Trust Me

[garynysmon]

I've been working through some 1992 Youtube goodness and re-iterate to this day that Jake the Snake Roberts was my favourite heel of all time. The only tick against him was his longetivity I suppose.

His heel turn has to be one of the greatest of all time. He went from being one of the top five babyfaces in the company, to arguably it's biggest heel in the space of weeks.

 

To those not aware of his greatness, in the space of just a few months - Jake did all this:

 

The actual turn

 

 

Jake was preparing the Ultimate Warrior for a forthcoming match with the Undertaker, because he'd been locked inside a giant Coffin to start off the fued. This involved Jake also locking him in a casket,

while Jake Roberts filled it up.

(remember, this was all shocking stuff for 1991). Warrior was locked him in a room with snakes with one "biting" him.

Who appeared on the scene while Warrior was struggling to get up? The dead man and Paul Bearer.

 

Unfortuately, the Warrior went and fucked up this potentially great angle because of a disagreement over money. But more gold was to come.

 

 

The Macho Feud

 

 

With Summerslam 91 just around the corner, one of the highlights was the wedding of Savage and Elizabeth.

Unlike the usual Wrestling wedding, it went off without a single hitch. Until the reception.

 

While Elizabeth was opening the gifts, what popped out?

 

 

A fucking Cobra!

 

Jake and the Undertaker started attacking Savage, until Sid Justice ran them off.

 

 

Revenge

 

 

 

During a routine match on WWF Superstars,

 

 

The supposed squash was about to start when the Undertaker started walking to ringside, interrupting the match. Paul Bearer offered El Diablo a suitcase of cash, basically buying his place in the match.

A stand-off between Taker and Sid teased a match, until 'El Diablo' sprinted back down to the ring, smacking Sid with a briefcase and revealing himself to be Jake!

 

They attempted to get a King Cobra to bite Sid while he was stuck in the ropes, saved only by Hacksaw Jim Duggan.

 

Once bitten, twice shy

 

 

Can't remember why this came about, but Jake called out Randy Savage and goaded him into coming to the ring (could have been because Macho was suspended from Wrestling).

Macho, obviously took the bait, and was attacked as soon as he hit the ring.

Roddy Piper, and then Elizabeth made the save - but it was too late. This remains the most shocking thing I have ever seen in Wrestling.

 

It got Savage reinstated though. They had a match on the Tuesday in Texas Pay Per View, which Savage won. But for shits and giggles, Jake decided to slap Elizabeth anyway, which got Savage even angrier...

 

On the Saturday Night's Main Event between the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania, Macho Man beat him again.

After Jake was helped backstage, he grabbed a chair and said that he'd twat whoever came backstage first, Macho or Elizabeth, with it.

But just as he was about to swing, the Undertaker stopped him and began his face turn.

 

 

The Funeral Parlour

 

 

Jake was

, The Funeral Parlour, wanting to know where the Undertaker stood and why he stopped him from attacking Elizabeth. Not happy with the reaction, he jammed the Taker's hand stuck in the coffin and DDT'd Bearer on the floor before twatting the Undertaker with half a dozen chair shots.

 

This set up a match at Wrestlemania, which Jake sadly lost. However, this wasn't before excellent

.

 

He was just great.

[bAzTNM#1]

I absolutely loved that "El Diablo" part of the angle. One regret for me over the whole thing is that he should have brought out that f*cking creepy bastard cobra out a lot more. Awesome stuff.

 

ADDED: You could add your post to include the WCW Sting angle. After that, he lost it.

[JakeRobertsParoleOfficer]

I genuinely think that JR's Tuesday night in Texas pre match Liz promo is one of the top 3 promos of all time, if not the best. So intense and believable.

[freaky]

I genuinely think that JR's Tuesday night in Texas post match Liz promo is one of the top 3 promos of all time, if not the best. So intense and believable.

I prefer the pre-match promo. I thought that was much creepier, with him talking about how he enjoyed seeing the fear in Elizabeth's eyes and how it made his hair feel like it was tingling.

 

Sean Mooney: We are moments away from an incredible encounter, we will finally see a one-on-one confrontation between Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the Macho Man Randy Savage.

 

Jake Roberts, the big decision from President Jack Tunney - there will be no reptile allowed in your corner. Now earlier I saw the Macho Man and his lovely bride Elizabeth. Randy Savage is wired to the max; he cannot wait to get you into the ring.

 

Jake Roberts: So what?

 

As cold as a razor blade; as tight as a turning key; like the skin on a dying man - Randy Savage, the last time I saw you, you were flailing like some helpless child, drowning. Drowning from what? Drowning from the very poison that was flowing through your veins after that snake had chewed on that arm. For some time he did chew.

 

Now you look into my eyes Randy Savage, and you'll see two black holes in the sky. But you look into those snake eyes and you'll see something so cold, so devilish and so deliberate - yes, he takes care of what he has to. Does what he has to. Just like me.

 

Your eyes? Your eyes weren't even there man, you were out, you were gone.

 

But you know whose eyes I enjoyed the most? Do you? Elizabeth's.

 

Pupils so small, so intent and so scared for the man that she loved. And what a rush I got, man. Up and down my back, it felt so good. My hair felt like it was tingling. I mean, I had goosebumps all over my body listening to you squeal for a man who could not do anything but flail around, and couldn't help himself at all, you know?

 

And see, the thing about Jack Tunney barring the snake in the corner... let me tell you something Jack Tunney.

 

When I was brought into this world, I could not rob; I could not steal; I could not lie; I couldn't even cheat. But boy, did I have some help learning - you have taught me so well.

 

So you see, it is not my fault anything that I do out there. You have given me the right to. You have almost pushed the button to make me do it. You have pulled the trigger.

 

So anything that I do... is your fault. Snake in the corner? Trust me... trust me.

[PunkStep]

Is the post-match promo the brilliant 'I'm the snake all along' promo?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Strange how, for all of Jake's great angles and promos, I don't think he actually had any stellar matches in his entire career. Even in the ring with world class workers like Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude and Ted DiBiase he produced some pretty mediocre work. He seemed to bring his opponents down to his level as opposed to stepping it up.

 

Sid looks like a megastar on that video. His music was awesome. Nobody talks their way down the aisle anymore.

[PunkStep]

Yeah very true. I was lent a tape once of a load of Jake's early matches, pre-WWF. Must've been World Class, can't remember. No promos though. It was a shit tape, matches ranging from average to downright awful.

[Mr Butternut Squash]

His 85 Mid-South match (don't know exact date) with Dibiase is one of the best matches of the 80's if you ask me.

 

The cobra on Savage's arm is the greatest angle in WWF history. The execution was perfect, from that first glimpse of the evil snake in the middle of the ring, flicking its tongue, to shots of the distraught kids in the crowd. Vince/Piper were far from the best commentary team about but I doubt anyone could have sold this angle like them. Piper's, "GET OUTTA THERE RANDY!" still resonates and Vince's "I hope that snakes been devenomized!" line is one I'll never forget. I mean, I didn't even know what the fuck devenomized meant as a kid but it seemed important. I don't remember ever thinking wrestling was 'real' as a child but this was different. I liked Jake even as a heel but this was going too far. He's gonna kill the poor fucker on live TV! Vince's terrified, "THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN" just made things worse. Then add in Randy's facials, his disorientated punches at thin air, Jake fending off all the well doers with the cobra, more Vince ("SOMEBODY GET HIM OUTTA THERE! HE'S HALLUCINATING! HE DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER! THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN"!!), Liz's screaming, Savage falling of the stretcher - its bloody perfect.

 

I'll always remember the sense of calm and relief I felt when Jack Tunney's face turned up afterwards, in his office, saying stuff like, "all reptiles are now barred from ringside, the snake had been devenomized and Macho will be reinstated." Thank fuck.

[JakeRobertsParoleOfficer]

I genuinely think that JR's Tuesday night in Texas post match Liz promo is one of the top 3 promos of all time, if not the best. So intense and believable.

I prefer the pre-match promo. I thought that was much creepier, with him talking about how he enjoyed seeing the fear in Elizabeth's eyes and how it made his hair feel like it was tingling.

 

Sean Mooney: We are moments away from an incredible encounter, we will finally see a one-on-one confrontation between Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the Macho Man Randy Savage.

 

Jake Roberts, the big decision from President Jack Tunney - there will be no reptile allowed in your corner. Now earlier I saw the Macho Man and his lovely bride Elizabeth. Randy Savage is wired to the max; he cannot wait to get you into the ring.

 

Jake Roberts: So what?

 

As cold as a razor blade; as tight as a turning key; like the skin on a dying man - Randy Savage, the last time I saw you, you were flailing like some helpless child, drowning. Drowning from what? Drowning from the very poison that was flowing through your veins after that snake had chewed on that arm. For some time he did chew.

 

Thats the one i meant

 

Now you look into my eyes Randy Savage, and you'll see two black holes in the sky. But you look into those snake eyes and you'll see something so cold, so devilish and so deliberate - yes, he takes care of what he has to. Does what he has to. Just like me.

 

Your eyes? Your eyes weren't even there man, you were out, you were gone.

 

But you know whose eyes I enjoyed the most? Do you? Elizabeth's.

 

Pupils so small, so intent and so scared for the man that she loved. And what a rush I got, man. Up and down my back, it felt so good. My hair felt like it was tingling. I mean, I had goosebumps all over my body listening to you squeal for a man who could not do anything but flail around, and couldn't help himself at all, you know?

 

And see, the thing about Jack Tunney barring the snake in the corner... let me tell you something Jack Tunney.

 

When I was brought into this world, I could not rob; I could not steal; I could not lie; I couldn't even cheat. But boy, did I have some help learning - you have taught me so well.

 

So you see, it is not my fault anything that I do out there. You have given me the right to. You have almost pushed the button to make me do it. You have pulled the trigger.

 

So anything that I do... is your fault. Snake in the corner? Trust me... trust me.

 

 

I genuinely think that JR's Tuesday night in Texas post match Liz promo is one of the top 3 promos of all time, if not the best. So intense and believable.

I prefer the pre-match promo. I thought that was much creepier, with him talking about how he enjoyed seeing the fear in Elizabeth's eyes and how it made his hair feel like it was tingling.

 

Sean Mooney: We are moments away from an incredible encounter, we will finally see a one-on-one confrontation between Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the Macho Man Randy Savage.

 

Jake Roberts, the big decision from President Jack Tunney - there will be no reptile allowed in your corner. Now earlier I saw the Macho Man and his lovely bride Elizabeth. Randy Savage is wired to the max; he cannot wait to get you into the ring.

 

Jake Roberts: So what?

 

As cold as a razor blade; as tight as a turning key; like the skin on a dying man - Randy Savage, the last time I saw you, you were flailing like some helpless child, drowning. Drowning from what? Drowning from the very poison that was flowing through your veins after that snake had chewed on that arm. For some time he did chew.

 

Thats the one i meant

 

Thats the one i meant

 

Now you look into my eyes Randy Savage, and you'll see two black holes in the sky. But you look into those snake eyes and you'll see something so cold, so devilish and so deliberate - yes, he takes care of what he has to. Does what he has to. Just like me.

 

Your eyes? Your eyes weren't even there man, you were out, you were gone.

 

But you know whose eyes I enjoyed the most? Do you? Elizabeth's.

 

Pupils so small, so intent and so scared for the man that she loved. And what a rush I got, man. Up and down my back, it felt so good. My hair felt like it was tingling. I mean, I had goosebumps all over my body listening to you squeal for a man who could not do anything but flail around, and couldn't help himself at all, you know?

 

And see, the thing about Jack Tunney barring the snake in the corner... let me tell you something Jack Tunney.

 

When I was brought into this world, I could not rob; I could not steal; I could not lie; I couldn't even cheat. But boy, did I have some help learning - you have taught me so well.

 

So you see, it is not my fault anything that I do out there. You have given me the right to. You have almost pushed the button to make me do it. You have pulled the trigger.

 

So anything that I do... is your fault. Snake in the corner? Trust me... trust me.

[JakeRobertsParoleOfficer]

Sorry double post thats the one i meant.

 

I know what you mean about his in ring work though, very medioce stuff.

 

I dont remember many moves in his moveset.

 

Puches, short arm clothesline, ddt and thats about it

[The King Of Swing]

And people moan about PG WWE now? that Warrior shit was hideous in 1992 and it looks even worse in 2013.

 

But yeah on the subject of Roberts he was a great heel.

[Big Bully Busick]

Gonna have to agree with the people saying Jake never had a great match (well not that ive seen)

He was tho a fantastic heel but also had the skill to play a great face role too,look how over he was in the WWF of the 80s where size did matter

 

I might be One of the only people i know that was a fan of spin the wheel make the deal

[garynysmon]

I absolutely loved that "El Diablo" part of the angle. One regret for me over the whole thing is that he should have brought out that f*cking creepy bastard cobra out a lot more. Awesome stuff.

 

ADDED: You could add your post to include the WCW Sting angle. After that, he lost it.

 

That took me so bloody long to put together that I lost paience to include his WCW run, might do that tomorrow.

 

I agree, had almost forgotten about El Diablo until last night but what a fantastic angle.

[garynysmon]

And people moan about PG WWE now? that Warrior shit was hideous in 1992 and it looks even worse in 2013.

 

Nonsense. WWF was PG in 1992 too, but you'd never see them doing that kind of thing these days.

[Mr Butternut Squash]

And people moan about PG WWE now? that Warrior shit was hideous in 1992 and it looks even worse in 2013.

 

Nonsense. WWF was PG in 1992 too, but you'd never see them doing that kind of thing these days.

 

Kids love diverse and larger than life characters, this it the kid of stuff that WWE SHOULD be doing now. Not as cheesy of course but it'd still be better than the shitty storytelling and watered down Attitude era shite we get now.