“I’m on the Fence With This Kid”: Brock Lesnar’s Trainee Slammed by Booker T Over Disappointing Debut

The debut of a new WWE talent can often be stressful. Working a match for the first time in front of the WWE universe can be daunting. Many new trainees claim that their mentors helped them get over this fear. Unfortunately for Brock Lesnar’s new Olympic Gold medalist trainee debut, Booker T had some harsh words.

Ever since he left the WWE, Booker T has worked with training new talent. With years of in-ring experience and a wrestling school, Booker knows talent when he sees it. So, what did the new trainee do so wrong? 

Getting booed out of the building at The Great American Bash

At NXT’s The Great American Bash, Gable Steveson made his in-ring debut. Mentored by Lesnar, he went up against Baron Corbin. Unfortunately, the match that was supposed to give the fans a taste of Steveson ended in a double count-out. Now, this enraged the NXT fans. Steveson’s performance overall was also questioned by the fans who seemed far less impressed with him.

During an interview on The Hall of Fame with Booker T and Brad Gilmore, the two discussed the debut of Steveson. “I’m on the fence with this kid,” Booker said. While the two discussed the matter, it was clear why Booker felt that way. According to him, the fans want to know in your first match if you’re staying or heading out the door.

“They booed that boy out of the building,” Booker continued. During the entire match, fans could not stop the negative chanting against  Steveson. Booker T added, “We ain’t looking for guys that just want to hang around and look good.” Running his wrestling school, the former World Heavyweight Champion knows what an excellent young star needs to have to make it in the business.

READ MORE: Kurt Angle Revealed Dave Meltzer to Be “Pickier” Back in the Day, When It Came to Giving His Iconic Five Star Match Ratings

Steveson signed with WWE after winning the 2020 Olympic Games. Having a large frame, the WWE saw him as the next potential Brock Lesnar. However, with three years in development, he has not materialized as WWE planned. The WWE still hopes that something will turn out well with Steveson as he is still under their contract. 

Comparing Steveson to another Olympic Gold Medalist in the WWE

Continuing with Steveson, Gilmore tossed up the name of another Gold Medalist in the WWE, Kurt Angle. “Well, he ain’t no Kurt Angle,” was the immediate response from Booker. Breaking down the career path, Booker explained what worked for Angle. He said Angle was ready to commit and dive deep into learning this business. Angle made a massive name for himself, being regarded as one of the best technical wrestlers in the WWE.

When discussing why Steveson could not be another Angle, Booker said, “Steveson has some unfinished business.” He explained that this could be in the amateurs or the Olympics. According to Booker T, winning two Olympic Gold medals could set the life of Steveson. This may have distracted him for now or until he finds his proper place in the WWE.

For now, Steveson is still signed under the NXT banner. The management is still pushing him to be like his mentor Lesnar. Only time will tell if Steveson can live up to being ‘The Next Big Thing.’ 

Watch This Story: VIDEO: Dominik Mysterio Earns Himself a Name in History Books After Breaking Top NXT Star’s 30-Match Winning Streak