I never got a nickel out of that. His first major TV wrestling appearance for WCW was at Clash of the Champions XX, where his team won a 4-man elimination tag match. [25] He said that Grizzly forced her to marry him against her will, seeing as a possibly pregnant 13 year old daughter of the woman you're dating could bring unwanted attention. ", turning Roberts heel for the first time since 1987. Roberts has been praised for his ring psychology. Apparently, Watts had a deal with WCW where he made a percentage of the money he saved the company, so he was cutting down contracts left and right, including Jake's. Jake Roberts and His Snakes. Roberts appeared as Mr. Lucas, the owner of a gourmet condom company, in the comedy film, The Bet which also featured Dallas Page and Roddy Piper. 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. In an April 1971 match that was scheduled to see Bill Watts and Billy Red Lyons challenge Waldo Von Erich and Karl Von Brauner for the Tri-State version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship, Smith and Brown took the place of the challengers. Wrestling icon shot to stardom in the 1980s and early 90s with pet python Damien but turned to drink and drugs aged just 11. . 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. Roberts was placed in a 14-week voluntary rehab program by WWE in December 2007. It's still hard for me to watch this documentary and some of the clips, because I have to see just how bad I was. Jake Roberts' life didn't take long to turn tumultuous. [63] He missed AEW tapings on December 16 and 17, citing this illness. On the November 23 (taped October 21) edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, Roberts goaded Savage into the ring and brutally attacked him, eventually tying Savage into the ropes and got the king 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. He then called the former superstar a "piece of sh*t" who ripped off all the fans who paid to see him. In the 2023 A&E documantary on his son's life, Aurelian Jr., better known as Jake the Snake Roberts, again stated that his father sexually abused minors during his childhood. In fact, he's been dealing with adversity from day one, thanks to his father. Roberts was expecting a triumphant night before heading to college, but instead was embarrassed during his match and scolded by his dad. A fallen professional wrestling superstar battles his past demons in a struggle to reclaim his life and the family that has given up on him. After Pat Patterson stepped down from his post on the writing staff stemming from the recent sexual harassment scandal, McMahon decided that, out of respect for Patterson, the spot would be left vacant. After retiring in the late-1970s, he held various backstage positions with promotions including Mid-South Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and World Championship Wrestling . The reactions he was getting in the ring didnt help either. That wasn't enough for Roberts, sadly. During the post-SummerSlam wedding reception of Savage and Miss Elizabeth (in reality they had been married since 1984), Elizabeth opened a gift package containing a live cobra. All Merchandise is owned by Jake The Snake Roberts . [28] 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 would be wrestling until the wheel stopped spinning. Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. (May 30, 1955) is a second-generation semi-retired American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith. Knowing what Jake's gone through, it's little surprise that the Snakeman eventually turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with life. What many people may not realize is that Roberts had a fear of them! ("Aurelian the Barbarian" is a solid backup plan.) Wrestling star Jake "The Snake" Roberts, real name Aurelian Smith, Jr., is in the hospital, and he's not in good condition, WrestlingInc reports. In the summer of 1991 there were a series of televised vignettes featuring the Ultimate Warrior turning to Roberts for help in his feud with The Undertaker. Professional wrestling was lucky to have Jake "The Snake" Roberts then, as an entertainer, and it's lucky to have him now, as a source of knowledge. In 2013, Roberts announced his desire to return to WWE as a participant in the 2014 Royal Rumble. He was drunk out of his mind, slurred an incoherent speech about how he cheats at blackjack, and could barely stand up. He officially turned face when he feuded with The Honky Tonk Man, an Elvis impersonator, who attacked Roberts[12] with a guitar during his interview segment The Snake Pit. Jake "The Snake" Roberts, 59 -- The Lowest Point It was a long journey - it's been almost three years now. Before the match, announcer Vince McMahon said the fans would probably support Savage against the disliked Roberts. Roberts attempted to go to rehab, but it wasnt until 2012 that he hit rock bottom. 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. Marsh's Free Museum Address: 409 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, WA Directions: Along the main drag. Three of his children went on to become professional wrestlers: Aurelian Jr. as Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Michael as Sam Houston, and Robin as Rockin' Robin. They challenged Antonio Inoki and Hiro Matsuda for the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice but lost by disqualification both times, although Inoki was able to pin Smith in the second fall of the second match. Roberts also made an appearance in An Almost True Story: TOXIC TUTU in 2015, as himself, in a scene with Jonny Fairplay from Survivor. In August 2014, Roberts fell ill during a flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas, where he was scheduled to attend a birthday event for fellow wrestler Nick Cvjetkovich. Coolmath's snake game is different from most. It's little wonder he preferred working with Lucifer, the devenomized king cobra he wielded as a bad guy. . In early 1997, the WWF wanted Roberts to wind down his in-ring career and to join the backstage side of the company. Moments later when the lights came back on, Roberts was already in the ring, and proceeded to give Tommy Dreamer a clothesline. (Matsuda later recommended Smith's daughter Rockin' Robin to work for All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling in the 1990s). RA Rates: Major Fun Save to My Sights More on Marsh's Free Museum [40], In 2019 during The Road to All Out, Roberts appeared as a dealer at a blackjack table dealing cards to Women's Casino Battle Royale participants, referring to his infamous "you wanna play 21?" Roberts, 67, said there are still moments where I get really down on myself when I realize how much I missed because he was on the road wrestling and later in his life battling addiction. The Hon. Aurelian Jake Smith Jr. (born May 30, 1955) is a second-generation professional wrestler best known as Jake "The Snake" Roberts. One of the most distinctive things about Jake Roberts is how seriously he took his "snake" gimmick. His children Jake, Robin, Michael, and Richard were interviewed. 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. [9], Smith then returned to Texas, where he was involved in a rivalry with The Spoiler. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. After executing a DDT for the pin, he would place a python on the opponent, to various reactions. Roberts made an appearance on the October 19, 2006 episode of TNA Impact!. Marsha Smith in Georgia We found 100+ records for Marsha Smith in Tiger, Atlanta and 52 other cities in Georgia. I dont think anybody can say they ever saw me scared of that damn snake, Roberts said. I can wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and go, You know what dude, youre a bad son of bitch. Roberts debuted in the Mexican promotion Asistencia Asesora y Administracin (AAA) in April 1993, causing the defeat of Konnan in the career vs. career match at Triplemana I. Roberts' run-in started a feud that lasted until 1994 at Triplemana II-C, in which Konnan defeated Roberts in a hair vs. hair match which Roberts got his long hair cut off and shaved bald. As the match began, "El Diablo" came back to the ring and hit Sid. During the summer of 1997, Roberts debuted in ECW. 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. JAKE "THE SNAKE" ROBERTS has dropped assault charges against the late British Bulldog's son. In November 1986, Roberts challenged Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Championship. Years later in a 2015 shoot interview, Roberts jokingly thanked the fans for ruining what would have been the biggest (and most profitable) run of his career as at the time Hogan was the biggest and most popular babyface and a run against Hogan would have meant main event television and pay-per-view matches. [5] After 18 months, he had lost over 50lb (22kg) and regained mobility.[5][57][58]. Weve done this. So we finally sat down and he said, Jake, were going to film all of this. promo from 1999. 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. The documentary also claimed that Aurelian Jr. was conceived by the rape of his mother. He was married to Michelle Hyde, Paula Lorraine Gay and Marsha. After spending over a year in hiatus, Roberts returned to WWF at the Royal Rumble in 1996, as a Bible-preacher. [32] On March 15, 2014, Roberts debuted in Regional Championship Wrestling's Rumblemania 9 in Reading, Pennsylvania as a surprise partner for Cliff Serenyi against Russian Mafia with Rich Rogers. This episode, entitled In the Shadow of Grizzly Smith, was most definitely not for the faint of heart. The feud ended on Saturday Night's Main Event XXX, with Savage getting the win. As he told Salon, "I felt nasty doing that poster, but you do what you're told sometimes." Jake Roberts was born in Gainesville, Texas in 1955. 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). RSOW ran three events, each headlined by Roberts vs. That's not bad at all, except he never saw that money. 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. 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