Jake “The Snake” Roberts recently discussed his absence from AEW TV due to health issues and the warm reception he received on Rampage, marking his return to AEW television after almost a year away.
In an interview with the New York Post, the WWE Hall of Famer revealed that he spent about 18 months on oxygen therapy after contracting COVID-19 three times. Roberts also shared that he has other lung issues, including hereditary chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema.
He said, “This last year, my lungs got in pretty rough shape. I had to go on oxygen. I went on oxygen for nearly a year and a half. Now I’m off of it. The only time I use it is at night whenever I hook it up to my CPAP machine, which is a good thing. It helps me heal at night.”
Regarding the reception he received from the fans on Friday’s episode of AEW Rampage, where he accompanied Lance Archer to the ring, Roberts said, “It doesn’t get any better, it really doesn’t. You can’t imagine how it feels to walk out and all of a sudden they’re chanting your name in unison. It’s overwhelming.”
The Hall of Famer continued, “I feel pretty good. I’m going to the gym five, six days a week. I’m stretching, I’m riding the bike for 45 minutes a day. So I’m getting things going, man, I’m keeping this moving.”
However, Roberts acknowledged that at his age, going through protocol is never something he’s completely sure about due to the wear and tear on his body. He added that being cleared by AEW is a pat on the back that “all is well.”
Jake Roberts was recently announced as a special advisor for AEW’s revamped community outreach program. In addition to his on-screen role, he helps the current roster in promo and interview classes.
Roberts is also the subject of Sunday’s episode of “Biography: WWE Legends” on A&E at 8:00 PM EST. You can check out his thoughts on his biography episode here.
