On a recent edition of his “The Snake Pit” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts discussed the production of WWE WrestleMania 2, changing his wrestling style, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the payoffs being different with WWE shows with Hulk Hogan: “Yeah, I’ve seen the payoffs and how different they were. And you know what’s so amazing about it is, I’d be on sell-out crowds. You could be the same town and sell out the same numbers as Hogan did when he was there, but your money would still be short. I have no idea why. But that’s one thing we’d do. [Hogan was making] a lot f**king more than we were.”
On making changes to his style when he joined WWE: “Just to be more vicious. You know, it wasn’t a mental game that you can play. If you went out and played the mental game, they wouldn’t get it. And they kind of leave you holding the bag. You had to be more vicious, and more on top of the guy. So, that’s not a problem. I could do that.”
On the production of WrestleMania 2 compared to other bigger shows he had to work before: “Oh my God, completely over the top, man. It was unbelievable. It really was. People had no idea the trucks, how many workers come in there, how many technicians are there? I mean, it’s not just four or five people. We’re talking 50 to 100 people there just trying to wire this thing up right? It’s unbelievable man how they do it. I mean, there’ll be tons of wires on the floor, and every one of them means something. Every one of them means something. But as far as production stuff goes, it was just crazy over the top. I remember the catering was just unbelievable. You just go in there and look and like, ‘Holy crap. This is like eating at the Waldorf Astoria or something,’ you know? They had everything in the world there.”
WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts recently shared some interesting insights on his podcast, “The Snake Pit,” discussing various topics such as the production of WWE WrestleMania 2, changes in his wrestling style, and more. Let’s take a closer look at some highlights from the podcast.
One of the topics Roberts touched upon was the difference in payoffs between him and Hulk Hogan during their time in WWE. He mentioned that even though they would perform in the same town and sell out the same numbers, Hogan would always receive significantly higher pay. Roberts expressed his confusion about this discrepancy, stating that he had no idea why it happened. However, he acknowledged that Hogan was making a lot more money than the rest of the wrestlers.
When Roberts joined WWE, he had to make changes to his wrestling style. He explained that he had to be more vicious in the ring and focus on being physically dominant rather than playing mind games with his opponents. Roberts emphasized that if he relied solely on psychological tactics, the audience wouldn’t understand it, leaving him feeling unsupported. Therefore, he adapted his approach to become more aggressive and assertive.
Reflecting on his experience at WrestleMania 2, Roberts described the production as completely over the top. He marveled at the sheer scale of the event, highlighting the numerous trucks, technicians, and workers involved in setting up the show. He emphasized that it wasn’t just a handful of people but rather 50 to 100 individuals working tirelessly to ensure everything was wired correctly. Roberts also mentioned the extravagant catering at the event, comparing it to dining at a luxurious establishment like the Waldorf Astoria.
To provide further context and allow fans to delve deeper into the discussion, Roberts shared a link to the podcast episode on YouTube. The episode titled “The Snake Pit Ep. 72: WrestleMania 2” features a video embedded in the article for easy access.
Jake Roberts’ insights into the production of WrestleMania 2, the differences in payoffs, and his wrestling style shed light on the behind-the-scenes aspects of the wrestling industry. His experiences offer fans a glimpse into the challenges and intricacies of being a professional wrestler in the WWE.