Booker T: The Next TNA World Champion? |
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Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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ALWAYS BET ON BOOKER: IS HE THE NEXT KING OF TNA? By Gerry Strauss  His track record in a wrestling ring is nothing short of groundbreaking. On six separate occasions, he has been called a World Heavyweight Champion.
Over the course of his spectacular career, he has held more than 35 titles.
He is Booker T, and he just might be the greatest championship wrestler in the world today.You see, while some wrestlers might be more “media-friendly,” Booker remains defiant to the opinions of others. While others may be more “entertaining,” Booker isn’t here to make anybody laugh. Others might be friendlier or more crowd-pleasing, but Booker doesn’t care… in his mind, he is simply better, and his goal-oriented approach to his career has resulted in a track record that has even overshadowed the likes of fellow TNA superstars such as the legendary Sting. So when Booker’s resume did not result in immediate title opportunities upon his arrival in TNA last year, his positive attitude quickly began to sour. After all, fighting the good fight may seem worthwhile to some, but to an overachiever like Booker, it simply felt like he was spinning his wheels. He needed a chance to become a champion again, and with an unwarranted attack on old friends Christian Cage and Rhino on live Pay-Per-View, Booker put the world on notice: The time for games were over. By qualifying to participate in the “King of the Mountain” match at Slammiversary, Booker had finally gained the opportunity that he craved: a shot at the TNA World Championship. Despite the inherent challenge of the match, he felt certain that he could overcome all challengers – and defending champion Samoa Joe – and walk out of Memphis as the new king of TNA. Unfortunately for him, an altercation with the match’s special enforcer, on-again/off-again mentor to the champion Kevin Nash, changed the course of potential destiny, allowing Joe to further his own legacy by retaining the gold. However, Booker wasn’t convinced. Instead, he threw out the challenge on iMPACT for a one-on-one shot at Samoa Joe’s championship at Bound For Glory, and the brash champ accepted with an air of confidence befitting the top wrestler in the world today. However, considering all of Booker’s accomplishments, is Joe’s bravado just an act? Kevin Nash thinks so. In a verbal (and very public) altercation between “Big Sexy” and the “Samoan Submission Machine, ” Nash accused the champion of being intimidated by Booker’s reputation. If that is truly the case, could anyone blame him? Think about the long and arduous struggle that Joe faced in chasing the TNA World Championship. Even for the man whom most consider the most physically-dominant force in wrestling, winning the big one was a near-impossible task, probably the greatest challenge of his life. Booker T, on the other hand, has proven that he knows how to target and win championships. Time after time, company after company, he has risen straight to the top. In short, what Booker wants, Booker gets, and now he wants the TNA World Championship. Wrestling fans may not agree with his actions as of late, but few could argue that Booker T is at the top of his game. Fit, focused and fired up, he truly feels that he is the rightful World Champion, and at Victory Road his goal is to prove it… again. Are we headed for another championship “Coronation?” Don’t bet against it. |
