Booker T Credits Chris Benoit For Putting Him On The Map, Says He's Done Wrestling
As seen in the video above, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T was recently a guest on Busted Open Radio. During the interview, Booker, who returned to the ring for his Reality of Wrestling promotion last weekend, stated that he's not wrestling any more matches in the future. Going forward, the former WWE World Champion said that he wants to focus his efforts on the students at his school.
"[My students] are gonna carry from here on end because I won't be doing any more wrestling matches, because it hurts," Booker said with a chuckle. "I'm looking forward to let my guys go out there and perform at the very highest level."
In early years of the annual WWE Tribute to the Troops event, WWE talent would actually travel to Iraq and Afghanistan to perform for the troops, also visiting military camps, bases, and hospitals along the way. Booker determined that these moments of giving back to the troops were the proudest of his career.
"[My proudest career moment was] going to Iraq, performing for the troops in 40 degree weather, in my underwear, feeling like it's 70 degrees, feeling so proud to be over there representing the country," Booker explained. "And giving our soldiers a little bit of a break. I've still got that photo on my wall."
Booker also remembered his matches with Chris Benoit in WCW as his definite favorites. Booker admitted that "it's a touchy subject" because Benoit murdered his wife and son in June of 2007 before hanging himself two days later, however he believes that Benoit pushed him like nobody else could. Booker added that Benoit was in part responsible for getting him over.
"The best of seven with Benoit is vividly in my brains, seared in my brain," Booker said. "Man, I can't help but be comfortable with it. It was the best I ever did, the best a lot of people have ever seen. The best of seven was epic in so many different ways because he put me on the map as a wrestler. He made me do things I thought I never could do. Definitely going to always be a touchy situation just because of the way he left this Earth, but the matches – they were classics. They were the best. If I go watch a match, those are the matches I watch."
You can listen to the full interview above. If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.