Jake 'The Snake' Roberts: If the devil can't defeat me, cancer doesn't stand a chance in hell

The Snake is credited to have invented the DDT

Jake 'The Snake' Roberts last performed in the WWE in 1997 (Getty)

WWE wrestler and soon to be Hall of Famer Jake 'The Snake' Roberts has been diagnosed with cancer.

The wrestling legend says he will go under the knife this week to have a 'half dollar-sized' tumour removed from behind his knee.

He was defiant in the face of the emergency surgery, telling TMZ: "If the devil can't defeat me, cancer doesn't stand a chance in hell!

"Pray for sick children who face this horrible disease 'cause The Snake will be just fine."

Doctors urged Roberts to have the tumour operated on immediately, after results came back last Monday that revealed it is growing into his muscle tissue.

The Snake hopes to be back on the circuit as early as next month however, at a scheduled appearance at a Jersey Championship Wrestling event on March 14.

He is also due to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at Wrestlemania 30 in April, alongside Ultimate Warrior and Lita.

Wrestling fans can watch Roberts' matches in glorious HD as of yesterday, when the WWE Network launched offering access to thousands of old wrestling events.