So, I found myself going down a bit of a rabbit hole the other day, thinking about old WWE days. Specifically, Booker T and Dave Bautista came to mind. It wasn’t planned, just kinda happened while clicking through some old clips.
I decided, okay, let’s really look at these two again. Not just the highlight reels, but digging into that period when they crossed paths more, especially around Booker’s King Booker phase. So, I started pulling up old Smackdown and PPV matches from around 2006. Spent a good chunk of time just watching, trying to remember how it felt back then.
Watching the Old Stuff
First thing, you watch Booker T. Man, that guy could WORK. Smooth in the ring, incredible charisma, even with that goofy King gimmick. He made it work somehow. You could tell he came up the hard way, years of grinding in WCW and then WWE.
Then you got Batista. Totally different vibe. The power, the look, clearly someone the company had strapped a rocket to. Not saying he didn’t work hard, you could see the improvement over time, but his rise felt way faster, more manufactured maybe?
- Pulled up their King Booker vs. Batista feud matches.
- Tried finding some old forum posts from back then, see what the buzz was.
- Looked at interviews, see how they talked about each other, if at all.
It was interesting seeing the contrast. Booker, technically gifted, having to lean into this over-the-top character. Batista, the powerhouse face of the brand at the time. The matches were decent, you know, they had some moments.
My Takeaway
After spending time looking back, it just reinforces what I kinda felt back then. Booker T, pure wrestling talent, could make almost anything entertaining. He earned every spot he got, felt like.
Batista, he definitely had that superstar presence and improved a lot. He filled that top guy role they wanted. But watching it now, sometimes it felt like Booker, even as the villainous King, was just operating on a different level in terms of performance versatility. You just kinda wished sometimes Booker got more runs purely as himself at the top, without needing the big gimmick later on.
It’s just how I saw it, looking back. Two big stars, two very different journeys to the top of the same mountain. Fun to revisit, though. Makes you appreciate the guys who really put the time in, you know?
