Booker T On Move He Refused To Take After Reaching 30

Booker T has recently discussed a wrestling move which, whilst commonplace for some, he refused to take after his 20’s.

With a long and storied career, nobody can blame wrestlers like WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T for wanting to protect his body, especially as time went on. However, there was one move in particular which he knew would leave him sore for a number of days if he took it.

In a discussion on his Hall Of Fame podcast, the multi-time World Champion noted that he wouldn’t take a backdrop once he reached the age of 30.

That was just me because I always had back problems, I always had lower back problems, my back could like spasm out just like that for no reason, and it would stay like that for like three days to where I was crooked. My legs was on one side and my upper body would be on the other side, so I would be walking around literally like sideways … So, after my late 20s, once I got to 30 I said ‘backdrops is something I think I need to throw out just because of safety purposes for the future.’

Another move which has been in the spotlight recently is the German suplex, and Booker T has given his take on how many can’t do the move properly which makes it unsafe.

Everybody can’t do the German … They’ve got to be able to pop their hips, they’ve got to be able to get the guy over properly and rotate, a lot of guys just want to throw you over, and that’s just not the way it works as far as from a safety perspective.

If I am in the ring with a guy like Scott Steiner, I feel comfortable, because I know Scotty is going to break down, he’s going to pop his hips, he’s going to rotate, and he’s going to get me over … You didn’t see Steiner doing a lot of those kind of suplexes … because, it’s not that safe and it only takes one time, just like we saw with Big E for it to end in perhaps tragedy, or career ending.

Although Booker T now has minimal in-ring involvement, he did recently reveal what match would get him to lace up the boots if a WrestleMania contest was on the cards.

With thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.