The Backstage Story Of Jake Roberts’ Snake Biting Randy Savage

UPDATE: 2024/04/27 09:00 EST BY BENJAMIN VIEIRA

Jake “The Snake” Roberts is without a doubt one of the greatest heels in WWE history. The way he delivered his promos was ominous and creepy. The cold stare he used made you feel like something bad was coming. One of his most memorable feuds was against “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Roberts did not hold back on the tactics he used against Savage. This even involved utilizing a king cobra to bite Savage. During the Golden Era, it was an unprecedented moment. It was far from the kid-friendly television of WWE and created a legendary WWE moment.

The wrestling world gasped when Jake Roberts’ fourteen-foot cobra reared its head back. When the cobra struck and latched onto Macho Man’s arm, grown men shrieked, women covered their eyes, and children cried. Few moments in wrestling history have garnered such a visceral reaction, mainly because what fans witnessed was real.

It’s nearly impossible to fake a snake biting someone’s arm (that’s a bump they don’t teach in wrestling school). As you can imagine, the risky angle took some planning and a lot of convincing, especially for the reluctant Randy Savage. The backstage story of how this iconic WWE moment came to pass is just as fascinating as the angle itself.

Randy Savage Wouldn’t Do The Angle Unless The Cobra Bit Jake Roberts First

In 1991, Randy Savage And Jake Roberts Were Involved In A Major Feud

• Jake Roberts had sent Randy Savage and Elizabeth a king cobra.
• A king cobra is the most venomous snake on the planet.

The storyline between Randy Savage and Jake Roberts was well underway and generated considerable heat. During their on-screen wedding reception, Macho Man and Elizabeth opened a gift box – inside was a hideous, slimy king cobra – Jake’s cobra! Elizabeth screamed in horror. In 1991, if you made Elizabeth cry, you were nothing short of the devil himself.

Jake had the brilliant idea of having his devenomized cobra bite Randy in the build-up of their storyline. According to several stories, the Macho Man wasn’t feeling too macho when it came to this proposition. Randy approached Jake backstage and pressed him (in his tight, gravely voice),

“About the snake… has he been fixed or not?”

Jake informed the Macho Man that indeed (and of course) the snake was fixed. Savage was not sold.

“Maybe he has, and maybe he hasn’t.”

Randy Savage wanted proof. Short of a doctor’s notice, there was only one way to prove that the cobra was drained of its deathly serum. Randy suggested:

“He has to bite you. Now.”

A frustrated Jake Roberts lifted his pant leg and let his cobra take a free shot. Still, the Macho Man was dissatisfied.

“Now, don’t move! Don’t take no antidote or no pills or nothing. Just sit there. I wanna see the poison go through your body.”

Finally, after about ten minutes, Randy was convinced that the stunt would be safe. The angle was on… but Jake Roberts was pissed off.

Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts & Macho Man Deliver An All-Time WWE Segment

The Cobra Biting Macho Man’s Arm Is One Of WWE’s Most Memorable Moments

• Jake Roberts had tricked Randy Savage into attacking him.
• A defanged cobra was used in the segment.
• The cobra would not let go once it bit Randy Savage.

After Jake Roberts’ victory on WWF Superstars, he grabbed the microphone and promptly attacked the Macho Man’s masculinity, about as low of an insult that you could sling in 1991. Randy Savage wasted little time marching to the ring and falling into Roberts’ trap. Jake ‘The Snake’ tied Randy’s arms between the ring ropes. The former World Champion was helpless, defenseless, and about to be in a world of pain.

Roberts revealed the giant cobra from his bag. The snake looked angry, but Jake wanted to ensure he stayed angry. As payback for the leg bite backstage, Roberts smacked the snake in the face. The snake latched onto Savage’s arm and didn’t let go! The Macho Man screamed in pain while his fans screamed in horror. Close-ups of the snake’s grip ensured all watching at home that this was indeed real. Blood seeped from the cobra’s mouth and Randy’s arm.

What was supposed to be a quick stunt dragged on for minutes. Fans could see Jake trying to shake and yank the snake loose from Savage’s arm – but the fangs were sunk in too deep. The scene went on for much longer than what was televised (the show was pre-recorded). So, while the scene went on for an uncomfortable amount of time on the broadcast, the live experience was even longer.

Backstage, panic ensued. Officials sent Savage’s real-life and on-screen wife, Elizabeth, down to the ring to plead with Roberts, who was already working frantically to pry the reptile free. Finally, Jake used both hands to pry his cobra’s jaw open – the only way he could remove the insanely tight grip from the Macho Man’s arm. Randy Savage made it through one of the most demanding angles of his career, and history was made.

The Legacy of Jake Roberts’ Snake Biting Randy Savage

Jake Roberts Was One Of WWE’s Best Heels

• The moment helped to establish how dangerous Jake Roberts was in WWE.
• The threat of the snake was used often by Jake Roberts.
• Jake Roberts became one of WWE’s most infamous stars.

All the behind-the-scenes drama of the angle adds more texture to an already iconic moment. The moment itself elevated Roberts’ heel persona. The threat of Jake using the snake was all too present for the rest of his career.

The pain that Savage was subjected to during that WWF Superstars taping paid off in spades. The moment was a catalyst for a great, intense rivalry between two of the most outstanding performers of all time. The “bite heard round the world” will always haunt the dreams of ophidiophobes and forever live in the lore of WWE history.