Following a thrilling evening in France at WWE Backlash 2024, the WWE is gearing up for a historic return to Saudi Arabia with the highly anticipated King and Queen of the Ring tournament. The wrestling universe has been buzzing with anticipation as this week’s WWE Raw and Smackdown kicked off the exciting first rounds of the tournaments.
The company has embellished this year’s tournaments with star-studded line-ups, a clear indicator that WWE is intent on restoring the prestige once associated with these crowns.
On a recent episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, wrestling icon Booker T reflected on the significance of this year’s competitions and took a surprising stand by suggesting he was responsible for the decline of King of the Ring’s appeal due to his unforgettable King Booker persona.
“Yes, as far as the tournament. I feel like I broke the mold. But the thing is, I honestly said when I was doing the King of the Ring, when I first got the character. I said, ‘After I’m finished with this character as King Booker, no one else is going to be able to do this ever again. No one else is going to ever be able to follow King Booker as king ever again.’ Nobody’s going to ever buy it, ever again. And I said that just, because of — there again, winning the King of the Ring is one thing. Being the king is something totally different. And I just felt like I had a blueprint on what being the king truly was, just because of my upbringing. Just because of all the movies that I watched in the past.”
“And I knew exactly what I had to go out and do as king. But I also knew what I had to do in the ring as a performer as king. Because there again, the king rules with an iron fist. The king didn’t get the throne just because people liked him. He was ruthless. He was a tyrant. It was a beautiful time. Beautiful time, the best time of my career, the best time of my career, I can honestly say that. With Sharmell, Finlay, [William] Regal — Oh, man, that’s the faction right there that should have gone down in history if we had been done a little bit longer.”
Currently, WWE is making strides to enhance the reputation and allure of both King and Queen of the Ring. Fans are eagerly awaiting the second round matches scheduled to air on the upcoming editions of Raw and Smackdown. Stay tuned with Ringside News for further updates on this WWE saga.
What are your thoughts on Booker T’s bold claim regarding his impact on the King of the Ring tournament? Share your opinions in the comments section.
FAQs
What did Booker T claim about the King of the Ring tournament?
Booker T claimed that he had such a defining run as King Booker that no future winner of the King of the Ring tournament would be able to match or follow the standard he set, effectively stating he outshined all who came after him.
What is the significance of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments?
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are pivotal in establishing the credibility of WWE superstars, offering them a platform to showcase their talent and potentially boosting their careers within the wrestling entertainment industry.
Where can fans watch the next rounds of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments?
Fans can watch the next rounds of the tournaments on upcoming episodes of WWE Raw and Smackdown. Check local listings for broadcast times and dates.
Conclusion
Booker T’s extraordinary portrayal of King Booker has left an indelible mark on WWE’s history, to the point where he feels responsible for overshadowing subsequent winners of the King of the Ring tournament. With WWE eager to revamp the event’s significance, only time will tell if a new generation of wrestlers will rise to the occasion, creating legacies that rival that of Booker T’s reign. As the competition heats up, fans await to see who will emerge as the next rulers of the ring, carving out their own chapters in the annals of WWE lore.