10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Nov 12)

5. Booker T Didn't Want To Fly Solo At First In WCW

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WWE.com

Together with his brother Stevie Ray, Booker T captured the WCW Tag-Team Titles on a record-setting 10 occasions. In late-1997, Ray took significant time off from the company to heal an ankle injury. That injury opened the door for Booker to make his mark as a singles star.

Unbelievably, this wasn't something Booker really wanted. Up until now, many fans would be forgiven for believing that WCW's creative team wanted to split Harlem Heat. According to Booker T on his Heated Conversations podcast, that's not necessarily the case. It was Ray's injury that forced Booker to fly solo, and he managed to catch on as a singles act.

Winning the WCW TV Title on the December 29, 1997 episode of Monday Nitro, Booker never looked back. He would occasionally team with his brother again, however WCW management now viewed Booker T as a standalone wrestler.

It's incredible to learn that Booker didn't really want this at first. He was happy to continue teaming with his sibling as Harlem Heat. It was Stevie Ray's ankle that changed everything.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.