Stevie Ray Claims WCW Tore Up Harlem Heat’s Contracts During WWF Negotiations

Stevie Ray recently spoke with That 90's Wrestling Podcast, where he discussed a variety of topics. During the interview, he revealed that he and Booker T (Harlem Heat), almost signed with WWE together. The pair came so close that they were talking with the company about a possible move.

"Actually, once we'd won the belt a few times, a lot of people don't know this but me and my brother were going to go to WWE. We were actually talking to them through a liaison, this was in '96 or '97, yeah it's about then. We were talking to them through a liaison because we couldn't talk to them legally because we were still under contract," Stevie said. "I think WCW got light of it and our contracts had one more year, or a little less than a year, on it. You know, we didn't hold any ill will or nothing like that. We were just trying to test ourselves as athletes, as professional athletes."

While Booker T would eventually go on to work for WWE, as a tag team, Harlem Heat didn't compete for the company. Stevie revealed the reason for that, and how WCW provided them with brand new deals without them even having to ask for them.

"I think the company got light of it and our contracts, like I said, had close to a year on them. They pulled us into the office and tore our contracts up," the WWE Hall Of Famer revealed. "We didn't even ask them, they just called us in the office one day and just said, 'hey, we are going to give you guys new contracts.' We were like, 'where is this coming from?' Then the next thing you know, they were giving us three times the money we were making with a lot of other different amenities and stuff like that, and we just couldn't turn it down. So, that's what happened, that's why we never went to WWE."

Stevie Ray also revealed that the only tag team they never had chemistry with throughout their careers was Public Enemy. He admitted that he didn't want to work the ECW style, and he felt that they didn't wrestle in that type of manner.

"They came in from that ECW style, and we were really kind of upset that WCW would bring these guys in and want them to work with us, and want us to do that kind of bulls**t. We were adamant about that ain't how we f*cking make money," Stevie Ray stated. "That ain't how Harlem Heat makes money. Harlem Heat make money in the ring with top people. So, in essence, you're pushing ECW right now, if that makes sense?

"You don't turn WCW into ECW, that's the kind of stupidity that, as far as I'm concerned, that ran in the ranks that was running sh*t in WCW. We're Harlem Heat, brother, we are world-class f**cking athletes," Stevie claimed. "We don't do this chicken sh*t, breaking tables and all this kind of f*cking bullsh*t. That isn't what I got into pro wrestling for. I can go to ECW and do that sh*t," he said. "So by putting us in that kind of stuff, you're bringing us down to that level. So, in essence, you're bringing WCW down to another wrestling organization's level. I know they don't see it like that, but potentially, when you put all their stuff together, that is how you look at it. You would never see Vince McMahon doing some sh*t like that, have you noticed that?"

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit That 90's Wrestling Podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.