Booker T: Royal Rumble Was My Last Time Putting My Boots On And Getting In The Ring At That Level

Robert DeFeliceFebruary 13, 2023, 8:58 pm

Booker T says the 2023 Royal Rumble will be the last time people see him in a ring outside of a training capacity.

Booker T was the only entrant in the 2023 Men’s WWE Royal Rumble that is not an active member of the WWE roster. Booker T was in the ring for a short stint, getting some offense on Dominik Mysterio before hitting a spinarooni and subsequently being eliminated by GUNTHER.

Now, Booker T is saying that the 2023 Royal Rumble was his farewell as a wrestler.

Speaking on a recent edition of his Hall of Fame podcast, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer revealed that while he will continue to work with his students in Reality of Wrestling, he believes the Royal Rumble was his farewell on a grand scale.

“I’m going to tell you right now; I think that’s the last time people are going to see me in the ring altogether,” said the 2006 WWE King of the Ring. [At] Reality of Wrestling, I’m going to work with my students, but as far as putting on my boots again, that was the last time.

“It’s kind of sad, too, you know? I’m kind of choked up about it,” he continued. “It was a great exit for me. I don’t think it could have been better than that, but putting up the old boots, it’s kind of hard.”

Booker T’s co-host, Brad Gilmore, tried to joke about how wrestlers never really retire, but Booker T doubled down.

“I think that’s it. I really do,” said the 5-time WCW Champion. “I think that’s my last time putting the boots on and getting back in the ring at that kind of level. That’s the last time I think I really want to do it, too, at that level. I want to thank all the fans for that moment.”

Booker T is still the color commentator on WWE NXT and as he stated he still runs the Reality of Wrestling promotion.

WWE NXT Superstar Ivy Nile recently competed at ROW, and Booker T set the record straight on how that appearance came to be. Fans can read his comments here.