14 In-Ring Wrestling Secrets Jake Roberts Revealed On Stone Cold's Podcast

8. 'Have A Different Gear'

When inducting his father into the WWE Hall of Fame, the Rock explained that he was taught always to have a strong comeback when fulfilling a babyface role. While this is certainly true, relatively little attention has been paid to the need for a heel to switch gears too. Roberts explains a sequence he would commonly follow in matches to gain heel heat. He'd start by becoming increasingly frustrated at the babyface's resilience, eventually stepping up the intensity and bending the rules to viciously beat them down. He'd then back up to allow his opponent to sell for a while (and regain his energy), before resuming the assault in a more devious, methodical manner. With wrestling matches often taking place at breakneck speed these days, Jake reminds everyone of the benefit of slowing things down now and again. It just goes to show that he didn't become a legendary heel by accident; there was definitely a complex thought process at work too.