Booker T has finally responded to the long-standing criticism surrounding his loss to Triple H at WrestleMania 19. He admitted that this is the one match finish in his career he might have changed, but still views making it to the main event as a significant achievement.
At WrestleMania 19 in 2003, Triple H successfully defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Booker T. In an interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Booker revealed that there was never any discussion about him winning the match.
“That’s honestly the only match in my career where I could say I might have liked to change the finish. But from the start, there was no expectation or talk about me winning. I never really thought about winning going into any match, so this wasn’t different,” Booker explained.
He acknowledged the many fans who wanted to see him come out on top. “I knew how many people wanted me to win, and I appreciate them for that. When I was in the main event and didn’t win, I thought to myself, I wish I had won too,” he said.
Booker also emphasized that fans might not fully grasp what it meant to him to reach that milestone. “I understand it’s just entertainment to fans, but for me, it was very real. I lost my dad when I was just 10 months old, my mom when I was 14, dropped out of school, and even spent time in prison. Then to find myself headlining WrestleMania—that’s a victory in my eyes,” he stated.
He continued, “For any kid watching, I want them to know my story. Despite all those hardships, I became one of the top wrestlers globally, main-evented WrestleMania, and came within reach of my sixth world title.”
Before WrestleMania 19, Booker was a five-time WCW Champion. He eventually won his sixth world title in 2006 as King Booker, becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.
“It took a few more years, but yeah, I got there as King Booker,” he recalled.
Booker also shared a memory of a WWE staff member who approached him after the match, saying they believed Booker should have won that night. “I remember an office guy passing by and saying, ‘Book, you should have won tonight.’ I told him, ‘I appreciate that,’” Booker recounted.
Fan Take: Booker T’s reflection on his WrestleMania 19 loss offers valuable insight into the resilience behind wrestling’s spectacle. For fans, understanding the personal triumph amidst the scripted outcomes highlights the emotional depth athletes bring to the sport, reminding us why these moments matter beyond just wins and losses.
Source: wrestlingnews.co
