Booker T Accepts Ryback's Challenge To A Fight: 'I'm Not Scared, I'm Not Running'

After simmering on the back burner, the real-life beef between Ryback and Booker T is starting to reach a boil. The feud was started by comments the five-time WCW Champion made, and continuing from there, Ryback recently upped the stakes by challenging Booker to a real-life throwdown. On "The Hall of Fame" podcast, Booker addressed Ryback's challenge, in between several fits of laughter with co-host Brad Gilmore.

"Ryback is not going to beat me up," Booker said. "Just wanted to get the elephant out of the room. I'm not scared, I'm not running."  After recapping Ryback's challenge, Booker gave his answer on whether he would accept the call out. "I accept Ryback's challenge to a fight," Booker said. "This is what I need Ryback to do. Just go out on his platform and say 'Anytime I see Booker T in public, it's on. The green light, both of us, and nobody's going to get sued.' If we just happen to run into each other, and something just happened to happen, it just happened."

"Let's just say that. But I'm not going to go looking for a fight or anything. That's just not me, because you never call a person out to a fight. You never know what a person is capable of. But as far as defending yourself? My god man, I'm always about defending myself." While Booker claimed to have no idea what caused Ryback to want this fight, he does know how his employer would react if it happened. "Can you imagine the praise I would get from WWE if I beat the hell out of Ryback?" Booker said. "I'm just saying. Trust me, I'm not advocating for it, but I'm just saying. I'd have a fifteen-year contract."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Hall of Fame" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription