10 Wrestlers You Can’t Believe WWE Ruined

4. Booker T

alexa bliss bayley
WWE.com

It took 23 seconds for Triple H to kick up dirt over Booker T after he took a sh*t on him at WrestleMania XIX. 23 seconds for him to pin Book after he drilled him with the Pedigree in a slow-crawl spot designed to protect a finisher, not reinforce it. 23 seconds to kill the brightest babyface prospect WWE had in an age.

Booker was built for WWE, despite being a WCW guy. He was as funny as he was talented, able to get over in between the ropes and in backstage segments. After a quality run with Goldust in the tag ranks - a throwaway midcard bit made indelible by Booker's comedic timing - he was installed as an opponent for Triple H's World Heavyweight Title. WWE did everything (arguably too much) to generate sympathy. Booker's past as an orphan and reformed criminal was uncovered. Triple H ramped up the racial overtones by mocking Booker's "nappy hair" and asking him to "dance" for him.

Much of this was beyond the pale, but the only possible outcome would have excused it. But Booker T didn't win his own feel-good redemption story. It took 23 seconds for Triple H to kick up dirt over Booker T after he took a sh*t on him at WrestleMania XIX.

Booker T recovered because he had the talent to recover - but as absolutely riotous as his KING BOOK-AH heel schtick was, it wasn't A-grade headliner material. He was a natural babyface when the bell rang, but the events of March 30, 2003, forever cast him as a loser.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!