Exclusive: Jake 'The Snake' Roberts Discusses PCW Ultra, The Shield, others using the DDT & more

By Riju Dasgupta
Modified Jul 24, 2018 22:00 IST
Jake 'The Snake' was not a man of very many words
Jake 'The Snake' was not a man of many words

Jake 'The Snake' Roberts is a mythical figure in the world of professional wrestling. A master of in-ring psychology, Roberts could captivate an audience and get them invested in a program like few others could, during his career.

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Jake Roberts will be a part of the next PCW Ultra event- 'Sound The Alarm'. Not only will he conduct a 'Meet & Greet', but he will also host a ring psychology seminar. I had a chance to catch up with Roberts and speak about a variety of topics from his illustrious career, in addition to his affiliation with PCW Ultra.

SK: Can you tell me about the workshop you'll be conducting at PCW Ultra's next event?

Roberts: I just like to go out there and share what I've learned over the years. Share it with the talent that is coming up and to do that, you got to get in front of people. Doesn't matter if I'm doing wrestling or comedy, I put in 100% for whatever I do. And, I enjoy it. That's the reason I do it.

SK: So what's been keeping you busy these days?

Roberts: I've been doing my comedy shows a lot. I'm doing a lot of Comic Cons. For some reason, people want to talk to me for a while. I enjoy doing that. I like answering questions from fans and people there. Share some of my moments and some of my funnier stuff. I put that in my one-man show that I usually do.

In my off time, I like to go fishing. I'm going fishing tomorrow with one of my children. We're going to go out and fish for tuna!

SK: So many wrestlers use the DDT these days both as a finisher and during the course of their match...

Roberts (interrupts): It's very foolish of them to do that. It's the best wrestling manoeuvre ever invented. When they go out and do it, and the guy gets up, all you're doing is telling people that- 'When Jake Roberts did it, people didn't get up. So Jake Roberts must be better'.

And here's the thing. I am better. I am smarter too. Better looking too but I don't want to bring that up (Laughter all around). But they make the mistake of going out and doing all these things that mean nothing. And yes, the most important thing for anyone in any business is that anything you do should mean something. When you do things and waste things like they do, it just shows how young and just how ignorant they are.

SK: You broke through at a time when a lot of wrestling was cartoon-ish, and yet, you seemed more real than the pack. How did you make that happen?

Roberts: To me, it just seemed like that's what should be done. I've got to do what I believe. And that's what I believed. To go out there, to make it the best and to be strong. To make sense and do it the right way.

SK: If you look at the wrestling landscape of today, a lot of babyfaces are not getting over while heels are...because the crowd is gravitating towards the cooler heels. How do you get babyfaces over?

Roberts: Well, the reason they're doing that is because they're all doing the same thing. There are no individuals anymore. There's no 'this guy does this, this guy does that, that's what makes him special, that's what makes him different'. If you go out there and be a boring babyface, it's no good.

You got to go out there and make people think. I can't even remember what I did but today it's harder and harder to do because everybody's doing everything. There's no difference anymore.

SK: Is there a wrestler from today that you're fond of?

Roberts: Yeah, I like Bray Wyatt.

SK: One of my favourite matches of all time is Jake Roberts vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Where you deliver DDT after DDT and he keeps sitting up. It made The Undertaker in my opinion. What are your memories of working with him?

Roberts: They are all good. He came to me when he first came to WWE. I wanted to help him because I liked him. And help him I did. By doing the DDT, even though I didn't cover him right away. That gave me my way out, my excuse, that I didn't beat him because I didn't cover him right away.

So, if you watch those matches you'll see I give him a DDT and don't cover him. When I do cover him, he does kick out but there is a lot of time involved. But any time I was in the ring with Mark was a great time.

SK: You had a chance to perform with The Shield on RAW, not very long ago. What do you think of that lot?

Roberts: Oh, they're alright. I'd like to spend more time with them. But it just didn't happen that way, man. I wish that I can be around all the talents and help them. For me, it's only right that I help them because so many helped me. It's the only right thing to do.

What's your favourite Jake The Snake memory or match? Leave a comment right below and let us know!

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