On his “Hall of Fame” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T gave his thoughts on the company’s significantly reduced house show schedule. While he acknowledged the benefits of more time off for the talent, he also warned that the lack of consistent in-ring work could be a “double-edged sword” that may lead to more injuries.
A Double-Edged Sword
Booker T began by laying out the pros and cons of the new, lighter schedule. “Yeah, it’s a double edged sword. It’s good and it’s good and bad in so many different ways,” he said. “Giving guys and girls a little bit more time off, I think that’s a good thing. Being able to spend a little bit more time with your family, that’s a good thing.”
However, he cautioned that the additional time away from the ring comes with its own set of challenges that the current roster will need to navigate. “But the boys are gonna have to still be able to balance… that time off. Time off is your worst enemy,” he stated. “That’s what they’re gonna have to balance more than anything.”
The Need for Reps
He referenced a recent article where a female superstar expressed her concern about not getting enough in-ring time to be fully prepared for major television matches. “I was listening to one of the girls just talk just last week… talking about that they need more reps,” he said. “They need more reps because they’re not… they’re coming out there on television and they’re not prepared to actually go out there and perform at their highest level because they’ve been sitting at home… Preparation is the only look you ever gonna have.”
Increased Injury Risk
Booker believes that this lack of consistent “reps” could have a serious physical downside, leading to more injuries. “For me, I think from that perspective, it may hurt them… the injuries are going to rack up when you don’t have as much time in the ring,” he explained.
Booker T isn’t the only person who has expressed his opinion that house shows are needed. Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez also stated that they would love for WWE to run house shows so that the talent can get more reps.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Hall of Fame with Booker T & Brad Gilmore with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
