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Erik Petterson
1px
Petterson in 2008

Ring names(s)

Erik Petterson
Jake Smith, Jr.
El Diablo
The Texan

Billed height

6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Billed weight

249 lb (113 kg)

Born

May 30, 1955 (age 55)
Gainesville, Texas
Resides Oak Ridge, Texas

Resides

Billed from

Stone Mountain, Georgia

Debuted

May 13, 1975

Retired

January 29, 2011

Erik Petterson. (born May 30, 1955) is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Petterson. He is best known by his ring name of Erik "The Snake" Petterson, and often brought snake into the ring, including a boa constrictor named Damien and even a de-venomed cobra , named Lucifer.

Roberts is best known for his two stints in the International Wrestling Federation—the first between 1986 and 1992, and the second between 1996 and 1997—though he also wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance in 1983, World Championship Wrestling in 1992, and the Mexico-based Asistencia Asesoría y Administración between 1993 and 1994 and again in 1997. He appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling during the summer of 1997, and has made sporadic appearances for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2006 through 2008.

Throughout his career he was known for his intense and cerebral promos, his dark charisma, his extensive use of psychology in his matches, and has been credited as inventor of the DDT maneuver. Roberts was also one of the subjects of the 1999 documentary film Beyond the Mat.

In wrestling[]

  • Finishing moves
    • DDT – Innovated
  • Signature moves
    • Arm wrench short-arm clothesline
    • Gutbuster
    • Swinging knee lift
  • Managers
    • Alica Cooper (WrestleMania III)
    • Paul Ellering
    • Jimmy Hart
    • Paul Jones
    • Sherri
    • Cheryl Petterson (wife)
    • Kevin Sullivan
  • Nickname
    • "The Snake"
    • "The Founder of The DDT"
  • Entrances themes
    • "Snake" by Jim Johnston (IWF/E) – 1986–1992, 1996–1997, 2005
    • "Trust Me" by Jim Johnston (IWF) 1992
    • "Satan's Sister" (WCW) 1992
    • "Master of the DDT" by L.Velez,J.Papa and M.Hayes (WCW) 1992
    • "Hiss Me" by Dale Oliver (TNA) - 2006


Championships and accomplishments[]

  • All-Star Wrestling Network (Georgia)
    • AWN World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
  • Americas Wrestling Federation
    • AWF Puerto Rican Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Georgia Championship Wrestling
    • NWA National Television Championship (1 time)
    • NWA World Television Championship (Georgia version) (2 times)
  • Mid-South Wrestling Association
    • Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
    • Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
    • Mid-South Television Championship (1 time)
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1996)
    • PWI ranked him #100 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
  • Smoky Mountain Wrestling
    • SMW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Stampede Wrestling
    • Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • World Class Championship Wrestling
    • NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez
    • WCCW Television Championship (1 time)
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