Two-time WWE Hall of Famer and five-time World Champion Booker T exclusively spoke with PWMania.com‘s Wade Needham about a wide range of topics, including A&E’s WWE Most Wanted Treasures on Sunday, April 30th 9/8c, Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE, a potential crossover between WWE and UFC, Vince McMahon’s new look, working commentary for NXT, and much more.
You can check out the complete interview below:
I wanted to address the big elephant in the industry. What was your initial reaction to the news of Endeavor’s intended acquisition of the WWE?
“It’s not an elephant to me, man. It’s just business. Business as usual, man, the wrestling business is very, very unpredictable. I didn’t see the sale happening as quick as it did. I thought it was something that that was, perhaps, you know, could happen or would happen. But I thought, that’s a monster for it to happen as quickly as it did, I was surprised by that. But I think it’s a good thing. I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. I think with Endeavor, it’s only gonna get bigger. As far as the lights camera, the action, that that’s what WWE is really, really all about, that we got a piece of that just a little bit of what you know, perhaps is on the horizon at WrestleMania day one and day two, everybody’s entrance was so elaborate and so different. It felt like a real, real, real show, you know what I mean? And it always felt like that, but it felt bigger, it felt had a little bit of kick to it. So I think it’s gonna be overall good for all the guys.”
Has there been any changes backstage with the morale or anything since the news broke?
“Not from my perspective, I haven’t seen any changes at all, as far as talent goes, but I work in NXT, most of the time, dealing with the younger guys that I don’t think are too in tune to what’s going on from the business aspect of it.”
If any, what kind of crossovers do you think could potentially happen with WWE and UFC under the Endeavour umbrella?
“I don’t see a whole lot of crossover in the ring or in the octagon, per se or anything like that. But as far as having special guests as far as having certain angles built around, I mean, we’ve had guys you know from my era like Kevin Federline you know, combat, but these guys actually have you know, combat experience, I think it would lead a little bit of credibility if they were to actually do something it’s just a matter of how they do it and what they’re going to do.”
Should be interesting, especially with Brock Lesnar being on the roster and former champion of both brands, do you possibly see Brock Lesnar, going back to UFC?
I mean, you know, if it was five years ago, I would say yeah, you know, Brock, I wouldn’t put anything past Brock Lesnar because he’s a beast, he’s a freak of nature. Can he go back and make a run in the heavyweight division? In the UFC? Of course he could. So I’m not saying that or anything that. The thing is gonna be does Brock Lesnar have to want to put his body through that one more time, because that is not something that’s easily done. Brock Lesnar had that that killer instinct, that killer mentality when he did make his runs in the UFC. I think that’s what it’s gonna come down to, if Brock wants to do it.”
Going back real quick to the question I asked you about the changes, if you noticed anything. One change that I think the world has noticed, and that is the appearance of Mr. McMahon, what are your thoughts on his new look?
“You know, what I say, you know, if you don’t change from time to time to pass you by, okay, that’s just the way I look at life. You know, we kind of go through our whole life, you know, seeing that same image of Vince McMahon, but I remember about two years ago, three years ago, and I started growing a beard, my daughter was like, dad, don’t do it that you don’t do it. I did. Now, she just talked to me a couple of days ago, and she was looking at some old pictures of me, and she goes, please, Dad, don’t ever shave your beard, you know? I think changing with the times it’s something that we all got to do. And I think Vince McMahon still being a guy that’s evolving in life still wants to evolve as far as his appearance as well.”
How is your experience been working commentary for the NXT brand?
“You know, it’s a lot of fun. I know, one of these publications voted me the worst commentator. I get it, I understand it. You know, that’s the one who has probably never heard commentary from a hip perspective. You know, from a shucky, ducky, quack, quack. You know, I get it, you know, but what I bring to the table is excitement, entertainment. If you’re not having fun watching this show, you got to turn the channel and go watch something else. Wrestling is not MMA, it’s not boxing. It is to be embellished. I took a bump last night, you know, because Jacy J come flying over the table and you know, the fans love that kind of stuff. You know, so for me, I’m living my best life. I’m so content, being in NXT watching the next level of superstars, you know, go on this journey and have a hand in their journey as well, being able to mentor them and try to guide them through this journey. Because it’s rough, especially when you ain’t got somebody on your side pushing for you and trying to tell you the do’s and don’ts of this business. So for me, I’m loving being in NXT watching these young guys, progression of you know, this wrestling business.”
As a play-by-play commentator myself on the indie level here in SoCal, what advice could you give me like to improve skills on the mic and whatnot?
“Sound bytes, man sound bytes, you know, for me, I write everything down. Delivery is everything, you know, and when I say everything, I mean, everything, you know, that means you got to, it’s like a wrestling match. You know, you’re trying to kill time to try to tell the story, you know, so it’s all intricate detail, which, for me, I didn’t learn it. I have good people working with me right now, I got the best guy in the business working with me, Vic Joseph, I really don’t think I could do my job properly if I didn’t have Vic, you know, coaching me and guide me along this journey that I’m on right now. I try not to, you know, step on his toes, because I know he’s the lead guy. He’s the guy that’s directing all the traffic. And in order for me to look good, I gotta make him look good. So it’s a team effort, just like a wrestling match. You know, the two guys in the ring could not do it without the referee. And the guys even having a referee they can’t do without the fans. So it’s a team effort, you know, just trying to get that stuff out there and just know that having that job.”
There’s a new season of WWE Most Wanted Treasures on A&E kicking off on April 30th at 9/8c, what can we expect from this upcoming season?
“Man, I’m a triple threat with myself, Lita, and Mick Foley going out and finding some of the most iconic memorabilia from some of the biggest stars that have walked this planet here the WWE. It’s really really awesome for me to have, this job to be able to go out and search for Mick Foley’s iconic memorabilia, Bret the Hitman Hart, you know, Roddy Piper, Macho Man Savage, and Goldberg, Kurt Angle, you know, kicking off the season with Stone Cold Steve Austin who I got a connection with as well. It’s really really awesome process to be able to find this stuff is one thing but to be able to deliver it to the fans that those moments in time those memories that are great but seared in their their memories. I think that’s what this business is truly all about. And I think what WWE Most Wanted Treasures is all about is taking those fans back to those moments, just like we did the Rumble everything was displayed and for the fans to be able to come by and actually see it, not just just actually see it, but they actually touch it. Good God man, those stories. Those stories never die. That’s what’s so cool about the show Treasures. Bringing those stories back to the fans one more time.”
What would be The Holy Grail items in your career that you would like to obtain?
“You know, the the Television Championship kicked my career off. It was something that made me feel like I could actually do it. And I was born to actually do this. I’m like, wow, okay, man, it’s so special. But when I won the World Championship, from Jeff Jarrett, their world title, you know, had a band at the top, you know, it was worn by Ric Flair. And I was like, Man, I did it. Man, I’m over here, you know, there’s those two pieces, for me would be the pieces that would literally put a stamp on everything that I did in my wrestling career, the Television Championship, we haven’t been able to find that. We looked high and low all over for that championship and couldn’t find it. I think Dallas Page may have the WCW Heavyweight Championship. And the thing is, I am the true rightful owner of that championship, you know, I was the one who closed WCW down as the United States Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion. So I just would hope that whoever had that championship would find it in their heart, donate it to the rightful owner, which is a man by the name of Booker T.”
Thank you so much, Booker. Thank you so much for your time I do greatly appreciate this. Thank you.
“Oh, thank you guys, WWE Most Wanted Treasures guys, premieres Sunday, April 30th at 9/8c, Don’t miss out! Don’t get shut out! Shucky ducky quack quack and we out.”
