Booker Huffman
Encyclopedia
Robert Booker Tio Huffman (born March 1, 1965), better known by his ring name
Booker T, is a semi-retired American
professional wrestler
and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and World Championship Wrestling
(WCW). He has also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA
). Huffman is the most decorated black wrestler in history, having held 35 major titles within WWE, WCW and TNA. He is a six-time world champion: a four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
in WCW, and a one-time WCW Champion and World Heavyweight Champion
in the WWF/WWE. All six reigns were represented by the Big Gold Belt
.
Huffman is the most recent of three men to have held the Big Gold Belt in both WCW and WWE (the others being Bill Goldberg
and Chris Benoit
), and the only man to enjoy multiple reigns with the belt in both companies. He is also a record six-time WCW World Television Champion
. He was the winner of the WWE King of the Ring tournament in 2006, the sixteenth WWE Triple Crown Champion and the eighth WWE Grand Slam Champion. Also the ninth, and final, WCW Triple Crown Champion, he is the most recent of four men in history to achieve both the WWE and WCW Triple Crown Championships. He was one-half of the tag team Harlem Heat
with his brother Lane "Stevie Ray" Huffman
. They were WCW World Tag Team Champions
a record ten times together. Huffman is one of the most decorated tag team champions in wrestling history, winning fifteen World Tag Team titles
between WCW, WWE and TNA.
suggested that he and Booker check out a new wrestling school being opened, run by Ivan Putski
, in conjunction with his Western Wrestling Alliance organization. His boss from the storage company loaned him the $3,000 to pay for the wrestling lessons. Booker trained under Scott Casey
, who helped to turn Booker's background in Gangster and dance into "sports entertainment", teaching the newcomer ring psychology and ring generalship.
Eight weeks later, Booker debuted as "G.I. Bro" on Putski's Western Wrestling Alliance Live! program. The character was a tie-in to the raging Gulf War
and the WWF's Sgt. Slaughter
angle. Even though the WWA met its demise some time later, Booker continued to wrestle on the Texas indy circuit, often with his brother Stevie Ray. They were spotted by Skandor Akbar who hired them to work for the Global Wrestling Federation
(GWF), where he and Eddie Gilbert were involved. Gilbert teamed Stevie Ray and Booker T together as the Ebony Experience, and they won the GWF Tag Team Championship
on July 31, 1992. During their time with GWF, they held the tag title a total of three times. Subsequently, Booker T and Stevie Ray left the GWF to work for World Championship Wrestling
.
signed with World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) after Sid Vicious
recommended they sign with the company. In August 1993, they debuted as the tag team Harlem Heat, with Booker renamed Kole and Lane renamed Kane. They became heels and were on Harley Race
and Col. Rob Parker
's team in the WarGames match
at Fall Brawl on September 19 against Sting, Davey Boy Smith
, Dustin Rhodes, and The Shockmaster
. They lost the match but were over as heels because of the caliber of faces they wrestled.
In 1994, they acquired the services of Sensational Sherri
, dubbed 'Sister' Sherri, as their manager and changed their names back to Booker T and Stevie Ray, at their request. By the end of 1994, they held the WCW Tag Team Championship
after defeating Stars 'n' Stripes
(The Patriot
and Marcus Alexander Bagwell
) in December. After dropping the title to The Nasty Boys
, Harlem Heat regained the belts on June 24, 1995.
Afterward, Harlem Heat got into a feud with Col. Parker's "Stud Stable" of "Dirty" Dick Slater
and Bunkhouse Buck
. Parker and Sherri were carrying on a love affair and Parker eventually left the Stud Stable in favor of the Heat to be with Sherri. Harlem Heat won the WCW World Tag Team titles at Fall Brawl 1995, defeating Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck. Their third title reign only lasted one day, but the duo regained the tag team title nine days later from The American Males
(Buff Bagwell
and Scotty Riggs
). On the June 24, 1996 Nitro, Harlem Heat defeated Lex Luger
and Sting to capture their fifth WCW World Tag Team titles. Prior to defeating Luger for the title, Booker got carried away during a televised interview, calling out Luger as well as Hulk Hogan
, claiming "Hulk Hogan, we comin' for you, nigga
!" Three days after losing the tag team titles to the Steiner Brothers, Harlem Heat regained the straps back from the Steiners on July 27. On September 23, Booker T and Stevie Ray were defeated by Public Enemy
(Rocco Rock
and Johnny Grunge
) but took the titles back for the seventh time on October 1.
They lost the Tag Team Championship to the Outsiders (Kevin Nash
and Scott Hall
) on October 27. Subsequently, they fired Col. Parker and beat him up and became full-fledged faces. They then entered into a brief feud against Parker's newest team The Amazing French Canadians
, a feud they won. In 1997, they feuded with "Public Enemy" (Grunge & Rocco), The Steiners, and the nWo
. In fall 1997, they fired Sherri and added a new manager, Jacqueline
. They were briefly put out of action by the nWo and returned to feud with the "Faces of Fear
" (Meng and The Barbarian
). Stevie then took five months off from WCW to recover from an ankle injury and Jacqueline left for the WWF.
from Disco Inferno
on the December 29, 1997 edition of Nitro. Booker feuded over the title with Perry Saturn and Rick Martel
culminating in a gauntlet match at SuperBrawl VIII. Martel, the man that was originally supposed to win the match, went down early due to a knee injury, meaning the finish and the remainder of the match had to be called in the ring.
In the spring of 1998, Booker began feuding with Chris Benoit
. Benoit cost Booker the TV title during a match against Fit Finlay
. As a result, Booker and Benoit engaged in a "best-of-seven series" with the winner meeting Finlay for the title. After seven matches and interference from Bret Hart
and Stevie Ray, Booker T won the series, and on June 14, regained the Television Championship. He was the first African American
to hold the WCW World Television Championship and the only one to legitimately win the title (Stevie Ray also held and defended the title while Booker was injured).
During a match with Hart, Booker injured his knee and missed several months. When he returned, he quickly regained the TV Championship from Scott Steiner
, who, in turn, defeated Booker in the finals of the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
tournament. Booker lost the Television title to Rick Steiner
a month later at Slamboree.
, to leave the nWo and reunite Harlem Heat. Harlem Heat defeated Bam Bam Bigelow and Kanyon
for the WCW World Tag Team titles at Road Wild. They lost the WCW World Tag Team titles to Barry
and Kendall Windham
on August 23, but Harlem Heat regained them about a month later at Fall Brawl. When the Filthy Animals
were stripped of the WCW World Tag Team belts due to an injury suffered by Rey Mysterio Jr., the title was put up in a three-way dance at Halloween Havoc. Harlem Heat claimed their tenth WCW World Tag Team title defeating Hugh Morrus
and Brian Knobbs
and Konnan
and Kidman. By late 1999, a female bodybuilder named Midnight
had joined Harlem Heat. Stevie neglected her help and started disputing with Booker over her.
Stevie Ray eventually challenged Midnight in a match that decided whether or not she would stay with Harlem Heat. After being defeated with a surprise small package, Stevie Ray turned on both Booker and Midnight to form Harlem Heat, Inc. with Big T
, Kash, and J. Biggs
. Stevie Ray and Big T dubbed themselves Harlem Heat 2000. Throughout this period, Huffman was referred to simply as Booker, as Harlem Heat 2000 won the rights to the name "T" in a match with Big T against Booker on February 20, 2000 at SuperBrawl X. Kidman and Booker T defeated Harlem Heat 2000 (Ray and Big T) at Uncensored 2000.
When Vince Russo
and Eric Bischoff
formed The New Blood, Huffman eventually completely changed his in-ring persona, joining General Rection's
military
-themed Misfits In Action
stable as G.I. Bro, reprising his gimmick from his days in the WWA. He defeated Shawn Stasiak
at the Great American Bash in a Boot Camp match. He later returned to the Booker T name.
's politicking, he fired Hogan during the live broadcast of Bash at the Beach and announced an impromptu match between Jeff Jarrett
and Huffman for the World Title. Huffman won the match, in the process becoming the second ever African American
champion in WCW after Ron Simmons
. He was then defeated by Kevin Nash
on August 28 on Nitro. He regained the title a few weeks later in a steel cage match with Nash at Fall Brawl, but again lost the title, this time to Vince Russo himself in a cage match (Russo was speared out of the cage by Goldberg
and won the title), Russo vacated the title and Booker won it for the third time in a San Francisco 49er Box Match against Jeff Jarrett on the October 2 edition of Nitro.
Booker's next feud was with Scott Steiner
, to whom he eventually lost the title in a Straitjacket
steel cage match. Steiner won by TKO when he put an unconscious Booker into the Steiner Recliner at Mayhem. Steiner was WCW's longest reigning champion in years, whilst Booker was briefly out with an injury. Booker returned to the roster and defeated Rick Steiner
for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
at Greed. This made Booker the ninth (and final) WCW Triple Crown winner
. On the final episode of Nitro, defeated Scott Steiner to win the World title for the fourth time.
Huffman won a total of twenty-three titles in WCW, making him the most decorated athlete in the history of the organization. Booker was also the reigning United States Heavyweight Champion and WCW World Heavyweight Champion when he accepted a contract with the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF).
Stone Cold Steve Austin
during his match, promptly injuring him in his very first move in the WWF. He later turned heel and became a leading member of The Alliance during the Invasion storyline. During July 2001, in his debut match in the company, Booker defended his WCW World Heavyweight Championship
against Buff Bagwell
. At InVasion
, The Alliance defeated Team WWF when Steve Austin joined the Alliance. On July 26, Booker gave up his WCW United States Title
and handed it over to Chris Kanyon
. He later lost the WCW World title to Kurt Angle
, but he went on to win the title back on the July 30 episode of Raw
. Booker kept the title until SummerSlam
, when he lost the title to The Rock after feuding with him over the similarity in their gimmicks and their identical finishing moves, the Book End/Rock Bottom. Booker T won the WCW World Tag Team Championship for an eleventh time, this time with Test, and he also had a WWF Tag Team Championship reign with Test. At the Survivor Series
, Booker T was eliminated third by The Rock after a roll-up and eventually The Alliance was defeated, causing them to disband.
In its aftermath, Booker remained a heel
, and he joined forces with Vince McMahon
and The Boss Man
in December to feud
with Stone Cold Steve Austin. After Booker T cost Austin a match against Chris Jericho
for the WWF Undisputed Championship
at Vengeance
, Austin gained revenge by attacking Booker T in a grocery store
by covering him in food
.
Booker T's first WrestleMania
appearance was at WrestleMania X8
against Edge. They feuded over who would appear in a fictional Japan
ese shampoo
commercial. When the brand extension
was introduced in March, Booker T was drafted to the Raw
brand. Booker held the Hardcore Championship
twice in May 2002, defeating Stevie Richards
only to lose it to Crash Holly
seconds later. He then re-defeated Crash and dropped the Belt to Stevie Richards a couple minutes later.
now operating in WWE, Booker T was eventually invited into the faction. His time there was short-lived, when he got (literally) kicked out of the group by Shawn Michaels
, who believed Booker T was taking away from his own spotlight. Booker then turned face
and found a partnership with Goldust and the pair teamed to battle the nWo. Booker and Goldust had a title shot against The Un-Americans
(Christian and Lance Storm
) at SummerSlam
, but The Un-Americans retained after interference from Test. At No Mercy
, Booker and Goldust battled Chris Jericho and Christian for the tag titles, but they lost the match with Jericho using the title belt on Goldust.
He spent the rest of 2002 teaming with Goldust. They won the World Tag Team Championship at Armageddon
in a Tag Team Elimination match defeating the teams of Christian and Chris Jericho, Lance Storm and William Regal, and the Dudley Boyz
. They held the belts for about three weeks, when they lost them to Regal and Storm. Booker and Goldust lost the rematch and decided to go their separate ways. The gimmick for Booker and Goldust was Goldust being a strange, yet dependable ally who Booker eventually warmed up to after initial skepticism. By 2003, however, Booker T's popularity had soared and he amicably separated from Goldust, at Goldust's request, in order to pursue the World Heavyweight Championship
. In February 2003, he eliminated The Rock to win a battle royal
for the number one contendership, granting him a title shot at WrestleMania XIX
.
Booker targeted Evolution
after Batista and Randy Orton
attacked Booker's former partner, Goldust. Several weeks before WrestleMania, the incumbent champion and Evolution's leader, Triple H, cut a controversial promo on Booker T. Triple H downplayed Booker T's WCW success, pointing out that the WCW Championship
had been held by non-wrestlers like Vince Russo
and actor David Arquette
calling WCW and its title "a joke". He said that "people like" Booker T would never win world championships in WWE. This promo is also often interpreted as racist as Triple H also made reference to Booker T's "nappy" hair and comments implying that Booker T was just in WWE to dance and entertain for "people like" Triple H. In the Wrestlemania XIX press conference Michael Cole
asked Triple H as to whether he had deliberately cut a racist promo, Triple H claimed this was not the case and that he was just referring to Booker's criminal past. A week later, Booker attacked Triple H in the bathroom, laying him out. However, Booker T lost to Triple H at WrestleMania XIX which has added to the infamy of the promo and feud, as by traditional wrestling booking standards, he should have beaten Triple H. For several weeks, he teamed with Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash
in a feud against Triple H, Ric Flair
, and Chris Jericho
. At Backlash
, Booker's team lost when Triple H pinned Nash after a sledgehammer
shot.
Afterward, Booker set his sights on the Intercontinental Championship
. After losing a battle royal for the title at Judgment Day
, Booker feuded with the champion Christian. After a few matches, Booker defeated him to become the new champion. About a month later, because of a nagging back injury, Booker lost the Intercontinental title back to Christian at an untelevised house show
. Booker, meanwhile, was out of action until October.
which would determine if Eric Bischoff
or Steve Austin
would be the General Manager of Raw
. Booker's team lost the match, so Austin lost his position as Co-General Manager of Raw. Booker then entered a feud with Mark Henry
, the man who eliminated him in the Survivor Series match. Booker defeated Henry at Armageddon
.
On the February 16, 2004 edition of Raw, Booker T and Rob Van Dam
defeated Ric Flair
and Batista for the World Tag Team Championship. Booker and Van Dam held the titles for a month, even defending the belts at WrestleMania XX
in a 4 Corners tag team match. They lost the belts eight days later on Raw back to Flair and Batista.
On March 23, 2004 he was "traded" (along with the Dudley Boyz
) to the SmackDown! brand in exchange for Triple H
, but as part of a new storyline, he appeared unhappy with the move. Later on, Booker T bragged about how he was the biggest star on SmackDown! and turned heel when he began to feud with The Undertaker. Booker tried to utilize voodoo magic in order to try and overcome his "supernatural" foe; however, it did nothing to prevent him from losing to the Undertaker at Judgment Day
.
In mid-2004, Booker T set his sights on the United States Championship
along with its champion, John Cena
. After Cena got on the bad side of General Manager Kurt Angle
, he did his best to get the title away from Cena. Cena successfully defended the title at The Great American Bash
in a four-way elimination match against Booker, René Duprée
, and Rob Van Dam. After General Manager Kurt Angle stripped Cena of his title, Booker took advantage of the situation and won an eight-man elimination match to become United States Champion. Booker and Cena participated in a best-of-five series of matches for the United States Championship. It culminated at No Mercy
, where Cena won the title.
placed Booker in a six man tag team match with Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio against John "Bradshaw" Layfield
(JBL), René Duprée
, and Kenzo Suzuki
. JBL expected Booker to betray his partners, but instead Booker pinned him, thus turning face again. Booker T faced JBL for the WWE Championship
at the Survivor Series
on November 14, but lost after he was hit in the head with the championship belt. The next night, Booker T demanded a rematch, citing Orlando Jordan
's interference. He was then joined by Eddie Guerrero
and The Undertaker who also wanted a shot at JBL's title, prompting Theodore Long to make a Fatal Four way match for the WWE Championship at Armageddon
. Once again, Booker failed to win the title, as JBL retained it.
He then briefly teamed with Eddie Guerrero and feuded with Heidenreich
. Booker won a 30-Man Battle Royal
dark match at WrestleMania 21
last eliminating Raw's Viscera
and "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
. Subsequently, Booker was part of the tournament to name a new number one contender and made it to the Final Four. After Kurt Angle
eliminated Booker, he returned the favor, costing Angle the match against JBL. The storyline then turned to a sexual nature, as Angle began stalking
Booker's new wife, Sharmell. Booker defeated Angle at Judgment Day
. On the May 26 edition of SmackDown!, Booker participated in a "Winners Choice" Battle Royal, with the winner choosing his opponent for the next week. Kurt Angle won and wanted to wrestle Sharmell. Booker protested, and the match was made into a Handicap match. Angle won by pinning Sharmell in a sexual position. The next week, Booker gained revenge on Angle, defeating him with a Scissors Kick.
On June 30, JBL defeated Christian, The Undertaker, Chris Benoit
, and Booker T. During the match, Booker got specifically involved with Christian. Booker later defeated Christian at The Great American Bash
. Booker T began teaming with Chris Benoit, eying the United States Championship again. Meanwhile, after a series of matches with MNM
, Sharmell introduced some heelish
characteristics unknown to Booker. Benoit was allowed to pick his next challenger to see who would face him at No Mercy
, so Booker, Christian, and Orlando Jordan tried to impress Benoit by winning matches. He could not choose, so he made it a Fatal Four-way for No Mercy, where Benoit successfully defended his title. On the October 21 edition of SmackDown!, Booker T defeated Benoit for the United States Championship, due to an unseen assist from Sharmell. Theodore Long later showed footage of Sharmell interfering in Booker's matches. Later, Booker and Sharmell went to apologize to Benoit and give him a rematch, but instead, he attacked Benoit, and busted him open with the U.S. title officially turning heel once again. Booker then boasted that he had been fully aware of what Sharmell had been doing and had been playing dumb to fool everyone.
On November 25, Booker T fought against Benoit for the United States Championship. The match ended when Benoit superplexed Booker and two referees made a three count on either competitor, claiming that their wrestler had won. Booker was stripped of the belt by Theodore Long, because of the confusion of who won since they pinned each other at the same time. Long decided to put Benoit and Booker against each other in a best of seven series, just as the two had in their WCW days. Booker took an early 3–0 lead. In a must win match during Armageddon
, Benoit was able to defeat Booker T to bring the series to 3–1. At a house show
on December 2, however, Booker was injured, and he did not wrestle again until after the "Best of Seven" series with Benoit was completed. Booker was scheduled to face Benoit in Match 5 of the Best of Seven Series at the SmackDown! tapings the following night. At the beginning of the show, General Manager Theodore Long said that Booker would have to forfeit. Both Booker and Benoit protested, with Benoit not wanting a cheap victory. Booker managed to persuade Long to allow him to choose a stand-in for the matches. Booker selected Randy Orton
, over an unhappy Orlando Jordan, as his stand-in. Benoit was able to beat Orton in two matches. Orton, however, was able to defeat Benoit in the final match to win the series and the title for Booker T, who held the title until No Way Out
where Benoit won it back.
After losing the title, Booker was involved in a feud with The Boogeyman
, who continually scared Booker and Sharmell over the next few weeks. The feud culminated in a match at WrestleMania 22
on April 2, where both Booker and Sharmell lost to the Boogeyman in a handicap match. The feud came to an end on the April 7 edition of SmackDown! where it was announced that Booker and his wife had taken out a restraining order on the Boogeyman.
Booker next entered the King of the Ring
tournament on SmackDown!, advancing through to the finals due to a bye
as his semi-final opponent, Kurt Angle
, was unable to wrestle. The finals were held at Judgment Day
where Booker defeated Bobby Lashley. Upon winning the King of the Ring tournament, Booker T changed his ring name to King Booker. Under this name, he went on to form "King Booker's Court", which included Queen Sharmell, William Regal, and Finlay
. Over time, King Booker began to act as if he were a real king of "The SmackDown! Kingdom", including mannerisms and appearance of a stereotypical English
-style king, with the members of his court being real citizens of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. His new persona included wearing a crown and speaking in a faux English accent, thus referring to himself as "Book-ah". This was intentionally broken whenever he was riled up, which always drove him to making a tirade in the former Booker T style. King Booker even went as far as having Lashley kiss his "royal" feet. As a result, Lashley defeated King Booker in a steel cage match to retain the United States title.
King Booker won a #1 Contenders battle royal
to win a World title shot at The Great American Bash
. Booker won the World Heavyweight Championship
from Rey Mysterio at the event, after Chavo Guerrero
betrayed Mysterio by hitting him with a steel chair
. This win caused him to proclaim himself as the "King of the World".
King Booker began a rivalry with Batista and lost to him by disqualification at SummerSlam
. However, he defeated Batista at No Mercy
in a match that also included Finlay and Bobby Lashley.
In spite of the break-up of his Court, King Booker defeated Batista on the October 20 edition on SmackDown, due to interference from WWE Champion
John Cena
and then ECW World Champion
Big Show. At Cyber Sunday
, King Booker retained his World Heavyweight Championship after Kevin Federline
interfered and hit John Cena with the World title belt. King Booker became the "Champion of Champions" in a match that marked the first time in which the World Champions from Raw
, SmackDown, and ECW fought against each other. Booker lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Batista on November 26 at Survivor Series
. After losing the World title, Booker feuded alongside former royal court member Finlay against Batista and John Cena, which led up to Armageddon
where they lost.
While competing in the Royal Rumble
match, Booker was eliminated by Kane
. A frustrated Booker returned to the ring illegally and eliminated Kane. This started a short feud between the two resulting in a match at No Way Out
, which Kane won. King Booker won a Money in the Bank
qualifying match, defeating Kane (with assistance from The Great Khali) and earned himself a spot in the match at WrestleMania 23
. At WrestleMania, Matt Hardy
set up Sharmell for a Twist of Fate during the Money in the Bank match with the briefcase in King Booker's grasp - thus forcing him to choose between a guaranteed title shot and his wife. He chose to defend his Queen and lost the match. On the April 6 edition of SmackDown!, Booker attempted to take revenge. However, he lost the match against Matt Hardy, and Sharmell declared her disappointment in him and slapped him. In an attempt to impress his Queen, King Booker attacked The Undertaker but was Tombstoned on an announce table. Booker was removed from television to deal with a knee injury.
On the June 11 edition of Raw, King Booker (along with Queen Sharmell) was drafted from SmackDown! to Raw as part of the WWE Draft
. On July 16, King Booker came to the ring using Triple H
's theme music "The King of Kings", even using his video. King Booker declared that neither Triple H nor Jerry Lawler
could be known as "The King". Booker began a feud with Lawler, defeating him on the August 6 edition of Raw where the loser had to crown the winner the next week. When the time came, Lawler refused, declaring that Triple H was still a king and announcing that King Booker would battle Triple H at SummerSlam
. Booker attacked Lawler, throwing him into the ring post and hitting him with a TV monitor. At SummerSlam, Booker lost to the returning Triple H. On the August 27 edition of Raw, Booker had his last match in the WWE against WWE Champion John Cena in a non-title match which he lost by disqualification when Randy Orton interfered.
In August, he was linked to Signature Pharmacy, a company thought to be distributing performance enhancing drugs. He was suspended by WWE for violating its Wellness Policy. He denied using any drugs and being a customer of Signature Pharmacy. In October 2007, Booker T requested his and Sharmell's release from their WWE contracts, which the WWE granted.
At the Genesis pay-per-view
on November 11, 2007, Huffman debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) as Sting
's mystery partner in a tag team match against Kurt Angle
and Kevin Nash
for the World Heavyweight Championship
, reverting back to his Booker T character. His wife, Sharmell also debuted, interfering in the match on Booker and Sting's behalf when Karen Angle
interfered on behalf of Kurt Angle and Nash.
On the November 29 edition of Impact!
, Booker said he came to TNA to test his skills against the young talent, take TNA to a higher level, and win the World Heavyweight Championship. Robert Roode came to the ring and challenged Booker to a match, claiming he has been pushed down by washed-up wrestlers and has-beens. Booker won his Impact! debut match, but afterwards, Christian Cage and Robert Roode beat down Booker until Kaz
made the save. At Turning Point, Booker and Kaz defeated Roode and Cage when Booker pinned Cage. Booker and Sharmell won a mixed tag team match against Robert Roode and Ms. Brooks
at Final Resolution. After the match, Roode punched Sharmell in the face, leading to a match at Against All Odds. While the punch was intended to be a work, Roode had in fact made contact with Sharmell during the punch, dislocating her jaw and causing her to be off TV for a few weeks, therefore making it into a shoot. The rivalry, however, went ahead as planned where Booker and Roode wrestled to a double-countout at Against All Odds, which saw them brawl to the parking lot. Roode defeated Booker in strap match at Destination X
after hitting Booker with a pair of handcuffs. In a special live edition of Impact!, Booker T and Robert Roode had another outing, this time with the fans being able to vote on the stipulation of the match. At Booker's request during a pre-match promo, the match became a First Blood Match, beating the Last Man Standing and I Quit stipulations. Booker T would go on to win the match-up. At Lockdown
, Booker T and Sharmell defeated Robert Roode and Payton Banks after Sharmell pinned Banks with a roll-up.
Booker T turned heel for the first time in TNA at Sacrifice
by attacking Christian Cage and Rhino from behind with a steel chair
. This came about as a result of losing a tag team match up against Christian Cage and Rhino, with them furthering themselves in the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament. Booker then competed in the King of the Mountain match
for the World Heavyweight Championship
at Slammiversary
. He was seconds away from winning the match, when Kevin Nash
stopped him and performed a Jackknife Powerbomb; Samoa Joe
would later go on to win the match. On the next Impact!, Booker challenged Joe to a title match at Victory Road
, which Joe would later accept. Also around this time he reverted to a gimmick similar to his King Booker gimmick albeit while proclaiming himself a supposed king of Africa. The match at Victory Road ended in a draw after Sharmell replaced the referee and counted after the match was already over. At Hard Justice
, Samoa Joe defeated Booker after a guitar shot, thus reclaiming physical possession of the title belt, which Booker had kept after Victory Road. Later he introduced the TNA Legends Championship (which is now the TNA Television Championship) and became the first official champion and defended it on numerous occasions before losing it to A.J. Styles.
Booker has since formed the Mafia's resident tag team with Scott Steiner, the two setting their sights on the TNA World Tag Team Championship
. At Victory Road
, Steiner and Booker defeated Beer Money, Inc.
to win the World Tag Team Championship. Then at Hard Justice
, Booker T and Steiner retained the World Tag Team Championship against Team 3D. Prior to No Surrender, Booker and Steiner and British Invasion
won a match to gain the man advantage at No Surrender's Lethal Lockdown match against Team 3D and Beer Money, Inc. Even with the man advantage, Booker T and Scott Steiner along with British Invasion lost to Team 3D and Beer Money Inc. at No Surrender when James Storm of Beer Money, Inc. pinned Doug Williams of The British Invasion. At Bound for Glory
Booker and Steiner lost the TNA World Tag Team Titles to the British Invasion in a four way Full Metal Mayhem Tag Team match, which also included Team 3D and Beer Money; during the match Booker was taken out on a stretcher. Afterwards it was reported that the PPV had been Booker's final appearance with the company, and his and Sharmell's profiles were removed from the official TNA roster. On May 21, 2010, Booker T made a one night return to TNA at a live event
in Lake Charles, Louisiana
, replacing A.J. Styles, who was unable to attend the event due to travel issues, and wrestling Rob Van Dam for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort.
on Histeria Boricua, a special event held on January 6, 2009. There he was booked against Carlos "Chicano" Cotto, the incumbent IWA Undisputed Heavyweight Champion
. The match was won by Cotto, who reversed a "Book End" attempt and scored a pinfall victory. On July 11, 2010, Booker T was booked by World Wrestling Council
in a match against Carlito
who also involved Orlando Colón
and El Mesias
. On September 16, 2010, Booker T made his debut for Mexican promotion Perros del Mal
. In the main event of the evening he teamed up with Dr. Wagner, Jr.
and El Mesías
, who represented rival promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
(AAA), against El Hijo del Perro Aguayo
, Damián 666 and Halloween. After Aguayo had pinned El Mesías, Booker turned on Wagner, unmasked him and joined Perros del Mal.
. Booker entered the match at number 21 and was eliminated by Mason Ryan
.
At the February 1 taping of SmackDown, Huffman debuted as the show's new color commentator
, working beside Josh Mathews and Michael Cole
, replacing Matt Striker. He works as a fan favorite
. He was also announced as a coach for the returning Tough Enough
competition, and at Elimination Chamber he introduced Trish Stratus
as a fellow coach. On the June 6 episode of Raw, Booker wrestled his first match on the brand in 4 years, gaining a victory against Jack Swagger by count out. On the November 21 episode of Raw, Cody Rhodes threw water in Booker T’s face after Rhodes allegedly heard Booker T criticize him, thus starting a conflict between the two.
as himself. He has appeared in an episode of Charmed
, called "Wrestling With Demons" alongside Buff Bagwell
and Scott Steiner
. In 2001, along with several other WWF superstars, Booker competed on an episode of the Weakest Link
, being eliminated second from the show. He also has appeared on Comedy Central
and MTV
.
On January 13, 2004, the album WWE Originals
was released featuring Booker T performing "Can You Dig It?".
On April 21, 2007, Booker began hosting a radio show
titled Tea Time with King Booker on KBME 790 AM
in Houston. During the week of November 5, 2007, he appeared on Family Feud
with several other WWE superstars.
, WCW Nitro
, WCW/nWo Thunder
, WCW/nWo Revenge
, WCW Mayhem
, WCW Backstage Assault
, WWE Raw 2
, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth
, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW
, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
, WWE Road to WrestleMania X8
, WWE Survivor Series
WWE WrestleMania X8
, WWE WrestleMania XIX
, WWE WrestleMania 21
, WWE Day of Reckoning
and WWE Day of Reckoning 2
.
and WWE '12
stepped in to raise him and his siblings. In high school, Booker Huffman was a drum major. He also played touch football and basketball.
Booker married his first wife Levestia on February 21, 1996. Booker presented her to the WCW Monday Nitro
crowd the night after his WCW Championship title win at WCW Bash at the Beach 2000. Levestia was also used to further the feud between himself and Jeff Jarrett
when Jarrett hit her in the head with a guitar. However, they divorced on May 8, 2001.
Booker has a son from a previous relationship, Brandon, with whom he has a strained relationship due to his time spent on the road. Booker married his girlfriend of five years, Sharmell Sullivan, in February 2005. The couple welcomed their twins, a boy and a girl, on August 5, 2010. Booker and his brother Lane opened a wrestling school in Houston in 2005.
pay-per-view commercial shoot. It was reported on WWE.com that Huffman got into a real life fist fight with Dave Batista. The fight was believed to stem from the idea that Batista considered himself to be better than the rest of the roster due to his main event status and relatively quick climb to achieve it. It is believed that Batista provoked the fight. According to sources backstage, both men were left bloodied and bruised, however Booker was said to have been praised by many wrestlers in the back for speaking his mind to Batista about his attitude.
restaurants in Houston. Booker and his partners wore Wendy's uniforms during the holdups since they had been working there for 2½ years. Because of the gunmen's uniforms and familiarity with the fast food chain's operations, police suspected the robberies were inside jobs—and it didn't take long before Huffman and three other men were found. Booker pleaded guilty in December 1987 to two aggravated robbery counts and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released after serving about one-third of that term, and was placed on parole until April 1992.
.jpg)
1Booker's fifth WCW World Heavyweight Championship reign overall and first under the WWF banner, where it was known as the WCW Championship.
2Booker's eleventh WCW World Tag Team Championship reign overall and first under the WWF banner.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Booker T, is a semi-retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW). He has also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA
TNA
TNA may refer to:*Tamil National Alliance, a political coalition in Sri Lanka*The National Archives, in the United Kingdom*The New Amsterdams, a band*Threose nucleic acid, an analog of the nucleic acid DNA*Tonga Nurses' Association...
). Huffman is the most decorated black wrestler in history, having held 35 major titles within WWE, WCW and TNA. He is a six-time world champion: a four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
in WCW, and a one-time WCW Champion and World Heavyweight Champion
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
in the WWF/WWE. All six reigns were represented by the Big Gold Belt
Big Gold Belt
The Big Gold Belt is a historic professional wrestling championship belt that has represented multiple world championships throughout its history. It was originally designed in 1985 by silversmith Charles Crumrine and commissioned by Jim Crockett Promotions for NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric...
.
Huffman is the most recent of three men to have held the Big Gold Belt in both WCW and WWE (the others being Bill Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
and Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
), and the only man to enjoy multiple reigns with the belt in both companies. He is also a record six-time WCW World Television Champion
WCW World Television Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
. He was the winner of the WWE King of the Ring tournament in 2006, the sixteenth WWE Triple Crown Champion and the eighth WWE Grand Slam Champion. Also the ninth, and final, WCW Triple Crown Champion, he is the most recent of four men in history to achieve both the WWE and WCW Triple Crown Championships. He was one-half of the tag team Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team made up of two real-life brothers, Booker and Lane Huffman. Booker Huffman took the ring name of Booker T, and Lane Huffman took the ring name of Stevie Ray...
with his brother Lane "Stevie Ray" Huffman
Lane Huffman
Lane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
. They were WCW World Tag Team Champions
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
a record ten times together. Huffman is one of the most decorated tag team champions in wrestling history, winning fifteen World Tag Team titles
World Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in World Wrestling Entertainment . It served as the premier title for tag teams in WWE from 1971 until 2002 when a second WWE Tag Team Championship was established...
between WCW, WWE and TNA.
Early career
Booker Huffman, a single father working at a storage company in Houston, Texas, was looking to make a better life for himself and his son. His brother LaneLane Huffman
Lane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
suggested that he and Booker check out a new wrestling school being opened, run by Ivan Putski
Ivan Putski
Józef Bednarski , is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power"....
, in conjunction with his Western Wrestling Alliance organization. His boss from the storage company loaned him the $3,000 to pay for the wrestling lessons. Booker trained under Scott Casey
Scott Casey
Scott Casey is a retired American professional wrestler who is probably best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation between 1987 and 1990. His brother, Steve, was also a wrestler who appeared in the National Wrestling Alliance in the late 1980s and for the Global Wrestling...
, who helped to turn Booker's background in Gangster and dance into "sports entertainment", teaching the newcomer ring psychology and ring generalship.
Eight weeks later, Booker debuted as "G.I. Bro" on Putski's Western Wrestling Alliance Live! program. The character was a tie-in to the raging Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and the WWF's Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...
angle. Even though the WWA met its demise some time later, Booker continued to wrestle on the Texas indy circuit, often with his brother Stevie Ray. They were spotted by Skandor Akbar who hired them to work for the Global Wrestling Federation
Global Wrestling Federation
Global Wrestling Federation was a professional wrestling promotion based in Dallas, Texas. It started in June 1991 and folded in September 1994. At one time its shows were presented on the ESPN television network. On many weeks, the promotion provided programming five days a week airing at 4 p.m...
(GWF), where he and Eddie Gilbert were involved. Gilbert teamed Stevie Ray and Booker T together as the Ebony Experience, and they won the GWF Tag Team Championship
GWF Tag Team Championship
The GWF Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. The title existed from 1991 until 1994, when GWF closed. The title was featured on the promotion's show that aired nationally on ESPN...
on July 31, 1992. During their time with GWF, they held the tag title a total of three times. Subsequently, Booker T and Stevie Ray left the GWF to work for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
.
Harlem Heat (1993–1997)
Booker and his brother LaneLane Huffman
Lane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
signed with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) after Sid Vicious
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
recommended they sign with the company. In August 1993, they debuted as the tag team Harlem Heat, with Booker renamed Kole and Lane renamed Kane. They became heels and were on Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
and Col. Rob Parker
Robert Fuller
Robert Welch is a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.-Career:...
's team in the WarGames match
WarGames match
The WarGames match was a gimmick match used originally in the National Wrestling Alliance and later held annually in World Championship Wrestling , usually at their Fall Brawl pay-per-view event in September.-History:...
at Fall Brawl on September 19 against Sting, Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, Dustin Rhodes, and The Shockmaster
Fred Ottman
Fred Ottman is a retired American professional wrestler best known as Tugboat or Typhoon and teaming with John "Earthquake" Tenta as The Natural Disasters in the World Wrestling Federation. Ottman is also well-known for his infamous "Shockmaster" gimmick in World Championship Wrestling...
. They lost the match but were over as heels because of the caliber of faces they wrestled.
In 1994, they acquired the services of Sensational Sherri
Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
, dubbed 'Sister' Sherri, as their manager and changed their names back to Booker T and Stevie Ray, at their request. By the end of 1994, they held the WCW Tag Team Championship
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
after defeating Stars 'n' Stripes
Stars 'n' Stripes
Stars 'n' Stripes was a professional wrestling tag team in World Championship Wrestling composed of The Patriot and Marcus Alexander Bagwell.-History:...
(The Patriot
Del Wilkes
Del Wilkes is a former American professional wrestler. Over the span of 14 years, he performed in various promotions such as American Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling...
and Marcus Alexander Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
) in December. After dropping the title to The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, active from the mid to late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Their gimmick was that of anti-social punks who specialized in hardcore wrestling and brawling...
, Harlem Heat regained the belts on June 24, 1995.
Afterward, Harlem Heat got into a feud with Col. Parker's "Stud Stable" of "Dirty" Dick Slater
Dick Slater
Richard Van Slater , better known by his ring name "Dirty" Dick Slater, is a retired American professional wrestler who wrestled in the 1970s, 1980s, and mid 1990s for various promotions including Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling .Slater began wrestling with Mike...
and Bunkhouse Buck
Jimmy Golden
James "Jimmy" Golden is an American professional wrestler, who is better known as Bunkhouse Buck.Golden has many relatives in wrestling: his cousins are Robert & Ron Fuller, his father is Billy Golden and his uncle is Buddy Fuller and his nephew is Eddie Golden. His grandfather is Roy Welch...
. Parker and Sherri were carrying on a love affair and Parker eventually left the Stud Stable in favor of the Heat to be with Sherri. Harlem Heat won the WCW World Tag Team titles at Fall Brawl 1995, defeating Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck. Their third title reign only lasted one day, but the duo regained the tag team title nine days later from The American Males
The American Males
The American Males were a professional wrestling tag team in World Championship Wrestling composed of Marcus Bagwell and Scotty Riggs. Their gimmick was of two "pretty boys" who were fond of their own bodies and popular with women. Riggs was Bagwell's third partner with whom he won the WCW World...
(Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
and Scotty Riggs
Scott Antol
Scott Antol is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring names Scotty Riggs and Scotty Anton, respectively....
). On the June 24, 1996 Nitro, Harlem Heat defeated Lex Luger
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
and Sting to capture their fifth WCW World Tag Team titles. Prior to defeating Luger for the title, Booker got carried away during a televised interview, calling out Luger as well as Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, claiming "Hulk Hogan, we comin' for you, nigga
Nigga
Nigga is a term used in African American Vernacular English that began as an eye dialect form of the word nigger .- Use in language :In practice, its use and meaning are...
!" Three days after losing the tag team titles to the Steiner Brothers, Harlem Heat regained the straps back from the Steiners on July 27. On September 23, Booker T and Stevie Ray were defeated by Public Enemy
The Public Enemy (professional wrestling)
The Public Enemy was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge. The duo competed in many promotions, including Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , National Wrestling Alliance , and the World Wrestling Federation...
(Rocco Rock
Rocco Rock
Theodore James Petty was an American professional wrestler better known as "Flyboy" Rocco Rock, one half of The Public Enemy.-Career:...
and Johnny Grunge
Johnny Grunge
Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge...
) but took the titles back for the seventh time on October 1.
They lost the Tag Team Championship to the Outsiders (Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
and Scott Hall
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
) on October 27. Subsequently, they fired Col. Parker and beat him up and became full-fledged faces. They then entered into a brief feud against Parker's newest team The Amazing French Canadians
The Quebecers
The Quebecers were a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-1993 to mid-1994 and again in 1998 that consisted of Jacques Rougeau and Pierre...
, a feud they won. In 1997, they feuded with "Public Enemy" (Grunge & Rocco), The Steiners, and the nWo
New World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
. In fall 1997, they fired Sherri and added a new manager, Jacqueline
Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. They were briefly put out of action by the nWo and returned to feud with the "Faces of Fear
Faces of Fear
The Faces of Fear was the professional wrestling tag team of Sione Vailahi and Uliuli Fifita. Vailahi wrestled as The Barbarian, and Fifita wrestled as Haku in the World Wrestling Federation and Meng in World Championship Wrestling . They appeared together several times in the WWF as part of The...
" (Meng and The Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
). Stevie then took five months off from WCW to recover from an ankle injury and Jacqueline left for the WWF.
World Television Champion (1997–1998)
Huffman made the transition into singles action and won the WCW World Television ChampionshipWCW World Television Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
from Disco Inferno
Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilbertti is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling as Disco Inferno. He is also a former road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
on the December 29, 1997 edition of Nitro. Booker feuded over the title with Perry Saturn and Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
culminating in a gauntlet match at SuperBrawl VIII. Martel, the man that was originally supposed to win the match, went down early due to a knee injury, meaning the finish and the remainder of the match had to be called in the ring.
In the spring of 1998, Booker began feuding with Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
. Benoit cost Booker the TV title during a match against Fit Finlay
Dave Finlay
David John "Fit" Finlay Jr. is a Northern Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is perhaps best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and WWE as an active wrestler and later as a road agent...
. As a result, Booker and Benoit engaged in a "best-of-seven series" with the winner meeting Finlay for the title. After seven matches and interference from Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
and Stevie Ray, Booker T won the series, and on June 14, regained the Television Championship. He was the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to hold the WCW World Television Championship and the only one to legitimately win the title (Stevie Ray also held and defended the title while Booker was injured).
During a match with Hart, Booker injured his knee and missed several months. When he returned, he quickly regained the TV Championship from Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
, who, in turn, defeated Booker in the finals of the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
tournament. Booker lost the Television title to Rick Steiner
Rick Steiner
Robert Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion...
a month later at Slamboree.
Harlem Heat reunion; Misfits in Action (1999–2000)
By mid-1999, Booker had convinced his brother, Stevie RayLane Huffman
Lane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
, to leave the nWo and reunite Harlem Heat. Harlem Heat defeated Bam Bam Bigelow and Kanyon
Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon and Mortis.-Early career:After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby...
for the WCW World Tag Team titles at Road Wild. They lost the WCW World Tag Team titles to Barry
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
and Kendall Windham
Kendall Windham
Kendall Windham is a former professional wrestler. He is the son of Blackjack Mulligan and the brother of Barry Windham.-Florida Championship Wrestling:...
on August 23, but Harlem Heat regained them about a month later at Fall Brawl. When the Filthy Animals
Filthy Animals
The Filthy Animals was a professional wrestling faction in World Championship Wrestling from 1999 until 2001.-Concept:The Filthy Animals was a group conceived after Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara were hired by WCW. The plan for the stable was to be WCW's version of the World Wrestling Federation's...
were stripped of the WCW World Tag Team belts due to an injury suffered by Rey Mysterio Jr., the title was put up in a three-way dance at Halloween Havoc. Harlem Heat claimed their tenth WCW World Tag Team title defeating Hugh Morrus
Bill DeMott
William Charles "Bill" DeMott II is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Japan...
and Brian Knobbs
Brian Knobbs
Brian Yandrisovitz , better known as Brian Knobbs, is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Jerry Sags.-The Nasty Boys:...
and Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
and Kidman. By late 1999, a female bodybuilder named Midnight
Ann Marie Crooks
Ann Marie Crooks is a Jamaican-born American former female bodybuilder and professional wrestler. She was previously working for World Championship Wrestling in 1999 as Midnight.-Early life:...
had joined Harlem Heat. Stevie neglected her help and started disputing with Booker over her.
Stevie Ray eventually challenged Midnight in a match that decided whether or not she would stay with Harlem Heat. After being defeated with a surprise small package, Stevie Ray turned on both Booker and Midnight to form Harlem Heat, Inc. with Big T
Anthony Norris
Anthony "Tony" Norris , better known by his ring name, Ahmed Johnson, is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation, where he is a one time Intercontinental Champion and the first-ever winner of the Kuwait Cup.-Global Wrestling...
, Kash, and J. Biggs
Clarence Mason
Herman Stevens, Jr. is an American attorney and former professional wrestling manager, best known for his attorney gimmicks as Clarence Mason in the World Wrestling Federation and as J. Biggs in World Championship Wrestling from 1996–1999.-Early life:As a child, Stevens had always wanted...
. Stevie Ray and Big T dubbed themselves Harlem Heat 2000. Throughout this period, Huffman was referred to simply as Booker, as Harlem Heat 2000 won the rights to the name "T" in a match with Big T against Booker on February 20, 2000 at SuperBrawl X. Kidman and Booker T defeated Harlem Heat 2000 (Ray and Big T) at Uncensored 2000.
When Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
formed The New Blood, Huffman eventually completely changed his in-ring persona, joining General Rection's
Bill DeMott
William Charles "Bill" DeMott II is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Japan...
military
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
-themed Misfits In Action
Misfits In Action
The Misfits In Action were a stable in World Championship Wrestling They were originally formed in 2000 from a group of wrestlers that Vince Russo considered too lazy to get over...
stable as G.I. Bro, reprising his gimmick from his days in the WWA. He defeated Shawn Stasiak
Shawn Stasiak
Dr. Shawn Emile Stipich, DC, is an American chiropractor and former professional wrestler. He is best known under the ring name Shawn Stasiak and for his stints with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment, where he is a fifteen time Hardcore Champion, and World Championship Wrestling, where he...
at the Great American Bash in a Boot Camp match. He later returned to the Booker T name.
WCW World Heavyweight Champion (2000–2001)
Huffman was elevated to the main event status in 2000. After WCW booker Vince Russo grew disgruntled with Hulk HoganHulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
's politicking, he fired Hogan during the live broadcast of Bash at the Beach and announced an impromptu match between Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and Huffman for the World Title. Huffman won the match, in the process becoming the second ever African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
champion in WCW after Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
. He was then defeated by Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
on August 28 on Nitro. He regained the title a few weeks later in a steel cage match with Nash at Fall Brawl, but again lost the title, this time to Vince Russo himself in a cage match (Russo was speared out of the cage by Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
and won the title), Russo vacated the title and Booker won it for the third time in a San Francisco 49er Box Match against Jeff Jarrett on the October 2 edition of Nitro.
Booker's next feud was with Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
, to whom he eventually lost the title in a Straitjacket
Straitjacket
A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with overlong sleeves and is typically used to restrain a person who may otherwise cause harm to themselves or others. Once the arms are inserted into the straitjacket's sleeves, they are then crossed across the chest...
steel cage match. Steiner won by TKO when he put an unconscious Booker into the Steiner Recliner at Mayhem. Steiner was WCW's longest reigning champion in years, whilst Booker was briefly out with an injury. Booker returned to the roster and defeated Rick Steiner
Rick Steiner
Robert Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion...
for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
at Greed. This made Booker the ninth (and final) WCW Triple Crown winner
Triple Crown Champion
The Triple Crown Championship is an accomplishment in professional wrestling. It is a distinction made to a professional wrestler who has won three specific championships...
. On the final episode of Nitro, defeated Scott Steiner to win the World title for the fourth time.
Huffman won a total of twenty-three titles in WCW, making him the most decorated athlete in the history of the organization. Booker was also the reigning United States Heavyweight Champion and WCW World Heavyweight Champion when he accepted a contract with the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF).
The Alliance (2001–2002)
After WCW was bought by the World Wrestling Federation in March 2001, Booker T made his debut at the King of the Ring pay-per-view in 2001 attacking WWF ChampionWWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
during his match, promptly injuring him in his very first move in the WWF. He later turned heel and became a leading member of The Alliance during the Invasion storyline. During July 2001, in his debut match in the company, Booker defended his WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
against Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
. At InVasion
WWF InVasion
Invasion was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on July 22, 2001 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio...
, The Alliance defeated Team WWF when Steve Austin joined the Alliance. On July 26, Booker gave up his WCW United States Title
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
and handed it over to Chris Kanyon
Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon and Mortis.-Early career:After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby...
. He later lost the WCW World title to Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, but he went on to win the title back on the July 30 episode of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. Booker kept the title until SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2001)
SummerSlam was the fourteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 19, 2001 at the Compaq Center in San Jose, California...
, when he lost the title to The Rock after feuding with him over the similarity in their gimmicks and their identical finishing moves, the Book End/Rock Bottom. Booker T won the WCW World Tag Team Championship for an eleventh time, this time with Test, and he also had a WWF Tag Team Championship reign with Test. At the Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2001)
Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, Booker T was eliminated third by The Rock after a roll-up and eventually The Alliance was defeated, causing them to disband.
In its aftermath, Booker remained a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, and he joined forces with Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and The Boss Man
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
in December to feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Stone Cold Steve Austin. After Booker T cost Austin a match against Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
for the WWF Undisputed Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
at Vengeance
Vengeance (2001)
Vengeance was the first annual Vengeance professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on December 9, 2001 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California....
, Austin gained revenge by attacking Booker T in a grocery store
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
by covering him in food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
.
Booker T's first WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
appearance was at WrestleMania X8
WrestleMania X8
WrestleMania X8 was the eighteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 17, 2002 at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario. The event marked the final WrestleMania event under the WWF name...
against Edge. They feuded over who would appear in a fictional Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese shampoo
Shampoo
Shampoo is a hair care product used for the removal of oils, dirt, skin particles, dandruff, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair...
commercial. When the brand extension
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
was introduced in March, Booker T was drafted to the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand. Booker held the Hardcore Championship
WWE Hardcore Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
twice in May 2002, defeating Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
only to lose it to Crash Holly
Mike Lockwood
Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly....
seconds later. He then re-defeated Crash and dropped the Belt to Stevie Richards a couple minutes later.
Teaming with Goldust; injury (2002–2003)
Goldust began trying to start a tag team with Booker, but Goldust kept costing Booker matches. With the nWoNew World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
now operating in WWE, Booker T was eventually invited into the faction. His time there was short-lived, when he got (literally) kicked out of the group by Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, who believed Booker T was taking away from his own spotlight. Booker then turned face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
and found a partnership with Goldust and the pair teamed to battle the nWo. Booker and Goldust had a title shot against The Un-Americans
The Un-Americans
The Un-Americans were a professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment who were active throughout mid-2002...
(Christian and Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
) at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2002)
SummerSlam was the fifteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 25, 2002 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York....
, but The Un-Americans retained after interference from Test. At No Mercy
No Mercy (2002)
No Mercy was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment that took place on October 20, 2002, at the Alltel Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas. It was the fifth annual WWE No Mercy event and featured wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown! brand.The event...
, Booker and Goldust battled Chris Jericho and Christian for the tag titles, but they lost the match with Jericho using the title belt on Goldust.
He spent the rest of 2002 teaming with Goldust. They won the World Tag Team Championship at Armageddon
Armageddon (2002)
Armageddon was the third Armageddon professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on December 15, 2002 at the Office Depot Center in the Ft...
in a Tag Team Elimination match defeating the teams of Christian and Chris Jericho, Lance Storm and William Regal, and the Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
. They held the belts for about three weeks, when they lost them to Regal and Storm. Booker and Goldust lost the rematch and decided to go their separate ways. The gimmick for Booker and Goldust was Goldust being a strange, yet dependable ally who Booker eventually warmed up to after initial skepticism. By 2003, however, Booker T's popularity had soared and he amicably separated from Goldust, at Goldust's request, in order to pursue the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
. In February 2003, he eliminated The Rock to win a battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
for the number one contendership, granting him a title shot at WrestleMania XIX
WrestleMania XIX
WrestleMania XIX was the nineteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 30, 2003 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Washington, and the first...
.
Booker targeted Evolution
Evolution (professional wrestling)
Evolution was a villainous professional wrestling stable on WWE's Raw brand between 2003 and 2005. At the height of its existence, the group consisted of Triple H, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, Batista and briefly Eugene....
after Batista and Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
attacked Booker's former partner, Goldust. Several weeks before WrestleMania, the incumbent champion and Evolution's leader, Triple H, cut a controversial promo on Booker T. Triple H downplayed Booker T's WCW success, pointing out that the WCW Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
had been held by non-wrestlers like Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and actor David Arquette
David Arquette
David Arquette is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, fashion designer, and occasional professional wrestler. A member of the Arquette acting family, he first became known during the mid 1990s after starring in several Hollywood films, such as the Scream series, Wild Bill and...
calling WCW and its title "a joke". He said that "people like" Booker T would never win world championships in WWE. This promo is also often interpreted as racist as Triple H also made reference to Booker T's "nappy" hair and comments implying that Booker T was just in WWE to dance and entertain for "people like" Triple H. In the Wrestlemania XIX press conference Michael Cole
Michael Cole
Michael Sean Coulthard , better known by his ring name Michael Cole, is an American professional wrestling commentator, currently signed to WWE on both its Rawand SmackDown brands. Coulthard is a former news journalist....
asked Triple H as to whether he had deliberately cut a racist promo, Triple H claimed this was not the case and that he was just referring to Booker's criminal past. A week later, Booker attacked Triple H in the bathroom, laying him out. However, Booker T lost to Triple H at WrestleMania XIX which has added to the infamy of the promo and feud, as by traditional wrestling booking standards, he should have beaten Triple H. For several weeks, he teamed with Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
in a feud against Triple H, Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, and Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. At Backlash
Backlash (2003)
Backlash was the fifth annual Backlash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Booker's team lost when Triple H pinned Nash after a sledgehammer
Sledgehammer
A sledgehammer is a tool consisting of a large, flat head attached to a lever . The head is typically made of metal. The sledgehammer can apply more impulse than other hammers, due to its large size. Along with the mallet, it shares the ability to distribute force over a wide area...
shot.
Afterward, Booker set his sights on the Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
. After losing a battle royal for the title at Judgment Day
Judgment Day (2003)
Judgment Day was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment that took place on May 18, 2003, at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, Booker feuded with the champion Christian. After a few matches, Booker defeated him to become the new champion. About a month later, because of a nagging back injury, Booker lost the Intercontinental title back to Christian at an untelevised house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
. Booker, meanwhile, was out of action until October.
Teaming with Rob Van Dam; SmackDown!; United States Champion (2003–2004)
When Booker returned in 2003, he announced he would be on Team Austin at the Survivor SeriesSurvivor Series (2003)
Survivor Series was the seventeenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
which would determine if Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
or Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
would be the General Manager of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. Booker's team lost the match, so Austin lost his position as Co-General Manager of Raw. Booker then entered a feud with Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
, the man who eliminated him in the Survivor Series match. Booker defeated Henry at Armageddon
Armageddon (2003)
Armageddon was the fourth Armageddon professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on December 14, 2003 at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando, Florida and was a Raw brand-exclusive event...
.
On the February 16, 2004 edition of Raw, Booker T and Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
defeated Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
and Batista for the World Tag Team Championship. Booker and Van Dam held the titles for a month, even defending the belts at WrestleMania XX
WrestleMania XX
WrestleMania XX was the twentieth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 14, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York....
in a 4 Corners tag team match. They lost the belts eight days later on Raw back to Flair and Batista.
On March 23, 2004 he was "traded" (along with the Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
) to the SmackDown! brand in exchange for Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
, but as part of a new storyline, he appeared unhappy with the move. Later on, Booker T bragged about how he was the biggest star on SmackDown! and turned heel when he began to feud with The Undertaker. Booker tried to utilize voodoo magic in order to try and overcome his "supernatural" foe; however, it did nothing to prevent him from losing to the Undertaker at Judgment Day
Judgment Day (2004)
Judgment Day was the sixth Judgment Day pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . This event took place on May 16, 2004 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California....
.
In mid-2004, Booker T set his sights on the United States Championship
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
along with its champion, John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
. After Cena got on the bad side of General Manager Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, he did his best to get the title away from Cena. Cena successfully defended the title at The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2004)
The Great American Bash was the 1st Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event, and the first produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on June 27, 2004 at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event...
in a four-way elimination match against Booker, René Duprée
René Goguen
René Goguen better known by his ring name René Duprée, is a French Canadian professional wrestler. Goguen is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Sylvain Grenier as the tag team La Résistance and a one time WWE Tag Team...
, and Rob Van Dam. After General Manager Kurt Angle stripped Cena of his title, Booker took advantage of the situation and won an eight-man elimination match to become United States Champion. Booker and Cena participated in a best-of-five series of matches for the United States Championship. It culminated at No Mercy
No Mercy (2004)
No Mercy was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on October 3, 2004 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was the fifth annual No Mercy event, and featured eight professional wrestling matches...
, where Cena won the title.
Pursuit of the WWE Championship (2004–2006)
On October 21, SmackDown! General Manager Theodore LongTheodore Long
Theodore R. "Teddy" Long is an American professional wrestling manager and former referee who currently works for WWE on its SmackDown brand as its General Manager.-National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling:...
placed Booker in a six man tag team match with Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio against John "Bradshaw" Layfield
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
(JBL), René Duprée
René Goguen
René Goguen better known by his ring name René Duprée, is a French Canadian professional wrestler. Goguen is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Sylvain Grenier as the tag team La Résistance and a one time WWE Tag Team...
, and Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...
. JBL expected Booker to betray his partners, but instead Booker pinned him, thus turning face again. Booker T faced JBL for the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
at the Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2004)
Survivor Series was the eighteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
on November 14, but lost after he was hit in the head with the championship belt. The next night, Booker T demanded a rematch, citing Orlando Jordan
Orlando Jordan
Orlando Jordan is an American professional wrestler, most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Jordan is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time United States Champion....
's interference. He was then joined by Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
and The Undertaker who also wanted a shot at JBL's title, prompting Theodore Long to make a Fatal Four way match for the WWE Championship at Armageddon
Armageddon (2004)
Armageddon was the fifth annual Armageddon professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on December 12, 2004 at the Gwinnett Center in the Atlanta suburb of Duluth, Georgia. Nine professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event's card...
. Once again, Booker failed to win the title, as JBL retained it.
He then briefly teamed with Eddie Guerrero and feuded with Heidenreich
Jon Heidenreich
Jon Heidenreich is an American professional wrestler, better known simply as Heidenreich. He is best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one time WWE Tag Team Champion with Road Warrior Animal as a part of the Road Warriors.-Early career:Prior to professional...
. Booker won a 30-Man Battle Royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
dark match at WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21 was the twenty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It started off with an interpormotional battle royal, for which Booker T...
last eliminating Raw's Viscera
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Chris Masters
Christopher Todd Mordetzky is an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Chris Masters. He is best known for his tenure with WWE.-Early career:...
. Subsequently, Booker was part of the tournament to name a new number one contender and made it to the Final Four. After Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
eliminated Booker, he returned the favor, costing Angle the match against JBL. The storyline then turned to a sexual nature, as Angle began stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
Booker's new wife, Sharmell. Booker defeated Angle at Judgment Day
Judgment Day (2005)
Judgment Day was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was the seventh annual event of the same name and took place on May 22, 2005 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
. On the May 26 edition of SmackDown!, Booker participated in a "Winners Choice" Battle Royal, with the winner choosing his opponent for the next week. Kurt Angle won and wanted to wrestle Sharmell. Booker protested, and the match was made into a Handicap match. Angle won by pinning Sharmell in a sexual position. The next week, Booker gained revenge on Angle, defeating him with a Scissors Kick.
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, and Booker T. During the match, Booker got specifically involved with Christian. Booker later defeated Christian at The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2005)
The Great American Bash was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment .It was the second annual event and took place on July 24, 2005, at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York...
. Booker T began teaming with Chris Benoit, eying the United States Championship again. Meanwhile, after a series of matches with MNM
MNM
MNM was a villainous professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment and Ohio Valley Wrestling that consisted of Joey Mercury , Johnny Nitro, and their manager Melina Perez....
, Sharmell introduced some heelish
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
characteristics unknown to Booker. Benoit was allowed to pick his next challenger to see who would face him at No Mercy
No Mercy (2005)
No Mercy was the eighth annual No Mercy professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on October 9, 2005 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas and featured wrestlers and other talent from WWE's SmackDown! brand...
, so Booker, Christian, and Orlando Jordan tried to impress Benoit by winning matches. He could not choose, so he made it a Fatal Four-way for No Mercy, where Benoit successfully defended his title. On the October 21 edition of SmackDown!, Booker T defeated Benoit for the United States Championship, due to an unseen assist from Sharmell. Theodore Long later showed footage of Sharmell interfering in Booker's matches. Later, Booker and Sharmell went to apologize to Benoit and give him a rematch, but instead, he attacked Benoit, and busted him open with the U.S. title officially turning heel once again. Booker then boasted that he had been fully aware of what Sharmell had been doing and had been playing dumb to fool everyone.
On November 25, Booker T fought against Benoit for the United States Championship. The match ended when Benoit superplexed Booker and two referees made a three count on either competitor, claiming that their wrestler had won. Booker was stripped of the belt by Theodore Long, because of the confusion of who won since they pinned each other at the same time. Long decided to put Benoit and Booker against each other in a best of seven series, just as the two had in their WCW days. Booker took an early 3–0 lead. In a must win match during Armageddon
Armageddon (2005)
Armageddon was the sixth Armageddon professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on December 18, 2005 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event.The main event was a Hell in a Cell...
, Benoit was able to defeat Booker T to bring the series to 3–1. At a house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
on December 2, however, Booker was injured, and he did not wrestle again until after the "Best of Seven" series with Benoit was completed. Booker was scheduled to face Benoit in Match 5 of the Best of Seven Series at the SmackDown! tapings the following night. At the beginning of the show, General Manager Theodore Long said that Booker would have to forfeit. Both Booker and Benoit protested, with Benoit not wanting a cheap victory. Booker managed to persuade Long to allow him to choose a stand-in for the matches. Booker selected Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
, over an unhappy Orlando Jordan, as his stand-in. Benoit was able to beat Orton in two matches. Orton, however, was able to defeat Benoit in the final match to win the series and the title for Booker T, who held the title until No Way Out
No Way Out (2006)
No Way Out was the eighth annual No Way Out professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on February 19, 2006 at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event...
where Benoit won it back.
After losing the title, Booker was involved in a feud with The Boogeyman
Marty Wright
Martin "Marty" Wright is an American professional wrestler and actor best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name The Boogeyman.-Tough Enough:...
, who continually scared Booker and Sharmell over the next few weeks. The feud culminated in a match at WrestleMania 22
WrestleMania 22
Notes: .The predominant feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton over the World Heavyweight Championship. Mysterio won the 2006 Royal Rumble match, last eliminating Orton, to earn a World Championship match at WrestleMania. At No Way Out, Orton defeated...
on April 2, where both Booker and Sharmell lost to the Boogeyman in a handicap match. The feud came to an end on the April 7 edition of SmackDown! where it was announced that Booker and his wife had taken out a restraining order on the Boogeyman.
King Booker and World Heavyweight Champion (2006–2007)
King of the Ring (2006)
King of the Ring was the seventeenth King of the Ring tournament produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . The tournament was held between April 14 and May 21, 2006. It was the second King of the Ring tournament to take place after WWE's brand extension...
tournament on SmackDown!, advancing through to the finals due to a bye
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
as his semi-final opponent, Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, was unable to wrestle. The finals were held at Judgment Day
Judgment Day (2006)
Judgment Day was the eighth annual Judgment Day professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
where Booker defeated Bobby Lashley. Upon winning the King of the Ring tournament, Booker T changed his ring name to King Booker. Under this name, he went on to form "King Booker's Court", which included Queen Sharmell, William Regal, and Finlay
Dave Finlay
David John "Fit" Finlay Jr. is a Northern Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is perhaps best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and WWE as an active wrestler and later as a road agent...
. Over time, King Booker began to act as if he were a real king of "The SmackDown! Kingdom", including mannerisms and appearance of a stereotypical English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-style king, with the members of his court being real citizens of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. His new persona included wearing a crown and speaking in a faux English accent, thus referring to himself as "Book-ah". This was intentionally broken whenever he was riled up, which always drove him to making a tirade in the former Booker T style. King Booker even went as far as having Lashley kiss his "royal" feet. As a result, Lashley defeated King Booker in a steel cage match to retain the United States title.
King Booker won a #1 Contenders battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to win a World title shot at The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2006)
The Great American Bash was the third annual Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
. Booker won the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
from Rey Mysterio at the event, after Chavo Guerrero
Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
betrayed Mysterio by hitting him with a steel chair
Folding chair
A folding chair is a light, portable chair that that folds flat, and can be stored in a stack, row, or on a cart.-Uses:Folding chairs are generally used for seating in areas where permanent seating is not possible or practical. This includes outdoor and indoor events such as funerals, college...
. This win caused him to proclaim himself as the "King of the World".
King Booker began a rivalry with Batista and lost to him by disqualification at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2006)
SummerSlam was the nineteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 20, 2006 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, and featured performers from the Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW brands...
. However, he defeated Batista at No Mercy
No Mercy (2006)
No Mercy was the eighth annual No Mercy professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on October 8, 2006 from the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event.The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for...
in a match that also included Finlay and Bobby Lashley.
In spite of the break-up of his Court, King Booker defeated Batista on the October 20 edition on SmackDown, due to interference from WWE Champion
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
and then ECW World Champion
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
Big Show. At Cyber Sunday
Cyber Sunday (2006)
Cyber Sunday was the first annual Cyber Sunday professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on November 5, 2006 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, with 7,000 fans attending...
, King Booker retained his World Heavyweight Championship after Kevin Federline
Kevin Federline
Kevin Earl Federline is an American dancer, rapper, fashion model, and actor. Previously engaged to actress Shar Jackson, Federline is best known for his two-year marriage to pop singer Britney Spears...
interfered and hit John Cena with the World title belt. King Booker became the "Champion of Champions" in a match that marked the first time in which the World Champions from Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, SmackDown, and ECW fought against each other. Booker lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Batista on November 26 at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2006)
Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was the twentieth annual Survivor Series event, and it took place on November 26, 2006 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The main match on the SmackDown brand was King...
. After losing the World title, Booker feuded alongside former royal court member Finlay against Batista and John Cena, which led up to Armageddon
Armageddon (2006)
Armageddon was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on December 17, 2006 at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. The event starred wrestlers from the SmackDown! brand.The main event was a tag team match, in which the team...
where they lost.
While competing in the Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (2007)
Royal Rumble was the twentieth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 28, 2007 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown! and ECW brands. This marked the first...
match, Booker was eliminated by Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
. A frustrated Booker returned to the ring illegally and eliminated Kane. This started a short feud between the two resulting in a match at No Way Out
No Way Out (2007)
No Way Out was the ninth annual No Way Out pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on February 18, 2007 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California and was the final branded pay-per-view before all pay-per-view events became tri-branded.The main event was...
, which Kane won. King Booker won a Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank ladder match
The Money in the Bank ladder match is a professional wrestling ladder match held by WWE. The match can feature anywhere from six to ten participants from any WWE brand, with the objective being to retrieve a briefcase that is suspended 20 feet above the ring...
qualifying match, defeating Kane (with assistance from The Great Khali) and earned himself a spot in the match at WrestleMania 23
WrestleMania 23
WrestleMania 23 was the twenty-third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 1, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan...
. At WrestleMania, Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
set up Sharmell for a Twist of Fate during the Money in the Bank match with the briefcase in King Booker's grasp - thus forcing him to choose between a guaranteed title shot and his wife. He chose to defend his Queen and lost the match. On the April 6 edition of SmackDown!, Booker attempted to take revenge. However, he lost the match against Matt Hardy, and Sharmell declared her disappointment in him and slapped him. In an attempt to impress his Queen, King Booker attacked The Undertaker but was Tombstoned on an announce table. Booker was removed from television to deal with a knee injury.
On the June 11 edition of Raw, King Booker (along with Queen Sharmell) was drafted from SmackDown! to Raw as part of the WWE Draft
2007 WWE Draft
The 2007 World Wrestling Entertainment Draft Lottery took place at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on June 11, 2007. The first half of the draft was televised live for three hours on WWE's flagship program, Raw on USA Network...
. On July 16, King Booker came to the ring using Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
's theme music "The King of Kings", even using his video. King Booker declared that neither Triple H nor Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
could be known as "The King". Booker began a feud with Lawler, defeating him on the August 6 edition of Raw where the loser had to crown the winner the next week. When the time came, Lawler refused, declaring that Triple H was still a king and announcing that King Booker would battle Triple H at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2007)
SummerSlam was the twentieth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 26, 2007 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey and featured talent from each of WWE's three brands: Raw,...
. Booker attacked Lawler, throwing him into the ring post and hitting him with a TV monitor. At SummerSlam, Booker lost to the returning Triple H. On the August 27 edition of Raw, Booker had his last match in the WWE against WWE Champion John Cena in a non-title match which he lost by disqualification when Randy Orton interfered.
In August, he was linked to Signature Pharmacy, a company thought to be distributing performance enhancing drugs. He was suspended by WWE for violating its Wellness Policy. He denied using any drugs and being a customer of Signature Pharmacy. In October 2007, Booker T requested his and Sharmell's release from their WWE contracts, which the WWE granted.
Feuding with Robert Roode (2007–2008)
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
on November 11, 2007, Huffman debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) as Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
's mystery partner in a tag team match against Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
for the World Heavyweight Championship
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
, reverting back to his Booker T character. His wife, Sharmell also debuted, interfering in the match on Booker and Sting's behalf when Karen Angle
Karen Angle
Karen Jarrett is an American professional wrestling valet and personality, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
interfered on behalf of Kurt Angle and Nash.
On the November 29 edition of Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, Booker said he came to TNA to test his skills against the young talent, take TNA to a higher level, and win the World Heavyweight Championship. Robert Roode came to the ring and challenged Booker to a match, claiming he has been pushed down by washed-up wrestlers and has-beens. Booker won his Impact! debut match, but afterwards, Christian Cage and Robert Roode beat down Booker until Kaz
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
made the save. At Turning Point, Booker and Kaz defeated Roode and Cage when Booker pinned Cage. Booker and Sharmell won a mixed tag team match against Robert Roode and Ms. Brooks
Tracy Brookshaw
Tracy Brookshaw is a Canadian professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet and professional wrestling referee, better known by her ring name Traci Brooks. She is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she has spent most of her career.-Early life:Brookshaw grew up on a...
at Final Resolution. After the match, Roode punched Sharmell in the face, leading to a match at Against All Odds. While the punch was intended to be a work, Roode had in fact made contact with Sharmell during the punch, dislocating her jaw and causing her to be off TV for a few weeks, therefore making it into a shoot. The rivalry, however, went ahead as planned where Booker and Roode wrestled to a double-countout at Against All Odds, which saw them brawl to the parking lot. Roode defeated Booker in strap match at Destination X
Destination X (2008)
Destination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on March 9, 2008 at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia. It was the fourth event under the Destination X chronology and the third event in the 2008 TNA PPV...
after hitting Booker with a pair of handcuffs. In a special live edition of Impact!, Booker T and Robert Roode had another outing, this time with the fans being able to vote on the stipulation of the match. At Booker's request during a pre-match promo, the match became a First Blood Match, beating the Last Man Standing and I Quit stipulations. Booker T would go on to win the match-up. At Lockdown
Lockdown (2008)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on April 13, 2008 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was the fourth annual event under the Lockdown chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured...
, Booker T and Sharmell defeated Robert Roode and Payton Banks after Sharmell pinned Banks with a roll-up.
The Main Event Mafia (2008–2009)
Sacrifice (2008)
Sacrifice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on May 11, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fourth event under the Sacrifice chronology...
by attacking Christian Cage and Rhino from behind with a steel chair
Folding chair
A folding chair is a light, portable chair that that folds flat, and can be stored in a stack, row, or on a cart.-Uses:Folding chairs are generally used for seating in areas where permanent seating is not possible or practical. This includes outdoor and indoor events such as funerals, college...
. This came about as a result of losing a tag team match up against Christian Cage and Rhino, with them furthering themselves in the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament. Booker then competed in the King of the Mountain match
King of the Mountain match
The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009...
for the World Heavyweight Championship
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
at Slammiversary
Slammiversary (2008)
Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 8, 2008 from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi. It was the fourth event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the sixth anniversary of the...
. He was seconds away from winning the match, when Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
stopped him and performed a Jackknife Powerbomb; Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
would later go on to win the match. On the next Impact!, Booker challenged Joe to a title match at Victory Road
Victory Road (2008)
Victory Road was the fourth Victory Road professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by American promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, which Joe would later accept. Also around this time he reverted to a gimmick similar to his King Booker gimmick albeit while proclaiming himself a supposed king of Africa. The match at Victory Road ended in a draw after Sharmell replaced the referee and counted after the match was already over. At Hard Justice
Hard Justice (2008)
Hard Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 10, 2008 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. It was the fourth annual event under the Hard Justice chronology...
, Samoa Joe defeated Booker after a guitar shot, thus reclaiming physical possession of the title belt, which Booker had kept after Victory Road. Later he introduced the TNA Legends Championship (which is now the TNA Television Championship) and became the first official champion and defended it on numerous occasions before losing it to A.J. Styles.
Booker has since formed the Mafia's resident tag team with Scott Steiner, the two setting their sights on the TNA World Tag Team Championship
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
. At Victory Road
Victory Road (2009)
Victory Road was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on July 19, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
, Steiner and Booker defeated Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc. was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Robert "Bobby" Roode and James Storm in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where they are former four-time TNA World Tag Team Champions, while also holding the record for the longest reign as...
to win the World Tag Team Championship. Then at Hard Justice
Hard Justice (2009)
Hard Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on August 16, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fifth event under the Hard Justice chronology....
, Booker T and Steiner retained the World Tag Team Championship against Team 3D. Prior to No Surrender, Booker and Steiner and British Invasion
The British Invasion (professional wrestling)
The British Invasion is a professional wrestling alliance in the American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , currently consisting of English wrestlers Douglas Williams and Magnus. The group previously also included their Welsh enforcer Rob Terry...
won a match to gain the man advantage at No Surrender's Lethal Lockdown match against Team 3D and Beer Money, Inc. Even with the man advantage, Booker T and Scott Steiner along with British Invasion lost to Team 3D and Beer Money Inc. at No Surrender when James Storm of Beer Money, Inc. pinned Doug Williams of The British Invasion. At Bound for Glory
Bound for Glory (2009)
Bound for Glory was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on October 18, 2009 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, California. It was the fifth event under the Bound for Glory chronology. The Event was the Premiere...
Booker and Steiner lost the TNA World Tag Team Titles to the British Invasion in a four way Full Metal Mayhem Tag Team match, which also included Team 3D and Beer Money; during the match Booker was taken out on a stretcher. Afterwards it was reported that the PPV had been Booker's final appearance with the company, and his and Sharmell's profiles were removed from the official TNA roster. On May 21, 2010, Booker T made a one night return to TNA at a live event
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, replacing A.J. Styles, who was unable to attend the event due to travel issues, and wrestling Rob Van Dam for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort.
Puerto Rico and Mexico (2009–2010)
Booker T debuted in the International Wrestling AssociationInternational Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
on Histeria Boricua, a special event held on January 6, 2009. There he was booked against Carlos "Chicano" Cotto, the incumbent IWA Undisputed Heavyweight Champion
IWA World Heavyweight Championship
The IWA Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the International Wrestling Association...
. The match was won by Cotto, who reversed a "Book End" attempt and scored a pinfall victory. On July 11, 2010, Booker T was booked by World Wrestling Council
World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
in a match against Carlito
Carly Colon
Carlos Edwin "Carly" Colón, Jr. is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler better known internationally by his ring name Carlito. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Entertainment , but was released from his contract on May 21, 2010. In his native Puerto Rico, he is known as both...
who also involved Orlando Colón
Orlando Colón
Orlando Colón is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began working in Hybrid Pro Wrestling, an independent circuit in Schoolcraft, Michigan. In 2006, Colón debuted in the World Wrestling Council, a promotion owned by his uncle, Carlos Colón. While working with WWC, he had a brief...
and El Mesias
Ricky Banderas
Gilbert Cosme better known by his ring names El Mesías and Ricky Banderas, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his career in the International Wrestling Association based on Puerto Rico...
. On September 16, 2010, Booker T made his debut for Mexican promotion Perros del Mal
Perros del Mal (promotion)
Perros del Mal Producciones , often referred to as just Perros del Mal, is a Mexican professional wrestling promotion founded in October, 2007 by Perro Aguayo, Jr. when he left Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre to form his own group...
. In the main event of the evening he teamed up with Dr. Wagner, Jr.
Dr. Wagner, Jr.
Juan Manuel González Barrón is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado who is best known under the ring name Dr. Wagner, Jr.. As Dr. Wagner, Jr...
and El Mesías
Ricky Banderas
Gilbert Cosme better known by his ring names El Mesías and Ricky Banderas, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his career in the International Wrestling Association based on Puerto Rico...
, who represented rival promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
(AAA), against El Hijo del Perro Aguayo
Perro Aguayo, Jr.
Pedro Aguayo Ramírez is a Mexican professional wrestler and promoter who achieved fame in lucha libre as Perro Aguayo, Jr. or El Hijo del Perro Aguayo . He is legitimately the son of lucha libre legend Perro Aguayo and not a storyline "Junior"...
, Damián 666 and Halloween. After Aguayo had pinned El Mesías, Booker turned on Wagner, unmasked him and joined Perros del Mal.
Return to World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE (2011–present)
On January 30, 2011 Booker T returned to WWE to take part in the Royal RumbleRoyal Rumble (2011)
Royal Rumble was the 24th annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on January 30, 2011 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts....
. Booker entered the match at number 21 and was eliminated by Mason Ryan
Barri Griffiths
Barri Griffiths is a Welsh professional wrestler and former Gladiators competitor, also known as Goliath and by his ring name Mason Ryan. He is signed to WWE, where he wrestles on the Raw brand.He was also a member of The Nexus...
.
At the February 1 taping of SmackDown, Huffman debuted as the show's new color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
, working beside Josh Mathews and Michael Cole
Michael Cole
Michael Sean Coulthard , better known by his ring name Michael Cole, is an American professional wrestling commentator, currently signed to WWE on both its Rawand SmackDown brands. Coulthard is a former news journalist....
, replacing Matt Striker. He works as a fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
. He was also announced as a coach for the returning Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
competition, and at Elimination Chamber he introduced Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
as a fellow coach. On the June 6 episode of Raw, Booker wrestled his first match on the brand in 4 years, gaining a victory against Jack Swagger by count out. On the November 21 episode of Raw, Cody Rhodes threw water in Booker T’s face after Rhodes allegedly heard Booker T criticize him, thus starting a conflict between the two.
Other media
In 2000, Booker appeared in the film Ready to RumbleReady to Rumble
Ready to Rumble is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Brill, which is based on Turner Broadcasting's now defunct professional wrestling promotion, World Championship Wrestling...
as himself. He has appeared in an episode of Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
, called "Wrestling With Demons" alongside Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
and Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
. In 2001, along with several other WWF superstars, Booker competed on an episode of the Weakest Link
Weakest Link (US game show)
The Weakest Link is an American game show that aired on NBC from April 16, 2001 to July 14, 2002. It is based on the British show of the same name. Ten episodes were left unaired until appearing on PAX in 2002, with the remainder eventually airing on GSN...
, being eliminated second from the show. He also has appeared on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
On January 13, 2004, the album WWE Originals
WWE Originals
WWE Originals is an album recorded by various World Wrestling Entertainment performers. They each recorded a song that was true to their musical tastes, with Stone Cold Steve Austin appearing on five short spoken tracks with Jim Johnston as interludes...
was released featuring Booker T performing "Can You Dig It?".
On April 21, 2007, Booker began hosting a radio show
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
titled Tea Time with King Booker on KBME 790 AM
KBME (AM)
KBME AM is a sports-talk radio station in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. It is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. The station airs local sports-talk every weekday from 6am until 9pm and carries nationally syndicated Fox Sports Radio programming.-History:The station first went...
in Houston. During the week of November 5, 2007, he appeared on Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
with several other WWE superstars.
Video games
Booker T has appeared in twenty-three video games, those being TNA Impact!: Cross the Line, TNA IMPACT!TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, WCW Nitro
WCW Nitro (video game)
WCW Nitro is a video game based on the professional wrestling TV show WCW Monday Nitro. Released by THQ for the PlayStation game console in January 1998, the game featured a large roster of playable WCW wrestlers as well as full motion video clips of the TV show. The game was followed by WCW/nWo...
, WCW/nWo Thunder
WCW/nWo Thunder
WCW/nWo Thunder is a video game released on the PlayStation console by THQ. Thunder is the sequel to WCW Nitro. This game combined the rosters from the Nintendo 64 and PC games with a host of new and unusual characters...
, WCW/nWo Revenge
WCW/nWo Revenge
WCW/nWo Revenge is a professional wrestling video game released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 game console. It is the sequel to 1997's WCW vs. nWo: World Tour and would be THQ's last game for World Championship Wrestling...
, WCW Mayhem
WCW Mayhem (video game)
WCW Mayhem is a professional wrestling video game by Electronic Arts, which shares its name with a World Championship Wrestling pay-per-view event. The first WCW game produced by EA, it was released for PlayStation and Nintendo 64 in 1999 and for the Game Boy Color the following year.The game...
, WCW Backstage Assault
WCW Backstage Assault
WCW Backstage Assault is a professional wrestling video game by Electronic Arts. It was the final World Championship Wrestling game released before the company was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation . Backstage Assault features commentary by Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan...
, WWE Raw 2
WWE RAW 2
WWE Raw 2 is a video game released for the Xbox console by THQ in 2003, and developed by Tokyo-based company Anchor Inc. It is the sequel to the WWE Raw game that was released in 2002.-Gameplay:...
, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth
WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth
WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console by THQ and developed by Yuke's. It is part of the WWE SmackDown! WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth (Known as Exciting Pro Wrestling 4 in Japan) is a professional wrestling video game released...
, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain is a video game released on the PlayStation 2 console by THQ on October 27, 2003. It is a sequel to WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth and is part of the WWE SmackDown! WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (Known as Exciting Pro Wrestling 5 in Japan) is a video game...
, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw , is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console by THQ and developed by Yuke's. It is part of the WWE SmackDown vs...
, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 , is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console and the PlayStation Portable handheld console by THQ and developed by Yuke's. It is part of the WWE SmackDown vs...
, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is a professional wrestling video game released by THQ and developed by YUKE's Future Media Creators. The game is based on the professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the eighth installment in the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series and is the...
, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS video game consoles by THQ in November 2007. Amaze Entertainment oversaw development for the Nintendo DS...
, WWE Road to WrestleMania X8
WWE Road to WrestleMania X8
WWE Road to WrestleMania X8 is a video game released on the Game Boy Advance handheld console by THQ, based on WWE's pay-per-view of the same name. It featured improved gameplay and grappling technics to its predecessor. This game was the successor to WWF Road to WrestleMania. The game was...
, WWE Survivor Series
WWE Survivor Series
WWE Survivor Series is a professional wrestling video game released on the Game Boy Advance handheld console by THQ, based on World Wrestling Entertainment annual pay-per-view of the same name. This game was the sequel to 2002's Road to WrestleMania X8, and was also the last WWE video game...
WWE WrestleMania X8
WWE WrestleMania X8
WWF WrestleMania X8, is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released on the Nintendo GameCube by THQ in June 2002. The game was succeeded by WWE WrestleMania XIX for the GameCube...
, WWE WrestleMania XIX
WWE WrestleMania XIX
WWE WrestleMania XIX is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube by THQ in late 2003. It's the second of four annual WWE licensed video games for the console....
, WWE WrestleMania 21
WWE WrestleMania 21
WWE WrestleMania 21 is a professional wrestling video game released on the Xbox console by THQ. It is based on WWE's pay-per-view event of the same name. It is also the successor to WrestleMania XIX...
, WWE Day of Reckoning
WWE Day of Reckoning
WWE Day of Reckoning is a professional wrestling video game released for the Nintendo GameCube console in 2004. The game is based on World Wrestling Entertainment and many of the wrestlers who were on the WWE roster at the time of release were included as player characters...
and WWE Day of Reckoning 2
WWE Day of Reckoning 2
WWE Day of Reckoning 2 is a video game released on the Nintendo GameCube console by THQ. The sequel to WWE Day of Reckoning, it became a "Player's Choice" game on July 5, 2006...
.
and WWE '12
WWE '12
WWE '12 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the first game in the WWE series and the fourteenth overall in the combined series. It is the sequel to WWE SmackDown vs...
Personal life
Booker was born the youngest of eight children, in Houston's tough South Park neighborhood. By the time Booker was fourteen, both of his parents had died, and his brother Lane "Stevie Ray" HuffmanLane Huffman
Lane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
stepped in to raise him and his siblings. In high school, Booker Huffman was a drum major. He also played touch football and basketball.
Booker married his first wife Levestia on February 21, 1996. Booker presented her to the WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
crowd the night after his WCW Championship title win at WCW Bash at the Beach 2000. Levestia was also used to further the feud between himself and Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
when Jarrett hit her in the head with a guitar. However, they divorced on May 8, 2001.
Booker has a son from a previous relationship, Brandon, with whom he has a strained relationship due to his time spent on the road. Booker married his girlfriend of five years, Sharmell Sullivan, in February 2005. The couple welcomed their twins, a boy and a girl, on August 5, 2010. Booker and his brother Lane opened a wrestling school in Houston in 2005.
Backstage problems
Huffman had backstage problems in 2006 at a SummerSlamSummerSlam (2006)
SummerSlam was the nineteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 20, 2006 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, and featured performers from the Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW brands...
pay-per-view commercial shoot. It was reported on WWE.com that Huffman got into a real life fist fight with Dave Batista. The fight was believed to stem from the idea that Batista considered himself to be better than the rest of the roster due to his main event status and relatively quick climb to achieve it. It is believed that Batista provoked the fight. According to sources backstage, both men were left bloodied and bruised, however Booker was said to have been praised by many wrestlers in the back for speaking his mind to Batista about his attitude.
Prison
Booker is a convicted felon who spent nineteen months in prison after pleading guilty to armed robberies at Wendy'sWendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
restaurants in Houston. Booker and his partners wore Wendy's uniforms during the holdups since they had been working there for 2½ years. Because of the gunmen's uniforms and familiarity with the fast food chain's operations, police suspected the robberies were inside jobs—and it didn't take long before Huffman and three other men were found. Booker pleaded guilty in December 1987 to two aggravated robbery counts and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released after serving about one-third of that term, and was placed on parole until April 1992.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
-
- Book End (Lifting side slam)
- Ghetto Blaster (WCWWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
) / Scissors kick, sometimes while diving from the top rope, and often followed by a Spin-a-Roonie (Breakdance windmill) (WWE / TNATotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
)
- Signature moves
-
- 110th Street Slam (High-impact delayed spinebuster)
- Forearm smash, sometimes from the top rope
- Harlem Hangover (WCW) / Houston Hangover (WWF/E) (Somersault leg drop)
- Harlem Sidekick / Houston Sidekick (Jumping calf kick)
- Heat Seeker (Missile dropkick)
- Spinning crescentRoundhouse kickA roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
- Spinning heel
- Superkick
- Repeated knee strikes to the head from a double collar tie clinch
- Repeated backhand chops, oftentimes in the corner, with theatrics.
- Running knee drop, with theatrics
- Russian legsweep
- Sidewalk slam
- Sunset flip from out of the corner, as a counter to an oncoming opponent
- With Stevie RayLane HuffmanLane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
- Big Apple Blast (Elevated bearhug (Stevie) / Harlem Sidekick (Booker) combination)
- Heat Bomb (Powerbomb (Stevie) / Diving elbow drop (Booker) combination)
- Heat Seeker (Electric chair (Stevie) / Heat Seeker (Booker) combination)
- Towering Inferno (Backbreaker (Stevie) / Diving leg drop (Booker) combination)
- With Scott SteinerScott SteinerScott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
- Bearhug hold (Steiner) / Jumping calf kick (Booker) combination
- Double chokeslam
- Nicknames
- "Book"
- "The Booker-man"
- "The former 5-Time WCW ChampionWCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
" - "The Six Times World Champion
- "Master of the Spin-a-Roonie"
- "King" BookerKing of the Ring (2006)King of the Ring was the seventeenth King of the Ring tournament produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . The tournament was held between April 14 and May 21, 2006. It was the second King of the Ring tournament to take place after WWE's brand extension...
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Col. Robert ParkerRobert FullerRobert Welch is a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.-Career:...
- Sister SherriSherri MartelSherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
- JacquelineJacqueline MooreJacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
- MidnightAnn Marie CrooksAnn Marie Crooks is a Jamaican-born American former female bodybuilder and professional wrestler. She was previously working for World Championship Wrestling in 1999 as Midnight.-Early life:...
- Shane McMahonShane McMahonShane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda...
- The Boss ManRay TraylorRay Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
- Sharmell
- TraciTracy BrookshawTracy Brookshaw is a Canadian professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet and professional wrestling referee, better known by her ring name Traci Brooks. She is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she has spent most of her career.-Early life:Brookshaw grew up on a...
- Col. Robert Parker
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Rap Sheet" by Rene De Wael and Didier Leglise (WCW/WWF/WWE/AAA; 1993–2006, 2011–present)
- "Rockhouse" by Frank Shelley (WWF; used while part of the New World Order; 2002)
- "Dead White Guys" by Joseph Saba and Stewart Winter (WWE; 2006–2007; as King Booker)
- "Sucka" by Dale OliverDale OliverDale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
(TNA; 2007–2009)
Championships and accomplishments
- Global Wrestling FederationGlobal Wrestling FederationGlobal Wrestling Federation was a professional wrestling promotion based in Dallas, Texas. It started in June 1991 and folded in September 1994. At one time its shows were presented on the ESPN television network. On many weeks, the promotion provided programming five days a week airing at 4 p.m...
- GWF Tag Team ChampionshipGWF Tag Team ChampionshipThe GWF Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. The title existed from 1991 until 1994, when GWF closed. The title was featured on the promotion's show that aired nationally on ESPN...
(3 times) – with Stevie RayLane HuffmanLane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
- GWF Tag Team Championship
- Las Vegas Pro Wrestling
- LVPW UWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Prairie Wrestling AlliancePrairie Wrestling AllianceThe Prairie Wrestling Alliance is an independent wrestling promotion based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, since 2001. The PWA is owned, operated, and promoted by Kurt Sorochan and Don Ferguson. Its head booker is Lance Storm.-History:...
- PWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1998)
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2000)
- PWI Tag Team of the Year (1995, 1996) with Stevie Ray
- PWI ranked him #62 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the PWI Years with Stevie Ray in 2003
- PWI ranked him #5 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 2001
- Texas All-Pro Wrestling
- TAP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- TNA Legends Championship (1 time - inaugrual champion)
- TNA World Tag Team ChampionshipTNA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
(1 time) – with Scott SteinerScott SteinerScott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- WCW United States Heavyweight ChampionshipWWE United States ChampionshipThe WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
(1 time) - WCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipWCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
(4 times) - WCW World Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(10 times) – with Stevie Ray - WCW World Television ChampionshipWCW World Television ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
(6 times) - Ninth (and final) Triple Crown Champion
- WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
- WCW ChampionshipWCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
(1 time)1 - WCW Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(1 time)2 – with Test - World Heavyweight ChampionshipWorld Heavyweight Championship (WWE)The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
(1 time) - World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Test (1), Goldust (1), and Rob Van DamRob Van DamRobert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
(1) - WWE Intercontinental ChampionshipWWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThe WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
(1 time) - WWE United States ChampionshipWWE United States ChampionshipThe WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
(3 times) - WWF Hardcore ChampionshipWWE Hardcore ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
(2 times) - King of the RingKing of the RingKing of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
(2006) - Sixteenth Triple Crown Champion
- Eighth Grand Slam Champion
- WCW Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Most Underrated (2002)
1Booker's fifth WCW World Heavyweight Championship reign overall and first under the WWF banner, where it was known as the WCW Championship.
2Booker's eleventh WCW World Tag Team Championship reign overall and first under the WWF banner.