Jake Roberts highlights the death of kayfabe in modern wrestling

WWE Hall of Famer, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, has sent a strong message to the new generation of professional wrestlers. In an interview with Games Hub, the legendary wrestler stated that modern style relies too much on "bells and whistles" instead of focusing on the essential: telling a story inside the ring.

Roberts, known for his unmatched psychology in the squared circle and chilling promos, pointed out that nowadays, gimmicks like pyro and overexposure of talent are used to mask the lack of experience. "Before, you were out there alone and you had to do it. Today, with all the distractions, lights, and six or seven guys running to the ring... for what? If two wrestlers can't carry a match, put someone who can," he affirmed.

The value of experience and practice

For Roberts, another issue lies in the lack of ring time for current superstars. "It's hard to learn your craft if you only do it once or twice a month. Many of these guys barely wrestle three times a month. You don't polish yourself that way, you polish yourself by wrestling 10, 15, or 20 times in that same period. That's when you truly start learning," he explained.

The neglect of kayfabe

However, what seems to bother him the most is the lack of respect towards the business traditions, especially the protection of kayfabe. "The kids nowadays don't even care. That's another thing that pisses me off. They don't think about it, they don't care," he stated.

The term kayfabe refers to the commitment of wrestlers to maintain the illusion that everything that happens in the ring is real, both inside and outside of it. For decades, this unwritten rule was an essential pillar of the business, to the extent that legendary figures like The Undertaker never gave public interviews or broke character for over thirty years, reinforcing the aura of mystery and credibility that defined an entire era of wrestling.