WWE Hall Of Famer Recalls Interaction With Muhammad Ali

On June 1, 1985, Mid-South Wrestling offered a supercard at New Orleans Superdome featuring a match between Jake "The Snake" Roberts and The Snowman. Today, that match is mostly remembered when one of The Snowman's cornermen entered the ring and knocked out Roberts – and that sock to the jaw came from none under than The Greatest himself, Muhammad Ali.

Speaking on his "Snake Pit with Jake Roberts" podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer recalled how promoter Bill Watts had difficulty finding an adequate opponent for the match.

"He finally had to settle for The Snowman," Roberts said, noting that while the wrestler was "incredibly built," he nonetheless was "not the sharpest knife in the drawer ... and he was a little slow at doing things." But when Ali showed up in support of The Snowman, Roberts said "everybody went apes**t crazy" over his presence.

The match was for a TV title that Roberts held – "Imagine me having a belt," Roberts quipped – but during the bout, the wrestler got knocked out and Roberts looked to Ali and told him "to get his dumb ass up or I'll knock his ass out." Ali entered the ring and Roberts said "he nailed me with one, but I took it – I did not go down."

Ali then punched John Nord, who was Roberts' corner man, who went down. Ali punched Roberts twice more, going down with the third punch – at which point The Snowman powers slammed and pinned him.

After the match, Roberts caught an angry tirade from Watts over his actions, but Ali met him in the locker room and commended him.

"I shook his hand and he pulled me in closely," Roberts said, who recalled Ali saying to him "'You're a very smart young man. I'll be gone tomorrow, you'll be here next week. I understand. Very smart young man, you're very smart.' He respected what I did."