Booker T Unloads on Swerve Strickland Over WWE Racism Claims: 'You Got Played, Bro'

This all started when Swerve sat down with Vlad TV and echoed the criticism many fans have had about WWEs treatment of Black wrestlers. While talking about representationor the lack thereofon WWE Premium Live Events, Swerve said: Thats not what happened when Vince said the N-word in front of you thats not being treated fairly. My opinion.

He doubled down by saying his words werent just personal gripes: Its not what Im saying, its that Im saying what people are saying. Im saying what your audience is saying. Its not just me talking out of my ass. Its what your audience has been complaining about for the better part of 2-3 yearsabout not seeing Black talent getting singles matches on PLEs and stuff like that.

Well, Booker T took that personallyand he had the chance to confront Swerve face-to-face.

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker revealed: I was at an event this weekend in Richmond, Virginia. Lo and behold, who was at the same event with me, actually as a part of the same party. It was literally the first person I ran into the morning of the event. Just like Swerve Strickland said, me having the energy when Vince McMahon said the N-word, rest assured I had the energy when I saw him because I approached Swerve Strickland and I had a conversation with Swerve Strickland.

Booker wasted no time expressing his disappointment: I told Swerve Strickland to his face how disappointed I am in him as a young brother because all I did for Swerve Strickland was put him over and put him on a pedestal as being one of the best out there, that he deserves to be the AEW Champion.

Then Booker got blunt: For him to say something like that about meI dont know if these guys think racism stopped in 1990 when I got in the business, but it didnt. You may not hear about a lot of racial issues with Booker T because I handled racial issues handfirst. I opened doors, I broke down barriers for people like Swerve Strickland. Swerve Strickland would perhaps not even be here if it wasnt for me.

He wasnt done: I have to apologize for nothing that Ive done in this business because Ive gone out there and I have literally represented in the ring and out of the ring from day one all the way to this day in 2025.

Booker also called out Vlad TV directly: I had an offer to be on Vlad TV before as well and I turned it down. They called me back and they offered me money to go on Vlad TV and I turned it down because I was not going to go on Vlad TV and be exploited. I wasnt going to go on Vlad TV and have him make me look like a fool in front of the world I wasnt going to go on Vlad TV and say anything negative towards any black man thats ever been in this business because I know how hard it is for all of us.

Then Booker gave it to Swerve straight: You got played. You got played bro. You got played. You let that man play you and pitch you against me and me against you.

On the topic of the infamous Vince McMahon segment where he used the N-word on-air, Booker fired back: You speak on Vince McMahon and him saying the N-word, you want me to be angry Black man in the company. You want me to not open doors and make spaces for people like you, thats what you want me to do.

Booker continued with a warning: Swerve Strickland, I hope youre never gonna be in the movies, I hope youre never gonna be on a movie set because you might hear somebody say the N-word and if youve got a problem with it, theyre gonna tell your ass to get the hell out of here, this is a movie, alright?

Booker made it clearthis wasnt about hate, it was about disappointment: Im upset because more importantly Im disappointed in Swerve Strickland because what I told himIll repeat it just like I repeated it to himyou got played.

On the N-word debate: When I stop hearing it on the radio every day, then we can have this conversation. When I stop hearing it as a term of endearment in a lot of places and circles, then we can talk about this.

He added: As far as the N-word goes, its not a word that nobody has ever heard me say but one time in my life, especially in this business or around any of my peers thats not something I do.

Booker turned the heat up on Swerves claim that WWE doesnt book Black stars at major events:

I hear people like Swerve Strickland talk about theres not a lot of Black representation on the PLEs these days. Well damn it, I didnt have to worry about that in my day, I was on all of them. I was on all of the pay-per-views, alright? I was main eventing some of them as well. I dont know what the hell he is talking about as far as that goes.

And then came the burn: Maybe its a drop-off as far as talent, maybe guys need to work up to my level and really think about themselves in a position and say, Hey man, lets forget about this Black thing and lets throw it all in and see how good we are.

Booker also pointed out: I could have sank all the way to the bottom in WWE just like so many others did. More importantly, most of those guys are white guys, Im just saying. Its about how talented I was.

And for Strickland? Its about how talented he is. Its about how talented every other Black person that gets what they getdont just throw a tag on them because theyre Black. Its ridiculous.

On Swerves in-person response, Booker said: I can tell you this, he never said that he didnt get played. He never said that and that right there spoke volumes to me.

And to wrap it all up, Booker T said hes proud of his record: If you can base my veracity on a skit, we got a problem. My reputation is solid, my reputation is 100 as far as dealing with racism. I know how Ive dealt with racism in the WWE, but I dont have to go out and publicize it.

He also left this for the next generation: Im gonna be the one with the young guy, pulling him in and telling him, Hey, youve got so much talent, but youre gonna go up against this. Youre gonna go up against this. But this is how you get through it.

And as for the skit itself? Bookers take is simple: Ive said it a thousand times out of one thousand times, I dont think the skit with Vince McMahon and John Cena was a racial issue with me. I just dont. Take it for what its worth.