Booker T

AKA: Kane (WCW), G.I. Bro (WCW) Tag Team: Harlem Heat

Real Name: Bobby Huffman

Date of Birth: 1st of May 1965

Height: 6'3" Weight: 250 lbs

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Brief Bio:

Bobby Huffman and his real life brother Stevie Ray, debuted in the WWA, where they spent three prosperous years learning the ropes. The brothers gained their first glimpse of the big time as The Ebony Experience in the Global Wrestling Federation in early 1990�s.

The brothers were successful, defeating Gary Young and Stevie Dane in July '92. They only held the belts for a week, though, before losing the gold to the Blackbirds (Action Jackson & King Parsons). The Ebony Experience returned a month later to reclaim the titles, then held them a little longer, before dropping them to Johnny Mantrell & Black Bart. Bobby (Booker T) then took some time off for a knee injury, while Stevie Ray won the GWF North American Title.

It was in these pre-WCW days with Global that Bobby Huffman first used the infamous gimmick "G.I. Bro," which was briefly revived in WCW last year just prior to his big title win

When Bobby Huffman returned, the two continued their winning ways, defeating Bad Breed to become the first 3-time GWF Tag-Team Champions. After losing to the Sicilian Stallions a few months later, Bobby Huffman & Stevie Ray decided to head for the big time, going to WCW in 1993.

On WCW they became Harlem Heat � Kane and Kole. As Kane and Kole, the two wrestled for a brief period as mid-low carders, teaming with guys like Vader, Davey Boy Smith, and other superstars. They�d soon ditch "Kane and Kole" for "Booker T and Stevie Ray�.

They entered their first WCW Pay-Per-View at Fall Brawlin 1993, as the mystery tag-team partners of Vader and Sid Vicious. Unfortunately, they were not well-received, both by the fans (who wanted to see the Road Warriors) and their opponents, who promptly defeated them in the War Games match. In 1994, the guys decided to move themselves to New York. This was the birth of Harlem Heat.

Harlem Heat won their first WCW Tag-Team titles in December '94 by beating Stars 'n' Stripes (Marcus Bagwell and the Patriot. They held the belts for more than 5 months before losing to the Nasty Boys. A month later, they took the belts back from the Nasty Boys, then lost them to Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater. Again, Booker and Stevie came back a few months later to win the titles for a 3rd time, only to lose them the next day to the American Males (Bagwell and Scotty Riggs). A little over a week later, Harlem Heat beat the American Males in a return match to reclaim the WCW Tag-Team belts.

Continuing their usual pace, however, Harlem Heat came back to win a triangle Title match between them, Sting and Luger, and the Steiner Brothers. Less than a month later, they lost to the Outsiders. Soon after, Stevie Ray was out with an injury, so Booker T went into singles wrestling to try his luck.

At the end of '97, in a major upset, Booker T defeated the Disco Inferno for the WCW World Television belt. Soon after, the well-remembered feud with "The Crippler" Chris Benoit began. It started as mutual respect between the two, but quickly descended into a major war. Eventually, due to Benoit's interference, Booker T lost the belt to Dave "Fit" Finley. After Booker T subsequently involved himself in a Benoit-Finley match, the two opted for a 7-match series, in which the winner would go on to a title shot against Finley. The series went all the way and beyond, as Benoit and Booker T had great match after great match. Booker T won the series, and went on to win the TV belt back from Finley at the PPV.

Not long afterwards, during a match against Brett Hart, Booker T injured his knee and subsequently had surgery done. His brother Stevie Ray took over the title for a brief period before losing the belt to Chris Jericho.

1999 Saw booker T renew acquaintances with his brother, Stevie Ray, who came into the ring to take out Booker T's opponent more than once. The two brother set their sights on regaining the tag-team titles. They began challenging the Triad (Diamond Dallas Page, Bam-Bam Bigelow, and Kanyon) for the titles they held. The two brother overcoming a despite attempted interference by DDP, Harlem Heat defeated Bam-Bam and Kanyon to win the Tag-Team Titles for the 8th time, a great record. However lost the titles in the week leading up to Halloween Havoc in October 1999

Booker T lost in the first round of the World Title Tournament, to Jeff Jarrett. But Booker was then named the #1 Contender for the US belt, and began a feud with Scott Hall, who held both the TV and US Titles. Despite Booker T's best efforts against the Outsider, he walked away from WCW Mayhem with another defeat on his record, and no title to show for it. Harlem Heat, possibly the greatest tag-team in wrestling, was again broken up.

Booker T and Stevie Ray feuded for the next month, with the violence between the two growing greater and greater. They met at Souled Out to decide who was the better brother. The match ended in a DQ win for Booker T, when "Big T" made his first appearance in WCW, attacking him. It soon became apparent that Stevie Ray considered Big T his brother's replacement. He brought in his lawyer, actually getting an order that said Booker could no longer use the "T" in his name, nor enter to the Harlem Heat music, since his brother owned the copyright. The feud continued into the next month, as Booker found himself a partner and ally in Billy. Kidman & Booker defeated Stevie Ray and Big T at Uncensored. Soon after, the feud lost ground, as the New Blood began.

At Spring Stampede, Booker fought in the United States Title Tournament. He lost in the first round, however, in a clean match with Sting. The two shook hands at the end of the match, showing that there was no animosity between them.

When Bischoff fired a bunch of the younger, less established wrestlers, Booker T came to their defense, joining them. This created the Misfits In Action, or M.I.A., consisting of Hugh Morrus (Captain E. Rection), Lash LaRoux (Cpl Cajun), Chavo Guerrero Jr (Lt Loco), and Van Hammer (Major Stash). Booker T continued to help his newfound allies against the Filthy. Bischoff, angry at the defiance, fired Booker T after a match, despite his protests. Next week, Booker T reappeared in army fatigues next to his military allies, calling himself "G.I. Bro. As G.I. Bro, he joined with Captain Rection and his troops against the New Blood, and, most particularly, the Filthy Animals. G.I. Bro also continued his wars with the New Blood, focusing on "PerfectSean" Stasiak. The two met in a Boot Camp match at the Great American Bash. The rules were that the first man to not answer the 10 count lost. Even with Chuck Palumbo interfering on behalf of his partner, G.I. Bro pulled out the victory over his adversary. A few weeks later, however, "G.I. Bro" handed the reigns of the MIA to Rection, making him a 'general', then came out as Booker T once again.

Kanyon and Booker T came Face to Face in the 2000 Bash at the Beach, were Kanyon managed to sneak away with the victory, after Jeff Jarrett ran down to knock out Booker with his guitar.

In a bizarre match between Jarrett and Hogan for the World Title, Jarrett laid down on his back, and let Hogan pin him. Vince Russo proclaimed that Hogan could have the old title belt, but that Jarrett and Booker T would be fighting in the main event for the new one. Booker T took advantage of the surprise match by catching Jarrett off the turnbuckle with the Book-End, earning the World Heavyweight Title for the first time in his career

Booker T and Big Poppa Pump soon began a very bloody feud that lasted for months. With Booker T finally losing the World Heavyweight, in an epic "Straight Jacket Steel Cage" match at Mayhem 2000. After this match Booker T was put on the sidelines with various injuries.

March 2001 Steiner still the World Heavyweight Champion, was in the midst of a feud with Diamond Dallas Page. Booker T with DDP and Ernest "The Cat" Miller fought Steiner, Lex Luger, and Buff Bagwell in a 6-man tag that night. Booker T pinned Steiner and the pin for the win which lead to a Booker T

Boooker T went on to WCE Greed to face Steiner's brother Rick, after Shane Douglas interfered and knocked Rick off the turnbuckle, Booker T got the Bookend to gain the US Heavyweight Championship for the first time.

WCW's Season Finale of Monday Nitro saw the unification of the US and World belts. With Booker T and Steiner in the opening match of the night, with both men pulling out all the stops. In the end, Booker T performed a brilliant flip out of a Powerbomb attempt and got the Bookend, pinning Steiner to finally earn revenge, as well as the Heavyweight Title for a fourth time.

Booker T invaded a World Wrestling Federation Pay-Per-View at King of the Ring. Shocked the crowd at the Continental Airlines Arena when he appeared during the main event and attacked Stone Cold Steve Austin. Putting Stone Cold Steve Austin the Bookend through the announcers' table, before leaving due to security. As Vince McMahon was yelling at his son Shane, Booker T came out of the crowd and entered the ring, clobbering Vince with an Axe Kick. He then departed the way he came, as WWF wrestlers charged the ring.

The former WCW Champion had been idle for more than two months, since the last WCW Nitro aired.

Booker T was confronted by some of the best WWF had to offer for the WCW Title belt. Defeating, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho. Leading up to the July Invisaion PPV.

At Invasion, Booker T was the leader of the ECW & WCW team, along with Diamond Dallas Page (WCW), Rhyno & the Dudley Boys (ECW). They took on the apparently revamped "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Kane & the Undertaker. During a match in which the Ref was knocked down and before a new ref could get there, Austin entered the ring and shockingly turned on the WWF, Stunning Angle and rolling Booker T on top. A shaken ref made the 1-2-3, giving Booker T's team the win and earning Booker T a great new ally in "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, placing both World Champions on the same team for the first time.

It�s been a long road for Booker, who spent most of his career in a very successful tag team with his real-life brother, Stevie Ray (Lane Huffman).

Booker T and Stevie Ray were one of the most decorated tag teams of the past 10 years in WCW as Harlem Heat, winning the WCW tag titles on 10 occasions. Harlem Heat is the most successful black tag team in modern wrestling history.

The above biography has being compliled using information from the following links:

http://www.geocities.com/accelerator3359/Wrestling/bios/bookert.html
http://www.wrestleline.com/columns/circa/feb01/circa21901.htm
http://www.mrtito.lordsofpain.net/pdc/february24_2001.htm