Booker T’s Refusal to Join the NWO: A Bold Career Move or Missed Opportunity?
In the mid-1990s, expert wrestling was revolutionized by way of the formation of the New World Order (NWO) in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). This renegade group, spearheaded through wrestling icons “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall, took the wrestling global by using hurricane. The NWO’s rebellious and villainous mind-set struck a chord with lovers and became one of the most iconic factions in wrestling records.
At this time, Booker T, one half of the mythical tag group Harlem Heat alongside his brother Stevie Ray, was already carving out his personal path in WCW. Known for his explosive athleticism and precise air of mystery, Booker T would move directly to stable his region as considered one of wrestling’s most performed performers, with numerous titles which include five reigns as WCW World Champion. Despite this fulfillment, one massive possibility got here knocking that Booker decided to skip on – an invite to enroll in the infamous NWO.
During a candid discussion on The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast, Booker T found out a moment that could have drastically altered his wrestling journey. According to Booker, fellow wrestling legend Scott Hall approached him in the early days of the NWO, with a proposition: be part of the ranks of this rapid-rising organization. The offer wasn’t without its reasoning, as Hall allegedly instructed Booker, “Ay, bro. We need some color, bro. We want you to join.”
However, despite the status that came with being a part of the NWO, Booker T’s reaction become a firm “No.” While the NWO was an unstoppable pressure, Booker understood that becoming a member of the institution could’ve likely relegated him to a lesser function, one wherein he’d take the falls in matches, appearing at countless house suggests with little innovative freedom. “I’m a solo act,” Booker remarked, reinforcing his desire to pave his own path rather than ride the coattails of a collective, even one as impactful as the NWO.
Stevie Ray’s Involvement with NWO: A Family Divide?
Interestingly, Booker’s own brother, Stevie Ray, did accept a suggestion to sign up for the NWO. This decision created a unique situation in the circle of relatives, with one brother a part of the faction that dominated WCW, whilst the opposite watched from the sidelines. Nevertheless, Booker’s selection now not to join the NWO didn’t seem to avert his ascent. In fact, it arguably propelled him further, permitting him to face out in a crowded discipline of wrestlers, many of whom had flocked to the faction.
A Rocky NWO Partnership in WWE
Although Booker T refused to sign up for the WCW model of the NWO, his stance would trade whilst the organization made its manner to WWE in 2002. At that factor, the NWO were revived underneath Vince McMahon’s banner, and Booker T determined himself worried in this new release of the organization. However, his time with the NWO in WWE turned into short-lived, with the partnership in no way virtually accomplishing the heights it did in WCW.
The Infamous Match on Raw: Who’s to Blame?
One of the maximum notorious moments of Booker T’s profession came about quickly after WWE’s acquisition of WCW in 2001. In a quite expected in shape on Monday Night Raw, Booker T defended his WCW World Championship towards Buff Bagwell. The bout, designed to exhibit WCW’s stars on WWE television, fell disastrously quick of expectancies. Fans were unimpressed, and the fit is frequently noted as a major misstep in wrestling history.
Recently, Booker T addressed the negative reception of the suit on his podcast, clarifying that the performance wasn’t his fault. Without directly putting the blame on his opponent, Bagwell, Booker did indicate that outside factors contributed to the fit’s failure. “We weren’t in [WWE] to be endeared,” Booker shared, suggesting that WWE’s handling of the WCW talent may have played a significant role in the lackluster outcome.
Booker T’s Legacy
Despite these ups and downs, Booker T’s legacy in professional wrestling remains untarnished. After WCW’s closure, he thrived in WWE, becoming a two-time WWE Hall of Famer and cementing his place in the sport’s history books. Today, Booker continues to share his insights with fans as a WWE NXT analyst, proving that his influence on wrestling endures long after his in-ring career.
