On the premiere episode of DDT Snake Pit the legendary Jake “The Snake” Roberts spoke about his signature maneuver, the DDT, and how he feels about wrestlers using it as a transitional move in today’s industry. The Hall of Famer also recalls the first time he ever used the DDT, and what the crowd’s reaction was like at the time. Highlights are below.
Recalls the first time he hit the DDT and what the crowd’s reaction was:
“One night in New Orleans, he crammed me in the corner, fought him back out to the middle of the ring. He came up to his feet, started cramming me into a corner again and he stepped on my foot. And when he did, I couldn’t move my legs, we lost balance. Well, me being a dumb babyface at the time, I sprung to my feet like, ‘I didn’t trip, I didn’t fall, I’m not clumsy’. But Grappler stayed down and I’m listening to the people and the people were like, ‘OH what was that?’. And I’m like, ‘what was what? I just fell down’, what a huge pop man, he was smart enough to stay there. I turned him over to cover him and he barely kicked out, but people were talking about that move.”
Why he doesn’t care that the DDT is now a transitional move instead of a finisher:
“People often ask me, ‘Well Jake, don’t you get mad at these guys who are using the DDT now for a false finish?’ and I’m like, ‘no, I think it’s great because all they’re telling the people is they’re not half as good as I am, because if I did it, you’re didn’t get your a– back up.”
(H/T and transcribed by Wrestling Inc.)