In a fresh episode of his much-celebrated podcast, “The Snake Pit”, wrestling legend and WWE Hall Of Fame inductee, Jake Roberts, offered listeners an intimate view of his journey into professional wrestling. Starting from his initial position as a referee, Roberts then transitioned into a full-fledged wrestling superstar.
The podcast includes highlights and important discussions, some of which are discussed below.
When asked about his father’s reaction to Jacob’s decision to pursue wrestling and start as a referee, Roberts disclosed: “Indeed, he expressed, ‘I won’t aid in your wrestling ambitions. You can’t take on that challenge.’ In response, I suggested, ‘What about trying my hand at refereeing?’ He ultimately agreed and I started my journey as a referee.”
While touching on his decision to transition into wrestling after starting as a referee, Roberts shared, “Actually, I didn’t prioritize training at the beginning. About two months down the line, a few fellow wrestlers offered to assist me. They subjected me to rigorous training like hitting the ropes for a straight hour, a regime that almost crippled me… But Cowboy Bill Watts’ arrival in Louisiana brought about changes. He believed I was not cut out for being a referee and I was let go. Following that, I moved to Florida Championship Wrestling, where my wrestling career truly kicked off.”
On the topic of his earliest memory of drug use among wrestlers, Roberts recalled, “The first instance I remember is them smoking pot. Back then, I mostly kept company with the early card guys who couldn’t afford the hard stuff… In general, drug use wasn’t as rampant in the ’60s and ’70s as it was in the ’80s.”
Dive into the full episode of The Snake Pit podcast to get more insights into the wrestling world.