It was at the appropriately named event, The Final Heat where Booker and Stevie defeated the Heavenly Bodies to win the ROW Tag Team Championship, a title they held for three weeks before vacating it. Speaking of Primo Colon, he's still on WWE's roster but rarely appears. Kevin Powers of WWE remarked: "When debating the greatest tag team in WCW history, Harlem Heat and The . Kane was paired with Davey Boy Smith against Road Warrior Hawk and Rip Rogers in a losing effort. CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2023 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. At this point, Rick is still decorated in his Trapper Keeper graphic-style singlet , while pre-"Big Poppa Pump" Scott opts for . Rob Parker, but was changed due to racial sensitivity based on their look, coming out to the ring in wrist and foot shackles. [22] Harlem Heat retained the titles against Stars and Stripes in a rematch at Clash of the Champions XXX. Lets go, Book. We have often seen promoters put brothers into a tag-team when they are starting off and gaining experience and some even break away from the tag-team, like Scott Steiner and Jeff Hardy, to find success and gold as a singles star. At SuperBrawl 2000, Booker lost the rights to the Harlem Heat name, the "Rap Sheet" and the "T" surname after being pinned by Big T after a distraction by Cassius (formerly known as 4x4 from The No Limit Soldiers). #FTR https://t.co/XR8WCOWbrK, Scott Dawson (@ScottDawsonWWE) December 16, 2019. [48] They briefly feuded against Parker's newest team The Amazing French Canadians, defeating them in a match at World War 3. Me and my big brother, we talking about it." Sometimes we have even seen bookers put two wrestlers into a tag-team and treat them as brothers such as Edge and Christian and The Dudleyz. RELATED: 5 Reasons Why Harlem Heat Was WCWs Best Tag Team (& 5 Why It Was The Steiner Brothers). He is also the host of the podcast Stand Up for Greatness. November 9, 2021. In 2017, when asked about a possible return to WWE, Carlito said: John Laurinaitis is a legendary figure in pro wrestling but he did not find the same level of success inside the ring as his brother, the legendary Road Warrior Animal. The following week, on Nitro, Ray was suspended by "Powers That Be". Sensational Sherri) as a manager, who worked under the name Sister Sherri. Despite being on opposite sides they managed to peacefully co-exist (despite Booker expressing dismay at Stevie for joining the nWo). Booker T is considered to be one of the most decorated wrestlers in WCW history, having held 21 titles including a record six WCW World Television Championships and a record eleven WCW World Tag Team Championships. From the streets of Harlem, N.Y., came a powerful pair of brothers who terrorized WCW's tag-team ranks throughout much of the 1990s. However, Harlem Heat lost the titles to Konnan and Kidman, the following night on Nitro.[65]. At Bash at the Beach, Harlem Heat retained the titles against Nasty Boys and Blue Bloods in a triangle match. You can check out some highlights from the podcast below: Over the course of these runs, theyd have memorable matches with teams like American Males, the Stud Stable, the Four Horsemen, The Steiner Brothers, and the team of Lex Luger and Sting. [21], On December 8, Harlem Heat defeated Stars and Stripes (The Patriot and Marcus Alexander Bagwell) to win their first WCW World Tag Team Championship, which aired on the January 14, 1995 episode of Saturday Night. Wilder. [20] On the December 3 episode of WorldWide, Harlem Heat renamed her Sister Sherri. By June 1998, Stevie Ray had returned to the ring, and the powerful gang-like faction of the nWo had been split into two: Hollywood Hogan's nWo Hollywood and Kevin Nash's nWo Wolfpac. [55] On the July 7 episode of Nitro, they fired Sherri after her interference backfired, costing them a match against Public Enemy. Ever since they debuted, Harlem Heat occasionally toyed with being faces or at least tweeners that straddled the line between hero and villain. For example, he would often say that a wrestler "should have went [sic] for the cover!" [34] This title change was taped on October 11. Harlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team composed of two brothers, Booker and Lash Huffman (better known as Booker T and Stevie Ray). During a recent appearance on the "That 90s Wrestling Podcast", WWE Hall of Famer Stevie Ray commented on the 2001 segment in WWE that featured Booker T and Stone Cold Steve Austin facing off in a grocery store, and more. Stevie returned from suspension on the November 29 episode of Nitro to rescue Midnight from an assault by Curt Hennig. Quizzed on the possibility by Renee Young on this weeks Backstage, Booker teased: You know what? Harlem Heat defeated the team of Slater and Buck at The Great American Bash. They were then billed from Harlem. This guitar has been on display at a Guitar Center in Austin, TX since 2018 in celebration of his 64th birthday. Meanwhile, Booker T would go on to win WCW World Television Championship. [12] Ray's last match was at Reality of Wrestling on August 12, 2017, teaming with Abel Andrew Jackson as they lost to Ernest Miller and Ryan Davidson.[13]. The two real life siblings who captured the WCW tag team championships 10 times during their illustrious run together and got inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame last year are seriously contemplating a comeback to face The Revival after a recent exchange on the TLC Kickoff show. [19] The alliance with Sherri led to Harlem Heat being elevated in the tag team division. After turning babyface, Rosey formed a popular tag-team with The Hurricane as his Superhero In Training. After Stevie Rays death, Rene replaced the new neck with Number Ones original and the guitar was given back to Stevies family. This marked their final time teaming in WCW before the promotion disbanded. Life hadn't been easy for them. [16] At Battlebowl, Kane was randomly partnered with Charlie Norris in a Lethal Lottery qualifying match against Big Van Vader and Cactus Jack in a losing effort. WWE Veteran Booker T Says He is Talking With Brother Stevie Ray for Match With The Revival. 5 Reasons Why Harlem Heat Was WCWs Best Tag Team (& 5 Why It Was The Steiner Brothers), legendary wrestler turned promoter Skandor Akbar, 8 Backstage Stories Fans Should Know About Sensational Sherri Martel, The nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood Storyline, Explained. Harlem Heat faced Nasty Boys in a rematch at Starrcade, which Harlem Heat lost via disqualification. Harlem Heat suffered their first televised loss in WCW against Sting and Dustin Rhodes on the September 25 episode of Saturday Night. In the summer of 1997, they fired Sherri and added a new manager, Jacqueline. [49][50] At Clash of the Champions XXXIV on January 21, 1997, Harlem Heat defeated the team of The Renegade and Joe Gomez. Visit Sony LIV to sign in or sign up and enjoy WWE's premium content. They went on to win the Tag Titles three more times, making them 10 time champions. [44] On the October 5 episode of Saturday Night, Harlem Heat defeated Public Enemy in a rematch to win their seventh World Tag Team Championship. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Guitar Great, Dies in Copter Crash : Music: The Grammy-winning performer had just completed a Wisconsin concert. Booker T could return to the ring in 2020 and reunite Harlem Heat alongside his brother Stevie Ray. They won the GWF Tag Team Championship three times. Booker T & Stevie Ray brawled with the likes of The Steiner Brothers, Sting & Lex Luger and The Nasty Boys on their way to seven reigns as WCW Tag Team Champions. Claim the offer and place your bets below! Not long after, Stevie Ray won the leadership role in a 4-man battle royal on the April 5, 1999, episode of WCW Monday Nitro, defeating Horace Hogan, Brian Adams, and Vincent. Lash Steven Huffman (born August 22, 1958) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Stevie Ray.Stevie Ray is best known for his seven-year tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1993 to 2000, where he was one-half of the tag team Harlem Heat, with his younger brother Booker T. Huffman, better known as Booker T. After dropping the tag titles to The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall), the duo turned face by firing Col. Parker, and then went a step further by getting rid of Sister Sherri in favor of future WWE Womens Champion Jacqueline. During his tenure with the nWo, Stevie Ray would tag team with the likes of Horace Hogan and Scott Norton as well as performing in singles competition, often with Vincent at ringside. Carlito won the WWE United States Championship on his WWE debut, spitting the apple he was chewing into John Cena's face before attacking him. If you're interested in sports betting, the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Baltimore Ravens this weekend! This difference within the group would cause Harlem Heat and Midnight to lose a six-person tag team match to Curt Hennig and Creative Control at Starrcade. As a result, the two reformed Harlem Heat in 1999 and enjoyed continued success in the form of three additional title reigns albeit short ones to bring their total title wins to 10 and the addition of a member named Midnight. However, Booker T rescued Ray from Creative Control. On the October 18 episode of Nitro, Harlem Heat lost the tag team titles to The Filthy Animals members Konnan and Rey Mysterio Jr. He eventually challenged Midnight in a match that would decide whether or not she would stay with Harlem Heat. "Five time" WCW heavyweight champion Booker T is about to become a two-time WWE Hall of Famer. Booker T had a difficult childhood, losing both his parents early. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. The WWE Hall of Famer spoke about the same on this week's WWE Backstage as well, hinting that the match could actually happen. I got respect in this business which is more than I can say for him. It now belongs to Stevies brother, Jimmie. They began feuding with Barry and Kendall Windham as well as The Jersey Triad of Diamond Dallas Page, Chris Kanyon and Bam Bam Bigelow. Legendary tag team Harlem Heat became 10-time champions during an incredible run in World Championship Wrestling, and the duo of real-life brothers - Booker T and . WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently recalled the time he and his brother, Stevie Ray, saved Hacksaw Jim Duggan from an angry boyfriend at a club. In October, they lost their titles to The Outsiders, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, when Nash used Parker's cane to attack Stevie. The following month, at Fall Brawl, Harlem Heat defeated the Windhams in a rematch to win their ninth World Tag Team Championship[65] and retained the titles against Windhams on the September 27 episode of Nitro. Tensions rose in Harlem Heat over the inclusion of Midnight, and Stevie Ray eventually made his official betrayal of Booker T. On top of that, Stevie formed a new tag team, Harlem Heat 2000, enlisting former WWE star Ahmed Johnson as his new partner, Big T. At SuperBrawl 2000, Booker T took on Big T in a match with big stakes: after losing, Booker lost the Harlem Heat name, the entrance music, and even the T in his ring name. In 2005, Stevie Ray and Booker T opened the "Booker T and Stevie Ray Pro Wrestling Academy" in Houston, Texas. They lost the match when Shockmaster forced Booker (Kole) to submit. The titles were vacated a month later without them ever defending them. Watch a hard-hitting match between Harlem Heat and The Steiners. . Booker also responded to criticism and stood up for his brother as being deserving for the Hall of Fame. WWE Hall of Famer and brother of Booker T, Stevie Ray, has criticized his brother's iconic grocery store segment with Stone Cold Steve Austin. and this advice earned him the nickname, "Straightshootin'" Stevie Ray. The initial break-up of Harlem Heat is one of the more curious tag team breakups in history thanks to the lack of actual betrayal. Speaking about the honour, Stevie Ray said: Bo Dallas' career was going great until he joined the main roster. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. [18] Shortly after, Harlem Heat engaged in a feud with Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio which led to the two teams exchanging wins with one another. Rosey's brother Roman Reigns recently came back from a health scare and is one of the most heavily pushed stars in WWE today. Lash Steven Huffman[6] (born August 22, 1958) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Stevie Ray. On the November 1 episode of Nitro, Creative Control (Gerald and Patrick) arrived in WCW and cost Stevie Ray, his match against Buff Bagwell in the tournament for the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship by attacking Bagwell causing Ray to get disqualified. [23] They continued their feud with the Nasty Boys, leading to a title defense against Nasty Boys at SuperBrawl V. Harlem Heat retained the titles via a disqualification win. But legendary wrestler turned promoter Skandor Akbar noticed the brothers and brought them into his short-lived Global Wrestling Federation as a tag team called The Ebony Experience. While WWE has not commented on it officially, Dawson and Wilder have been tweeting about the possibility continuously. On February 26 the Ebony Experience won their third GWF Tag Team championship, becoming the only team to hold that title three times. A tag-team specialist like his brother, Johnny Ace found most of his in-ring success over in Japan. He would join the "black & white" in August, effectively turning him heel. The team has the honor of being the second ever to hold both the Tag Team Championship and the . Harlem Heat 2000 continued to feud with Booker as they lost to Booker and Kidman at Uncensored. "[5], Harlem Heat was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 6, 2019 as part of the 2019 class.[6]. and Torrie Wilson is going into the Hall of Fame! [8] Their first run with the GWF tag title lasted only a week before they were defeated by The Blackbirds (Iceman King Parsons and Action Jackson). His First Wrestling Name Was 'Super Collider'. The former tag-team champion was released from WWE in 2006. Reigns has eclipsed the success of his later brother and there are a lot more titles left for him to win in the future. This led to Harlem Heat challenging Bigelow and Kanyon for the World Tag Team Championship at Road Wild. What is Stevie Ray Vaughans guitar worth? Stevie Ray (@RealStevieRay) March 12, 2019. The team achieved their greatest success in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where they won the WCW World Tag Team Championship a record ten times. Booker T & Stevie Ray were one of the most dominant tag teams of the 1990s, steamrolling over the competition in WCW to become tag team champions on 10 occasions. Could he not have lobbied to get his brother hired, or did he and they just didn't respond favorably? As a commentator, Stevie referred to all of the women as "yaks" and coined his catchphrase "Suckas gots to know!" Meet us in Houston," on his Twitter handle. [12] Harlem Heat made their pay-per-view debut at Fall Brawl on September 19 by teaming with Vader and Sid Vicious against Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, and The Shockmaster in the WarGames match. Are Stevie Ray and Booker T really brothers? From the streets of Harlem, N.Y., came a powerful pair of brothers who terrorized WCW's tag-team ranks throughout much of the 1990s. [46][47], On the November 9 episode of Saturday Night, Harlem Heat became full-fledged faces when they fired Col. Robert Parker and beat him up to rescue Sister Sherri. 7 Greatest Tag Team -- is arguably one of WCW's most dominant, most cohesive pairings in history. Booker T says an iconic tag team, who featured in both WCW and WWE, deserves to be a part of the WWE Hall of Fame and he's campaigning for them to get the nod. When Booker T arrived in WWE he was a huge star arriving with much fanfare. The slapjack became known as Stevie Ray's trademark weapon which he would frequently use to knock an opponent unconscious, typically when the referee was distracted. Stevie Ray, best known for his seven-year run (1993-2000) in WCW where he was one half of the tag team Harlem Heat with brother Booker T, is now host of a Houston-based weekly radio talk show called Straight Shooting with Stevie Ray. He also does a podcast called Stand Up for Greatness., Deceased (19541990) By late 1999, a female bodybuilder named Midnight had joined Harlem Heat. Booker T had a hall of fame career, winning 6 world championships in total as well as being a former United States Champion, IC Champion as well as a former King of the Ring winner. However, six days later, at Halloween Havoc, Misterio was stripped off the title due to injury and the vacant title was put up in a three-way dance pitting Harlem Heat against Filthy Animals' Konnan and Kidman and The First Family (Hugh Morrus and Brian Knobs). His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. Likeness: The head sculpts for both Booker T and Stevie Ray are exceptional and some of Mattel's best work this year.