Jake Roberts

At 69 years old, Jake Roberts has this physical status:

Jake Smith Jr. (born May 30, 1955), better known by the ring name Jake "The Snake") Roberts, is an American actor and professional wrestler.

He is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation (later called WWE); the first between 1986 and 1992, and the second between 1995 and 1997.

He competed in the National Wrestling Alliance in 1983, World Championship Wrestling in 1992, and Asistencia Asesor y Administración, 1993 to 1997, and again in 1997.

During the summer of 1997, he appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling, and he appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2006 to 2008. Roberts was known for his intense and cerebral promos, his black charisma, extensive use of psychology in his matches, and pioneering the use of the DDT finishing technique (which was later described as the "coolest" tactic of all time by WWE).

Snakes were often carried into the fight, most commonly a python.

He was one of the subjects of the 1999 documentary film Beyond the Mat.

Following years of alcoholism and heroin use, he and fellow wrestler Diamond Dallas Page decided to team up in 2012 to try to get his life back to normalcy.

On April 5, 2014, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Early life

Audulian Smith Jr. was born in Houston, Texas. Audulian "Grizzly" Smith (1932–2010), a wrestler who had left his mother when she was 17 years old by the time she had given birth to another child, was also a wrestler. Roberts lived with his grandmother until she died in 1966, causing him to relive with his father and his new wife. Roberts had a troubled relationship with his pedophilic father and was sexually and physically abused by his stepmother during his childhood, which also included vaping penetration - his father did the same thing to his daughters (Aurelian Jr.'s sisters). Michael Smith, his half-brother, and Robin Smith, his half-sister, both of whom are wrestlers, are among him. The three three wrestlers competed for the WWF at the same time in the 1980s (now WWE).

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Professional wrestling career

Roberts began his career in 1974 in the Louisiana area as a referee and wrestler, making his name known in Mid-South Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and Georgia Championship Wrestling. Roberts had trouble with his appearance in the 1970s, so he moved to Canada in the late 1970s to wrestle. Roberts and the Junkyard Dog feuded during Stampede Wrestling.

Roberts first became a member of Paul Ellering's Legion of Doom in 1983, and they began a feud with Ron Garvin over the NWA World Television Championships that lasted until 1984. Roberts competed in 1984 with "Gentleman" Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez in their feud against the Von Erichs, winning the WCCW Television Championship and 6-Man Tag Team championship (with Adams and Hernandez). Roberts returned to Mid-South Wrestling for 1985, putting an end to his stint with Dick Slater after being told by management that he was not a top performer despite receiving the most enthusiastic crowd reactions.

Roberts made his World Wrestling Federation debut in 1986 at the Boston Garden over Jose Luis Rivera. He made his pay-per-view debut at WrestleMania 2, defeating George Wells at WrestleMania 2. Roberts made Wells foam from the mouth when he tied his snake Damien around Wells' head during the game.

The first big feud between Roberts and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat started in May 1986 on a nationally broadcast episode of Saturday Night's Main Event VI. On the cracked concrete floor right in front of his wife Bonnie, Roberts executed the DDT on Steamboat and then proceeded to rest his snake Damien on top of a prone Steamboat. Although Vince McMahon and booker George Scott were adamant about the DDT being performed on the ground, Roberts initially refused until Steamboat informed him that he would be able to properly shield himself from injury. Sadly, Steamboat was unable to prevent his head from striking the concrete and was rendered unconscious after sustaining a concussion. Steamboat introduced a "Komodo dragon" as his pet to combat Roberts' psychological consequences after his steamboat's recovery. Steamboat won the majority of the matches (although not beating the count himself), most notable of which was a Snake Pit Match at The Big Event in Toronto, 1988 (ostensibly a no-DQ match) on Saturday Night's Main Event XIII.

Roberts received his own talk segment, "The Snake Pit," which debuted on the first episode of the WWF Wrestling Challenge in late 1986, recognizing his microphone skills. "The Snake Pit" was patterned after "Piper's Pit," wherein Roberts would interview wrestlers or executives to help wrestlers and families get into fights over with the crowd. The segment was eventually renamed to WWF Superstars of Wrestling (to replace "Piper's Pit" after Roddy Piper's retirement after WrestleMania III) until the final segment aired in July 1987.

Despite the WWF's attempts to portray Roberts as an unpopular villain, he began to enjoy an increase in fan popularity in late 1986. Roberts defeated Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Championship in November 1986. Vince McMahon, the match's announcer, said the fans will almost cheer for Savage against the disliked Roberts. Nevertheless, the fans applauded enthusiasticly for Roberts throughout the game, much to the delight of both McMahon and fellow broadcaster Jesse "The Body" Ventura. There was a double disqualification during the game. The WWF had also attempted to set Roberts up as a nemesis to then-favorite WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan, who was also fighting for the title. However, after Roberts struck Hogan with a DDT during a episode of The Snake Pit, fans responded positively by shouting "DDT" rather than Hogan, and McMahon ended his plans for a feud between them. In a 2015 shooting shootout, Roberts blasted the fans for ruining what was supposed to be the biggest (and most profitable) run of his career, as Hogan was the most popular babyface at the time, and a fight against Hogan would have brought main event television and pay-per-view matches.

During his interview segment The Snake Pit, he officially changed appearance when he feuded with The Honky Tonk Man, an Elvis impersonator who assaulted Roberts with a guitar. As at the time, guitars weren't supposed to break easily, the Honky Tonk Man's guitar broke Roberts' neck. The Honky Tonk Man denies intentionally injuring Roberts, but Honky's boss, Jimmy Hart, as well as a video of the incident suggests otherwise, with Roberts later claiming that he was picking wood out of his back for weeks after. Roberts had Alice Cooper, a well-known snake lover, in his corner during the match at WrestleMania III. Roberts unsuccessfully challenged Honky Tonk for the Championship for the remainder of 1987 after he won the Intercontinental Championship from Ricky Steamboat. Roberts' first goal was to win the Intercontinental Championship right after The Honky Tonk Man's victory over Steamboat and begin an angle with Ted DiBiase, but the decision was made to hold the belt with The Honky Tonk Man, despite the injury from the guitar shot.

Rick Rude and his boss Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who began a gammick of selecting a woman from the crowd to kiss after every match. Rude selected Cheryl, Roberts' real-life wife who refused the kiss and revealed that she was in fact the wife of Jake "The Snake," in 1988's WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Cheryl slapped Roberts after Rude began insulting him, angering Rude and causing Rude until Roberts came out for the rescue. This sparked a tense rivalry during the summer of 1988, which escalated after Rude started wearing a pair of tights emblazoned with a portrait of Mrs. Roberts, which was escalating before an irate Roberts took the field.

Roberts turned the feud with Rude into a feud with André the Giant, who was also managed by Bobby Heenan. André was involved in a match between Rick Rude and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake on Saturday Night's Main Event XX, pitting with fellow Heenan Family member Rude. Roberts came to the ring to assist Beefcake, who later gained by disqualification. Andre was scared of being threatened by Roberts' snake Damien, who feared him into a "heart attack." Although André was victorious in the majority of those matches, Roberts can win by disqualification over André after the Giant attacked Special Guest Referee and former adversary Big John Studd at WrestleMania V.

Roberts and Ted DiBiase clashed a few months after his feud with André came to an end. The prize of the feud was DiBiase's own Million Dollar Championship rather than competing for the Intercontinental Championship. Roberts' discs in his back were revealed at a time when DiBiase beat Roberts on WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Roberts was (storyline) wounded by DiBiase and had to wait for surgery to restore the injury. Roberts fought with DiBiase from 1989 to 1990, including a point where Roberts robbed DiBiase's Million Dollar Belt, threatening him or Virgil to reach the canvas sack where Damien was supposed to retrieve it. The culmination of their feud took place at the Skydome in Toronto, where the Million Dollar Belt was on the line. DiBiase won a count-out victory over Roberts, regaining his non-sanctioned title. Roberts mounted an assault on DiBiase and Virgil, then began giving DiBiase's "money" to actress Mary Tyler Moore, who was seated at ringside.

Roberts feuded with Rick "The Model" Martel from late 1990 to early 1991, shortly after Martel (kayfabe) blinded Roberts by spraying his cologne "Arrogance" in his eyes during a brief feud with Bad News Brown in the summer of 1990. Roberts even went so far as to wear white contact lenses to "prove" his blindness. The feud came to an end in a match at WrestleMania VII, in which both competitors were blindfolded (though Matte and Martel later confessed to having some blurred vision as a result of mesh holes in the masks; these were briefly visible due to Jake's hand inside the mask shortly before the match). Roberts was able to "locate" Martel and deliver a DDT, and the war came to an end.

Roberts became involved in a feud with Earthquake, "squashed" Damien with a pair of Earthquake splashes during their match on April 27 (taped March 26) edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling. In reality, Roberts' bag contained hamburger meat meant to look like a snake and a tiny mechanical device to represent movement. The feud began several weeks after Earthquake appeared on WWF Prime Time Wrestling and served "Quakeburgers" to co-host Lord Alfred Hayes and Vince McMahon, who later reported that the meat was ground from Damien's carcass. Lucifer, Damien's "big brother," was released by Roberts later.

Roberts and Earthquake feuded with each other in late spring and summer, but Roberts defeated Earthquake on July 1, at Madison Square Garden, which featured André the Giant in Roberts' corner. There were a number of televised vignettes starring the Ultimate Warrior who was enraged by The Undertaker in the summer of 1991. Roberts told Warrior that after passing three tests, he would have the "knowledge of the dark side" to defeat Undertaker. Warrior was held inside a coffin (a repeat of an incident that occurred on The Funeral Parlor, hosted by Paul Bearer; earlier this year); and the Warrior was "buried alive" in dirt before being abandoned; and the warrior was walked through a room full of live snakes to reach a chest containing "the answer." The Warrior opened the chest, only to be immediately bitten by a king cobra (actually a rubber prop). Roberts was joined by The Undertaker and Paul Bearer as Warrior "weakened" from the consequences of the cobra's attack; Roberts said the three were working together all along; Roberts turned heel for the first time since 1987. A number of matches had been planned, but the Ultimate Warrior was sacked by the WWF on the night of SummerSlam, but the feud was called off.

Roberts was put in a feud with Randy Savage after SummerSlam. Elizabeth opened a live cobra at Savage and Miss Elizabeth's post-SummerSlam wedding reception (in reality they hadn't been married since 1984). Until Sid Justice kept them off, Roberts and the Undertaker assaulted Savages. When Sid was supposed to wrestle "El Diablo" and the Undertaker accepted the challenge to face Sid, a short feud with Sid erupted. To walk away, Paul Bearer sang of "El Diablo" which seemed to be a bribe to walk away. "El Diablo" returned to the ring and struck Sid as the match began, and defeated Sid. Then "El Diablo" is unveiled, revealing himself as Jake. Until Hacksaw Jim Duggan intervened, Roberts proceeded to unleash a king cobra on Sid. A week later, Sid and Jake appeared on Superstars. But Sid soon suffered his biceps, causing the feud to come to an end.

Roberts began berating Randy Savage in a series of ads, aware that Savage, who had lost a retirement match against the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VII, was unable to exact revenge. Roberts pushed Savage into the ring and brutally assaulted him on November 23, eventually tethering Savage into the ropes and causing the king cobra to bite his arm, according to Roberts' DVD Pick Your Poison. According to Roberts, he had to bite the cobra on his leg at Savage's request to inform him that the snake had been devenomized, and Savage would often check on Roberts to ensure he had no side effects from the bite. The segment lasted longer than expected, and Savage's blood was clearly visible as it dripped from the puncture wounds. In a shoot interview, Savage said that his arm swelled and he incurred a high fever afterward and had to be checked at a hospital. He also said that the cobra died a week after the angle was filmed, and he joked that the cobra must have gotten the venom from him.

To get revenge for the wound, WWF president Jack Tunney revived Savage as an active wrestler. Tunney "banned" Roberts from ever bringing a snake to the ring again to explain his absence. For the next few months, Savage and Roberts feuded. On December 3, Savage defeated Roberts in their first match in Texas pay-per-view, which was their first match. Despite this, Roberts will perform the DDT on Savage 3 times after the match, and things will come to a stop when Roberts slapped Miss Elizabeth. Savage excluded Roberts from the Royal Rumble match for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship in the early part of 1992. The feud came to an end on Saturday Night's Main Event XXX, with Savage winning by a huge margin. Roberts, who was outraged at his loss of his arm and receiving two of Savage's flying elbow drops (one of which was after the match), was aided backstage. Enraged, he grabbed a steel chair and announced that whoever came backstage first, whether it was Savage or Elizabeth. Roberts was about to swing the chair but the Undertaker was interrupted long enough for him to grab the chair instead; Roberts was distracted long enough for Savage to hit him with the chair. Roberts' feud with the Undertaker began in the incident. In a shoot interview with Jim Ross, Roberts said in a shoot interview with Jim Ross that the feud with Savage had to come to an end early because Elizabeth's parents were angry with Savage for not safeguarding Elizabeth when Roberts kayfabe slapped her.

Roberts appeared on The Funeral Parlor to ask the Undertaker's explanation for why he barred him from attacking Elizabeth. As Roberts was dissatisfied with the answers, he struck Bearer with a DDT and then rammed Undertaker's hand in a coffin; however, Undertaker stood up after each chair shot and eventually chased Roberts backstage, pulling the coffin behind him. Roberts lost the match at WrestleMania VIII, becoming the second man to lose to The Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Roberts' last for the WWF was defeated by the WrestleMania VIII match on Saturday. Although being promised a position on the writing staff, his resignation came after he was furious that WWF chairman Vince McMahon did not offer him a job on the writing staff. McMahon decided that, out of respect for Patterson, he would leave the position vacant after Pat Patterson stepped down from his role as a writer during the recent sexual harassment controversy. Roberts was not only being told but being arrested, but also being lied to, according to him. In reaction, he threatened not to show WrestleMania if he was not granted a waiver from his service. Roberts expressed regret for his efforts to get a free of his employment on his Pick Your Poison DVD.

Roberts went on to compete for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) with his father, Grizzly Smith, where he allied himself with The Barbarian and Cactus Jack to feud against Sting and Nikita Koloff. However, he had to wait 90 days before joining WCW for the first time. Roberts had first signed a lucrative deal with Kip Allen Frey, who was still playing WCW at the time, according to a Pick Your Poison DVD. Frey stepped down and was replaced by Bill Watts, for whom Roberts had legitimate heat back in his days at Mid-South Wrestling. Roberts explains that he went from making $3.5 million a year to nearly $200,000 a year.

After bursting through the crowd to assault Sting, Roberts made his first television appearance on August 2, 1992, at a Main Event taping in Baltimore, Maryland. Marcus Alexander Bagwell was defeated in his first WCW match six days later, in Chicago, Illinois. He's likely to work with Cactus Jack and The Barbarian in a snap. At Clash of the Champions XX, his team won a 4-man elimination tag match for his first major television wrestling appearance for WCW. Roberts beat Sting by a pinfall victory, which escalated their feud. In 1992, he was a single pay-per-view match against Sting at Halloween Havoc. Match was determined by the Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal gimmick. On the wheel, there were a string of gimmick matches, but neither Roberts nor Sting knew the fight would be fought until the wheel stopped turning. When the wheel came to a stop, it had landed on what many observers believed was the wrong option — the Coal Miner's Glove match. Roberts left WCW soon after Halloween Havoc was the company's top-selling pay-per-view for many years.

Following Sting's loss, he stayed a feud, appearing on many house shows right after the incident. Tony Schiavone conducted a sit-down interview with Roberts on Saturday Night's November 2 episode about Bill Watts' decision to prohibit the snake from entering the cage and his impending first-round match against Dustin Rhodes in the first round of the King of Cable tournament. The Barbarian had him suspended in the tournament.

Roberts spent his next two years wrestling around the world after leaving WCW. He participated in a tour in Australia in February 1993. On March 4, he defeated Don Muraco in the American Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship, beating him in the American Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship. He toured Europe in April 1993, particularly Austria and Germany. He appeared in September 1993 in a tour for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Roberts made his debut in Asistencia Asesor (AAA) in April 1993, resulting in Konnan's defeat in the career versus career match at Tripleman's II-C, in which Konnan defeated Roberts in a hair vs. hair fight in 1984.

Roberts returned to the United States in 1994 to fight for Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW). Tony Anthony beat him to win the SMW Heavyweight Championship on May 2nd, a title change that aired on May 14. Roberts failed at multiple defenses, causing SMW to reclaim the title to Anthony on July 5. Roberts went on hiatus by the end of 1994.

Roberts returned to WWF in 1996 as a Bible-preacher after spending over a year in hiatus. His new albino Burmese python, "Revelations," was designed to go along with his new gimmick. As Roberts had recently become a born-again Christian and was being preaching around the country, his gimmick mirrored his real life.

Roberts was branded a "Cinderella tale" by his second stint with the organization and met Stone Cold Steve Austin in the final match of the 1996 King of the Ring tournament. As legitimate injuries suffered earlier in the evening in a match with Valiant left Roberts unable to participate in the longer, more closely matched match originally intended between the men, changes had to be made to the match's scripting. Austin denied Roberts from suffering any more injuries in a post-match interview, saying, "You sit here and you thump your Bible, and you pray your prayers," Austin said in a post-match interview. Talk about your Psalms and John 3:16... Austin 3:16 "I just whipped your ass!" says the guy. The catch brought Austin to the top of the WWF, and it's one of the moments when "The Attitude Era" is often referred to. Roberts' next rivalry with Jerry "The King" Lawler, who went to great lengths to mock Roberts' past alcoholism.

The WWF wanted Roberts to abandon his in-ring career and join the company's backstage crew in early 1997. He did not make this change well because he loved wrestling. This resulted in a relapse in heroin use and alcohol. He appeared at the 1997 Royal Rumble, where he started at no. Stone Cold Steve Austin eliminated 7-and-Bone Austin from the game. He was in his last match with WWF on Saturday Night against Salvatore Sincere in a convincing effort. He was first released in February 1997.

Roberts made his ECW debut in the summer of 1997. His appearance came close to the end of a match between Lawler and Tommy Dreamer, which was the show's main event. The arena lights were switched off as the match progressed. Roberts was already in the ring when the lights came back, and proceeded to give Tommy Dreamer a jacket. He then yelled, "Your God... he givesth, and he will taketh away." My God, he givesth... but he hasn't got the energy to do nothin' else." Lawler was promptly clothlined before he left the ring, after being down on Dreamer for a two count.

Roberts appeared alongside Tommy Dreamer in 1998 to Remember as his mystery partner against Justin Credible and Jack Victory.

Roberts was one of several former NWA, WWF, and ECW wrestlers invited in to compete in the first Heroes of Wrestling tournament in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in October 1999. In what was described as a "extra grudge match" between the two teams, he was scheduled to face Jim Neidhart in one half of the card's double main event. Roberts was so intoxicated that he slurred his way into a promo before the match and staggered to, around, and around the ring during his entry. After doing things such as pretending his snake was a penis and stroking it with his tongue, the show's promoter brought King Kong Bundy and Yokozuna, who were supposed to compete in the other major event match, to the ring, arranging a tag team match against Bundy and Neidhart. After Bundy splashed and pinned Roberts, who was so inebriated that he couldn't stand up, he was pinned to the ground.

Roberts made his way to Great Britain in 2001, where he began wrestling for Brian Dixon's All Star Wrestling team. In December, he made his World Association of Wrestling debut in Lowestoft. Roberts became the NWA Heavyweight Champion in Maidstone, Kent, England, on October 20, 2002, defeating "Vigilante" Johnny Moss. Moss regained the title in Ashford, Kent, the next night. Roberts began his own wrestling promotion in the United Kingdom in November 2002, titled "Real Stars of Wrestling." RSOW hosted three events, each headlined by Roberts vs. The Honky Tonk Man, of Honky Tonk Man.

Roberts was in his last British appearance at WAW's October Outrage show in Canvey Island, Essex, where he worked with Steve Quintain against the UK Pitbulls for the final time. Roberts, on the other hand, was on the show "in no fitness state to compete" but still went for his match. Roberts cut a drunken promo honoring Ray Traylor, who died a few days earlier, and had almost gotten into a scuffle with several WAW wrestlers who had been sent out to defuse the situation.

Roberts appeared at Booker T's Houston-based Pro Wrestling Alliance (PWA) exhibition, in which he cut a banner advising those who want to join the wrestling industry not to go along his path. At one time, he said he loved the wrestling business more than any other sport in the country. Robbie Gillmore, the PWA wrestler, interrupted Roberts and attempted to make a deal based on the fact that Robbie wears an 80s style shirt sporting a cobra. Roberts had just said that all he ever wanted was a little reverence, and the Rockstar's interruption irritated him. Roberts then slammed Gillmore.

He lost to Scott Hall at Juggalo Championship Wrestling on October 6, 2007.

Roberts appeared on the Jim Rose Circus in May 2009 for the Jim Rose Circus vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts: The Legends Collide Tour The tour includes pretty girls, wrestling, amazing circus stunts, and a fist fight, according to Jim Rose and wrestling Sen. Sinn Bodhi.

When Roberts defeated Sinn Bodhi at the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) show during the WrestleReunion 5 weekend on January 29, 2011, he was in what was billed as his retirement match.

Roberts was recalled to the ring for First State Championship Wrestling, a Delaware-based wrestling promotion, as part of an eight-man tag team main event on May 18, 2013. He worked with Eric Chapel and CraziWolf, defeating Salvatore Sincere, Steve C Wrestling, and Pretty Ugly (Jimmy Dream and Adam Ugly). Roberts made his debut in Rumblemania 9 in Reading, Pennsylvania, as a surprise partner for Cliff Serenyi against Russian Mafia with Rich Rogers on March 15, 2014. This match resulted in a DQ. When Roberts stuck the snake in Roger's pants, Rogers was knocked out.

Roberts participated in a six-man tag match in Johnson City, Tennessee, on June 14, 2014, defeating E. Z. and The Stallion and Alex Cage. Reborn Champion Cody Ices and Anthony Brody. Roberts was a participant in the CWF Hollywood Red Carpet Rumble won by Willie Mack on June 15, 2014.

He underwent Unspoken Word tour in 2016.

Roberts appeared on TNA Impact on October 19, 2006, a special edition of TNA Impact! Brother Runt, Abyss, Raven, and Samoa Joe will meet in Bound for Glory, according to him. Roberts' "mumbling" promo followed. Brother Runt told Roberts to put it away after he took his snake out of a bag. Rather, Roberts attempted a DDT on Runt. He performed a DDT on Raven, which helped Samoa Joe win the match. Roberts sprayed his snake on Raven after the match.

Roberts attended a one-night return to TNA in 2008 as a guest of "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal and SoCal Val's storyline wedding at Slammiversary.

Roberts appeared on Raw on March 14, 2005, where he confronted Randy Orton, who was about to confront The Undertaker at WrestleMania 21. Orton warned Orton that wrestling The Undertaker, particularly WrestleMania, could be life-changing; he later fell victim to Orton's "RKO," fueling Orton's "Legend Killer" gimmick. He worked with the company to produce a DVD retrospective of his career (the aforementioned Pick Your Poison DVD), which was released later this year.

In 2013, Roberts announced his desire to return to WWE as a participant in the 2014 Royal Rumble.

Roberts appeared on Raw's "Old School" episode on January 6, 2014, laying a python for an unconscious Dean Ambrose. Interestingly, although Ambrose's onscreen role was unconscious, he himself was clearly struggling not to smile during the segment, considering that Roberts had been his favorite wrestler throughout his youth. Roberts did not attend the Royal Rumble event, but was revealed as part of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. On April 5, 2014, he was admitted by Diamond Dallas Page. "It wasn't at all what I expected," he later said about his Hall of Fame induction, "it was more about the men and his family's care." Following his induction, he will continue to make sporadic appearances and will also be a regular on WWE Story Time, as well as appearing on the program following his AEW debut.

Roberts debuted as a dealer at a blackjack table dealing cards to Women's Casino Battle Royale participants in 2019, referring to his infamous "You want to play 21." 1999 – a promo. He made a surprise appearance on AEW Dynamite on March 4, 2020, interrupting Cody. Roberts said he had a "client" incoming to AEW to bring him down, hinting that he would be a manager for a new hire in his promo. Roberts announced Lance Archer as his new client on March 11, 2020. In the AEW TNT Championship, the archer was announced as a participant, beating Colt Cabana in the quarter finals and Dustin Rhodes in the semi-finals. Archer lost the final to Cody Rhodes on May 23, 2020, after Mike Tyson barred Roberts from intervening on Archer's behalf in the finals match for the new AEW TNT Championships, despite being double or nothing. Roberts signed a two-year deal extension with AEW in July 2021. Roberts will reunite in 2022 with Archer, who also identified himself with American Top Team leader Dan Lambert during Archer's conflict with Adam Page for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship. During Archer's match with Wardlow on April 27, 2022 episode of Dynamite, Roberts will accompany Archer to the ring.

Spoken word career

In 2018, Roberts embarked on his own spoken word tour dubbed "Note From The Pit." The tour was to include "an uncensored night of comedy, stories from the road, Q&A, and other stuff," according to social media. On November 6, 2018, the tour began at the Lookout Lounge in Omaha, Nebraska, where it was launched on November 6, 2018.

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