“Can you dig it… SUCKA!”
# 37. Booker T
91 points (9 out of 43 lists)
Highest Rating: Viceroy and Hockeyrama at #3
Real Name: Robert Booker Tio Huffman
(In)Famous Gimmicks: Kole, G.I. Bro
If my math is correct, Booker T is a 33 time champion. Yes, he has worn a title 33 times… and that’s just between WCW and the WWF/E. For that reason alone, he deserves to be on this list.
Booker and his real-life brother Stevie Ray (Lane) began their wrestling careers in the GWF in the early 90’s, and were very successful working as the tag team Ebony Experience. It wasn’t too long that the duo were signed to WCW, at the recommendation of Sid Vicious of all people.
In 1993, the new heel tag team of Harlem Heat debuted. They began as Kane (Stevie) and Kole (Booker) and gained instant credibility, being matched with bigger names on the face side. A year later, WCW gave them the Booker and Stevie names back, and they became Tag Team Champions in December of ’94. They also picked up a manager on the way, Sensational Sherri.
Over the next 3 and a half years, Harlem Heat would go on to become the most successful tag team in WCW history. They feuded with every tag team that ever came along, and had 10 Tag Title reigns. All this time, every wrestling expert cited Booker as the star of the team. He was a much better actual wrestler, and shined beside his more sluggish brother. In 1997, Stevie Ray got injured, and Booker took the opportunity to wrestle on his own..
Booker would stick around the midcard for a couple of years, having numerous TV title reigns. The marquee moment of Booker’s singles career at this point would be a Best of Seven series against Chris Benoit. It was a fantastic series of matches, and really for the first time ever, people saw a singles star in Booker T.
Unfortunately for Booker, his career would hit a snag around 1999/2000. He was involved in a couple of silly angles at the time. First, he feuded with his brother over the Harlem Heat name. Then he would feud with Ahmed Johnson over the “T” in his name. Yes, they feuded over a letter. (Booker would later feud over another dumb thing in the WWE… shampoo)
In the summer of 2000, Booker T was really in the right place at the right time. Hulk Hogan was fired on the spot at the Bash at the Beach PPV, and Booker and Jeff Jarrett were thrust into a World Title match on the fly. Booker won, and became World Champion for the first time ever.
WCW would close shop in 2001, and by that time, Booker had established himself as one of, if not THE, biggest star in the company. He put on countless great matches, was great on the mic, and could do a Spinaroonie like no other. He was rewarded by pinning Scott Steiner on the final episode of Nitro… winning the World Title in the process. That’s something Booker T has to be proud of, as his name will forever be etched in history.
Booker’s WWF run began with him leading the WCW faction during the Invasion angle. He was really the only big star to initially be signed by Vince McMahon, and was rewarded handsomely. He picked up another WCW Title run, and has a great feud with The Rock.
In 2002, we would get to see the humorous side of Booker T. Booker teamed with Goldust, and had a series of awesome vignettes and backstage interactions. The two were perfect with each other. Goldust was the weird freak, and Booker was the skeptical guy who finally came out of his shell. The fun didn’t last forever though, and the two went their separate ways.
Over the next few years, Booker T floated back and forth between mid-carder and main eventer. He wrestled in a World Title Match at WrestleMania XIX… but was buried by Triple H in a very lop-sided feud. After that, Booker T became very stale, and was just kinda there for quite some time.
Fast-forward to 2006 now… and Booker won the King of the Ring. It was a career-refreshing moment, and Booker T became King Booker. Along with his real-life wife, the two were incredibly entertaining as arrogant heels who embraced their faux royalty.
One month later, King Booker finally cracked the “glass ceiling” of the WWE, and became World Champion at the Great American Bash. It was also a monumental moment in WWF/E history, as Booker Huffman became the first-ever African-American to win the World Title.
Booker T is now wrestling in TNA, and I’m sure there will be more gold around his waist in the near future. I mean, he’s only won 33 titles, and he’s number 37 on this list. It’s got to even out. We’ll send him a memo.
Booker T’s achievements have put him in the wrestling record books. If you don’t count the silly WWF Hardcore Title switches that boosted some other records, then Booker is the single most decorated wrestler in North American history. Add to that, he was a trend-setter in being the first full African-American WWE champion… and Booker T has his place in history. All hail King Booker.
Video
July 7th, 2000 – Booker T vs. Jeff Jarrett (WCW Bash at the Beach PPV)
Major Titles
- 5 time WCW World Champion
- 4 time WCW/WWE United States Champion
- 6 time WCW Television Champion
- 11 time WCW Tag Team Champion (10 w/Stevie Ray, 1 w/ Test)
- 1 time WWE World Champion
- 1 time WWE Intercontinental Champion
- 3 time WWE Tag Team Champion (Test, Goldust, Rob Van Dam)
- 2 time WWF Hardcore Champion
Where Are They Now: Booker T is wrestling in TNA. He debuted on November 11th, 2007.
Did Ya Know: Booker actually hosted a radio show on KBME in hometown of Houston. It was called “Tea Time with King Booker”.
That intro picture is awful looking
He wasn't on my list but a QUALITY ADDITION
One of my favorites when it was BookDust
There surprisingly weren't that many non-King Booker pics out there.
Didn't have him on my list, but I'm fine with him being on here.
I really liked this writeup for some reason. Good job. Booker would've made my list.
ALL HAIL KING BOOKAH!
This guy is overrated. I liked Stevie Ray much better; he gave off that nice wifebeater vibe that I like in my wrestlers.
#37? I do not dig that
"Can I get a price check on a jackass?"
Booker v Austin feud was great, it's been downhill from there leading to the awful King Booker.
#22 on my list. Booker was probably one of the main reasons I would tune into WCW(Along with Smiley, La Parka, Benoit, and the Cruiserweights) during commercial breaks on WWF. He will most likely get in the WWE Hall of Fame.
- 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW World Champion
#14 with me- he's a big guy but very athletic, works in brawling and technical wrestling, charismatic, looks cool and is supersmart....well, ok not the last one. The reign of King Booker was awesome, especially his fake Brit accent he can't hold and his calling people by their proper names (Jerome, Thaddeus) and he brought out the awesome in Regal.
Didn't make my list, and to be honest never was going to. For me he should be ranked like 95th or some shit. AND HE FUCKING SUCKED AS KING BOOKER.
The limeys hate King Booker.
Probably because they only have a queen and are jealous.
Don't forget about Taff, technically they have a pair of queens.
I really think you should stop trying so hard.
KING BOOKER WAS THE WORST GIMMICK EVER.
I think caps lock smark is the worst gimmick ever.
GOOD JOB I AREN'T A SMARK THEN, SQUIRE.
Where's the fire extinguisher?
I loved that part of his WWE character, the delayed catchphrase. One of my favorite moments in wrestling of all time is when he did the "Now can you dig that" and showed up three or four segments later to nail the "Sucka" part. Classic.
He and Goludst with Rock at KOTR was also good. The cheque-cashin', sucka-trashin', never looney, spinaroonie, slammin' jammin', five-time WCW champion Booka Tee!
He had the weirdest catchphrases that got over- who else could make a hit of "Tell me you did not just say that?"?
2nd guy I've had listed, just for his WCW singles work. Booker's not the best technical wrestler, or the best brawler, he doesn't have the best look, nor is he the most charasmatic, but he's good enough at everything to be a great worker.
Plus it helps that he was one of the few guys in the last 3 years of WCW that wasn't booked totally retarded all the time.
I didn't really see much of his WWF run, other than during the Invasion, where he never really came across as on the same level as The Rock and Austin and even Kurt Angle which was predictable really.
Booker is like the baseball player who even though was never the biggest star or the dominant player of his era, still gets into the hall of fame due to being very good over a very long period of time. Is there anyone who has anything against this man?
I didn't vote him, but I'm not against him being on the list.
Yeah, I didn't vote for him but I aint none in the mood to argue his position. Loved his work at the end of WCW, and while I don't go gaga over comedy shit I do appreciate the stuff he's done. I loved the King Booker era though and really wish he'd of gotten a nice run as a top guy on RAW but cest la vie.
ROTW boneheads who do not have the capacity to appreciate the brilliance of the KING BOOKAH~ run.
Why'd he go to TNA, was he released or quit? I remember the outrage but forget why.
Booker says he quit, WWE says they released him.
Well that clears up everything.
He wanted a better contract with more creative control. As his contract was coming to an end he wanted to sit on creative meetings in regards to his fued with HHH so that he could be sure they wouldn't just berrie him and his awesome fuckin character. So in essence it is a little bit of both.
So they wouldn't extend his contract because he wanted creative control, and because they wouldn't give it to him he quit. I guess it is both. Thanks.
I'm gad they FINALLY gave up on this list.
Another NPP success.
Stop being an idiot. Please.
Just for Juice being an idiot I'll upload another non wrestling article
lulz
I should have done your article
He had a point. It's been a week. Where the fuck is 36?
4 days <> 1 week
kthx
wow this list is just zooming through
fucking hell guapo we can't complain about it. This is based on the idea TNA had of drawing out what's in the briefcases. Suspense = ratings.
The last entry has been ready to post for a week. Don't blame WHY ARE DEE.
Don't blame Front Page Mods either. I'm on the side of the people.
I DON'T BLAME YOU YRD
I BLAME THE HIGHER UPS THAT ARE HOLDING US DOWN!
WE MUST BREAK THE GLASS CEILING OF HATE
This list is dead to me.
I see we're letting these people onto our lists now.
Still none of my wrestlers yet
Because you watch the wrestling equivalent to that bleepy-bloppy shite.
I think you'd be pleasantly surprised with my list. I watch all the indie stuff but hardly any of them I would put above a WWE/TNA/WCW wrestler. They may be able to do MOOVEZ but in the end for me its Entertainment > Wrestling skills.
Did you put SHAKIRA on the list, or whoever it is you like?
I have one Indie wrestler one there....
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSg0cvvP5uk"]YouTube - Super Dragon Curb Stomp[/ame]
SUPER DRAGON
I won't even dignify that by clicking on it.
AND I WENT TO ALL THAT EFFORT
FLIPPY FLOPPY NURAVE BOUNCY SHIT
Stop being mean to Slappy
Do you even like wrestling?
If he doesn't post every 8 minutes he has a seizure.
Because you post in absolutely every thread at every given slender opportunity, yet I've never seen you flap your jowels about wrestling.
Hole likes it but feels shame when posting about it. Ask a stalker if you dont know.
Close watch?
If I went to the deepest, darkest, most uninhabitable cave on the planet, I'd probably still find one of your posts.
You should go do that now.
Lets put that to the test.
Bagsy Lance Bass
In on this
Thanks Al
How does Taff not get Lance Bass?
He is SOOO Justim Timberlake.
Hole is obviously Joey Fatone.
Fat One?
Indeed.
I get jokes.
Mrs Hun took a strop with me a week or so ago because I insisted on calling him Joey Fat One.
But that was the genius of it all. He was the fat one. I wonder if they picked him purely on that criteria. Because its not like he actually did anything.
I'm gonna need you to discontinue this Mrs. Hun business.
Not going to happen, Osiris. Sorry.
Its reaching Stapes level.
I'm doing it as a tribute to the late Renney.
Stapes had a girlfriend?
WHO KNEW?
Not 'had a,' more like 'has lots of'.
Sorry for the error.
You never speak about that part of your life.
Well I am the man