Jake "The Snake" Roberts
May 30, 1955 — Gainesville, Georgia
Jake "The Snake" Roberts is a professional wrestling legend whose slow-burn psychological approach to the ring, devastatingly effective DDT finisher, and darkly compelling character work made him one of the most influential performers in the history of WWE — and a WWE Hall of Fame inductee whose legacy stretches far beyond his ring years.
Difficult Beginnings and Early Career
Born Aurelian Smith Jr. on May 30, 1955, in Gainesville, Georgia, Roberts had a turbulent upbringing as the son of wrestler Grizzly Smith. He began wrestling in the early 1980s, training under his father's connections, and toured the regional territorial circuit before arriving in the WWE (then WWF) in 1986. His debut was unlike anything the company had seen before: he brought a python named Damien to the ring and wrapped it around fallen opponents after matches — not for spectacle, but with a cool, calm menace that set him apart from the flamboyant showmanship of his era. His gift for dark, psychological promos became the stuff of professional wrestling legend.
The DDT and the Art of the Promo
Roberts popularized the DDT — a move where the opponent's head is driven into the mat — as a finishing maneuver, making it one of the most feared moves in wrestling during the late 1980s. His feuds with Rick Rude, André the Giant, and Earthquake were compelling television; his rivalry with the Ultimate Warrior, in which he unleashed a king cobra on Warrior, remains one of the most memorable angles of the era. But it was his promo ability that truly set him apart: his slow, quiet, menacing delivery — using pauses and half-sentences to create dread — was studied by generations of wrestlers. He coined memorable phrases including "Trust me" and "Somebody's gonna get their butt whooped real bad" delivered with a grin.
Did You Know?
Jake Roberts is widely credited with inventing or popularizing two of professional wrestling's most enduring concepts: the DDT finisher (though others had used variations earlier, he made it iconic) and the idea of the "long-form psychological character study" in professional wrestling. Many wrestlers — including Steve Austin, who credits Roberts as a major influence — have cited his approach to character, selling, and storytelling as foundational to their own development. DDP (Diamond Dallas Page) is credited with helping Roberts overcome serious personal struggles in his later years, a story documented in the film The Resurrection of Jake the Snake.
Personal Struggles, Resurrection, and the Hall of Fame
Roberts wrestled through the 1990s but his career was severely hampered by well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction — struggles he has spoken about with remarkable candor in interviews. He made several comebacks and independent circuit appearances over the years. In the 2010s, friend and fellow wrestler DDP (Diamond Dallas Page) helped Roberts through a health and sobriety transformation documented in the 2015 documentary The Resurrection of Jake the Snake. In 2014, Roberts was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame — a moment that moved the wrestling community deeply. He has remained active in wrestling management and mentoring roles, and continues to be regarded as one of the most important creative minds the business has ever seen.