Booker T Reveals He Confronted Swerve Strickland Over Unfair Treatment Comments

Booker T has addressed recent comments made by Swerve Strickland about how ‘WWE unfairly treated’ the multi-time World Champion.

Strickland was a recent guest on VladTV when he brought up Booker T’s run in WWE, and the infamous segment that saw Vince McMahon drop the 'N-word' in front of Booker. Booker has since spoken of Strickland’s comments on his Hall of Fame podcast, revealing he confronted the former AEW World Champion in person:

“I was at an event this weekend in Richmond, Virginia. Lo and behold, who was at the same event with me, actually as a part of the same party. It was literally the first person I ran into the morning of the event. Just like Swerve Strickland said, me having the energy when Vince McMahon said the N-word, rest assured I had the energy when I saw him because I approached Swerve Strickland and I had a conversation with Swerve Strickland. Let’s talk about the conversation with Swerve Strickland,” said Booker.

Booker continued, noting how he was also approached to appear on VladTV but ultimately turned it down:



"I had an offer to be on VladTV before as well and I turned it down. They called me back and they offered me money to go on VladTV and I turned it down because I was not going to go on VladTV and be exploited. I wasn’t going to go on VladTV and have him make me look like a fool in front of the world, I was not going to do that. I wasn’t going to go on VladTV and say anything negative towards any black man that’s ever been in this business because I know how hard it is for all of us. I’ve been the first one saying it, any brother getting his bag, I’m all in 100%.

"I told Swerve Strickland to his face how disappointed I am in him as a young brother because all I did for Swerve Strickland was put him over and put him on a pedestal as being one of the best out there, that he deserves to be the AEW Champion. For him to say something like that about me - I don’t know if these guys think racism stopped in 1990 when I got in the business, but it didn’t. You may not hear about a lot of racial issues with Booker T because I handled racial issues handfirst. I opened doors, I broke down barriers for people like Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland would perhaps not even be here if it wasn’t for me. I have to apologise for nothing that I’ve done in this business because I’ve gone out there and I have literally represented in the ring and out of the ring from day one all the way to this day in 2025."

Booker continued, noting how he feels VladTV played Strickland:

“You speak on Vince McMahon and him saying the N-word, you want me to be angry black man in the company? You want me to not open doors and make spaces for people like you, that’s what you want me to do? Swerve Strickland, I hope you’re never gonna be in the movies, I hope you’re never gonna be on a movie set because you might hear somebody say the N-word and if you’ve got a problem with it, they’re gonna tell your ass to get the hell out of here, this is a movie, alright? I’m upset because more importantly I’m disappointed in Swerve Strickland because what I told him - I’ll repeat it just like I repeated it to him; you got played. You got played bro. You got played. You let that man play you and pitch you against me and me against you. I don’t know how many stories you’ve ever heard about that on VladTV, but there’s many of them. There’s many stories out there about the black man against the black man because Vlad is pitting them against each other. I don’t know how many people you know that have been locked up from the federal perspective by going on VladTV. I don’t know what the hell you’re doing on VladTV first of all. What have you done to be on VladTV? That’s just my opinion on that. As far as Swerve Strickland - and me having the energy, the veracity, I got all that. I’m still six foot three inches tall, two hundred and thirty pounds of stomping, grave damn digging, destruction Jack.”

Booker changed focus, drawing attention to the use of the 'N-word' in everyday culture:

“I want to get something out there to a lot of people as far as this N-word thing. When I stop hearing it on the radio every day, then we can have this conversation. When I stop hearing it as a term of endearment in a lot of places and circles, then we can talk about this. As far as the N-word goes, it’s not a word that nobody has ever heard me say but one time in my life, especially in this business or around any of my peers or anything like that, my co-workers or anything like that. That’s not something I do. As far as this business goes, I’ve always looked at this business like it was a movie. I’ve always looked at this business like it was entertainment and when something like that is embellished, even on the show and for him to question me and who I am as a black man and having to go through this life and deal with racism, bro you better get the hell out of my face.

"I’ve never kissed ass, nobody can ever put that statement on me. For him, you don’t know me. You don’t know me that well to speak on that and I just wanted to get that across to him and anybody else that thinks that way because him and I shouldn’t be going back and forth at each other and he shouldn’t let somebody else put him and I [against each other]. Because he got a problem with the company? That’s a statement you’re stepping into, that’s a land mine you’re just falling off for no reason. You’re making noise for no reason. Like I said, I know I’ve opened doors for people like Swerve Strickland. Just like that statement I said about him, I didn’t have to say that. Why did I say it? I said it because I thought the guy was a damn good wrestler. I don’t have the book, but one thing I do know, cream rises to the top. If you think you’re hot, throw everything in, I know that’s what I did. I could’ve sat on a contract when I came from WCW and made big money, but I said nah, I’m going to gamble on myself and go in head first and see exactly how good I am."

Later on in the show, Booker revealed some information about Strickland’s response to him when they spoke in person:

“I can tell you this, he never said that he didn’t get played. He never said that and that right there spoke volumes to me. It’s not really about what he said, I just wanted to let him know how disappointed I was in him. I just wanted to let him know how disappointed I was in him for going out there.”

Booker also defended his reputation when it comes to handling racism:

“If you can base my veracity on a skit, we got a problem. My reputation is solid, my reputation is 100 as far as dealing with racism. I know how I’ve dealt with racism in the WWE, but I don’t have to go out and publicise it. I don’t have to go out and talk about it on social media. That’s not the way I work, I don’t put my business out on social media, it’s not for the world to know. But if I’m talking to a young brother like him and he’s on the come up, don’t think I’m not gonna pull him aside and say, ‘Hey man.’ I’m gonna be the one with the young guy, pulling him in and telling him, ‘Hey, you’ve got so much talent, but you’re gonna go up against this. You’re gonna go up against this. But this is how you get through it.’ That’s the way you deal with stuff like that. I’m not gonna tell somebody, ‘Hey, you don’t need to go with that angle because you ain’t stepping up with the brothers. Just forget about your family, forget about this is a storyline, forget about all that, just stand up.’ You’ve got to know when to stand up, bro. You’ve got to know when to pick your fights.”

Taking to X/Twitter, VladTV host DJ Vlad shared screenshots of an exchange with Booker in 2020, noting how Booker was excited to come on the show, but the appearance ultimately fell apart:



“Just saw a video with wrestler @BookerT5x saying he refused to do VladTV because "I get people locked up." That's a lie. Booker T was booked to do my show and was at my studio, but I was running late. He's mad that Swerve brought up Vince McMahon using the N-word around him in a video.”

H/T: Fightful