WWE NXT commentator Booker T has given his thoughts on being named the Worst Television Announcer for 2025.
On February 13, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter end of year awards for 2025 were published. While AEW picked up most of the positive awards and WWE picked up a lot of wins in the negative category, the result that caused the biggest reaction online was Booker T’s accolade.
The win was a polarising one among wrestling fans, with many having a strong opinion either way on the result. Additionally, big names in wrestling such as Pat McAfee and AEW World Champion MJF called out the result and came to the defence of the 2-time Hall of Famer.
A few days on from the awards being published, the NXT announcer has given his thoughts on the matter.
Booker T Reacts To Being Named Worst Television Announcer
The topic was brought up on Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast. First, when addressing the award itself, the NXT announcer stated that it shouldn’t exist before elaborating on his issues with Dave Meltzer:
“For an award like this to even be out there, it’s asinine. Because, there again, Dave Meltzer, or anyone at the Wrestling Observer, knows what it takes as far as what that job entails. But he somehow finagled his way into being called a wrestling aficionado, a wrestling historian, whatever. No dig on that or anything, but something like this is redundant. It makes no sense, it really deosn’t. Personally, I don’t take a knock, it’s just Meltzer taking a shot at me. Probably because of what happened on the Jericho Cruise. A lot of people don’t know that story, I cornered Dave Meltzer and told him I would rip his ears right off of his body. That’s what I said. Dave Meltzer was quite frightened. I wouldn’t say I hate him. Hate is a really, really dark, evil, nasty word. And I don’t really want to go there, as far as saying I hate a person or anything like that. But Dave Meltzer is literally a scoundrel of an individual. He really is. He’s a guy that is really sucking the life out of this business.”
Later in the show, the Hall of Famer noted that while he is not concerned about winning the Worst Announcer award, he did appreciate those who defended him:
“It doesn’t bother me, but I do appreciate people coming to my defence”
It should be noted that Dave Meltzer did not choose the winners of the awards; the readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter were the ones who picked the winners. However, Booker T stated that some opinions were likely influenced by the journalist:
“I don’t blame the students. I blame the teachers. I never blame the students, and [Dave] Meltzer got a lot of people that’s following him that’s listening to him. When you got people listening, they’re willing to agree more than likely to disagree. I understand, but hopefully the people that’s listening to me right now, will maybe wake up a little bit and go, ‘Man, what the hell was I thinking about professional wrestling?’ When you take the fun out of professional wrestling, we’ve lost it. We really truly have. For me, I don’t give a damn what people say. I was supposed to have had this job for three months. It’s going five years now, so I must be doing something right. I’m gonna just keep having fun until they tell me. ‘Hey, Book, it’s time for you to go.’ That’s what I’m gonna do. Let’s see how many other stars become Superstars in the meantime.”
The Hall of Famer also noted that his NXT colleague, Vic Joseph, should not be anywhere in the rankings for worst announcer.
Featured image: WWE
