Nick Aldis wasted some of the best years of his wrestling career with the NWA, Booker T has claimed.

Aldis joined the NWA following the promotion’s relaunch in 2017 and is a two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

Seen by many as the face of the company since its relaunch, Aldis recently publicly announced that he will be leaving when his contract expires.

Wasted

With Aldis departing the NWA, many have speculated on his next move, and whether he could be the face of another promotion.

Speaking on his weekly Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T doubts that the 36-year-old will be able to be a top star again.

“He’s past his prime… He really wasted a lot of time trying to make that thing work.”

Booker T on Nick Aldis.

Booker added that Aldis was one of the very few names with any “recognition” when the NWA was relaunched five years ago, but has doubts any star could have helped the NWA.

“I didn’t see one Nick Aldis match in the NWA. I’m gonna tell you that right now, so I’m not going to sit here and say I saw a whole lot or anything like. But to try to bring that brand back, it’s almost impossible. I mean, the NWA is a relic of what professional wrestling was back then.”

“To try to bring that brand back, it’s almost impossible.”

Booker T on the NWA.

Aldis has been openly critical of NWA President Billy Corgan since the announcement of his departure.

Audience

Booker evidently doesn’t think too highly on the NWA’s product, no matter who is the face of the company.

Speaking about underlying problems in the promotion, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer believes that fans have grown accustomed to a much different style of wrestling product.

“Nobody wants to watch wrestling like that anymore, in a little studio like that where [there’s] like no people, they’re doing the interviews after the matches like they did back in you know, Ole and Arn Anderson’s days in Minnesota. Don’t nobody want to see that.”

While Booker said he has nothing against the Andersons, he made it clear that the NWA needs to change in order to have a chance of surviving in today’s market.

h/t – eWrestlingNews

Booker T has lashed out at fans of All Elite Wrestling, saying they treat the wrestlers as nothing more than toys who can be broken.

AEW has been plagued with injuries this year, with CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole all being on the shelf at some point in 2022.

In Cole’s case, he has been out since June’s AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event with a concussion and there have been concerns he may never be cleared to wrestle again.

Don’t Care

During last week’s Tuesday edition of AEW Dynamite, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page was left motionless after a lariat during his title match with AEW World Champion Jon Moxley.

The match was ended ten minutes earlier than scheduled, and the Cowboy has been diagnosed with a concussion.

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker said that AEW’s audience don’t care about who gets hurt as long as they are entertained (via 411 Mania.)

“The AEW fans, man. They don’t care about those guys in the ring. They do not care about those guys working. Those guys could — they’re nothing more than toys, video games for these guys.

“They don’t care about those guys in the ring.”

Booker T on AEW fans.

“If they’re not out there getting a ‘This Is Awesome’ chant, they don’t give a damn about these guys going out there getting hurt. They really don’t.”

Hangman Page

After the match was ended, Page was stretchered to the back and later taken to Cincinnatti trauma center.

In a statement, AEW confirmed that he has suffered a concussion but has since been discharged.

AEW added that both they and Page are “grateful” for the response from the medical staff and thanked fans for their support.

The landscape of WWE has changed dramatically across all three of the company’s brands, at least at the commentary desk.

This week, WWE will begin their ‘season premiere’ week of programming, starting with tomorrow night’s SmackDown on FOX. Next week’s Raw and NXT will also serve as the season premieres of the red and gold brand.

The following three shows of WWE programming will be stacked for the season premieres and will feature brand-new commentary teams.

Wrestle Votes were the first to report that changes were expected to Raw’s commentary team before more information was provided by Variety. Their report, later confirmed by WWE, announced that the company is returning to two-person commentary teams across all three of its brands.

Smackdown

For tomorrow night’s SmackDown, Michael Cole and Wade Barrett will be calling the action, with the former Intercontinental Champion moving from NXT.

Raw

Next week’s Raw will see Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves behind the table, with Patrick being promoted as a full-time member of the Raw commentary team.

The Irish announcer had previously served as a backstage interviewer and provided commentary on the July 24, 2022, Raw.

Byron Saxton, who had been on commentary for Raw, has been moved to a role as an onscreen interviewer.

NXT

For NXT, the new commentary team will see Vic Joseph returning to the role, now working with Booker T.

The two-time WWE Hall of Famer has previously served as a commentator for Raw and SmackDown, and regularly makes appearances on kick-off show panels.

Premium Live Events

For major WWE events such as WWE Premium Live Events, Cole and Graves will be the commentary team.

Saraya, formerly known as Paige in WWE, made her shocking debut for All Elite Wrestling at Dynamite: Grand Slam.

The 30-year-old arrived in AEW following the 4-Way match for the AEW Interim Women’s Championship. Toni Storm successfully defended the title against Britt Baker, Serena Deeb, and Athena. After the match, Britt, Jamie Hayter, and Serena Deeb attacked Toni and Athena in the ring.

Saraya then made her way to the ring to an enormous pop from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. AEW has announced that she will be addressing the crowd this Wednesday on Dynamite.

Booker T Praises Saraya After Her Debut In All Elite Wrestling

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T spoke about Saraya’s debut in AEW on his Hall of Fame podcast and noted that he predicted that she would return to the ring after WWE opted not to re-sign her.

During the AEW All Out 2022 post-show media scrum, CM Punk had some explosive comments for Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.

Punk criticized the management skill of the AEW EVPs and also accused them of spreading false information about him.

The two-time AEW World Champion also fought with the Bucks and Omega, in a brawl that also involved Punk’s trainer Ace Steel.

Return to WWE?

Due to his comments and involvement in the fight (in addition to an injury) Punk has been removed from AEW programming and stripped of the AEW World title.

It has been reported that Punk could be fired (if not already) or could choose to leave AEW, especially if Steel is fired as expected. Speaking to WrestlingInc, Booker T discussed a possible WWE return for the ‘Best in the World.

“It would be hard, it would be really hard for him just to swallow his pride and go back to that.”

Booker T on CM Punk.

Booker added that while Punk’s time on WWE Backstage provided an opportunity, he believes that ship has sailed.

The two-time WWE Hall of Famer also questions what Punk’s “positioning” would be in WWE’s current roster.

Is a Deal Possible?

Punk walked out of WWE after the 2014 Royal Rumble Pay Per View, citing injuries and frustrations with the company.

Though Punk was part of WWE Backstage in 2019, the former Champion never returned to WWE, signing a deal with FOX instead.

Appearing on the Barstool Sports’ ‘Pardon my Take’ podcast in April 2021, Triple H didn’t rule out a CM Punk return, saying “never say never.”

However, Triple H added that there has to be a desire on both sides for a Punk-WWE return to work.

Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark Jr.) was arrested last Friday in Orange County, Florida. He was charged with an out-of-county warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Clark was reportedly also arrested on August 20th in Orlando for misdemeanor charges of battery and trespassing on property after receiving a warning.

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T spoke about Velveteen Dream on a recent episode of his podcast. Booker T was a judge during the 2015 season of Tough Enough and saw a lot of talent in him.

“Sad news about the Velveteen Dream, Patrick Clark. This kid who I got a chance to work with at Tough Enough. He’s a guy that I always said had a lot of talent. There’s another thing I always say too, you put yourself in a position, something might happen. It’s just the way the world works out man. I just hate to see it.

You know? I know the charges. Those are the alleged charges. I don’t know what that’s really about. Drug paraphernalia? You know, that could be some marijuana papers (laughs). So, I don’t know. But innocent until proven guilty. I get that too. But the perception in front of the public is something totally different.”

Booker T continued and said that it is sad to see what has happened to Velveteen Dream and hopes he can get back on track.

Public opinion is definitely real, and it’s just sad to see young men put themselves in position like for something to happen to them in this business. So, hopefully, young brother will get back on track. I really don’t have a lot of information as far as, you know, what really went down, but I know he was campaigning to get back into, you know, the company. There again, man, talent, talent.That character was money. Money! But there again, will we ever see it again? I don’t know man. I dont know.

Booker T on Velveteen Dream (23:01-24:32)

Booker T Doesn’t Believe WWE Will Ever Re-Sign Velveteen Dream

The 57-year-old discussed Velveteen Dream earlier this month on his podcast, well before these two arrests took place. Booker didn’t think he was ever going to return to the company at the time, so it seems incredibly unlikely now.

Velveteen Dream was accused of sexual misconduct in 2020 but was not released from the promotion until May 2021. Booker claimed that the former NXT North American Champion could have had an incredible career in WWE but has likely thrown it away.

“Sometimes, you can never find your way back from it and I think Velveteen Dream is going to be one of those guys that would’ve had a hell of a career if…That’s the end of that story.“

Please credit the Hall of Fame podcast and SEScoops for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

Since AEW was founded, the company has welcomed several former WWE Superstars, including some of the latter promotion’s biggest names.

CM Punk, Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson and others all reached fame and fortune in WWE, before trying their hand in Tony Khan’s company.

In February this year, Cody Rhodes would leave AEW, and would return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, defeating Seth Rollins.

Who Could be Next?

Since returning to WWE, Cody Rhodes has received a hero’s welcome, being booked as one of the promotion’s biggest stars.

Cody’s impressive comeback has led to speculation on who could possibly join him when their deals with AEW expire.

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T took to his Hall Of Fame podcast to discuss who he’d like to see make a splash in WWE next.

“I’d love to see Wardlow, as well as Andrade, come back to WWE because he’s not doing anything significant in AEW — not saying that he’s not going out and performing. He’s performing, but you think about Andrade in WWE, and he had some star on him. He had some upside, but I don’t know. I could be wrong about this; I could be wrong.”

Will they Jump?

Wardlow has never worked in WWE, but the promotion has been keeping a close eye on the AEW TNT Champion.

In January, it was reported that WWE has an interest in Wardlow, and are expected to make him an offer when his contract with AEW is close to expiring.

Andrade recently liked a tweet, claiming that Miro would do better if he returned to WWE, and that El Idolo would do so as well.

Despite not having wrestled a televised match in over a decade, Booker T knows how to remain in news. He continues making headlines one way or the other.

With AEW successfully using legends like Sting and Tully Blanchard to help promote younger talents, many wonder if we can see the former WCW champion joining Tony Khan’s promotion anytime in the near future.

T was asked about this on the latest episode of his Hall of Fame podcast. Replying to it, Booker revealed that he actually has a lot of time left on his contract with WWE:

“I got about six years left on my contract, seven maybe, I ain’t going nowhere, man. I’m never going to say never, or anything like that, but I actually love where I’m at with the WWE.”

– Booker T

Booker T does make indie appearances every now and then while also running his Reality of Wrestling promotion from the Houston area.

The former world champion just recently created some buzz by returning to in-ring action for a 10 men tag team match at an ROW event.

Though despite his recent outing, Booker T has claimed that he has no intention of holding a ‘Ric Flair’s Last Match’ type event of his own.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has offered his thoughts on the rumors that The Street Profits could be splitting up soon.

A recent report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio indicates that WWE is very high on Montez Ford. In fact, the report suggests that the commentary team’s comments on Ford’s physique during Money In The Bank were meant to lead to a singles push for Ford.

There are reportedly those in WWE management who are very high on Ford, and his new physique was a big part of that. The commentary team also laid the foundation for a future split of The Street Profits by suggesting there was tension between the two.

Booker T discussed the possibility of Ford getting a singles push during a recent episode of his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame.” Booker said he hopes this lights a fire under Angelo Dawkins.

“I’m gonna tell you right now, if Angelo Dawkins ain’t listening to the internet and people talking about Montez Ford being a singles, and people wanting to treat him like a star, if that don’t motivate his ass, nothing will,” Booker said. “If he don’t think the chatter is real, that’s on him, okay?”

In regards to seeing Ford as a singles star, Booker certainly sees the potential in the young star. However, he believes the tag team division needs a team like The Street Profits right now, and thinks WWE should let them ride things out as a team a bit longer in order for them to find a replacement for them before splitting them up.

“Montez can definitely be a singles star. But I do think we need a strong tag team division right now, and I think over a period of time, Street Profits can be replaced, but I don’t think they can be replaced overnight. So I say let this thing roll for a little while longer, because we got something now.”

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

At Money in the Bank 2022, Theory captured the Men’s briefcase, earning a guaranteed championship opportunity at a time of his choosing.

Theory has certainly been on the receiving end of a major push in recent months, but many have questioned this decision.

Right now, the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship is firmly in the grasp of Roman Reigns, and many doubt how the cocky young Superstar could be a threat to “The Tribal Chief.”

Booker T’s Comments

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed Theory’s win last Saturday night, and said that dethroning Roman Reigns makes sense for the former United States Champion.

“It’s not losing, but it’s how you lose. He could beat Roman, he could beat anybody on the card if the situation is right. If a person is unconscious when I cash in, who loses? If you book it properly, Theory is not going to be one of the guys that got the briefcase and didn’t cash it in and win it. I don’t see that happening.”

He continued, “This kid has got way too much upside for something like that to happen. That’s just me and what I would be thinking if I had Theory in this position.”

“He could beat anybody on the card if the situation is right.”

Booker T on Theory possibly cashing in on Roman Reigns.

H/T Sportskeeda

Theory’s other title opportunity

Theory could (in theory) be the next Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but that’s not the only piece of gold on his mind.

It has been confirmed that at Summerslam, Theory will take on new United States Champion Bobby Lashley for the title.

Theory lost the U.S. Title to Lashley at Money in the Bank prior to winning the Men’s Ladder match, making him the first Superstar to lose a title and win the coveted briefcase on the same night.

The Next Face of WWE

On the topic of Who is the next Face of WWE?, we recently wrote this feature looking at 5 WWE Superstars that we feel have the potential to carry the company after Roman Reigns:

WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T doesn’t understand how Claudio Castagnoli never received a push in WWE.

The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer recently took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on Castagnoli joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW), making his debut at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view (PPV).

Castagnoli had been with WWE since 2011 prior to signing with AEW, and never really received the big push many fans believed he deserved. As for Booker T, he can’t explain why WWE never decided to pull the trigger on the Swiss star.

“Cesaro was always my guy. I always felt like him and I had a whole lot in common. Being around for a long time, working your ass off, and waiting on someone to pull your name, and say, ‘This is the guy.’ That happened for me.

“There were many times we thought that was that moment for Claudio in the WWE, and it really never happened. I mean, me personally, I really don’t know why. But that’s one of the guys that I really feel that could have been made by just giving him a huge push and then after that, it really wouldn’t have mattered how we used him as long as we kept him at a certain tier.

“He was the guy that we could have made. Once you make a guy like that who can hold it, he’s made forever. I don’t think you’ve ever had to really worry about Claudio from an in-ring perspective, as well as if you put him in the right situation with the microphone, he delivers there as well. He’s one that I wouldn’t have wanted to lose.”

Of course, Castagnoli’s run with WWE as Cesaro certainly wasn’t uneventful. He racked up seven tag team title runs, a reign as WWE United States Champion, and an Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory.

However, he lacked a real big run as a singles star despite many seeing World Champion potential in the now 41-year-old. Now, he’ll join a stacked roster in AEW; which includes names such as Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, The Hardys, and more.

It will be interesting to see if Cesaro receives his long-awaited run as World Champion now that he’s with AEW.

Quotes via 411Mania.com

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently made some comments about Adam Cole that didn’t go down well.

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast recently, Booker said how “we gotta get more weight on Adam Cole” and said the former NXT Champion’s frame was a factor behind injuries in his career.

Many fans on social media called out Booker as “body shaming” the leader of The Undisputed Elite and Renee Paquette seemingly reacted to Booker’s statement with a tweet.

Clarifying his comments

While speaking with Brad Gilmore, Booker clarified his comments about Cole, saying that he doesn’t want to come across as obtusely critical of the AEW star or AEW as a whole (via Wrestling Inc.)

“People want to make it seem like I’m hating on an AEW guy – I’m not. If I didn’t like Adam Cole, I wouldn’t be saying that we need to get some muscle on him. I’d be saying a whole lot worse than that.”

Booker T.

In a tweet of his own, Booker said that his initial comments had been taken out of context.

Is Cole injury-prone?

In late, it was reported that Adam Cole was dealing with a shoulder injury, which would force him out of a match for AEW.

Cole had been scheduled to compete in a tag match on the June 1, Dynamite, but was pulled, and Jeff Hardy was pulled from the opposing team to balance things out.

It was later reported that AEW was hopeful that Cole will be healed up to compete by this weekend’s Forbidden Door event.

WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T believes All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Adam Cole needs to pack on some more muscle.

Booker took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his take on Cole and his recent injury troubles. The former World Heavyweight Champion suggested that Cole’s lack of muscle on his frame could be contributing to his injury woes.

“If Adam Cole has to have surgery and he’s down for six, nine months and he, you know, lose any more muscle, it’s going to be hard on this brother. You know what I’m saying? Right now, he’s about a buck 60.”

“We gotta get more weight on Adam Cole, you know what I mean? That’s his problem, he’s light, bottom light. We gotta get some muscle on this kid. That’s probably one of the reasons why he’s going out there, getting hurt because it can’t be the schedule at AEW.”

It was initially believed that Cole suffered a shoulder injury during the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, which he eventually won. His arm was taped up for his final match against Samoa Joe at Double Or Nothing.

Although Cole finished and won the match, he hasn’t wrestled since. A recent report suggests that Cole won’t be back inside the ring until the AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view (PPV) on June 26.

Previously, Cole was set for a 10-man Tag Team match on the June 1 episode of AEW Dynamite. However, he and Jeff Hardy were both removed from the match, respectively, for different reasons.

What do you make of Booker T and his comments on Adam Cole needing to add more muscle? Let us know in the comments below!

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has offered up his reaction to Paige leaving WWE.

Earlier this week, Paige announced that she will be leaving WWE once her deal expires, but promised to return to the ring soon.

WWE wouldn’t clear her to compete due to her lingering injuries, but with that being said, the former WWE Divas Champion seems determined to step into the ring again regardless of what promotion it’s for.

Booker T took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his take on the situation. The former World Heavyweight Champion suggests he’s sure Paige will wrestle again, and will be a highly sought after free agent.

“I’m sure she’s going to be highly sought after because Paige is one of kind. She really is. I’m gonna say this, Paige is going to be back inside the squared circle very, very soon. Let’s just say that.

“I don’t have any inside information. I just know how much she loves the business. I know how much her family loves the business and how well connected they are to the love of this game and Paige went out, not on her own terms.

“Paige is somebody that is definitely going to step back in that squared circle and prove that she is still one of the best female superstars that ever got in the ring and trust me on that.

“I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but I just got a feeling in my bones that it’s going to happen real, real soon, okay? That’s all I’m saying.”

Paige has been kept out of the ring due to a lingering neck injury that could be disastrous if something were to go wrong. Booker noted that it’s common for some doctors to say it’s okay to compete with certain injuries, while others say otherwise.

However, with something as serious as a neck injury, it’s some dicey territory to step back into the ring with it.

“Sometimes with injuries where one doctor may tell you, ‘You can’t do it,’ and then you go to another doctor right across the street and he’ll tell you you’re fine. You’re good to go.

“I’m serious because I was told that myself. One doctor told me, ‘Nah, you shouldn’t do this,’ and one doctor told me, ‘You’re good to go, man. You’re cleared.’ But that’s just how cautious they are when something like that happened and I get it.

“That injury right there, it’s hard to play around with. That neck issue is a very, very, serious situation as far as do’ or don’t. It’s really hard.”

Quotes via 411Mania

Booker T has revealed one former WWE Women’s Champion that the locker room wasn’t a fan of during her time with the company.

Recently, the two-time WWE Hall Of Famer took to his podcast “The Hall Of Fame” to discuss several professional wrestling topics. During that time, Booker touched on former WWE Women’s Champion Melina, and her time with WWE.

Booker noted “I really like Melina now,” but did admit that he “did not like Melina in her day, no one did.” This is something that has certainly been brought up by others before.

Candace Michelle once noted that she and Melina “hated each other” and almost had a shoot fight inside the ring.

Melina doesn’t get recognized as a WWE legend the way her peers such as Trish Stratus and Lita do. Booker speculates if that’s because “the departure of Melina more than anything.”

“She was one of those that owned it, she wanted to be the best in the ring and she was hell to deal with in the locker room,” Booker said.

“I think she would attest to that, perhaps, these days … And I have always said this, as far as talent go, there was nobody better than Melina.”

He then went on to explain an interaction he had with Melina, admitting she was “very controversial in WWE when she was there,” but never doubted her greatness inside of the ring.

When he got the opportunity to tell Melina that, she “almost started crying.”

“None of it had to do with her in-ring prowess or anything like that,” Booker T said in regards to Melina’s backstage heat. “… I said, ‘Melina, I always thought you were the best female wrestler in that damn locker room in your time,’ and I really believe that.”

Melina hasn’t been full-time with WWE since 2011. However, she has made sporadic appearances since then. She was a surprise entrant in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble.

Although there were rumors about her returning to the company, nothing ever came to fruition.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Booker T may be one of the most decorated wrestlers ever, boasting two WWE Hall of Fame rings, but the former World Champion regrets never holding a pair of iconic tag titles with his brother Stevie Ray.

Before becoming a singles wrestler, Booker worked as one-half of Harlem Heat with his brother Stevie Ray and won ten WCW World Tag Team titles as a unit.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Hall of Fame Podcast. Booker said he wishes he could’ve won New Japan’s IWGP World Tag Team Titles with Ray before retiring.

“I can’t speak for my brother but I can speak for myself, that may be the only regret in my career that my brother and I did not win the IWGP World Tag Team Championships. That right there for me would’ve been icing on the cake really for the career. I know those guys, I know what wrestling means to those guys in Japan. It’s huge, it’s their bloodline, and to be a part of something like that [would’ve been great].”

After splitting with Ray in 1997, Booker would win several singles titles in both WCW and WWE.

Booker would not leave tag team wrestling behind entirely though and would later hold tag gold with the likes of Rob Van Dam, Test, Scott Steiner, and Goldust.

• Booker T is not a fan of WWE Unifying the Tag Team Titles (May 2022)

Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

One WWE Hall of Famer doesn’t believe “Hangman” Adam Page got all the perks of being a world champion.

Page lost the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing on May 29. He was pinned by CM Punk after hesitation cost Hangman.

Page was considering blasting Punk with his championship but he decided against it. He went for the Buckshot Lariat but it was countered by the GTS.

Booker T on Hangman’s Run

During an edition of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T said he feels Hangman Page’s title reign lacked a big feel and it wasn’t through any fault of the former champion.

“As far as Hangman Adam Page, he’s a damn good worker. I don’t think there was a highlight put on his title run. I don’t think he got any of the glitz and glamor.”

“It’s almost like one of those things when you become the champion, but you’re not in the main event. You’re just on the show and you’re not the main event.”

Booker T went on to say that he did agree that CM Punk was the right choice to defeat Hangman. He was looking forward to seeing how long AEW could ride the “gravy train.”

Booker’s comments were made before AEW announced that Punk suffered an injury. As a result, an interim title will now be put in place.

There’s currently no timeline for CM Punk’s return but he will need surgery.

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co.

Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has offered his reaction to Stephanie McMahon deciding to take a leave of absence from WWE.

Earlier this month McMahon, the longtime Chief Branding Officer of WWE, announced she’d be stepping away from her role with the company, opting to spend more time with her family instead.

“As of tomorrow, I am taking a leave of absence from the majority of my responsibilities at WWE. WWE is a lifelong legacy for me and I look forward to returning to the company that I love after taking this time to focus on my family.”

Now, WWE’s Nick Khan will absorb much of McMahon’s responsibilities, while a replacement will also be sought out as well. In the wake of McMahon’s announcement, there has been a lot of speculation about her exit.

Many suggest that McMahon was frustrating to work with, and there were also questions about her ability to perform the job well.

Taking to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” Booker T offered his take on the situation.

Booker T criticized reports suggesting that McMahon’s decision is nothing more than what it is – a decision to take time off.

He also noted that, had he been in her shoes, he’d have taken some time away a long time ago.

“It just seems like people want to find something controversial to be able to talk about … Her taking time off means nothing other than she’s taking time off.

“Shane McMahon has taken time off several times, he’s always come back. He’s taken more time off. I don’t look at it like most because everybody’s looking for a story.

“And me, like you said, Stephanie has been in the trenches for a long time. To take a break, I think is a break well needed.”

It has certainly been a wild year for McMahon and her family. Her husband, Triple H, dealt with a very serious heart complication that could have been deadly.

Now, with McMahon stepping away, Triple H is back to working full-time for WWE after taking some time off himself.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Booker T is not a fan of WWE unifying their tag team titles recently.

On this past Friday’s episode of SmackDown Live, The Usos beat RK-Bro to capture the RAW Tag Team Championships. Going into the matchup, The Usos were already the SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions.

Now, The Usos are the Unified Tag Team Champions of WWE, joining The Bloodline leader, Roman Reigns, as dual-brand champions.

Recently, two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on this creative decision. He explained that he’s a fan of having Tag Team Champions on different brands.

And although The Usos might be able to work both brands, the toll of having to defend both of those titles on the road, both physically and personally, could be dire.

“I like having at least two tag team belts, one Smackdown, one Raw. You may not understand what that does to the body of guys trying to do that, but they’re going to have to defend those championships on the house shows, European tours, Monday night, Friday night, and put those guys in a position where they got to work all week long.

“I’m thinking about protecting myself and making sure I can have a minute with my family. To have to defend the Tag Team Championship all the time, those guys aren’t going to have no time at home.

“I’m going to tell you that right now. They’re going to have about one day at home to prepare and one day to get ready to get back on the road.”

It remains to be seen if WWE decides to unify the Tag Team Titles into one set of belts, or if The Usos will drop one set of those titles in the near future.

What do you think WWE will end up doing with the Tag Team Championships? Sound off in the comments below!

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Booker T was not a fan of the Joey Janela flaming boot spot at his recent GCW appearance.

Janela went one-on-one with Drew Parker at the GCW Maniac show this past Saturday night (May 21). During the match, Janela wanted to do a flashy high spot, which he decided would be setting his boot on fire and nailing Parker with a super kick.

However, the fire didn’t go out immediately, and took quite a while to put out, nearly starting a panic.

Janela, whose contract expired with AEW back in April, has since taken to social media to joke about the ordeal.

Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T, however, did not find it amusing. Taking to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” he offered his take on the situation. The former World Heavyweight Champion said Janela’s decision was “the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in my career.”

“I’m always willing to say in somebody’s face what I’m willing to say on this show. Joey Janela, that was the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in my career,” Booker said.

“I’m serious because the thing is, he didn’t have a boot where it could actually fend off the flames for a minute. He had a kick pad on and a tennis shoe.

“He put so much damn lighter fluid on his foot, it probably soaked all the way through to his foot.

“That right there just embodies what I talk to my young students about. If that’s the route you want to go, that’s on you, but plan on working that scene forever, because this is not stuff they do in the major leagues.”

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

A former five-time WCW Champion sees a lot of similarities between his old stomping grounds and AEW.

Some have criticized AEW for having a bloated roster. There are many times when some notable names aren’t seen on the main shows Dynamite and Rampage, but they will have matches on Dark or Dark Elevation, both of which air on YouTube and mostly showcase squash matches.

Booker T believes it’s a similar problem that WCW had.

Similarities

Taking to his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker explained why he sees a lot of similarities in how AEW handles hiring talent to how WCW handled the process (h/t ewrestlingnews.com).

“Yeah, there’s been a lot of guys on the show. They try to get a lot of guys on that show and highlight as many things as they possibly can. A lot of things get lost in the shuffle, of course, in doing that. WCW, back in the day, they hired a bunch of guys.

“Most of the guys, they just hired them just so they wouldn’t go to WWE. WCW had signed a bunch of guys and they were sitting at home, making money. They just didn’t want those guys to go to the WWE or back to WWE.”

It’s become a meme on social media that whoever is signed to AEW will end up on Dark in two or three weeks. While the company uses the YouTube shows to pad records, most people who tune into AEW TV aren’t watching the online shows.

Recently, the company has been letting contracts expire for wrestlers they aren’t doing anything with. Recent names include Jack Evans and Marko Stunt.

Stu Grayson’s contract also expired, but AEW tried negotiating with him.

Should Tammy Sytch (Sunny) be removed from the WWE Hall of Fame in light of her ongoing legal troubles?

Last week, Sytch was charged with DUI Manslaughter, driving with an expired license, and seven counts of DUI, stemming from her three-vehicle collision back in March that killed a man.

There have been calls for Sytch, a 2011 WWE Hall of Fame inductee, to have her honor revoked. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry and former NXT head trainer Bill DeMott are both advocating for her removal.

Booker T, also a member of the Hall, says Sytch should not be removed despite the nine felony charges against her.

On the latest episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker explained why he feels removing Sunny from the Hall of Fame would be pointless.

“I’m not looking for reasons to remove somebody from the WWE Hall of Fame, ok? That’s just me personally. I don’t think removing her from the WWE Hall of Fame is going to help her in any way.”

Booker T

Booker added that alcoholism is “something very difficult to kick.”

Sytch recently fired back at DeMott for his comments in a Facebook post that referenced his controversial departure from WWE.

DeMott resigned from WWE in 2015 following multiple accusations of misconduct by his students.

The case against Tammy Sytch

In March 2022, Sytch was driving her boyfriend’s vehicle, when it crashed into a stationary car that was waiting at a red light.

This vehicle collided with the vehicle in front, with 75-year-old Julian Lasseter, the driver of the center car, being pronounced dead later at a local hospital.

A toxicology report has revealed that Sytch was three-and-a-half times over the legal blood alcohol limit when driving the car.

Often called the first WWF Diva, Sytch could spend decades behind bars if found guilty of the charges against her.

• Police Release Body-Cam Footage of Tammy Sytch’s Arrest (May 2022)

Thanks to Inside the Ropes for the quotes

Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has nothing but praise for Ronda Rousey and her recent work with Charlotte Flair.

Booker T took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to talk about several professional wrestling topics. One of those topics was Rousey’s program with Flair. Rousey recently defeated Flair in an “I Quit” match at WrestleMania Backlash, capturing the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship.

Over the course of Rousey’s feud with Flair, Booker said he can see the growth in Rousey as a performer, adding that he can tell she’s certainly studying her craft.

“Well, I can tell you this, you could tell Ronda’s been studying, you could tell she’s been working on her craft,” Booker T said. “I said it also, having someone like Charlotte in the ring with you, man, that doesn’t hurt at all.

“Knowing what it means to have a ring general in the ring, and knowing how to work around that ring general is very, very important. That’s one thing that I think Ronda Rousey has done very well since day one.

“Because you’ve got to understand, ever since Ronda came in, almost 10 times out of 10 times, she’s been following.

“In this business, you’ve got to know how to follow very, very well, if you plan on making it to the next level, if you plan on anybody trusting you to help you to make it to that next level. Ronda definitely has done that.”

Rousey initially faced Flair at WrestleMania 38 for the SmackDown Women’s Title. However, Flair came out on top after nailing Rousey with a big boot. Charlotte actually tapped during that match, but the referee was down and didn’t see it.

“The Rowdy One” later demanded a rematch with an “I Quit” stipulation, and wound up taking the title from Flair this past weekend after making Flair yell “I Quit” due to being locked up in an armbar through a steel chair.

Now, Flair is expected to be away from WWE TV for some time, leaving Rousey to rule the blue brand as champion while she’s away. It will be interesting to see who Rousey is paired up with for her first title defense in Flair’s absence.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T has two names on his mind when it comes to who he’d like to see dethrone Roman Reigns.

Booker T took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to discuss the matter. Booker named both Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre as the stars he’d like to see take Reigns down when the time is right.

“I’ve got to go with Cody Rhodes. Drew McIntyre, like I said on the kickoff show, being a part of that six-man with RK-Bro, keeping himself real close to the body. Making sure he stays close to the championship.

“It’s good for Drew McIntyre. Letting everyone know, man, I am not far from this picture. But, the guy that’s got the hot hand, the guy that’s got the rocket on him is Cody Rhodes.

“I say you run with that, man until it cools off. I don’t think that’s going to be for quite some time.”

Roman Reigns became the Unified WWE Champion when he beat Brock Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 38 earlier this year. Reigns entered the match already holding the Universal Title, taking the WWE Championship from Lesnar when it was all said and done.

Now, “The Tribal Chief” rules over both RAW and SmackDown as a dual champion. As for Rhodes, he made his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, taking on Seth Rollins as his surprise opponent selected by Vince McMahon.

Rhodes came from All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he remade himself into “The American Nightmare,” leaving gimmicks such as Stardust in the past. Now, Rhodes is back with World Title aspirations on his mind, and a matchup against Reigns would certainly be a great one for fans to enjoy.

Finally, McIntyre is a former World Champion in his own right. He topped Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 36 to become the WWE Champion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, McIntyre is also on a path back to the World Title, however, he might soon be making a pit stop for a feud with Tyson Fury first.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Booker T has lost all respect for Ryback after the Big Guy’s recent comments about WWE boss Vince McMahon.

Ryback was cut by WWE back in 2016, although he maintains that he left the company voluntarily.

Since then, Ryback has consistently bashed WWE and Vince McMahon, claiming the company is illegally suppressing his social media accounts.

Recently, Ryback attacked Vince McMahon on Twitter, calling the WWE Chairman’s deceased mother Vicky Askew a “wh*re.”

Askew died in January 2022 at the age of 101.

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker addressed Ryback’s vulgar comment:

“When you’re talking about somebody that you don’t know, that right there for me is taking it to another level…  I have no problem or personal issues with Ryback or anything like that but I’m not someone that hides up under a rock or anything or that’s afraid to tackle a situation like this one right here. My thing is this. Ryback didn’t make it in the WWE, right? That’s a fact, he didn’t make it in the WWE.

“A person that says something like that, I just do not have a whole lot of respect for him. The thing is, if I saw him in his face, I’ll tell him, ‘I don’t have a lot of respect for you at all if any.’ Seriously, that’s just the type of person I am. I do know if I ever was to run across Ryback ever again in any form, he would not be receiving a handshake.”

Despite claiming to stand by the comments he made, Ryback has since deleted the tweet where he insulted McMahon’s mother.