Booker T On Renee Young's WWE Departure, If She'll Be Inducted Into The WWE HOF
After eight years in WWE with a variety of roles, Renee Young has departed the promotion with her last event being SummerSlam. She worked as a backstage interviewer, host and was WWE's first full-time female commentator so her leaving is a big loss for the company.
Booker T worked alongside Young on a variety of formats including as a fellow panel co-host for PPVs as well as a fellow co-host for WWE Backstage on FS1. Booker discussed Young's WWE departure on "The Hall of Fame with Booker T and Brad Gilmore."
"I wanted to start this show off thanking Renee Young. Of course, she's gonna be stepping away from the WWE after an eight-year run and an eight-year run is more than a lot of guys' careers," stated Booker. "Renee is special. She's not gonna have to worry about a check coming in the mail or anything like that.
"I always talk about talent ? when you're talented you're good at something and enhance it. She's been working on her game for many years and she's finally at a point where she knows what she brings to the table. Anybody that snatches Renee up, they're gonna be very lucky to have her on that team because that's exactly what she is ? a team player."
Booker then said he doesn't remember things in the wrestling business unless they hit his heart and he told a story about his first time working with Young that he remembers to this day.
"The first time we worked with each other was at a WrestleMania party. We had no script and they didn't tell us anything. I had to introduce the mayor and everything that night and I was like, 'What the hell is going on [laughs]?' But Renee, boom, she picked up the mic and started rolling. Every time Renee would say something, I would just echo it. We started working together and we realized we had such chemistry," said Booker.
"She was even sitting under the learning tree with me and knowing her game and what she brought to the table, she still was trying to learn. There would be times Renee would call me and say, 'Book, how should I handle this situation?' I would give her the info and she would call or text me back and say thank you so much.
"She was definitely one of a kind as far as being a part of my life in my company. I just wanna thank Renee Young for the time we had together and hopefully we can have some more time as she's not totally gone. But I just wanna give her props, big props, because she deserves everything she gets in this lifetime."
Booker then said Young is someone who needs her own show and can create her own brand. He also said that with talented people, someone is always going to be knocking at their door for potential projects.
"I was my busiest when I wasn't working in WWE ? those few years that I had off? There was always something going on and always a booking out there to take and that's just me and I'm nowhere near as talented as Renee Young [laughs].
"I just bless her on everything she does in life. I'm sure she's gonna land on her feet and she's probably gonna land big. Just like she took me with her on WWE Backstage, I hope she gives me a call and says, 'Can't nobody do this with me like Book. Y'all might wanna give him a call and let him be my wingman' because I'm a good wingman. I'm hoping nothing but the best for Renee Young in her future."
A user question then asked if Young will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame one day which has very few broadcasters in it. Booker said that Young has the ability to build her name so big outside of WWE that they would want to welcome her into the Hall of Fame.
"Being the first woman [broadcaster] ? groundbreaking and tearing down walls in this business, I think one day she has a huge chance to make that walk. Hopefully it will be in Madison Square Garden sold out like when I went in back in the day. But I definitely think there's a huge chance," said Booker.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit The Hall of Fame with Booker T and Brad Gilmore with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.