On a recent edition of “The Kurt Angle Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T spoke about his time in WCW and the chaotic environment towards the end of the promotion before WWE purchased it.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On his favorite WCW memory: “From a tag team perspective, it’s going to be wrestling The Steiner Brothers in Sturgis, South Dakota in front of a bunch of bikers. I think my brother, we might have been the only black guys in Sturgis. But I remember getting on the microphone, and I remember [saying] ‘You know, it’s one thing I don’t like is rednecks. And you people are rednecks.’ We almost started a riot that day. But it was so much fun, man. We didn’t back down at all. We walked out, still the WCW Tag Team Championship, man. It was awesome. It was awesome.”
On a story that could only happen in WCW: “But something that probably could never happen anywhere would be my inception pretty much with WCW. Pretty much started out kind of like at the top because I was with Sid Vicious. Sid brought my brother and I in, so we got pretty much thrust in the main event right off the bat. And then I find myself with Vader and Sid, my brother and I, and then the Shockmaster coming out and falling on his face with the Star Wars helmet on. It was the funniest thing in the world. It only could have happened in WCW. It seemed like man, I’ve been a fly on the damn wall in just about every situation that has gone on. But that one was like, ‘Wow, man.’ And like I said, I was green and I didn’t know what to say, but it was a moment that still resonates to this day. Yeah.”
On whether WCW was as chaotic as it is remembered: “You know at the end, it was chaotic. You know, my whole time in WCW, I had such a great time. I had such a great time. When the nWo came in, things changed. But we were making more money than we ever had when the NWO came in also. So for me, I was happy. I was like, ‘Man, these guys are making the pay go up around here, man.’ Making more money than I ever made in my life when those guys came in. But I could kind of like see the shift of the pendulum as far as when those guys came in. As far as, ‘Man, the Indians are got the cowboys running, the cops are running from the bad guys.’ It was like that. And I was like, ‘Man, I don’t like how this thing is going.’
“But for me, it really didn’t bother me because I knew nothing really lasts forever. I knew preparation was the only luck you ever were going to have in your life. So if the wheels fell off, I really didn’t care one way or the other because I knew I could get a job in this business. But it was chaotic. It was chaotic, because nobody knew who was running the ship. We didn’t have a real boss. Sometimes, you would come in. I came in one day, Kevin Nash was running the show, but he decided to take off. So Macho Man was running the show. And I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, what the hell is going on here?’ I just want a number one contender’s match a week before. And then they wanted me to work [with] Bagwell that night and do a job for him and go match. I went, ‘Mach, I just won the number one contender’s match last week, and now you want me to do a job for this guy. Isn’t he’s going to be the number one contender now?’ He goes, ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s just wrestling, brother.’ So it got chaotic there for a minute. But for me, honestly, it is, for some reason it never really bothered me. Not one time.”
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Booker T Reflects on His Time in WCW and the Chaotic Environment Before WWE Purchase
In a recent episode of “The Kurt Angle Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T opened up about his experiences in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the chaotic environment that prevailed towards the end of the promotion before it was purchased by WWE.
Booker T, known for his incredible in-ring skills and charismatic personality, shared some interesting highlights from his time in WCW. One of his favorite memories was wrestling The Steiner Brothers in Sturgis, South Dakota, in front of a crowd of bikers. He recalled being one of the few black individuals in Sturgis and how he stirred up the crowd by calling them rednecks. The intense reaction from the audience almost led to a riot, but Booker T and his brother managed to walk out as the WCW Tag Team Champions, making it an unforgettable experience for them.
Another story that Booker T shared was one that could only happen in WCW. He mentioned how he was thrust into the main event scene right from the start, thanks to Sid Vicious bringing him and his brother into the promotion. Booker T found himself teaming up with Vader and Sid, and during one memorable moment, the Shockmaster made his debut by tripping and falling on his face while wearing a Star Wars helmet. Booker T described it as one of the funniest things he had ever witnessed and emphasized that such incidents could only occur in WCW.
When asked about the chaotic nature of WCW towards its end, Booker T acknowledged that things did become chaotic. However, he also expressed that he had a great time throughout his tenure in WCW. He mentioned that when the nWo (New World Order) faction arrived, it brought about significant changes in the promotion. Despite the chaos, Booker T highlighted that they were making more money than ever before, thanks to the increased popularity of the nWo. He did notice a shift in power dynamics and felt that the promotion was losing control, but it didn’t bother him personally as he believed in the transient nature of things in the wrestling industry.
Booker T also shed light on the lack of a clear leadership structure in WCW during its final days. He recounted instances where different wrestlers took charge of running the show on different days, leading to confusion among the talent. Despite the uncertainty, Booker T remained unfazed and focused on his own preparation and performance. He believed that preparation was the key to success in the wrestling business and trusted that he could find opportunities elsewhere if needed.
Overall, Booker T’s reflections provide a glimpse into the tumultuous environment of WCW before its acquisition by WWE. Despite the chaos, he managed to create lasting memories and establish himself as one of the top talents in the promotion. His ability to adapt and maintain a positive mindset amidst the uncertainty showcases his resilience and passion for the wrestling industry.
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