Booker T Discusses Recent AEW Exits, Why Some Guys Don’t Fit In Certain Systems

On the latest episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T talked about the likes of Miro, Ricky Starks, and Malakai Black departing from AEW and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On recent AEW releases: “We need to talk about Miro. We need to talk about Ricky Starks. We need to talk about Malakai Black, who made his journey over to AEW as well as Miro making his journey over to AEW from WWE. There again, sometimes the grass is not so greener on the other side. Sometimes guys just aren’t made for that system.”

On his own experience: “The reason I say that is because I remember when I left WWE. And I was off for a while, TNA called and I went and did some work. When I went there — nothing against TNA back then, it was a great company. But after working for WWE for 15, 18 years, it was a hard adjustment. It really was a hard adjustment. You’re used to being in that system where everything is done from a professional perspective all the way across the board. I’m talking from travel to catering to in-ring, business purposes, whatever. Everything’s done a certain way.

“And when I went to TNA, I was like — I had to do a lot of the work myself. I would go to towns and from an advertising perspective and go to the McDonalds down the street, and no one knew we were there. I was like, ‘Oh man, come on. What’s going on here?’ I’d be going through the airport and somebody would see me and say, ‘Hey Booker T, what’s going on?’ They said, ‘Man, I thought you retired? Where have you been?’ It’s like, ‘What are you talking about? I’ve been on television this whole time. I’m on Spike TV.’ No diss, that’s what I’m talking about. I’m talking about this from a personal perspective. I’ve been in it. That’s what I’m talking about. So it’s kind of hard making that little bit of adjustment right there.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Hall of Fame with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.