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Booker T |
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 Booker T
Career
World Championship Wrestling
Huffman debuted in WCW as "Kole", one half of the tag team Harlem Heat with his brother Lane, wrestling as "Kane". Kole and Kane were later renamed "Booker T" and "Stevie Ray" respectively, and would hold the WCW World Tag Team Championships a record ten times.
In the late 1990s, Huffman began competing as a singles wrestler, while his brother joined the nWo, then became a color commentator. Huffman won the WCW World Television Championship six times, and traded the belt with Chris Benoit in a "best of seven" series which saw the belt contested on Nitro, Thunder and pay-per-views. He was the first ever African American to hold the title.
Huffman was elevated to the main event in 1999; Lane Huffman has speculated that this could in part have been due to a number of racial discrimination lawsuits filed against WCW. After WCW booker Vince Russo grew disgruntled with WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan's alleged politicking, he fired Hogan during the live broadcast of Bash at the Beach 2000 and announced an impromptu match between Jeff Jarrett and Huffman for the now-vacant World Title. Huffman won the match, in the process becoming the second ever African American Champion. He went on to win the title three more times in 2000 and 2001, and would win the title once more in the World Wrestling Federation (where he lost the belt to a man whose gimmick Huffman allegedly copied, The Rock).
During 2000, Stevie Ray reformed Harlem Heat with Big T, and had lawyer J. Biggs strip Huffman of his right to use the letter "T" as part of his name. Throughout this period, Huffman was referred to simply as "Booker". Huffman would eventually completely change his in-ring name, joining General Rection's military-themed Misfits In Action faction as G.I. Bro. He regained his more popular alias shortly before his World Title win.
Huffman won a total of twenty three titles in WCW, making him the most decorated athlete in the history of the organization.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment
After WCW was bought by the WWF in March 2001, Huffman invaded the WWF as a senior member of The Alliance. After the Alliance disbanded following the 2001 Survivor Series, he remained a heel. In December 2001, Huffman joined forces with then heel, Vince McMahon and The Boss Man and feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin. After Huffman cost Austin a match against Chris Jericho for the WWE Undisputed Championship at Vengeance 2001, Austin gained revenge by attacking Huffman in a grocery store, humilitating him by covering him in food.
Huffman won the WCW World Tag Team Championships for an eleventh time, this time with Test. In addition, he held the WWE Hardcore Championship twice in May 2002. When the WWE roster was split into two groups, Huffman was drafted to RAW.
Huffman joined the WWE version of the nWo in 2002, but was thrown out of the group by Shawn Michaels, thus turning face. He formed a successful tag team with Goldust, another enemy of the nWo, and won the World Tag Team Championships twice. By 2003, Huffman's popularity had soared, and he amicably separated from Goldust in order to pursue the World Heavyweight Championship. In February 2003 he eliminated The Rock to win a battle royal for the number one contendership, granting him a title shot at WrestleMania XIX.
Several weeks before WrestleMania, the incumbent champion, Triple H, cut a controversial promo on Huffman in order to gain heat. HHH downplayed Huffman's WCW success, pointing out that the WCW World Heavyweight Championship had been held by Vince Russo and actor David Arquette, and implying that Huffman, as a black wrestler, would never win a world championship in WWE. His words rang true, and Huffman lost to HHH at WrestleMania.
In April 2002, Huffman opened a retail outlet in Houston, Texas; Jam Zone, at 12313 Bellaire Boulevard. The shop sells music, video games and hip-hop gear.
Huffman remained on RAW for another two years, trading the WWE Intercontinental Championship with Christian and winning the World Tag Team Championships a third time, this time with Rob Van Dam. On March 22, 2004 he was traded to SmackDown! along with The Dudley Boyz in exchange for Triple H. On SmackDown!, Huffman quickly established himself as a heel by disparagingly referring to SmackDown! as the "minor leagues". He feuded with former partner Rob Van Dam, then with The Undertaker in a feud which saw him utilise voodoo magic in order to try and overcome his "supernatural" foe.
On October 21, 2004, SmackDown! general manager Theodore Long placed Huffman in a six man tag team match with Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio against John Bradshaw Layfield, René Duprée and Kenzo Suzuki. JBL expected Huffman to betray his partners, but instead Huffman pinned JBL, this turning face once again. Huffman faced JBL for the WWE Championship at the 2004 Survivor Series on November 14, but lost after he was hit in the head with the championship belt.
In March 2005, Huffman and Stevie Ray opened the Booker T & Stevie Ray Pro Wrestling Academy in Houston. At the same time, Huffman signed a two-year contract extension with WWE, quelling rumors that his retirement was imminent.
Huffman married Sharmell, a former Nitro Girl, in March 2005. Sharmell was introduced to SmackDown! as Huffman's valet, leading to a feud with Kurt Angle, who began stalking Sharmell. Angle referred to Sharmell as a "gutter slut", claiming that he "liked it". The feud ended when Huffman defeated Angle at Judgement Day 2005.
In July 2005 Huffman began a feud with Christian, who he defeated at The Great American Bash.
Profile
- Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
- Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
- Birthday: May 1, 1965
- Hometown: Houston, Texas
- Billed from: Harlem, New York
- Trained by: Scott Casey
- Debut: March 1, 1989
- Previous identities: Booker, G.I. Bro, Kole, Bookerman, Master of the Harlem Hangover
- Film(s): Ready to Rumble (as himself)
Previous managers
- Sister Sherri
- Jacqueline
- Midnight
- Shane McMahon
- Sharmell Sullivan
- Col. Rob Parker
- Shawn Michaels
Finishing and signature moves
- '''Booker T Special / Scissors Kick / Axe Kick'''
- '''Book-End''' (side slam)
- Missile Dropkick
- Harlem / Houston sidekick
- Harlem / Houston Hangover (somersault top rope legdrop)
- 110th Street Slam (Alabama slam)
- Spinebuster
- Sidewalk Slam
- Arm wrench and side kick combination
- Spin-a-roonie (breakdancing windmill)
Quotes
- "Save the drama for your mama!"
- "Don't hate the player, Hate the game!"
- "Tell me you didn't just say that!"
- "Now can you dig that, Sucka?!"
- "I am the 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW Champion!"
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