Booker T has weighed in on the title change that took place on SmackDown in Berlin, Germany. On the January 9 episode, Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell match to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion. The finish saw interference from a returning Jacob Fatu, which allowed McIntyre to escape the steel cage and secure the victory.
Speaking on The Hall of Fame with Booker T & Brad Gilmore podcast, Booker T shared his belief that the switch was necessary for the current landscape of WWE. “I feel like it was time for a change. And it’s not, it’s not for me to go on record and talk about, you know, before it actually happened, say, ‘Man, you know, I think it’s time for a change.’ But after the fact, you know, looking at it, I think it was time for a change. I think it’s time for Drew McIntyre to get his props, to get his run,” Booker said.
He praised McIntyre’s ability to carry the company as a top star. “This dude is, he’s like, one of those utility knives. He could pretty much do it all… You look at him, he checks off every damn box. I mean, give him the ball and let him run with it. I mean, Cody’s done, done very, very well, absolutely. But I feel like it was time for a change.”
Booker T also defended the finish of the match involving Jacob Fatu, noting that it protected the integrity of the contest while setting up future storylines. “I think about the finish of the match. It wasn’t anything other than, you know, believable. Yeah, this could happen… It’s no disqualification, you know, Jacob come in, he go off on everybody because he has no alliances. So you can’t say he actually came in and, you know, did the deed, or anything like that… But I loved it, man. I love keeping Jacob in play as well, because who’s next in line for the title? Now, I think it’s Jacob.”
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