Jake the Snake got the Outstanding Individual tape treatment in the summer of 1987 while he was either on the shelf with an injury or suspended for a drug test. He had turned babyface at the start of the year, and this Coliseum Home Video gives equal airtime to his initial heel run and the face run.
Craig DeGeorge and Johnny V awkwardly host from an undisclosed location surrounded by posters of Hulk Hogan.
1. Jake Roberts vs. Scott McGhee (MSG 4/22/86)
Jake Roberts and Scott McGhee may have ran in the same circles in the early 80s but I’m not sure why McGhee in particular was chosen as Jake’s dancing partner early on – his debut at Maple Leaf Gardens, his MSG debut a few weeks later, and what’s probably their best match together a few days later at the Joe Louis Arena. This is the MSG debut and a pitch perfect debut for the new dickhead in town. He has a mystique to him, taking everything real slow. Bobby Heenan contemplates taking him under his wing before Jake gets everything he needs to get over when he kicks out of a rollup and immediately strikes with a DDT. He lays Damien the Snake on top of McGhee and lets it wrap around him for an extended, almost gruesome amount of time. A *** match and the start of something SPECIAL.
2. Jake Roberts vs. Ricky Steamboat (SNME 5/3/86)
Jake was undefeated here, with The Dragon his first big test. Ricky comes out all hyped up to kick some ass but Jake clotheslines him off the apron as soon as he climbs up, and before the bell can ring Jake DDT’s him on the concrete floor and puts Damien all over him. Steamboat sprawls himself out all unconscious and they show his wife in the crowd consumed with grief as officials back Jake off and put Ricky on a stretcher. Brilliant angle that carried the WWF midcard through the summer.
Jake Roberts Shows off His Snakes (TNT 6/4/86)
A classic TNT sit-down interview from the Mean Gene Okerlund era, Jake introduces Gene and Lord Alfred Hayes to a number of snakes on the TNT set. Jake casually drones on about how dangerous and poisonous they are, a hint of glee behind every word. Mean Gene is incredible reacting and being scared, while Jake is incredible just not giving a shit. He thinks the fat and lazy snake reminds him of Hogan, teasing a match that was not to be.
3. Jake Roberts vs. Ricky Steamboat (Boston Garden 8/9/86)
Incredible match that at nearly 20 minutes gets way more time than their more well-known Snake Pit match at The Big Event a few weeks later. I’m going full pretentious here, but this is an example of just how brilliant Steamboat and Roberts were as wrestlers. The match has a common structure – Steamboat gets in some cool stuff, gets worked over, makes a comeback – but how they play those notes is brilliant.
The early portion is worked around Ricky firing off shots and Jake does these well-timed forearm blocks, then takes time to raise his arms or smile or point to his head after every one as if he’s Mr. Smarty Pants, before he gets his ass chopped down. There is also a super fast rope-run sequence with Jake grasping onto the ropes at the last second and bailing. Everything is timed so well and the crowd hangs on everything and it’s brilliant.
Jake doesn’t walk around the ring, he lurks. He’s both cautious and untrustworthy as he uses one arm to hold onto the middle rope as he prepares to lock-up. Brilliant.
Ricky fires up but chops a post, and Jake goes to work. Steamboat’s selling is always premium – gasping for air, big movements for everybody to see, etc. More importantly it’s just fun to watch. It’s also brilliant.
Ricky keeps trying stuff but Jake keeps cutting him off at all the right times. Brilliant.
Jake removes his wrist tape and smiles as Ricky lies gasping for breath on the apron. The referee takes it away, Jake protests, Ricky uses the distraction to mount a comeback. Brilliant.
The Steamboat Comeback is, as always, brilliant. He uses only his right hand (did I mention Jake worked the left hand after that post chop for a bit?) as he whoops ass to hoots and hollers. Why did the spot where a babyface just straight-up slams a heel’s face into the mat go away? Brilliant.
Jake desperately pushes Ricky into the ref which takes out the ref, then tries to finish Ricky off before Ricky cradles him just in time for the referee to recover for a 3-count. Jake DDT’s Ricky after because duh. Brilliant. ****3/4
Jake Roberts Interview on His Change in Personality
Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Jake though I can’t pinpoint the timeframe – it’s after a win over McGhee win and a loss to Steamboat, which covers a lot of ground. Gene asks him what’s next: “Where in the world is the Snake going? Where are you goin’, man?” Jake responds, “How can you think about where I’m going when you don’t know where I’ve been? What I’ve done is just a beginning, and there is no end to what I can do” before he names Steamboat, Kamala, Killer Khan, Honky Tonk Man or Hulk Hogan as possible future victims. “I do what I want to do – that’s what makes me completely different from anyone out there.” A good promo.
4. Jake Roberts vs. Junkyard Dog (Phoenix 12/9/86)
This is from a Superstars taping, a Coliseum Exclusive with Craig and Johnny on commentary. It’s two classic characters and the crowd is hot for it, with Jake milking all he can out of the mass of popularity that was The Junkyard Dog. He gets in JYD’s face and is a generally cocky prick until he’s complaining about armbars and falling outside off a headbutt. JYD does five or six bodyslams in a row, prompting Johnny V to just lose it: “BOY what an unbelievable dark match, this has never been seen on television!” Jake soon bails and takes Damien out of the bag for a DQ. Pretty good. **3/4
5. Jake Roberts vs. King Kong Bundy w/ Bobby Heenan (MSG 2/23/27)
An interesting match on paper, but one that didn’t deliver – not at MSG, not on SNME. Jake seems a little too confident in how compelling him fighting out of a test of strength is. Jimmy Hart is on commentary, Bundy goes up big for his missed elbow drop spot, and there’s a hole in the snake bag that Damien keeps poking out of. Otherwise, they just get by. Jake wins by countout. **
6. Jake Roberts vs. King Kong Bundy w/ Bobby Heenan (SNME 3/14/87)
Once again a boring match, a little more excitement with Heenan stealing the snake bag and the typically frantic Saturday Night’s Main Event commentary but also, yup, there’s that test of strength spot. Jake sells for a bit before he throws a few jabs and hits the referee low. Jake loses by DQ. *3/4
The Snake Pit w/ Jake Roberts (Wrestling Challenge 3/29/87)
This is an ultra-quick promo on The Honky Tonk Man aired the day of WrestleMania III on Wrestling Challenge. It’s OK.
7. Jake Roberts w/ Alice Cooper vs. The Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart (WrestleMania III 3/29/87)
Jake is over, Honky Tonk is obnoxious, but the chemistry wasn’t there and they were sandwiched in between a LOT of stuff. Honky steals the win, but all anyone cares about is Jake and Alice torturing poor Jimmy with the snake afterwards… which they cut from the Coliseum Video. Ah. *3/4
8. Jake Roberts vs. Kamala w/ Mr. Fuji and Kim Chee (SNME 5/2/87)
Before Kamala was terrified of caskets, he was terrified of the snake. Jake charges to the ring for a pretty basic punch-choke-comeback match that suddenly gets wild when Jake throws a STIFF knee lift from the second rope then drops the Ugandan Giant with a DDT that the crowd goes INSANE for.
The work was basic, but these nutjobs knew exactly who they were and the crowd bought in. Kim Chee runs in and hits Jake with a foreign object before he can take advantage, then Kamala drops a splash for 3. After the match, Kim Chee unmasks to reveal he was Jake’s Mania opponent Honky Tonk Man all along and he is SUCH a shit about it. Jake tore up his shoulder either here or soon after and would be out of action until October. True story. **
Happy Thoughts: More promos would have been nice but this is a quality if not super basic overview of one of the best to ever do its’ first year in the WWF. 6/10
