Booker T expresses disappointment and frustration over Swerve Strickland’s comments

Swerve Strickland responding to Booker T saying that Swerve saying that Black wrestlers in WWE aren’t marketed fairly:

Booker T: “Im just trying to figure out what he’s talking about I’m black i’m just trying to figure out if something happened to him personally. . . maybe he… pic.twitter.com/7U2OoXpyeP

— ️️ (@KXNGAO) March 26, 2025

Booker T responded to Swerve Strickland’s comments, expressing disappointment and frustration over how the situation unfolded. He shared that he confronted Swerve in person at an event, stating, “Low and behold, who was at the same event with me, actually as a part of the same party. It was literally the first person I ran into the morning of the event.” He addressed Swerve’s claim that he lacked energy regarding Vince McMahon’s past controversial moment, saying, “Rest assured I had the energy when I saw him because I approached Swerve Strickland and I had a conversation with Swerve Strickland.”

Booker criticized Swerve for his participation in a VladTV interview, which he personally declined in the past. “I had an offer to be on Vlad TV before as well and I turned it down. They called me back and they offered me money to go on Vlad TV and I turned it down because I was not going to go on Vlad TV and be exploited.” He expressed that he was disappointed in Swerve, explaining, “All I did for Swerve Strickland was put him over and put him on a pedestal as being one of the best out there, that he deserves to be the AEW Champion. For him to say something like that about me…” He also emphasized his role in breaking barriers for wrestlers like Swerve, asserting, “Swerve Strickland would perhaps not even be here if it wasn’t for me.”

Booker pushed back against the idea that he should have reacted differently to the Vince McMahon incident, stating, “You want me to be an angry black man in the company. You want me to not open doors and make spaces for people like you, that’s what you want me to do.” He warned Swerve about how the entertainment industry operates, adding, “I hope you’re never gonna be in the movies…because you might hear somebody say the N-word, and if you’ve got a problem with it, they’re gonna tell your ass to get the hell out of here, this is a movie.”

Booker accused Swerve of being manipulated, saying, “You got played bro. You let that man play you and pitch you against me and me against you.” He claimed VladTV often pits people against each other, and he questioned Swerve’s decision to participate: “What have you done to be on Vlad TV?”

He also addressed the broader conversation about race in wrestling, stating, “When I stop hearing it on the radio every day, then we can have this conversation.” He reiterated that he had only used the N-word once in his career and doesn’t entertain conversations about it in his professional settings. Booker emphasized that he views wrestling as entertainment, remarking, “I’ve always looked at this business like it was a movie.”

Regarding black representation in wrestling, Booker dismissed Swerve’s concerns about diversity at WWE events, saying, “I didn’t have to worry about that in my day, I was on all of them. I was main eventing some of them as well.” He encouraged talent to focus on their abilities rather than racial discussions: “Maybe guys need to work up to my level…Let’s forget about this black thing and let’s throw it all in and see how good we are.”

Booker concluded by stating that Swerve never denied being manipulated, which spoke volumes to him. He said his intent was simply to express his disappointment, explaining, “I just wanted to let him know how disappointed I was in him for going out there.” He also defended his handling of racism in wrestling, noting, “I know how I’ve dealt with racism in the WWE, but I don’t have to go out and publicize it.”

Finally, Booker reaffirmed his stance on the Vince McMahon skit, saying, “I don’t think the skit with Vince McMahon and John Cena was a racial issue with me. I just don’t. Take it for what it’s worth.”

Source: Hall of Fame