Jake “The Snake” Roberts shocked the wrestling community a few weeks ago when he appeared on All Elite Wrestling ‘s weekly Dynamite show and cut a promo on Cody Rhodes. Since then, the WWE Hall of Famer has been managing Lance Archer, who also made his AEW debut in recent weeks.
During a recent interview with Sportskeeda , the legendary performer revealed that AEW president Tony Khan was the one who wanted him in the company. Roberts said that he expected Dustin Rhodes or Diamond Dallas Page to have put his name forward, so he was shocked to learn that the request came from the very top.
The former WWE superstar appeared in a segment at last year’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view, but apparently the boss wanted him to feature in a more substantial role with the company. Roberts revealed that he’s grateful for the opportunity, and assured wrestling fans that the best is yet to come from the current storyline that’s building between him, Archer, and Rhodes.
“We haven’t really started it yet. It’s yet to blossom into what it’s going to be. We’re going to do some more stuff this week. They’ve gone back to the old-school way of doing things, which I love. That’s building something instead of doing it the WWE way where they build it the first part of the show and then end it by the end of the show. (laughs) This, people will remember, because they’re taking the time to build it properly.”
Sorry to disappoint you, @CodyRhodes , but that’s not @The_MJF entering the ring ? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/qm439rGtMU
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) March 5, 2020
During the interview, Roberts also discussed mentoring younger talent behind the scenes. He said that he approached the entire roster backstage when he joined the company and told them that he’s there for them, should they ever need any advice. According to Roberts, two performers have been more than happy to take him up on his offer as well.
He also said that Billy Gunn’s son came forward and asked him for advice on how to conduct himself during interviews. Roberts said that he felt really good afterward, as Gunn is a legendary performer in his own right, yet his son approached him for some career guidance.
Roberts’ personal troubles have been well documented throughout the years, but his redemption story has developed an extra layer since joining AEW. He is finally giving back to the business that made him a household name, and seeing him do what he does best on AEW television has reminded wrestling fans why he’s one of the most compelling personalities in the history of the business.