Why did WWE never hire Stevie Ray?

[buddyriffic]

I don't know, but I find this kind of odd. These days in WWE, they go hire Primo, the brother of a wrestler that they never gave a crap about, and they could care even less about Primo himself. When Booker T arrived in WWE he was a huge star arriving with much fanfare. Could he not have lobbied to get his brother hired, or did he and they just didn't respond favorably?

Now let's face it....Stevie Ray sucked in the ring. No doubt about it. But he has the size and look that WWE is after and arguably had more charisma than Booker T as well. And just look at his color commentary work in WCW, it was fantastic. And that really is an understatement. Does anyone remember him referring to WCW's divas.......errrr...women as Yaks? lol.

What do you think, should (or could) Stevie Ray have been hired, and do you figure Booker T even pulled for it at all? I read in an interview years ago that they were slightly at odds with each other, could this be why? Does anyone know anything about this???

 

[InterestingDrug]

Stevie Ray was just a big guy, but he was a better performer than some of the other big guys that came after him. I mean, Stevie was better than Kozlov is.

I do remember the Yaks. It was a great moment, but just because he was good on the color, doesnt mean WWF should have hired him. Crowbar would have received a contract then. Crowbar was great on color. Does anyone remember him pulling a Gordon Solie, calling a match and saying "Crimson Mask" over and over. It was great!

Booker was a big star coming in, but do you honestly think McMahon would allow a WCW star to have any pull in the company at that time? No. He might have had some pull a few years later when he was King Booker, but by that time Stevie was pretty much done as a pro wrestler.

 

[trashboy]

I was sort of a fan of Stevie Ray, loved him with Harlem Heat and especially with nWo and I always wanted to see a reunion of Harlem Heat in WWE.. but i think he had retired, didn't he.. that could be why WWE didn't hire him, or maybe they just didn't want him.. i'm actually not sure.. someone else might be able to shed more light on the subject..

 

[Ghost of Benoit]

first off...Stevie Ray is NOT Booker T's brother so dont compare them to Carlito and Primo (two real-life brothers). And no WWE doesn't hire wrestlers based on "decent play-by-play ability can replace promo ability" standards. Primo was brought in to form a tag team with Carlito. Booker T was brought in to WWE to be a singles competitor. As a singles competitor, Stevie Ray wouldnt draw a dime and was not worth the acquisition.

 

[Super Hans]

umm stevie ray IS bookers brother.as someone stated with booker being brought in as a singles competitor there wouldnt be alot that could be done with stevie ray

 

[desktop]

first off...Stevie Ray is NOT Booker T's brother so dont compare them to Carlito and Primo (two real-life brothers). And no WWE doesn't hire wrestlers based on "decent play-by-play ability can replace promo ability" standards. Primo was brought in to form a tag team with Carlito. Booker T was brought in to WWE to be a singles competitor. As a singles competitor, Stevie Ray wouldnt draw a dime and was not worth the acquisition.

Lane Huffman(Stevie Ray), and Booker Huffman are real life brothers. I dont think Stevie Ray should have had a fulltime gig with WWE, but a one time Harlem Heat reunion would have been sick. I remember hearing Booker, and Stevie were not in a good place when WCW shut down, but who knows the truth. Vince usually sees a good storyline, this occasion he did not.

 

[buddyriffic]

Wow a little snippy aren't we Ghost of Benoit? And yes, you moron, they are brothers in real life. I had thought so, but I Wikipedia-ed it just to be safe. But I get your point about him not being a great singles competitor. Point taken.

And yes, InterestingDrug, looking at it from your point of view, it does seem a little silly for me to imply that Booker could ride in from WCW on his high horse and "lobby" for Vince to hire people. But I honestly get the impression that they were extremely high on Booker when he first arrived. It just seems odd that Stevie Ray wasn't given an opportunity. Like you said, he is certainly a cut above the big guys of today. Even going back to guys like Snitsky and Heidenreich. ugh. But I have to politely disagree with the praise for Crowbar on commentary. I found his Gordon Solie act to be slightly annoying. Keep in mind i was NOT a fan of TNA commentator Black Snow either geez that pissed me off. Juventud Guerrera, on the other hand.....gold Yeah, I know I'll get heat for saying that, but the stint was hilarious.

 

[doggstarr77]

Personally, I think that Booker just has a big head. On the topic of Booker....Why did he think it was a good choice to go with a fake African accent when he was in TNA????

 

[pun2003hh]

Number one, as it has been pointed out, Stevie Ray is Booker T's brother in real life. Make sure your facts are accurate before your post.

Number two, I read a few articles online that indicated that Stevie Ray was retired from in ring action for the most part when WCW folded. He worked as a commentator at the end. After the buyout, he worked a few matches for WWA and then fully retired as of 2002.

In 2005, he became a full time trainer and part owner of Booker T's wrestling school in Texas.

All in all, it sounds like by the time the WWE took over WCW, Stevie Ray was at the very end of his wrestling career, which is why he was never picked up.

 

[DaBadGuy]

I don't know, but I find this kind of odd. These days in WWE, they go hire Primo, the brother of a wrestler that they never gave a crap about, and they could care even less about Primo himself. When Booker T arrived in WWE he was a huge star arriving with much fanfare. Could he not have lobbied to get his brother hired, or did he and they just didn't respond favorably?

Now let's face it....Stevie Ray sucked in the ring. No doubt about it. But he has the size and look that WWE is after and arguably had more charisma than Booker T as well. And just look at his color commentary work in WCW, it was fantastic. And that really is an understatement. Does anyone remember him referring to WCW's divas.......errrr...women as Yaks? lol.

What do you think, should (or could) Stevie Ray have been hired, and do you figure Booker T even pulled for it at all? I read in an interview years ago that they were slightly at odds with each other, could this be why? Does anyone know anything about this???

You just pretty much answered your own question here.

1. Booker was a bigger star than Stevie and had more potential when WCW was around and after it folded.

2. Like you said Stevie wasn't all that great in the ring. He wasn't as bad as most big wrestlers but when you watched a Harlem Heat match it was Booker the one entertaining you not Stevie.

3. By the time WCW was bought out Stevie was already over the age of 40. And I'm pretty sure in 2001 WWE wanted nothing to do with to many guys over the age of 40 who's name wasn't Flair, Sting, DDP, Hogan, Hall or Nash.

Now I will say the only reason I wanted to see Stevie Ray in a WWE ring was so that I could see Harlem Heat together. But after WCW made Booker into a big star it was pretty much pointless for WWE to bring in Stevie Ray to reform Harlem Heat.

 

[BWEEZY2009]

I remember when Stevie Ray in NWO 2000.. haha wow was that group thrown together... But i always enjoyed his work on the mic and his charisma. Harlem Heat was a good gimmick and i think Stevie should of got a chance with the Invasion era. Good thread tho