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The Snakeman Deven Michaels
Height: 6 ft.
Weight: 215 lbs.
Hometown: The Snake Pit
Finisher: The DDT
Deven began his dream of becoming a wrestler as most wrestlers do, as a young child. In his own words, “I remember playing with the action figures as a little boy. I would watch the larger than life stars and said to myself, ‘One day that will be me.†As such, Deven watched wrestling as much as he could, therefore being influenced by those superstars. When asked who influenced him the most he said, “I can’t really narrow that down. All the wrestlers had a deep impact on me. However, my mentor Jake “The Snake†Roberts definitely has given me the most inspiration.â€
True to his own pledge years later he met up with Jake and after speaking with the man, who had so encouraged the young serpent’s life, he moved to Texas; to the infamous Snake Pit to be exact. Mr. Roberts wasted no time in molding his young protégé. Deven himself as stated, “My training with Jake was pure hell. It was also the greatest and most appreciated time in my life.†He trained hard for a year solid. Jake put him through his paces in the “old school†way.
After his tenure in the Snake Pit, Deven emerged; reborn The Snakeman. He moved back north after training and coiled around the world of Independent Wrestling. Deven and Jezabel, his 12ft. Burmese Python, have created a serpentine path across 6 states. Never knowing which rock they will crawl out from under next, opponents and fans alike have spotted them in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Once asked, Deven said, “I have wrestled for various independent promotions. They are APWF, RAH, BDW, SVW, XWF, CIW, ECB, World 1, WVWA, MWA, and most recently AWA. At each of these shows one thing remains the same, he turns on the snake charm and wins the hearts of the fans while striking fear in the hearts of his adversaries. His presence is unmistakable as he enters an arena. An aura of complete authority hovers about him.
At the show, during his match, fans can expect the lights to dim and the heavy music shattering the expectant silence. The lights pick up their tempo, flashing and shimmering off the walls, until the curtain parts and the Snake rises. Carrying a deceptively sedate Jezabel in a canvas bag, Deven enters to a thunderous roar of screaming fans. Together they slither to the ring and await their evil nemesis.
When their foe enters the room it gets quiet; his arrogant bravado doing nothing but completing the disdain of the restless crowd. All of this changes when he sees the eerie smile on the face of the Snakeman. Eyes widen with apprehension, sweat drips down the sides of his face with trepidation. The crowd is eating it up. The bad guy is scared stupid and they are absolutely pumped.
Approaching the ring he sees the ominous bag in the corner. Tales of Jezabel’s size and strength have undoubtedly reached his ears. It must make him rather anxious to know that if he falls to the Snakeman’s venomous attack, he will surely become snake food. Deven says, “When they step into my world, their fear is tangible, only one word can describe what I feel, joy. Unadulterated joy, because I know I already have them at my mercy.â€
Once Deven’s rival sees the steely look of determination on his face they attempt to flee. Maniacal laughter from the righteous comes from Deven’s lips. The challenger now knows he has been judged, and unfortunately, been found wanting. No man wants to lose his pride. So, they make an effort to face the judgmental Snakeman. Circling his prey, Deven sizes him up, merely waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Then in a flash the Snakeman is on him. Deven coils around the wrong doer seemingly as if to squeeze the very life from the man. Back and forth they go in a sadistic macabre dance. Solid punches and excruciating stretching occur until finally the Snakeman decides to end it. Positioning him just so, he crashes his counterparts head to the mat. The DDT has claimed yet another victim.
The crowd erupts into a frenzy of pleas for Jezabel to be let loose. Obligingly, our battered hero pulls her from her resting place and allows her free reign. The giant serpent coils around the semi-conscience form and constricts. He doesn’t lay prone for long. Once he realizes his very life is at stake, he flails out of her deathly grip. The villain then runs from the ring with fear that borders on madness. Gathering his companion up, Deven leaves the ring once more victorious. In the meantime he hibernates, waiting for the next judgment day. To learn more about The Snakeman Deven Michaels, go to www.thesnakemandevenmichaels.com