Booker T defended former NXT General Manager Ava after several wrestling veterans publicly criticized her following her recent departure from WWE. The 24-year-old spent six years with WWE before unexpectedly leaving the company last month, prompting reactions from various figures within the wrestling community.
Booker T Addresses Harsh Judgments From Wrestling Veterans
On a recent episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T called out prominent wrestling personalities for their negative commentary about Ava. Specifically, he highlighted former WWE star Stevie Richards and his partner James for their remarks about The Rock’s daughter.
“It’s like people jumping all over Ava last week. Ava left NXT and then I see people—old heads too, I’m going to call them out—like Stevie Richards and his partner James. I know Richards tries to do his best to help out James,” he said.
Booker T also criticized Dutch Mantell and others for failing to acknowledge Ava’s growth and contributions while working with WWE. He expressed disbelief at the harsh criticisms targeting a young person simply carrying out her role in the wrestling world.
“I can imagine one of these guys speaking on Ava—like Dutch Mantell and the rest of them. I can only imagine if your kid was in the business and getting the same criticism she was getting when she was just doing a job and hopefully having fun doing it.“To hear grown men tearing young people down like that—it’s beyond me. It really is. They need to check themselves,” he added.
Currently, Booker T appears regularly alongside Vic Joseph as commentators for WWE NXT, which airs every Tuesday night.
Stevie Richards Questions Ava’s Impact In WWE
On The Stevie Richards Show, Richards voiced skepticism about Ava’s time in WWE, describing her character as lacking distinctiveness. He recalled only one notably memorable scene involving her during her tenure.
“It was a pretty vanilla character. Did she really do anything? Anytime I tuned in NXT and it wasn’t very often and she was there. The only time I think that she grabbed any kind of attention in the backstage pretape which was I think Gorilla position was Ethan Page and she was there with her dad. That was about the only memorable type thing right there that I could recall,” he said.
Richards’ comments reflect a divide in opinions regarding Ava’s role and performance, highlighting the scrutiny faced by younger talent navigating the wrestling industry.
The Significance of the Debate Over Ava’s WWE Departure
Booker T’s strong rebuttal of these criticisms underscores ongoing tensions between wrestling veterans and newer figures within WWE. His defense of Ava emphasizes the importance of acknowledging growth and respecting young professionals in the sport. With Ava’s departure stirring conversation, the wrestling world will likely watch closely to see how her career evolves beyond WWE.
This discussion also shines light on broader challenges wrestling personalities face as they balance legacy with fresh talent, especially when public scrutiny intensifies in such a passionate fanbase.
