In the mid 90’s, WCW caught fire behind his insanely popular nWo stable. This helped propel WCW to the top of the wrestling business for a couple of years. Unfortunately, during that time, WCW was unable to groom any future stars for prime time. By the time WCW decided to shift focus to some of its rising stars like Booker T, it was already too late.
Regardless, Booker would go on to become arguably WCW’s second-biggest homegrown talent, right behind Sting. Looking back at Booker’s last 10 televised WCW matches, there is so much potential there that it has fans wondering what would have happened if WCW had been able to stay alive.
10 BookerTV vs. Lex Luger: WCW Monday Nitro 12/3/2001
In the final days of WCW, on-screen authority figure Ric Flair assembled a stable of heels to do his bidding. The group included The Steiner Brothers and Lex Luger, among others. They were collectively known as The Magnificent 7. When Booker T returned from injury in early 2001, he became a thorn in the side of The Magnificent 7.
On the 03/12/2001 episode of nitre, Booker had an impromptu match against Magnificent 7 member Lex Luger. Luger would ambush Booker before the match. He would have Booker on the Torture Rack when referee Mickie Jay came running in and rang the bell. Luger would think he won the match when in fact Jay had signaled for the bell to ring to start the match. In the end, Booker would hit a bookend for the win.
9 BookerTV vs. Rick Steiner: WCW Monday Nitro 5/3/2001
In late February 2001, Booker T would return from an injury sustained at the hands of Scott Steiner. Naturally, when Booker returned, he had his sights set on revenge and regaining his WCW Championship. However, before that, Booker would have to go through Rick Steiner.
Booker and Rick Steiner would have a pair of one-on-one matches at the end of WCW. His party on 5/3/2001 WCW Monday Nitro it wasn’t his best effort. It was probably by design, though, as the match featured a run and disqualification for Scott Steiner. This would lead to Booker having another match later on the same show.
8 BookerTV vs. Scott Steiner: WCW Thunder 02/28/2001
In 2001, after taking the WCW Championship from Booker T and injuring him, “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner was on top of the world. In early 2001, Booker returned with revenge on his mind. Interestingly, he wouldn’t have to wait long to get his hands on Steiner. Although the WCW Championship would not be at stake, Booker T and Scott Steiner would meet on 02/28/2000. WCW Thunder.
It was a solid game with both men putting together a good offense. Steiner shone with big power moves while Booker’s athleticism was on full display. After an Ax Kick and a Spinaroonie, it seemed that Booker was closing in on victory. This led to Rick Steiner running out and interfering in the match, resulting in a disqualification and ruining an otherwise solid match.
7 Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page and El Gato vs. Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell and Scott Steiner: WCW Monday Nitro 2/26/2001
In many cases, the absence causes the heart to grow larger. This was certainly true with Booker T. In late 2000, Booker was one of the lone bright spots for a crumbling WCW. When he was forced to miss a few months due to injury, the WCW public yearned for his return. They would get his wish in the 02/26/2001 edition of nitre.
That night, a returning Booker would team up with Diamond Dallas Page and The Cat to take on Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger and Scott Steiner. The match was a bit tricky at times, but the finish saw several players pummel their finishers before Booker landed an ax kick on Steiner to win the first match back from him.
6 BookerTV vs. Rick Steiner: Greed WCW 2001
In early 2001, Booker T was determined to win back his WCW Championship from Scott Steiner. To do so, however, Booker would have to go through The Magnificent 7. The last hurdle for Booker came in WCW Greed 2001 when he faced Rick Steiner for the WCW United States Championship.
The match was a hard-hitting affair that saw Steiner dominate most of the match with big shots and clotheslines. The ending would see Shane Douglas come out and hit Steiner in the back of the head with his cast. That allowed Booker to hit a Bookend, win the US Championship and set up a WCW Championship match between himself and Scott Steiner.
5 BookerTV vs. Lex Luger: WCW Monday Nitro 11/20/2000
While Lex Luger was undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in WCW history, no one accused him of being a hard worker. Luger wasn’t a terrible worker, but his main selling point was always his physicality. Still, Luger could have some fun games if he books up properly. On the 11/20/2000 episode of nitre, Luger had a surprisingly good match with Booker T.
The match went back and forth before Goldberg showed up, prompting Scott Steiner to leave the comment table and confront him. That distraction allowed the meeting to become a melee. In the confusion, Goldberg went for a spear. While it was unclear who he was trying to hit, Goldberg would hit Luger with the spear, allowing Booker to pick up the win.
4 Booker T and Diamond Dallas Page vs. The Steiner Brothers: WCW Monday Nitro 5/3/2001
During the ’90s, the Steiner Brothers were arguably the premier tag team in all of professional wrestling. They would reach the top of the mountain in every promotion they worked for during that time. Heading into the new millennium, The Steiners became focal points of WCW as individual competitors.
On the 3/5/2001 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, however, The Steiners would reunite against Booker T and Diamond Dallas Page. After a strong match, the finale would see Scott Steiner and Booker fight it out in the backstage area. This left Page and Rick Steiner alone in the ring. After a beautiful backslide against a Diamond Cutter, DDP and Booker cruised to victory.
3 BookerTV vs. Scott Steiner: WCW Mayhem 2000
Some match stipulations serve a good purpose. Others just seem to get in the way of a good partner. A WCW Chaos 2000, a silly stipulation nearly stalled a big match between WCW Champion Booker T and Scott Steiner. Fortunately, both men shone through it all.
The match was a Steel Cage Straight Jacket Match in which whoever pulled the straitjacket down could use it on their opponent. The accessory ended up being more of an annoyance than anything else. Still, Booker and Steiner told a beautiful story that was further enhanced by Booker’s brother, Stevie Ray, in the comments. In the end, Steiner would injure Booker and become World Champion.
two BookerTV vs. Lance Storm: WCW Thunder 11/16/2000
One of the unfortunate results of WCW’s shutdown in 2001 was that Lance Storm’s career as a top player came to an end. During the final days of WCW, Storm was having the run of a lifetime as a proud Canadian heel. At one point, Storm simultaneously held the WCW Hardcore, Cruiserweight, and United States Championships.
In the 11/16/2000 edition of WCW Thunder, Storm, the United States Champion, attempted to wrest the WCW Championship from Booker T. The pair had an excellent action-packed back-and-forth match. The end came when Booker caught Storm coming off the top rope and hit a bookend for the pin.
1 BookerTV vs. Scott Steiner: WCW Monday Nitro 3/26/2001
On March 26, 2001, the landscape of professional wrestling changed forever when WWE purchased WCW. Until it happened, there was hope that Eric Bischoff and the group that owns him would buy the development and renew it. Unfortunately, that was not the case. in the end WCW Monday Nitro ever, the show opened with a great Champion vs. Champions match.
He pitted United States Champion Booker T against WCW Champion Scott Steiner in a winner-takes-all scenario. Nostalgia aside, in hindsight this should have been the main event that night instead of Sting vs. Rick Flair. The match was excellent with plenty of action to go along with a hot crowd. It’s a shame the promotion never got a chance to cash in on it. Fortunately for Booker, he would be moving on to greener pastures.