Another Wrestling Legend Turned Down "Last Match" At Starrcast Last Week
Why this Hall of Famer said "hell no" to Starrcast's proposal.
Booker T has claimed he has turned down Starrcast's proposal to follow in Ric Flair's footsteps by participating in a "last match" at next year's event.
A 73-year-old Flair teamed with son-in-law Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett at this year's Starrcast in Nashville, Tennessee. The event billed Jim Crockett Promotions Presents: Ric Flair's Last Match was a business success, drawing thousands over WWE SummerSlam 2022 weekend.
But Booker T doesn't want that for himself and long-time tag team partner Stevie Ray.
According to the WWE and WCW legend, he said "hell no" when Starrcast asked to host Harlem Heat's final bout at next year's convention. On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker said that he was still hurting from returning to the ring a few weeks ago, hence why he won't be doing any "last matches" (h/t Wrestling Inc.):-
“I was approached actually to have a final match next year at Starrcast. Harlem Heat’s final match, here in Texas. I said ‘Hell no. We ain’t doing none of that.’ I just had a match a couple of weeks ago, my knee was killing me. I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like next year. Y’all can forget about seeing me do one last match."
Continuing, Booker said that while he still plans on having matches, he will never work anything billed as a "last match." He prefers to do business the way he learned from an old mentor, the late, great 'Hacksaw' Butch Reed:-
“The thing is, I’m still working, I’m still having matches. You’re just never going to see me have a ‘last match.’ You’re never going to see me doing a lot in the ring. I’m never going to build up a match like I’m doing a whole lot. ‘One tag in, one tag out. That’s it, I’m done, where’s my check?’ I learned from one of my teachers back in the day, ‘Hacksaw’ Butch Reed. I got to tag with him down in the Global Wrestling Federation, and he said ‘Man, I’m coming in one time. I’m coming out and asking for my check.’ That’s the way you do it.”
Booker, 57, has worked five bouts since leaving WWE in 2012, primarily for his own Reality of Wrestling promotion.
Harlem Heat last competed in February 2015, with Booker and Stevie Ray defeating The Heavenly Bodies for ROW.