RECAP AND REVIEW: Heated Conversations with Booker T Episode 170: why Brock Lesnar respects Booker, Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam, SOCV Recap, Will we see Conor/Khabib?, RIP Anvil, Renee on Raw and more

Heated Conversations with Booker T

Release Date: August 19th, 2018 

Recap by: James Hayes

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD

Booker T and Co-Host Brad Gilmore invite you to the show! 

Brad is riding all alone today. Booker is on assignment at Monster-Mania in New Jersey with Trish Stratus and the lovely Lita. He can hardly contain himself, still buzzed about the success of Reality of Wrestling’s Summer of Champions.

“Last week was perhaps the greatest show in the history of Reality of Wrestling. The PPV was awesome. People keep coming up to me to talk about it. From around the world. You talk about the work that was put in for this show. The guys fell in line as well. They put extra work in. As far as putting in new lights and ramps. And I did some of that work myself. Everything was awesome. Everyone delivered. It couldn’t been better. All the wrestling gods (JBL?) were working in our favor.”

Booker sings the praises of the show’s main event. Gino vs Rex Andrews. There is a new World Champ! Rex Andrews got it done.

“Two young lions went out in the ring and performed at a very very high level. Local fans in Texas that got a chance to see Gino and Rex, and they are going to remember it. Those are the moments we have been working for all our lives.”

Brad asks Booker to talk about Rex, who went to India to train with Khali, won the Texas championship, and now is The ROW Champion. A triple crown Champ. The first we have ever had here.” Booker responds. “Not only did he train with Khali, he trained for Khali. That showed his willingness to give back. And not one time in all these years did Rex Andrews come to me and ask when he would get to be World Champ. Not one time did he. Such as I. Not once did I ever go to a promoter, when I worked for WWE or WCW. Never did I ask. That’s the last thing I thought about. Like Rex. He now goes out to represent the brand. That’s not taking anything from Gino. Congrats to Rex!’

Only one title that was retained. The Diamond Title. It was Angela vs Hela.

“The women are stealing the show! The women are standing up in general. Across the industry. As a whole. As we are seeing with The Evolution PPV. An all woman’s PPV. People want to see women in the main event. It’s a competition. It’s like the Monday Night Wars. Stay on top of your game if you want to keep your spot!” Booker says.

Chavo Guerrero vs. Juventud Guerrera

Brad says. “They went out there and got a This is Awesome chant.” What did you think of them, Book? You been in the ring, and in the trenches with them.” Booker responds that, “Those guys are professionals. It was a featured attraction match. They drew the crowd. It was awesome!” 

Booker wants to know how does it feel for Brad to be the man, and set in his chair this week? Brad admits he is, indeed sitting in Booker’s chair, and says it’s nice

Booker continues to give us his thoughts on the other matches.

5 Man Ladder Match with Able Andrew, Chad Skywalker, Devin Devine, Cameron Cole (W), Brian Keith

“All those young guys went out there and put together something nice. Cameron Cole is somebody that I did not think would get it. But he did. They all set the proper tempo.”

Mysterious Q vs Ayden Cristiano (Extreme Rules)

“To have our own signature matches is awesome, but to have Mysterious and Ayden come out and perform like that, is what is really awesome. They took it to another level. Even the entrances. Cristiano came out with 8 thugs. I don’t even know who those thugs were. Or who paid those 8 thugs. I need to know things like that.”

Brad Gilbert feels like this was match of the night.

Van Harrison vs JJ Blake (TV Championship)

“I’ve been watching the talent on the roster and ROW is all about stepping up and JJ Blake looks like he has the old pick up and reverse. He needs to step it up! JJ Blake better not drop the ball or he might find himself in the unemployment line. Van Harrison has a hell of a future. I see nothing but bright things for him. Speaking of bright things there are a lot of bright lights around Brock Lesnar.

Brad feels Paul Heyman is on the fence. Booker says Paul spoke in Samoan, but then sprayed Roman with something. Everyone was baffled. “Is Heyman and Brock over? People say Roman can’t win without Paul. The script is written. I don’t know what happens. Most people lean heavily on Roman, because Brock is leaving. I agree with you that Brock winning, then going to face DC is profitable. I see a lot of money coming from that. I am not good at predicting wrestling finishes. I’m about 20%. Brock seems truly mad. Shoot mad. For real. Not TV mad. Maybe it’s his contract.”

Brad wonders. “You’ve know Brock since 2003. Even wrestled him. How would you categorize the person? I remember I saw him and he came up to Sharmell and gave her a big hug. He gave you handshake. We know he is does not come out of the dressing room, and does not want to meet people, as soon as he is done with his part he gets on a jet and leaves.”

Booker responds that is usually the way Brock really is. “He is not normally nice to too many people. I’m one of them. The thing is you gotta respect a person to give them love. Otherwise you garner a handshake. My thing was I was never worried about my spot. If I can help this guy, anyway I can.” Brad wonders why Booker would have that humility giving his championships and history? “You know, I was reading a article, it goes back to WCW days. This guy found out I was getting a push and did whatever he could to destroy that. I remember that there were so many guys that wanted to hold me down. Brock was a young guy who needed a shot. I remember the guys who wanted to help me. Guys like John Mantell and Manny Fernandez. You pay it forward. If not. That’s a lonely place to be in.” Brad says the reason Booker is respected by Brock is because he helped Brock early in his career. 

Booker clarifies that’s not the only reason why Brock respects him. “When you look at a man in his eyes, and know when he can whoop somebody’s ass!” (Yes!) “It’s very simple. You can tell how a man walks. Like Haku.”

Back to Brock Vs Roman. “Do you think Brock still has a passion for wrestling? It’s a big criticism from the fans. He doesn’t like wrestling. He does it for a check. Do you think he even cares? Angle called him the worst Champ in history. Or do you think he is done?”Booker pauses briefly. “You can’t say what Angle said is not true. In terms of defending his title. But he’s been able to call his own shots because of his UFC success. Would WWE take him back anytime he wants? Of course. I tell the guys in the back to keep quiet until they can put butts into the seats.”

Brad counters, But you said when you got to see Jake “The Snake” in Houston you always came out.It was special. I can’t knock Brock for making his appearances special. Booker says Brock has the best of both worlds, like Jay Z and R. Kelly.

Booker bottom lines this subject by saying he want Roman to win. Period.

Ronda Rousey

Brad wants Booker’s thoughts on the Co-Main event.

“The question is should Ronda be in this position this early? We’ve known Ronda for many years. For her to be in this position. On her body of work? Through the years? Yes. She deserves it. Can she deliver? So far she has. Every time. She could not have a better dancing partner than Alexa Bliss. Alexa Bliss loses nothing if it happens.”

Spoiler Alert!!!!

Ronda won her match against Bliss in 4:37. 

Roman won his match against Brock. He sent Brock so far back into UFC he found his head stuck in Dana White’s ***

Spoiler over!

Speaking of mainstream stars in pro wrestling Brad asks Booker about working with Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman in WCW. Brad thinks it was smart The Western Conference Champ and The Eastern Conference Champs. Booker jokes that it did not help Karl Malone’s career, because now he drives trucks for a living.

They both laugh.

“At that time Karl was a true fan of the sport. Jay Leno would do anything. And WWE always brought in stars like Liberace and Mike Tyson, so WCW needed a way to combat that. Problem is it could blow up in your face. Just not knowing how to manage it. I think they managed the thing with Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman pretty well. There was no backlash. That went over well. But then Marcus Bagwell’s Mom and David Arquette took it too far.”

Brad tells Book that Arquette does follow Reality of Wrestling. Booker is more than willing to bring David Arquette in as a General Manager. Ha!

Renee makes history!

“I set and I watched it. She is good people and she deserved that spot. I’m hoping she is the lead on the Evolution PPV. I know what it’s like to make history and it’s a good feeling. It was a pressure situation and she delivered, It’s a pressure cooker situation and I know what it feels like. My advice for her is to be prepared. Always.In WWE it’s all about filling that role when need be. Ready on the spot. She has done a great job!”

Brad wants to take a second and acknowledge the passing of Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. He passed away at the age of 63.

Booker says he has no stories about him and Jim riding together or breaking bread, but he was part of the fraternity and he was a good guy. He goes on that Jim’s life will be celebrated and he will be missed. He will be immortalized by the sport. Brad adds that his daughter Natalia, has had a great career in WWE,and he wishes her the best. Booker brings up Bret Hart being his friend and how it’s sad that he is the final living member of The Hart Foundation. His heart goes out to Bret.

Below is the lovely video WWE made in his honor.

(I loved The Hart Foundation. They were my favorite tag-team ever. I remember, as a kid, cutting grass for 3 weeks to buy The Hart Foundation action figures. Only to have my Dad get them for me anyway. He just wanted me to learn about setting a goal and working hard for it. Odd how that memory had vanished until I heard of “The Anvil’s” death. My Dad actually taught me a life lesson through The Hart Foundation. 

Wanna know why Bret was paired with Neidhart just look at this video below.)

Twitter questions from listeners:

What wrestler did Booker wish he could tag with but did not?

None.

Outside of yourself who is the best commentator ever?

Booker says it could have been Stevie Ray. He did a few matches in WCW.

Do you like Velveteen Dream?

Booker sees him as a young guy that took that gimmick and believed in it, and that his in ring work will take him wherever he wants to go. On Tough Enough he was the best there. No one remembers who actually won.

Before the Final Bell:

Conor vs Khabib on October 3rd

Booker T swears this match will never happen. He was just reading what UFC will do if the fight falls through. It’s the first time they have ever done that. He smells something, and it’s not good like Momma’s cooking. Or maybe it is, but she’s cooking chitlins. (Which smells like, what it is.)

Brad counters that Conor never backs down from a fight, but concedes sometimes Khabib struggles making weight.

Time will tell.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Overall Observations:

Fine show. Nothing groundbreaking.

See ya next week!

 

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