Huffman Booker T. - Booker T: my rise to wrestling royalty

Published 2015 by Medallion Press, Inc.

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is a registered trademark of Medallion Press, Inc.

If you purchase this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

Copyright 2015 by Booker T. Huffman with Andrew William Wright

Cover design by Adam Mock and James Tampa

Cover photography by Eric Curtis

Writing contributions by Adam Mock

Research support by Michal Wlos

This work reflects the authors present recollections of specific experiences over a period of years. Dialogue and events have been recreated and in some cases compressed to convey the substance of what was said or what occurred. Some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.

EPUB ISBN 9781605427058

Booker T. Huffman is a 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee, current General Manager of Smackdown, a former commentator for WWE, and a trainer for the hugely popular reality series WWE Tough Enough. He holds thirty-five major professional titles within WWE, WCW, and TNA. Booker also operates his own wrestling school, Pro Wrestling Academy (PWA), with his brother Stevie Ray, striving to help students ages thirteen and up to achieve their dreams. His nonprofit organization, Booker T. Fights For Kids Foundation, has supported many outreach endeavors, such as the patient-focused campaign of the National Marrow Donor Program, overseas visits to US troops, and considerable financial commitments to displaced Katrina victims. Booker T. and his wife, Sharmell, reside in Houston with their young twins.

Over twenty years ago, two young men full of dreams sat in a dressing room of a rotten old building in a bad part of South Dallas in the Sportatorium, where Elvis once played. We were waiting for our chance to perform and make our names in professional wrestling. The odds of succeeding were small for either of us, let alone both. Over two decades later, we still sit and laugh in dressing rooms, but this time were waiting to go out in front of as many as eighty thousand people. We are now the old guys, two former World Champions, and Booker T is a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest singles and tag team wrestlers of all time.

I never dreamed this friend I laughed withand made so little money within Texas, Japan, and Korea would be the one Id perform with on six different continents to sold-out arenas. Most importantly, we laugh and enjoy each others company as if it were still decades ago, when the only things we worried about were whether the promoter would pay us and who would book us the next week.

Booker and I have faced each other in the ring hundreds of times. If you add in my commentary, Ive been a part of over a thousand of Bookers matches. We never called a match in the back. We both just said, See you out there. Our only preparations were small talk and trash talk. We wanted to feel the crowd. Booker loved it as much as anyone I have ever seen. He thrived on it. Watching him come alive in front of an audience is awesome to this day.

Booker T and I parted ways when he went to WCW and I went to the WWF. Booker went on to win ten Tag Team Championships with his brother, making them one of the greatest tag teams of all time. Booker later became the five-time WCW Champion. I watched with pride as my friend became one of the all-time greats. We reunited in the WWE, where Booker continued to win championships and we faced each other for almost all of them.

I can say that at times, being out there with Booker was like being in a street fight. He loved it real . As they say in wrestling, that man should have been a potato farmer. Booker made you bring it. I loved that about him, and I think that was part of the huge appeal he had with the audience.

Fans see through most anything. Theyre very smart. But when a competitor like Booker hits an arena, the fans also see theyre watching a performer who loves this business as much as they do. When Booker comes out, the mood changes. It gives me goose bumps just writing this.

Since the day I met him, Booker T has carried himself like a gentleman and role model. His story is one of inspiration to me and anyone who knows him. Hes a loving husband to a wonderful woman, Queen Sharmell, and hes a caring father. He appears for WWE and also runs his own wrestling promotion because he simply loves this business.

Booker and I still sit together every week, laughing and joking, our old dreams accomplished and new ones made. Both of us are halfway through the journey but looking forward to the next day and the crowd each night. Now we arent in a hurry, though, but just enjoying life.

Performing in front of a crowd is addictive. Theres no drug in the world that can give you that feeling. However, when I was away for a short time due to injury, the thing I missed most was not the crowd but my family backstage. Im proud to say Booker is part of my close familya great brother I love.

John Layfield

April 14, 2014

Foreword by John Layfield

1 Taking a Vicious Opportunity

2 Shut Down as Chi-Town Heat

3 Harlem Heat Ignites

4 An Earful from Cactus Jack

5 Taking the Tag Team Gold

6 The New World Order Declares War

7 Splitting with Our Sister

8 In Chaos Lies Opportunity

9 The Best of Seven

10 The Downward Spiral Begins

11 Domestic Disaster

12 World Champion by Chance

13 Dawn of the Imperial Takeover

14 The Invasion

15 The Road to WrestleMania

16 The Grand Stage of WrestleMania X8

17 Joining the nWo

18 Locked in the Elimination Chamber

19 Going for Gold

20 Brandon Comes Home

21 Turned Heel

22 Tribute to the Troops

23 Sharmell Enters the E

24 Losing Eddie

25 The Rise of King Booker

26 Entering the Hall of Fame

Acknowledgments

For my parents, Booker T. and Rosa J. Huffman,

who live on forever in my heart and daily thoughts.

It was the end of the world. Well, at least for some. After hearing the rumblings in the locker room and offices for the last few months, the rumors proved to be true. On March 23, 2001, our long-dreaded rival, Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), purchased the company I worked for, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Three days later in Panama City, Florida, would be our last Nitro broadcast. I looked around and saw many guys hanging their heads in disbelief as if the sky were crashing through the ceiling. The sale of WCW meant a dead end for most of the roster and crew.

Here we go , I thought. Its about to get really interesting .

Surprisingly, my buddy, WCW World Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner pulled me aside in a rare moment of uncertainty. Hey, Book, do you think Vince will take us?

Although panic had set in around me, I saw this as a new opportunity. Id developed a skill set that could be applied anywhere in the world, from the WWF to companies in Japan or Mexico.

I laughed. Man, who else do you think theyre going to take? And I meant it. In the last six months, Scotty and I had set WCW on fire with top-drawing main events.