Booker T Discusses the Harlem Hangover

Speaking on a recent episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed the origin of his Harlem Hangover move and whether he would be able to compete in today’s environment. You can see the highlights and video below: 

On the origin of the Harlem Hangover: “I just wanted to do something stupid, you know what I mean? And bury myself, and get the babyface [to] move out of the way, and then I could actually hurt myself so the babyface could [take control of the match]. And then I realized I was doing it in the same place every time. And I was like, ‘Man, I think I could do it!’ And then I got one guy, I said, ‘Man, you think you would take it for me?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll take it.’ And I pulled it off perfectly the first time I did it … that’s how some stuff like that happens. I actually developed a different form later on in my career, and it was because my right knee was hurting, and I couldn’t push off it it properly. So I went and just jumped off my left and just keep going.” 

On if he could compete in today’s wrestling environment: “I really do think I could transform to today’s wrestling and been one of today’s wrestlers and went out and worked at a very, very high level even still today. But the game has changed, the game has changed a whole lot. The question is, would I want to be one of the guys on the roster in 2019. I don’t think so, man. I had a good time, my time in the business, my era in the business, it was a great time to be a professional wrestler. As well as, it’s left this [podcasting] still for me to be able to do after wrestling.”