Booker T: Why I Loved Being Drafted To WWE SmackDown In 2004

Booker T has revealed he loved the decision by WWE to trade him to SmackDown in 2004, citing the more relaxed atmosphere because the show was pre-taped, as well as the opportunity to develop his own character.

Booker T was storyline traded over to SmackDown, along with the Dudley Boyz, in 2004 in exchange for Triple H, who had initially been drafted from Raw during the Draft Lottery. 

At the time, there was a perception that SmackDown was WWE's B-Show, but Booker T thoroughly loved his time on the blue brand.

Speaking on his Hall Of Fame Podcast, Booker T said: "I wasn’t upset. I was just playing my role, man. I knew going over to SmackDown, for me, I loved it. I was actually really, really happy when I got drafted to SmackDown. I don’t know if I even got drafted. I might’ve been traded.

"I’m serious, but I knew going to SmackDown was going to give me a chance to be at ease. Being on live television every week on Monday Night Raw, it is very stressful to have to go out there every weekend and nail it. It was the hardest position to be in. Back then, SmackDown was taped, and if you made a mistake, they could fix it. So, it had a much more laid back feel, as well as, I didn’t have to compete with all the main major players on Raw who wanted that TV time, who wanted that live time, who craved being front of the camera like that.

"For me, it wasn’t really about that. I just wanted to be able to — just like for instance when The Radicalz left WCW, a door opened for me. Some of the biggest stars man, they just stepped away. Me going over to SmackDown, I knew the major players, Triple H and those guys, were going to be over there on Raw. So, I could create my own thing right here on SmackDown. There was born the SmackDown Kingdom. The SmackDown King Booker."

H/T EWrestlingNews