10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Feb 8)

3. Jake Roberts Would Give His TV Payoffs To Jobbers

The WWF schedule of the late-1980s was notoriously rigorous. It wasn't uncommon for guys like Jake Roberts to work double shots or up to three matches per taping. In his prime, that's often what Jake did on shows like Superstars and Wrestling Challenge. The company had product to get in the can, after all.

During an interview with Robbie E's 'Why It Ended' pod, Roberts claimed he was paid a flat rate of $50 per match on such occasions. Meanwhile, the enhancement talent workers who were brought in to put him over were given a fee of $500. The general feeling in the locker room was that TV exposure was the real reward.

So, Jake gave any jobbers he worked with his 50 bucks.

That's right. According to Roberts, he'd regularly hand over his fee to the wrestler bumping around for him so they'd work even harder to make him a star. It was a show of respect, and it worked. Enhancement guys would bump their asses off for Jake.