It's crazy looking back on this match, Booker T was so underrated as a performer. The way he used his length is something that can't be easily duplicated. Poetry in motion.
His movement and move set was so unique and awesome. Also just had a natural charisma that was so fun to watch whether he was a baby face or heel. Booker is one of my all time favorites.
@@Richard-Espanol everything you said was 1000% true! I said that about him before. Booker T is criminally underrated and under appreciated. I love his style more even now watching it as an adult. I loved King Booker back in the day, though. That gimmick was funny as hell. We definitely gotta give The Book his just due.
When I was in middle school, I went to go see the WWE when they came to Reno, NV. I loved Booker T. I remember waiting outside with my Dad just to catch a glimpse of him as they were leaving. Booker T sees me and My dad waiting, stops his limo and gets out and points while nodding. He didn't need to stop. He just pointed, smiled and nodded toward us to acknowledging that we were there. Gave us a solid fist as he got back into his limo and that's all I needed. One of the best moments of my middle school days. I will never forget it. As someone who didn't have a lot of people who looked like me in my life, it meant everything for me for him just to acknowledge me and my Dad there. I will always respect this man for that.
In my head I always thought that PPVs had like God-like matches because I couldn't afford them. It's funny 20 yrs later it feels like I'm watching Smackdown lol
This was my 1st ppv as a kid after 3yrs of never being able to watch the ppvs. This was a huge fukn deal to me back then , I was soo hyped like I can ever remember!! Those were good times !!
This and the era around it was the best era in all of wrestling. Respect to the legends before, but the time from the late 90s to the early/mid 2000s was the best ever
@@marksaldanha2906 false. the only way you care about these ‘actors’ is if you care about the wwe. To everyone else it might as well be a General Hospital ‘star’
These two are some of the finest wrestlers of all time. They don't win just by slapping their opponents, they're strong, technical and acrobatic. What a match.
I had toned out the commentary for a bit there and was just focused on the match. And that line is what made me start paying attention to JR and Heyman again, I was just like "Wait, what did he just say?"
@@AD-ur1fk low-key yes... lol but king and JR are CLASSIC! But I do feel, that had Heyman and JR commentated together for longer, they would've been considered the best pair. They way they each bounce off of each other and use wrestling psychology in their interactions is gold. Its like while yes, King is technically the heel announcer when he and JR do it, but King is not in as much conflict with JR as Heyman is. Their whole commentating relationship was a story in and of itself. Heyman went full throttle into the invasion angle and really was more of an antagonist to JR while King was just disagreeable with him.
Listening to the Fink announcing pre and post matches was a thing of beauty. The way he put emphasis on championships. No one has been able fill his shoes.
@@michaelterrell2108 yeah legend as long as Rock's not around. And that's how WWF played Booker. He was like the discount I want to be the Rock wrestler. And especially so just before Vince bought WCW. Now don't get me wrong, I really like Booker T . Loved him in Harlem Heat. But WWF kinda always played him as sort of a bafoon , ever so slightly, especially when it came to the rock. Now let's be fair Booker T is no match for rock on the mic . Who is except Austin and undertaker? But in the ring he was equal to Rock. He had the height and build and skill.
Now that im older I can see Booker T was one hell of an entertainer and wrestler. He had like a million moves and kicks. Dude is honestly one of the best wrestlers ever. Skill wise and as a performer he's really up there.
AEW is the closest thing to it. Dynamite crowds were loud af, up and coming stars in a tv-14 environment with legendary commentators; JR, Schiavone and TAZ. Reminds me of 1994-95 when Stone cold, The rock were just starting to become huge (no one in PW will ever reach Rock level stardom though), hogan, Austin and Cena are definitely reachable though
Booker T is one heck of a performer. For a huge guy he moves so fast. Huge respect to Shane too for taking the clothesline and rock bottom to the floor.
From the few footage I've seen of Booker working out as well as reading about his philosophy of training, he's not a huge fan of heavy, bodybuilder style lifter. He stretches often andd He uses resistance bands a lot and jumps rump a lot. Lots of calisthenics and plyomeyics as well. All of this would explain why he's so quick and flexible.
There are 10 Icons in Pro Wrestling and Booker is not one of them. He doesn’t even make the top 50 list so he definitely isn’t an Icon. He did nothing special, except do his job like he was paid to do. Hogan, Warrior, Flair, Nash, Stone Cold, Taker, Kane, Piper, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Macho, HHH, Sting, Luger, Goldberg and many others would be considered Icons.
@@tableleg704 Booker T is one of the most accomplished pro wrestlers of all time. The 56-year-old is a five-time WCW Heavyweight champion, a former WWE World Heavyweight champion, an 11-time WCW Tag Team champion, a six-time WCW World TV champion, a former King of the Ring winner, and a two-time inductee into the WWE Hall of Famer.Nov 17, 2021. He is a Icon
@@cagonzal13 that may be but he is not an Icon when compared to the others. He came up the ranks the hard way like a lot of others and always improved. What hurts his legacy is the end of WCW and his time in the beginning of WWF. Just think of what his career is and enjoy it as I watched him on channel 12 when he was a part of The Ebony Express with his brother and their manager was Perceval Pringle the 3rd aka Paul Bearer. They were in the GWF at that time. The warrior and the vine Rich’s and the fabulous free birds with Barry Gordy. That was great wrestling to watch as a kid before football and wrestling practices hahaha. Just ask yourself, Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of Pro Wrestling and those are the Icons.
Booker T was definitely underappreciated. I know the Rock is/was a star. But having the champion come out first already let you know how the match was gonna end.
@Joel Joby he was teamed up with goldust and booker t. Idk how a character learning some humor in his life of tragedy would be an error for his character.
The Rock CM punk Chris Jericho John Cena Stone cold Steve Austin Paul Heyman The Miz Triple H Samoa Joe Dolph Ziggler *Best talkers in the WWE / that were in the WWE.* _HATERS WILL HATE_
Also let's not forget how he was forced to change his in ring style after his injury at the beginning of his career. Like what happened to Austin we could say. When Rock debuted as Rocky Maivia had a more athletic style. But even after that injury he showed that he was a damn good in ring performer
The music the rock used for this entrance is my favorite. Was there for this match actually and the video dosen't capture just how loud the crowd got when his music hit and he walked out.
It probably means He(Booker) represented and bore on his shoulders the WCW Banner and The Rock who had the Torch from the WWE side of things beat Booker T and thus beat WCW. That’s how I see it in this particular storyline.
I've always thought that scissors kick booker gave to mr mcmahon was vinces way of testing him look back and vince didint even lean over he was basically standing and booker still gave him a huge scissors kick with dress pants and loafers on followed by a spinaroonie without pausing
This is a much better match for Booker than i remember. Booker was so underrated. His best of 7 against "censored" for the WCW Tv titles were solid gold. Booker is so agile and athletic it's easy to forget how big he is. I wish this feud had been longer.
As much as I love The Rock. Booker T deserves the love here. Representing WCW without Hogan, Nash, Sting, and Goldberg. Booker T is the guy who came out successful from WCW and transitioning to WWF. Very underrated!
@@mapleleaf1292 you do know the E was always there right? Lmao y’all love making that statement but it was always WWFE, (World Wrestling Federation Entertainment) they just never showed the E
Man, I can't even describe the nostalgia this brings back.....I was 12 years old, and I remember this was when the rock was at his peak! He made that song with Wyclef Jenkins IT DOSENT MATTER...never ever saw the day coming where I would be the plus 30 year old showing young people the matches from my child hood....time truly flies
True but the best presence has to go to stone cold! You hear the rock and cheers erupt worldwide....you hear that glass shatter and buttholes pucker across the universe
This was match that Booker T actually challenged the Rock. And this was why Sting said he never wanted to join WWE. Champion issue a challenge to the challenger when it was suppose to be the opposite.
Steve Flacco true plus booker T wanted the rock to challenge him for the world title? A guy who just came back from filming scorpion king and had the best peak of fame no wrestler had before. 98-00 ese the best rock. After he came back from filming scorpion king , he stopped his Elvis look and slow talking. I know characters have to evolved
You know what I've always missed,the camera flashes from the crowd absolutely dazzling the shot when the wrestlers strike a pose or do a move I think it happened for the last time when the rock had that segment with cena after wm27 on raw
Booker T might be the most historically underrated wrestler of all time. His explosiveness, athleticism, finese and charisma, against some of the true TITANS of wrestling, in what is my opinion, the true GOLDEN ERA of wrestling. If Booker T looked like Genuwine, he would have been a decade long champion. He could do everything in the ring.
Booker T was so ahead of the game man. I appreciate his contribution to pro-wrestling more now as a man now that I understand the obstacles he may have faced at that time in a business that was not favorable to people of color. Especially people of color that were not racially ambiguous.
old wrestling matches can't really be posted on youtube without braindead attitude era marks rushing to the comment section to circlejerk on the "good ol days" can they
Booker T. losing to The Rock will always be an upgrade compared to losing to Triple H at WrestleMania 19 and SummerSlam 2007 (even though the latter wasn’t that bad aside from the fact that his lost to the guy who buried him again but this/that time his wife got to see it up close in person).
Honestly, I would have liked to see Booker work with both the Rock and HHH again since this match and the WM match were pretty top notch in my opinion. Seems like the chemistry was there.
The rock wasn't selfish and actually was born into the business understanding the importance of it as well as others who are in it and why you should respect and take care of them. Triple H however well..he's the C.O.O tells ya just about everything ya need to know.
Love him or hate him, Shane McMahon is a bad mothertrucker!! That guy never fails to entertain. Booker T is and will always be a legend in wrestling. WWE underutilized him way too much.
when the Rock left, they definitely should’ve pushed Booker T more. Might not have been the exact same result but Booker was great on the mic, and in the ring
I know right, the only great wrestlers that's left on the roster is Edge, Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Kevin Owens, Jeff Hardy and Braun Strowman and as far as Roman Reigns goes, well he's just overrated which is why I want Edge to beat Reigns at Wrestlemania 37
When the rock climbs up the ropes and raises his hands, there are hundreds of cameras flashing like stars in the night sky. Something we’ll never see again because of cellphone cameras.
You see more flash now, now that more people have access to phone. Plus c’mon, Bray Wyatt’s entrance is the best. Lights go dark and all you see is Bray with the lantern, and the hundred of cell phone light in the audience.
