In March of 2020, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts arrived to All Elite Wrestling and that was the introduction of Roberts’ on-screen relationship with Lance Archer. Jake was originally signed to a ten week deal and that turned into a one-year agreement.
His contract was coming up and he recently contacted AEW President Tony Khan to discuss the next steps. Jake told Diamond Dallas Page during their sit-down discussion that coming out of that conversation with Tony, he was offered a two-year extension to remain with AEW. Roberts signed the new contract. He initially thought that Khan was going to offer him another one-year deal.
To go out into the ring after 22 years of being out of it and slam that promo down Cody [Rhodes’] throat. I remember looking in his eyes and he’s like, ‘Where am I?’ Toss the mic over my back and he catches it and he’s like, ‘What the hell did that mean?’ And to feel the love of all those people man because it was loud. It was loud and it let me know how much they loved me and it inspired me to stay with AEW and thanks to Tony Khan, when I originally signed with them, it was for a ten week deal. At eight weeks, guy comes along with some papers, ‘You need to sign these.’ I’m like, ‘What for?’ ‘Well it’s your contract.’ ‘Dude, I’ve only got two weeks left.’ ‘No, you got another year.’ ‘What?’ And then just a few weeks ago, I buzzed Tony, I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got four weeks left. What do you want me to do? I need a notice so I can start setting up my stuff’ and he says, ‘We need to sign another piece of paper’ and I signed again and then after I signed it, I found out that it wasn’t for a year, it was for more than a year. It was for two years. He’s such a wonderful man and he gave me my love for wrestling back. It’s great to be a part of it so for me, I’ve taken on that job — not a job, a pleasure, to keep my eyes open and see people that are struggling and go to them and try to help them.
Knowing that he’ll be with AEW for the next several years, Roberts is setting his sights on doing more with the company outside of his on-screen duties with Lance Archer. He is interested in commentary and is hoping to fill in for Jim Ross on shows when Ross may not want to be on the call or if he cannot make the show.
I’ve always heard that I was pretty good on the mic and once I started doing little bits — only time I did it was when Lance [Archer] was in the ring. Well Lance, that jerk, he won’t go more than three minutes. He kills somebody by then. So I didn’t get much time but the feedback I was getting from production and from people in the back was unbelievable so, I’ve set my sets a little higher for position at AEW when I’m through doing the Lance Archer thing. A year or two from now, if maybe J.R. doesn’t want to do it as often, I can be there. I can be the guy they hand it off to. I can be the guy when J.R., he wants to go to a football game, ‘Well Jake can take it this time.’
Jake has been involved in wrestling since the mid-70s. He wants to pass on his knowledge to the newer crop of talents in AEW but he thinks they won’t approach him because his persona is intimidating.
He’s [Lance Archer] an animal man. I may give him a few things to do and we’re having a blast man and I’ve been able to help him with his interview work and it gives me great pleasure. Helping guys is why I’m there. The only thing that frustrates me is that I — the persona intimidates so many people, they won’t ask. They won’t ask man.
Roberts will be accompanying Lance Archer to the ring on 7/21 for night two of Fyter Fest. Archer is challenging Jon Moxley for the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship in a Texas Deathmatch.
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