Booker T Speaks on WWE ID Partnership and How It Elevates Reality of Wrestling Talent
OH YEAAAAAASSSSSSSSS, MAN!
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T isn’t just a five-time, five-time, five-time (you know the rest) WCW World Champion, as well as a former WWE World Champion — he’s also the proud founder and driving force behind Reality of Wrestling, the Houston-based promotion he’s been building from the ground up for over two decades. And according to Booker, that hard work is finally bearing the kind of fruit he always envisioned, thanks in large part to WWE’s new ID program.
While sitting down with Spencer Love and Love Wrestling, Booker T opened up about how the collaboration with WWE has created an unparalleled platform for the homegrown talent at ROW to shine on a bigger stage — and he’s not just hyped, he’s humbled.
“I’ve been working on this for 20 years. Twenty years I’ve been working on this program as far as putting this together, as far as being able to give these guys a springboard, and an opportunity of a lifetime,” Booker told Love. “Being able to work with talent that’s perhaps a little bit better than you, that’s the only way you’re going to learn.”
This isn’t just about exposure. For Booker T, it’s about strategic, deliberate growth — about giving names like Gigi Rey a moment to shine by sharing the ring with established NXT talent such as Jacy Jayne, who recently made an appearance at Reality of Wrestling. That matchup? Far from random.
“That’s all by design. That’s a showcase for Gigi Rey! Jacy Jayne, everyone’s going to see her, but if they see Jacy, they’re going to see Gigi. They’re going to see that she can go toe-to-toe with somebody at that level.”
Booker rattled off a who’s-who of NXT talent that’s come through the ROW doors lately — Hank and Tank, Lexis King, Trick Williams, Thea Hail — and the pride in his voice wasn’t just for the star power they brought in, but for the opportunities they created for the next generation grinding it out inside the ROW ring.
While WWE ID is still a relatively new initiative, designed to give developmental talent in NXT more live reps and real-time crowd experience in outside promotions, the value it’s brought to Reality of Wrestling can’t be overstated. For Booker T, it’s the kind of payoff that validates years of groundwork laid with sweat, vision, and grit.
“It’s amazing to see my dream come to fruition when I didn’t even dream to be in this business!” he said. “To be able to carry the tradition of a great man by the name of Paul Boesch, who wore this ring, is an honour for me. It really, truly is.”
From his roots in Houston to the bright lights of WWE, Booker T continues to make his presence felt in pro wrestling not just as a performer, but as a mentor, promoter, and legacy builder. With WWE ID helping connect the dots between Performance Center prospects and indie stalwarts like those at Reality of Wrestling, it’s clear that the dream Booker’s been chasing for 20 years is finally real — and it’s only getting bigger.
You can check out the full interview with Booker T from Spencer Love and Love Wrestling below.
(h/t Love Wrestling for the transcriptions.)
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