which buttons to press to spur the rage of the already animated “Macho Man.”
“I will put the final nail in your coffin.” – Jake Roberts vs. The Undertaker
WWF WrestleMania VIII – April 5, 1992 – Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana
The partnership between Jake “The Snake” Roberts and The Undertaker wasn’t meant to last. On Saturday Night’s Main Event, on January 27, 1992, “Macho Man” Randy Savage defeated Roberts in the main event. As he returned to the back, Roberts grabbed a steel chair; he was set to attack Savage and Miss Elizabeth once they stepped through the curtain. Just as he was preparing to swing the chair, Roberts was stopped by The Undertaker. This gave Savage the opening to attack “The Snake.” From there, Roberts set his sights on his undead former ally. This led to WrestleMania VIII the following April, where The Undertaker battled Roberts in the latter’s final WWF match in nearly four years.
Before the match took place, Roberts cut the above promo, even addressing rumors that he planned to bring a snake to the ring. Once again, the cold, calculating demeanor of “The Snake” was on full display. He even called his previous attacks on The Undertaker “simple foreplay” before their showdown. He aimed to drive The Undertaker into the mat with the DDT, putting the final nail in The Undertaker’s coffin once and for all. Little did fans in attendance know that this would be “The Snake’s” last match in the company before his return at the Royal Rumble 1996 event.
“Hail Mighty Caesar.” – Jake Roberts Makes AEW Dynamite Debut
AEW Dynamite – March 4, 2020 – 1STBANK Center, Broomfield, Colorado
Much like a classic rock song or historic film, a sound wrestling mind never truly ages. However, the road to recovery wasn’t without its bumps in the road for Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Through his hard work, as well as the invaluable support of Diamond Dallas Page and others, Roberts became clean and found joy in life once again. This would have been a happy ending in and of itself. However, as All Elite Wrestling continued to grow, it required the assistance of knowledgeable minds in the industry. Needless to say, Roberts fit the bill.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts made his first appearance for AEW during The Road to All Out 2019, appearing as a blackjack dealer. However, his first in-ring appearance took place on the March 4 2020 edition of AEW Dynamite. Roberts surprised viewers in attendance at 1STBANK Center and those watching from home when he interrupted Cody Rhodes‘s in-ring segment. Keep in mind that, at AEW Revolution the weekend prior, Rhodes fell to then-rival MJF.
Roberts took the mic and wasn’t shy about letting Rhodes know what he thought of him.
In his mid-60s, Jake Roberts cut a promo that many AEW stars could only dream of stringing together. Perhaps his most telling line was when he referred to Rhodes as “Caesar.” In history, Caesar was turned on by his allies, much like how Rhodes was by not only MJF but, the following year, QT Marshall and a select few Nightmare Factory students. Couple this with Roberts’s closing line, “never, ever turn your back on somebody you respect or you’re afraid of,” before turning away from Rhodes and it was clear that “The Snake’s” time in AEW was off to a strong start.
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