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King Booker: His kingly moments

By COREY CLAYTON
July 25, 2007

While King Booker’s reign has not been as lengthy as Jerry “The King” Lawler’s, his accomplishments during his 14-month tenure have been quite impressive.

Just a glance at the list of those who have fallen at the hands of the monarch reads like a championship title history: John Cena, Batista, Bobby Lashley, Rey Mysterio, Big Show and countless others have all tasted defeat against him. His Highness, accompanied by his lovely Queen Sharmell, has been victorious in the most dire of situations.

That’s been the story of Booker’s career, even before he became a king. No wonder he has held more than 30 championships. Outnumbered. Outsized. No matter. King Booker has prevailed.

And as the monarch seeks to rid Raw of Jerry Lawler’s “treasonous” title, we take a look back at Booker’s best moments on the throne:

Booker T def. Bobby Lashley
King of the Ring tournament final, Judgment Day, May 21, 2006

In his crowning achievement, Booker T worked his way through the King of the Ring tournament in 2006 to earn his current royal title, putting his “peasant” life behind him. But as most matches for Booker T go, it was not without controversy.

Booker made good on his promise to beat the relative newcomer at the time, Bobby Lashley. But he also received help from his future queen and later from Finlay to set up his patented scissors kick for the win. Watch the match...

Booker went immediately to claim his crown and robe, but the enraged Lashley caught up with the new monarch and speared him through his new throne.

Nevertheless, the reign of King Booker was born, and the resilient king would overcome the initial setback to become World Heavyweight Champion two months later.

King Booker def. Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship
The Great American Bash, July 23, 2006

When the King’s championship chances looked most grim, fate prevailed.

In a hard-fought battle at The Great American Bash in Indianapolis, Booker found himself without his queen, as Sharmell had been banished from ringside by referee Nick Patrick. He found himself fighting an uphill battle against the World Champion Rey Mysterio, trying desperately to avoid seeing his championship dreams die.

With the referee knocked down due to a stray blow from Mysterio, he made his move. The five-time WCW Champion caught the high-flying luchador with the Bookend, then went for a steel chair to crown Mysterio’s skull. However, Mysterio dropkicked the chair into his face. With both men down, struggling to regain their senses, Booker heard a sickening CLANG! Mysterio’s best friend, Chavo Guerrero, had betrayed him and clobbered him with a steel chair.

Ever the cunning opportunist, Booker quickly covered Mysterio, and waited for the referee’s three-count. In front of his shocked subjects, King Booker’s reign as World Heavyweight Champion began. Watch the match...

King Booker def. Batista, Bobby Lashley and Finlay in a Fatal Four Way Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
No Mercy, Oct. 8, 2006

The King’s castle was falling down around him. Booker’s “court” of protection was crumbling, as Finlay and William Regal came to blows, and left his majesty unnerved as he faced the toughest match of his royal tenure and championship reign.

Defending the World Heavyweight Championship against three opponents, Booker and Finlay fought off the challenge from Bobby Lashley and Batista as best they could. Even Finlay’s little friend Hornswoggle got into the act, delivering a low blow to Lashley with his shillelagh.

In the end, The Animal raged, giving all of his opponents a crushing Batista Bomb. But the King covered his own knight, Finlay, for the three-count.

In this victory, King Booker not only showed his resilience, but his strength of mind – and that allowed him to continue his royal championship reign. Booker was able to block out the distractions of his court’s troubles and retain his championship.

King Booker def. WWE Champion John Cena and ECW Champion Big Show in a “Champions of Champions” Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Cyber Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006

In a historic battle, the champions of Raw, SmackDown and ECW faced off in a Triple Threat Match to determine the “Champion of Champions” at Cyber Sunday.

In an Internet vote, 67 percent of our fans chose Booker’s World Heavyweight Championship as the belt to be defended in the contest – a decision that royally flustered the King. Booker’s attempts to forge a partnership with John Cena and Big Show had failed, and the odds of the King’s title reign surviving the night looked grim.

Things looked even grimmer when Queen Sharmell attempted to intervene on her royal’s behalf. The Queen tried to strike Cena with the World Heavyweight Championship, but Cena avoided the blow and gave Sharmell a ride in the FU. The enraged Booker tried to attack Cena, but The Champ countered, trapping the King in the STFU.

But again, when the day was darkest for the King, a light shined through. That light came in the form of would-be rap star Kevin Federline, who knocked Cena silly with Booker’s championship.

The furious Cena chased after K-Fed, but Booker clocked The Champ with the gold once more to render him unconscious. The royal opportunist rolled up Cena for the pin to retain his title, and celebrated into the night with Queen Sharmell at his side.

“I vanquished John Cena, and now I stand here before you [as] King Booker, king and ruler of the SmackDown kingdom and now the Champion of Champions,” Booker proclaimed.

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