10 Short-Lived WCW Runs You Totally Forgot About

Period in WCW: 2 August 1992 to 25 October 1992

Jake Roberts thrived in WWE, but backstage politics played a significant role in him leaving the company.

He threatened to no-show WrestleMania VIII if he was not granted his release after the event. The animosity came from Roberts being promised Pat Patterson’s spot on the writing team when he stepped down due to sexual harassment allegations. Ultimately, Vince McMahon decided to keep the spot vacant out of respect to Patterson, leaving Roberts feeling manipulated and betrayed.

Roberts expressed interest in working for WCW, alongside his father Grizzly Smith, but he was under a 90-day no-compete clause. During this time, he had an agreement with Kip Allen Frey for $3.5 million a year. Unfortunately, three days before Robert’s non-compete clause expired, Frey left the company.

Bill Watts, who previously worked with and hated Roberts, took Frey’s place. He tore the contract up in front of Roberts and offered him $200,000 per year. Having burned his bridges at WWE, Roberts had little choice but to sign.

Though he crammed a lot into his short run with the company, Jake’s addiction alongside the animosity of Watts overshadowed the good. He revealed:-

“When [Watts] had the snake banned, I was furious. I saw what they were doing and how they were trying to destroy my character and me. That wasn’t going to f***ing happen, so I talked to my lawyer. My lawyer asked, ‘What would happen if you checked yourself into rehab?’ I responded, ‘He would fire me in a !*$% heartbeat and take the rest of my money.’ And my lawyer said, ‘Let’s do that.’ So I did.”