8 Times WWE Turned Trash Into Treasure

4. King Of The Ring 2006 - Throwaway Reprise To King Booker

King Booker
WWE.com

Forget the notion of WWE ever successfully recycling King Of The Ring, because the promotion pretty much killed off any interest by booking King Barrett so shoddily in 2015. Years prior, they had also failed spectacularly with King Sheamus. The only 'King' of any note since 2002? Why it's King Booker, of course.

For a moment, it looked like WWE would crown Bobby Lashley at Judgment Day '06. That would've been another flop, so it's a good thing they let a talent like Booker T run with the royal idea and be completely outrageous. When he wasn't speaking in a mock English accent or formally announcing himself as 'King Bookah', the King was simply a riot with the gimmick.

If this had been the kiss of death to Booker's WWE run, then nobody would have been surprised. The fact it wasn't speaks volumes of Booker's willingness not to take himself too seriously. King Of The Ring was a tired concept by 2006, but Booker T made it a joy.

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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.