Is Booker T looking past Gunner Scott?

Despite being beaten by Gunner Scott a few weeks ago on SmackDown, Booker T seems to have a hard time just remembering the newcomer's name.

Booker T said that his loss at the hands of Gunner Scott was a fluke. He said the newcomer simply got lucky. Scott wanted to prove that he was the real deal last week, Booker said he came down with a sudden cold, and was unable to compete. Now that the five-time WCW Champion has had an entire week to get over his "debilitating" cold, Scott will get his rematch and the opportunity to prove that he is for real.

When approached backstage by WWE.com about his match, Booker T clearly had other things on his mind.

"I'm excited. I'm more excited now than I probably ever have been in my entire wrestling career -- being the most decorated Champion in wrestling history," said Booker T. "I am so excited to be advancing to the King of the Ring. It's going to be great. I've already set up the celebration. The champagne, the bubbly, is on ice right now getting good and cold, because you know I like my champagne nice and cold."

When pressed about his match against Scott a couple of more times, Booker simply responded, "Who?"

That utter lack of respect, can be just the catalyst Scott needs to help propel him to another victory. Scott has dreamed his whole life of becoming a WWE Superstar, and now that he's achieved that goal, he'll do whatever it takes to make that dream last. But all Booker T can seem to think about is the King of the Ring.

Booker defeated Matt Hardy in the opening round of the tournament and was slated to face Kurt Angle in the semifinals. Until Mark Henry entered the picture that is. Last week on SmackDown, Henry brutally attacked Angle and splashed him through a table injuring his ribs. Angle was forced to withdraw from the King of the Ring, so Booker moved right through to the finals with a bye. And if you ask Booker, it's just a matter of time before he's wearing the crown.

"It's going to be great to be the king of this whole wide world. Can you dig that? It's gonna be great," he said. "Right now I can see the fireworks going off like the Fourth of July in New York City. It's going to be a great day for Booker T and all of his family."

Does Booker T feel like winning King of the Ring would be tainted now that Angle has withdrawn? Absolutely not.

"You know, I think (Angle's injury) was a big ploy. I think it was the biggest ploy since the Kennedy assassination," said Booker T. "Kurt Angle knew what was going to happen after messing with my wife back in the day. He knew he was going to get a beat-down, so I think Kurt angle did the wise thing by stepping down like everyone else should do."

Gunner Scott surely won't be heeding Booker's advice tonight on SmackDown. Instead of "stepping down", Scott will look to provide the beat-down that Booker was referring to.

As reported earlier in the week on WWE.com, Gunner Scott is excited about the opportunity to defeat Booker T for a second straight time on national television.

"I'm going to take the fight right to Booker T," he said in the WWE.com exclusive. "I'm going to show him that the first match wasn't a fluke, and I'm going to beat him again. Friday night I'm going to take it right to him, and beat him again."

With Booker T focused so intensely on King of the Ring, can Gunner Scott make it two in a row against the five-time WCW Champion? Or will Booker notch another victory on his road to the throne? Tune in to SmackDown tonight at 8/7 CT on UPN to find out.

Related Content
Gunner Scott exclusive
Complete SmackDown coverage