There’s no denying how much the wrestling community loves Booker T, even if they sometimes forget about his biggest matches. He’s a true legend of the industry and has been one since the days of WCW. To this day, people have been hoping for a full-time return to action so that he can square off against the best that the business has to offer.
The thing is, Booker T does come from a very different generation (even if he was different in both WWE and WCW), and as a result, has said more than a few things that some consider to be outlandish. There’s nothing wrong with having a different opinion, but the internet wrestling community has never been shy to share exactly what it thinks when the older generation speaks up against the new generation.
10 Booker T On Adam Cole’s Body
Something that has changed over the years is how untouchable Adam Cole is in the internet wrestling community. People who have followed him throughout his career often list him as one of their all-time favorites, while some have soured on him in recent years.
Booker T commented on Adam Cole’s recent injury and stated that the state of his body may have something to do with his repeated injuries. Of course, fans and wrestlers alike jumped on the comment and condemned Booker T. Things only got worse for the veteran when it was revealed that Cole had been dealing with injuries far longer than most people might have thought.
9 Booker T On WWE Heat
As a bit of background, Kevin Nash essentially stated that no one in modern WWE knew how to properly and effectively get heat anymore. While that is Nash’s statement, Booker T doubled down on it by agreeing entirely and adding some of his own fuel to the fire.
That statement in itself was an interesting one since Booker often compliments Roman Reigns on his in-ring work, and some might even say that he’s the hottest heel WWE has had in years. Performers are more than capable of getting good heat as long as those in the company allow them the chance.
8 Booker T On Wrestling Spots
It seems that Booker T has some issues with modern wrestling since he called it gymnastics. While no one likes a match that is filled with too many high spots and dives, it must be acknowledged that audience expectations have shifted and performers must meet those expectations.
The average fan loves to see dives and flips, and performers will continue to perform them so long as they get pops. Wrestling has shifted and become more athletic in different ways, but not every match needs to tell an in-depth story.
7 Booker T On Jeff Hardy And AEW
Everyone in the wrestling community is likely well aware of the demons that Jeff Hardy faces in his personal life. His struggles with alcohol are well-documented and have been a serious issue for quite a while now. When Hardy had another issue, Booker said AEW should bear the responsibility.
There are more than a few issues with companies telling their employees what they can and can’t do in their private lives, so the comments were strange, especially considering most people thought AEW's response to the situation was well above and beyond anything WWE ever does.
6 Booker T On WWE Buying AEW
It should be said that there isn’t anything particularly egregious about his initial comments. Never say never to WWE buying AEW, is a fairly innocuous statement. While WWE is a global powerhouse, AEW is doing a fantastic job of solidifying itself as a competitor across the globe.
No one should ever count out WWE, but them buying AEW wouldn’t make all that much sense. AEW has quickly solidified its place as a company wrestlers want to be in, and WWE has recently had a whole host of serious scandals just over the last year.
5 Booker T Compares CM Punk And Mustafa Ali
Everyone who pays attention to the world of wrestling was likely aware of how unhappy Mustafa Ali has been with WWE from time to time. Somehow, Booker T thought that Ali’s unhappy state would lead him to a CM Punk pipebomb moment of his own.
It should be said that Ali is easily one of the most exciting people to watch whenever he steps into a WWE ring, but the few chances he’s had to speak, especially while he was with RETRIBUTION, haven’t exactly gone over incredibly well for him.
4 Booker T On Wrestling Entrances
Booker T simply stated that he thinks WWE doesn’t concentrate on entrance music enough. While there is a way to see that comment as correct, the more thought you put into it, the less true it seems. Jobbers and those with essentially no gimmick tend to have less interesting tunes.
Mega-stars like Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, or even Roman Reigns all have or had music that perfectly evoked their character. The issue seems to be more with wrestlers with less of a direction or with less commitment to the gimmicks and storylines that they are currently running so that their music can better reflect or be changed to better reflect who they are.
3 Booker T On Ring Psychology
Booker T seems to believe that the ring psychology needed to properly tell stories is lacking from wrestling in general. There are countless examples to point to as to why that is laughable. Kenny Omega’s matches against Kazuchika Okada in NJPW is just one glaring example of the greatest modern storytelling in wrestling.
Even more recent, Sheamus and Gunther just tore the house down and told a fantastic story while doing so. Roman Reigns' seemingly never-ending title reign has been an entire journey of storytelling both inside and outside the ring.
2 Booker T On Rhea Ripley
No one can fault Booker T’s comments saying that Rhea Ripley could never compare to Chyna because of his personal connections, but that doesn’t mean his statements are accurate. Rhea Ripley seems more than capable of going down in history right up there next to someone like Chyna.
Booker seems to believe that Ripley should only continue to compete against women, but with the right story and opponents, Ripley could be a force across the company. Nothing wrong with her becoming a women’s champion and setting her eyes on the US or Intercontinental Championships afterward.
1 Booker T On Unifying The WWE Titles
Booker T’s comments on unifying the WWE titles were strange but amount to him not agreeing with the whole concept. That is a debate that will forever rage as long as WWE has two world titles, but many people agree that the belts should be unified.
The biggest reason is, WWE then becomes capable of telling more unique stories and raising up a newer breed of talent without having a constant connection to championships. Can Finn Balor believably beat Roman Reigns right now? No, but he’s doing great work with The Judgment Day.