“It Never Really Took Off”: Booker T Opens Up About TNA’s Unfulfilled Potential

On the latest episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T opened up about his TNA run and reflected on the company's trajectory, sharing his views on why he believes TNA lost its momentum, particularly after the arrival of Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan in 2010.

Reflecting on his time with TNA, Booker T expressed some disappointment, feeling that the potential was never fully realized. “I didn’t get a chance to work [with] a lot of guys when I was there,” he said, pointing out that the Main Event Mafia, the faction he was a part of, didn’t have many opportunities to engage with a wide range of talent. Instead, Booker explained, “We did a lot of vignettes, we did a lot of backstage, you know, ‘Ha ha.’ We really didn’t have a chance — like I say, we missed out on so many opportunities in TNA at that time.”

Reflecting on the heights the company did reach, Booker T recalled a specific moment that showed him the potential TNA had. “I remember going to England. We did two shows, and they were sold out, back-to-back shows. The arena held probably, I don’t know, 5,000 people or so. But it was crazy, it was rabid-like fans,” he said, noting the energy in the crowd that hinted at something promising. “And I was like, ‘Wow, man, these guys really could have something here.’ But it never really seemed to take off. No one ever really took the reins and said, ‘Man, we really need to start structuring.’ No one really ever did that in that company.” Reflecting on the organization’s overall direction, Booker observed, “It just seemed like everything started imploding from that point.”

Booker T then touched on what he saw as a critical moment of change after his departure from TNA. “Once I left, I knew Bischoff and Hogan and those guys came in, and then it really started going in a certain direction. Because I just don’t think it was what people wanted,” he shared, expressing his view that the identity of TNA shifted after these additions. “People love that six-sided ring. They loved the identity of TNA and what they were trying to build. And when they lost it, they lost everything. That was just my opinion.”