JBL did not hold back his frustration regarding recent criticism directed at his former commentary partner, Booker T. During his interview on TMZ Inside The Ring, JBL was asked about the Wrestling Observer naming the two-time Hall of Famer the “worst announcer” of 2025. The former WWE Champion called it absurd and praised Booker T as both a professional and a role model within the industry.
“I don’t know what water head moron would make Booker T anything but the greatest (commentator). I think Booker, Booker is awesome, and everything about Booker, Booker is a role model. Booker is a legend. He’s a multi-time Hall of Famer. I think he’s a great commentator. He’s done so much for this business and for his training guys. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever met. I think he’s a great commentator, and people agree with that,” JBL stated.
The “Wrestling God” went on to critique the broader state of wrestling media and awards culture. He argued that many critics intentionally lean into negativity to build their own following or to appear more intellectual to their audience. JBL compared the situation to blockbuster movies that receive poor reviews despite generating billions of dollars in revenue.
“It’s just like these press gimmicks that come out. And it’s not just Meltzer….You don’t get followings by being positive and say, ‘Hey, this guy’s really great.’ You get followings by saying, ‘Oh, this guy’s terrible.’ And you try to sound smart and try to sound cerebral. That’s why you have some movie that sells a billion dollars in ticket sales and people say, ‘Oh, that’s the worst movie ever That’s right that’s because of why it just made a billion dollars. You know, these guys like Meltzer and these guys are a bunch of bozos. I think Booker is awesome. I’m so happy that what Booker is doing, and I think he’s fun to be around. He’s infectious. You know, Booker is one of these guys that just lights up a room, and I think he does that on commentary also.”
JBL also shared a humorous anecdote about working with Booker T and Vince McMahon. He recalled a moment when Booker made a “dad joke” that had been fed to him through his headset by McMahon. When the joke received some backlash, McMahon—having forgotten he was the one who suggested it—demanded that Booker T apologize for the remark. JBL noted that Booker was an ultimate team player for complying without revealing the source of the material.
You can read Booker T’s comments about the award here.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit TMZ Inside The Ring with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can listen to more reporting on the Inside The Ring podcast or watch their latest updates on their official YouTube channel.
