Jake Roberts Promo on Ricky Steamboat (05-31-1986)

Kal Rudman interviews Jake "the Snake" Roberts before his match with Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
(The Spectrum, May 31st 1986)

[@Autobot_Megatron]

And this is a classic example as to why Jake Roberts is a legend. Nobody could ever deliver a promo the way Jake does it. =)

[@deasttn]

He was brilliant

[@sawedoffshotgun8462]

Bray Wyatt can.

[@sawedoffshotgun8462]

@Bondo McJefferson Bray doesn't need a mask when cutting firefly promos, I'm not saying he's better but yes he's great at what he does and we still have good creative talent in WWE today.

[@rubenarriaga3029]

@@sawedoffshotgun8462 no

[@nxtwomenfan497]

"I give a little...but I take A LOT." Brilliant.

[@bruce9897]

“Explain that move.” “It’s simply awesome. The End.” 😂

[@andrelewilliams408]

my man says. "you will see shadows in darkness"

[@nxtwomenfan497]

That's an immortal line.

[@jonathanturbide2232]

1:00 - I like how Jake gives high praise to Steamboat right in the middle of his promo. That's how much Steamboat was liked and respected, his opponents couldn't help themselves but to praise his skills all the time. Classy.

[@Lowclef]

Jonathan Turbide that’s promoting 101, when you trash your opponent, don’t say he’s a bad wrestler, you say he’s good but he’s not as good as you are.

[@XeviousvSBlackmanta]

@@Lowclef Exactly. Jake is the true impressario of the promo

[@KomradeKrusher]

@@Lowclef Exactly. Jake was hyping up Steamboat to hype himself up. Because if you talk about your opponent like he's a chump, it won't help you. In the end, you will have beaten a chump or got beaten by a chump, but neither will get you anywhere.

[@martindoll5884]

That is how you put someone over

[@SuperStrik9]

Great promo. Jake Roberts: The Master Of In-Ring Psychology.

[@RightSmarts]

He called it Saturday Night Live, instead of Saturday Night's Main Event. I can't be the only to have caught that.

[@trustmeddt]

+Right Smarts Yeah, I spotted that

[@textbook1263]

This should be essential viewing for any budding professional wrestler. If you want people too give a shit about your match PUT YOUR OPPONENT OVER IN THE INTERVIEW/PROMO.

[@chaosgreyblood]

Not just the match, but the feud in general too!

[@andrelewilliams408]

Jake was the most sinister ever.. hands down. the one and only

[@christianedwards4476]

Robert's voice and eyes were so convincing. Evil. That smirk of his is evil too. The man just had a menacing presence about him that no other wrestler has ever had in my opinion. Often imitated but there was only one Jake Robert's.

[@victorortiz6272]

So that's why it's called the DDT. What a genius. He said it gets me off. Simply awesome.

[@tiggapee]

Jake giving bars!

[@trustmeddt]

Great promo but the interviewer is clueless in his interruption at 2:06 - "What are you going to do to him with the snake?"

[@hymansahak181]

Words come out of Jake’s mouth like butter.

[@bosskey7212]

Interviewer: "Explain the DDT" Jake: "It's simply awesome...the end" Jake was one of a kind man

[@larrytaylor6407]

Jake said it best, " What is the DDT? Jake says simply the end". Classic interview. The best!

[@crypter27]

The behind the story is that Jake didn't want to do a DDT on concrete. For fear of Ricks safety, but it was Rick's manager who pushed. For that angle, Rick himself had to convince Jake to do it.

[@chaosgreyblood]

Well, I'll be. I never knew that one. I guess they had to really work it out to make sure it was exciting yet safe enough for Ricky.

[@crypter27]

@@chaosgreyblood It was exciting but it wasn't safe, Ricky Steamboat was seriously injured. He fell flat on his face, his face black and blue also swollen and he couldn't be mad about it. Because Jake warned him it was a bad idea.

[@MovieEggman]

There’s something soothing yet sinister about Jake Roberts promos, his voice tone is mostly calm but menacing at the same time

[@aye_its_karate6169]

Just came from a Steamboat shoot interview..he’s a true gentleman and gave Jake the upmost respect. Two of the best, not only in the 80’s. But if all time! Would’ve loved to see a long feud between them. Give them maybe 3-6 months with no interference and it would be straight money. The ultimate babyface vs the ultimate heel!

[@trustmeddt]

Their feud in ‘86 did stretch almost that in length. The feud lasted all summer up until the October Saturday Night’s Main Event.

[@Phicheee]

I think that's one of the many things about Jake's promos is that he never had a catch-phrase like a lot of the other wrestlers. He never screamed into the camera, he was quiet and articulate and you could swear that the temperature around your television dropped about ten degrees whenever Jake was talking, and isn't that a weird thing to have happen in the middle of July? Hulk Hogan: _WHATCHA GONNA DO, WHEN HULKAMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU?!_ Ric Flair: _LIMOUSINE-RIDIN', JET-FLYIN', KISS-STEALIN', WHEELIN', DEALIN' SONUVAGUN! WOOOO!_ Stone Cold: _AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE, 'CUZ STONE COLD SAID SO!_ The Rock: _(a new catchphrase every friggin' week)_ Mankind: _HAVE A NICE DAY!_ Macho Man: _OOOOOH YEEEEAHHHH!_ Undertaker: _REST...IN...PEEEEEEACE...._ Jake Roberts: _I will compose a whispered ode to your demise each and every time I gaze into your eyes through your television screen. I will slither right into your mind and cultivate shadows in the darkness there, and you will never escape. For when your throat is dry and rasping from all the screaming that did you no good, after all your tears have dried up in the cracks of your skin, you will reach into the darkness, hoping for the touch of anything, anyone! Hoping for comfort in the dark. And that's when Damian will curl up around you, embracing you one...final...time..._

[@user-cx5fg4bj9e]

Damn the interviewer keeps trying to get a word in.... Ruins Jake's moment...

[@johnathan7258]

The way he explains why his move is called the DDT was so good

[@evanabbott2737]

Jake had the coolest voice.👍

[@josediaz021180]

I liked that comeback

[@martindoll5884]

Jake and Steamboat were really good friends. He didn't want to do the ddt on the floor but he was forced to. Steamboat told him that he would block it. He didn't

[@txmetalhead82xk]

This was amazing! Vintage Snake.

[@ovaeastdoe6776]

Why did I do that...? Money oh Money

[@jakamneziak]

JAke does one thign that no other wrestler does, bgi up his opponent. 'ther eis no finer athlete than Ricky Steamboat'....only he can execute something that credible to his opponent and still come out liek he will win it. The promo execution here is clinical.

[@chaosgreyblood]

For those who wanted a good explanation for the DDT, you got this video!

[@GeorgeCarlinWasAGod]

"You Watched Saturday Night Live" Looks like Jake got "Saturday Night's Main Event" mixed up with SNL.......lol!

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

Aurelian Smith, Jr. (nacido el 30 de mayo de 1955) es un luchador profesional estadounidense semirretirado conocido como Jake "The Snake" Roberts. quien actualmente trabaja para All Elite Wrestling (AEW) como mánager. Roberts ha estado en diferentes empresas como Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), World Wrestling Federation (WWF) y World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Además, es célebre por ser el inventor del movimiento de lucha libre DDT por accidente. 68 AÑOS. (69)

[@user-ns7tv2li1u]

Given his poisoning interview Jake had said that Ricky made a terrible mistake leaving WWF on his top...then paid the price...

[@774CISCO]

Kal Rudman was very good and worked it well with Jake , made me laugh! No Mean Gene of course.

[@howardprincz9372]

He should have been given a lot of championships in WWE. Stupid Vince.

[@abealih92]

If you ask Jake what is ddt in Twitter, he will answer "The End"

[@thebrothaman]

Why didn't yall tell me about Snake's promos?

[@j3any3s]

Whyd ya do dat !?!? Great promo

[@774CISCO]

how good is the interviewer the last shot of him is pure evil.

[@KomradeKrusher]

To this day I'm not sure if "Killer Kal" was simply an annoying and downright creepy fanboy, or if he was really just that good at playing that very part.

[@bdo333]

1:28 my favorite move has been bastardized

[@Monty_McFly]

Top 5 promo cutters...no particular order... Jake the snake The rock Stone cold Ric flair Raven

[@skullcollectorSKIN]

lou Nicks macho man?

[@i-lon3185]

Clearly yall forgot about DiBiase. He can replace Raven

[@sweeper1709]

Dibiase was on point too but I agree

[@anthonythompsonsr7681]

I forget the announcers name.... Please remind me lol

[@mustaffa1611]

and the people today are eating food covered in chemicals that are 10 times the toxicity as DDT. usually have to pay extra to get food that's not toxic and/or genetically engineered.

[@garygood6804]

steamboat told jake during the match to ddt him on the concrete. steamboat told jake he would block it when he hits the ground, steamboat didnt block it. nasty bump on the head of steamboat!

[@carlburnham2047]

Jake is the man... Yet on this day he was not the scariest.. no that went to the interviewer and the end of the interview. Creepy... You know that guy has people buried in his floor boards.

[@SleepyDroid]

the reporter seems to get off on Jake The Snake Roberts.

[@megamarsonic]

Roberts: "Because I get off on it." Rudman: "Oo-"

[@gaylordmcgillicuddy8745]

He could cut a hell of a promo

[@anthonythompsonsr1993]

Because I get off on it ...... And that's all that matters

[@TheTaelus]

its an older vid, but that commentator had one raging boner at the end of Jake's tirade.

[@eddybrash1793]

Fr lol Going at Jakes face with those questions about “snake”

[@ymd2516]

it says a lot that the only person in recent memory that made the ddt remotely affective as Jake was Maryse