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by Phil Speer
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. Dec. 15, 2002 Booker T was euphoric after the Fatal Fourway Elimination World Tag Team Championship tonight at Armageddon.
He walked around the locker room after he and Goldust won a battle with three other teams the Dudley Boyz, Lance Storm & William Regal and the now-former champions, Chris Jericho and Christian shouting 13 times over and over again. It was a reference to the number of occasions hes been a Tag Team Champion in WCW (11) and in WWE (2).
This was a big feather in my cap. Besides me winning the WCW Title, this is probably one of the biggest moments in my wrestling career, he said. It feels pretty good, 13 times with three different partners (Stevie Ray, Test and Goldust). Its been an unbelievable run. Not in my wildest dreams did I think something like this could ever happen. And it still seems like theres a little bit more left to come.
Booker and Goldust won a match which saw the Dudley Boyz eliminated first. Bubba Ray had Jericho pinned, but Storm jumped off the top rope, dropping a leg on Bubba, who was soon pinned by Regal. Moments later, Goldust pinned Regal, and the Dudley Boyz and Regal & Storm battled all the way back to the locker room, seemingly beginning a rivalry between the two teams.
The Dudleys vs. Regal & Storm has to happen now, Bubba Ray said.
With only two teams remaining, the match featured several near-falls, and the fans at the Office Depot Center, who were loud from the get-go, got even louder. Since the match was the opening contest on the card, participants in subsequent matches were faced with the distinct challenge of keeping the crowd up.
I thought that the second half of the match once it was Christian and I against Booker and Goldust was really, really good, Jericho said. It was just what I was looking for. I thought we had the fans on the edge of their seats. I thought we had them so jacked, as a matter of fact, that they were kind of quiet for a couple of matches afterward, which is always a testament to how good of a job we did.
The most important thing is that the fans got to see a great match and had a really good time. Even though we lost, it was still mission accomplished in that respect.
The satisfaction of carrying a new title and performing in an outstanding match on pay-per-view had Booker smiling ear to ear, even though he was a little banged up after the match. He said his right elbow was bothering him slightly, but hell be ready for RAW tomorrow. The only other injury, if you could call it that, was a small cut on Jerichos left cheek, which he didnt even know was there until people pointed it out backstage.
This is the first Tag Team Title reign for Goldust, who has previously held the Intercontinental Championship and the Hardcore Championship.
We worked hard for this one, so we deserved it, Goldust said.
For a team that hasnt been tagging up too long, they were certainly a cohesive unit tonight. At one point, Goldust picked up Jericho just in time for Booker to deliver an electrifying side kick, his leg soaring over Goldusts head to connect with Y2J.
Thats just some old magic from the old Harlem Heat days, Booker said. Booker T and Stevie Ray used to call that one the Heat Seeker back in the day. Nowadays, I dont know what were going to call it because Goldie and I dont really dont have a name as far as a tag team, other than Goldust and Booker T.
Later, Booker finished off the match using another move from his repertoire that fans havent seen for a while, the Bookend.
It was something I had put in the closet for a little while and was just waiting for the right time to pull it back out, and tonight was that time, Booker said. And it pulled out a victory for us.
It remains to be seen whether Jericho and Christian, who werent an established tag team before winning the titles either, will get or want a rematch. But both of the former champions say that, whether or not they remain as a tag team, theyd at least like to appear together on RAW in some form.
Whether we stay together as a team or not, Id like to keep an alliance with Chris because I think we have good timing and chemistry with each other, Christian said. I think thats one element we can use in the show a little bit of comedy and humor (from) a couple of idiots who stick our foot in our mouths. Id like to at least still have that alliance where we still team and help each other out.
Jericho agreed, but added that he might be returning to the singles scene.
The satisfaction of carrying a new title and performing in an outstanding match on pay-per-view had Booker smiling ear to ear, even though he was a little banged up after the match. He said his right elbow was bothering him slightly, but hell be ready for RAW tomorrow. The only other injury, if you could call it that, was a small cut on Jerichos left cheek, which he didnt even know was there until people pointed it out backstage.
This is the first Tag Team Title reign for Goldust, who has previously held the Intercontinental Championship and the Hardcore Championship.
We worked hard for this one, so we deserved it, Goldust said.
For a team that hasnt been tagging up too long, they were certainly a cohesive unit tonight. At one point, Goldust picked up Jericho just in time for Booker to deliver an electrifying side kick, his leg soaring over Goldusts head to connect with Y2J.
Thats just some old magic from the old Harlem Heat days, Booker said. Booker T and Stevie Ray used to call that one the Heat Seeker back in the day. Nowadays, I dont know what were going to call it because Goldie and I dont really dont have a name as far as a tag team, other than Goldust and Booker T.
Later, Booker finished off the match using another move from his repertoire that fans havent seen for a while, the Bookend.
It was something I had put in the closet for a little while and was just waiting for the right time to pull it back out, and tonight was that time, Booker said. And it pulled out a victory for us.
It remains to be seen whether Jericho and Christian, who werent an established tag team before winning the titles either, will get or want a rematch. But both of the former champions say that, whether or not they remain as a tag team, theyd at least like to appear together on RAW in some form.
Whether we stay together as a team or not, Id like to keep an alliance with Chris because I think we have good timing and chemistry with each other, Christian said. I think thats one element we can use in the show a little bit of comedy and humor (from) a couple of idiots who stick our foot in our mouths. Id like to at least still have that alliance where we still team and help each other out.
Jericho agreed, but added that he might be returning to the singles scene.
I think Christian and I will always have an alliance we have great chemistry, we trust each other, he said. Id like to start making a bid towards to World Championship again though. Its been almost a year. Actually, I won it last year here; I became the first Undisputed Champion right here at Armageddon. I think its time for me to get back on that track and start putting my thoughts and my mind back into being a singles competitor.
Likewise, Booker T the five-time WCW Champion said that being World Tag Team Champion does not necessarily limit him to the tag ranks.
I still feel like Im a singles wrestler, he said, adding that he and Goldust are more friends than long-term tag team partners.
But for tonight, Booker was simply savoring the moment. Asked about his chest, which appeared to be swelled after taking several knife-edge chops, Booker laughed and said, Jericho got me. He slapped me around pretty good. But Im quite sure if you interview him, hes going to have a few on his chest also, because I got to him pretty good. It was knockdown, drag-out, pretty much the way I like it. The harder, the better. The harder the punches are, the harder the chops are, the better. All in all, I give tonight, on a scale of one to 10, a nine and a half. It was a great night.
Credit: WWF.com
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