WWE Hall of Famer and AEW personality Jake “The Snake” Roberts is currently undergoing hip revision surgery, according to a social media update shared by fellow wrestling legend Leilani Kai.
In a heartfelt post shared this morning, Kai asked fans to keep Roberts in their thoughts.
“Thinking of Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts this morning as he goes in for hip revision surgery,” Kai wrote. “Sending love to Jake and Cheryl Roberts. Wishing him a smooth surgery and a strong, steady recovery ahead.”
Fans may have noticed Roberts’ absence from All Elite Wrestling programming in recent months. Roberts had been managing the faction La Facción Ingobernable (LFI)—consisting of Rush, Dralístico, and The Beast Mortos—after acquiring the group from Don Callis in October 2024. However, he was taken off television in November 2024, and when LFI made their return in February 2025, they did so without Roberts by their side.
A History of Resilience
The hip procedure is the latest health battle for the 70-year-old wrestling icon, who has faced numerous medical challenges over the last decade. In May 2025, Roberts underwent heart ablation surgery, and in November 2020, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after suffering from shortness of breath and a persistent cough.
His health struggles date back further to 2014, when he was diagnosed with muscular cancer below his knee. Later that same year, a flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas took a terrifying turn when Roberts was hospitalized with double pneumonia and placed in a “coma-like” state to treat the infection. Despite the severity of these issues, Roberts later announced he was cancer-free.
The “Resurrection” and DDP
Roberts’ ability to bounce back is often attributed to the massive lifestyle changes he made starting in 2012. After years of struggling with alcohol and drug addiction, Roberts moved in with fellow wrestler Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) in Atlanta to get his life back on track.
Under Page’s guidance—and using DDP Yoga—Roberts lost over 50 pounds and regained his mobility. This journey was chronicled in the acclaimed 2015 documentary The Resurrection of Jake the Snake. The physical and personal transformation paved the way for his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014, a moment he described as being about “healing between a man and his family”.
The mention of “Cheryl” in Leilani Kai’s tweet refers to Cheryl Roberts, Jake’s wife. The couple, who were originally married in 1984 and divorced in 1997, have since rekindled their romance.
We wish Jake Roberts a safe procedure and a speedy recovery.
Thinking of Jake “The Snake” Roberts this morning as he goes in for hip revision surgery.
Sending love to Jake and Cheryl Roberts. Wishing him a smooth surgery and a strong, steady recovery ahead. 💙🙏 pic.twitter.com/uz26qrk1Gs
— Leilani Kai (@realLeilaniKai) January 6, 2026
