Jake Roberts

  • Born: 05/30/1955 in Houston, Texas
  • Birthname: Aurelian Smith Jr.
  • Height & Weight: 6'6", 249 Ib
Titles Won:
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2014)
  • Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
  • SMW Heavyweight Championship.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts often brought snakes into the ring, most famously a python named Damien. Roberts was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Diamond Dallas Page on April 5, 2014.

Roberts is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation—the first between 1986–92, and the second between 1996-97. He wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance in 1983, World Championship Wrestling in 1992, and the Mexico-based Asistencia Asesoría y Administración between 1993 and 1994 and again in 1997. He appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling during the summer of 1997, and made appearances for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2006 through 2008.

Throughout his career he was known for his intense and cerebral promos, his dark charisma, his extensive use of psychology in his matches, and has been credited as inventor of the DDT maneuver.

Roberts was also one of the subjects of the 1999 documentary film Beyond the Mat. In 2012, Roberts moved in with fellow wrestler Diamond Dallas Page to seek help in getting his life back on track following years of alcohol and drug abuse. A photo of him is on the album cover of heavy metal band “Warrior Snake”.

He made his long awaited return to wrestling on worldwide television when he debuted with All Elite Wrestling in 2019. Shortly after, it was revealed he was the manager of new signing Lance Archer. While he does not work matches, Roberts has rarely gotten involved physically with the action.

Notable Matches

vs. Steamboat at The Big Event 1986

vs. Randy Savage on Saturday Night’s Main Event, November 29th 1986

vs. Rick Rude on October 24th, 1988

vs. Rick Martel at Wrestlemania VII

Notable Feuds

vs. Rick Rude

vs. Randy Savage

vs. Ted Dibiase

vs. Ricky Steamboat

vs. Honky Tonk Man

vs. Andre the Giant

vs. The Undertaker

Other Notable Achievements

WCCW Television Championship

Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Championship

Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

Mid-South Television Championship

NWA National Television Championship

NWA World Television Championship (Georgia version) (2 times)

AWN World Heavyweight Champion

AWF Puerto Rican Heavyweight Championship

BBOW Heavyweight Championship

NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) – with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez