Flair:
QUOTE
Date Added: September 10, 2007
Story By: Marc Middleton
Partial source: Wrestling Observer
- Ric Flair did infact give his notice to WWE around 8/20. Flair was promised a storyline where he would go for the World Title one last time. This doesn't mean that he would be given the title, but if everything went as planned, it is possible that they would have put the belt on Flair one last time.
Steve Austin, Stephanie and Vince McMahon were all said to be involved with the angle and fully supported it. The plan was discussed before Flair moved over to the SmackDown brand. This planned storyline never happened obviously and its believed to be the last straw with Flair, leading him to put in his notice. Sources say Flair doesn't want to play the role of a jobber at this point in his legendary career, which is very understandable.
At this point, Flair is still under contract with WWE and is still getting paid. Most people are expecting Flair to make a return to WWE and get that final World Title push that he deserves.
Booker T (King Booker):
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Date Added: September 11, 2007
Story By: Ryan Gray
Source - Wrestling Observer Newsletter
As we broke over the weekend, Robert Huffman (a/k/a King Booker) quit World Wrestling Entertainment after being informed he was going to be suspended 60 days, because he is also believed to have had a test failure to go along with being in the prosecutor's records as receiving packages of steroids. WWE hopes Booker will reconsider, but as we stated this weekend, they are moving forward under the impression that his is finished with the company.
Huffman already had a chip on his shoulder after John Laurinaitis made the call to do the Florida developmental territory, while turning down his PWA promotion in Houston. WWE had also banned their talent from participating in PWA events in Pasadena, Texas, thus causing Huffman to use TNA talent. This raised many people's eyebrows in WWE, but nothing was said.
There was also a contact issue between Huffman and WWE. For years he swore that he would never wrestle a day past 40 (he is now 42). Recently, Huffman was about to sign a new contract, but it's not clear whether it was actually signed. Huffman is said to be in strong economic shape as he's earned a lot of money from his Hip Hop clothing store in Houston, as well as a wrestling school in the city, and a wrestling school he's affiliated with in South Africa.
Reported on wrestlingdaily.net:
QUOTE
Despite his public denials, it does appear as if Ric Flair gave notice to WWE a few weeks back. He and the company are still talking and trying to work out their differences but nothing has been ironed out yet. Flair has grown frustrated with WWE over how he was used as well as having to deal with broken promises. He was also upset at how a proposed final run for the World/WWE Title heading up to WrestleMania was changed to something less significant. Flair also is opening a new business, Ric Flair Finance, and is said to be happy at home with his new wife, both obviously contributing factors to him potentially walking away from wrestling.
Booker T's situation is also similar. He continues to have issues with WWE and now that his wife Sharmell is nearly finished with law school, as well as the wrestling school he owns in Houston, he seems content with having to walk away from wrestling if the situation arises. WWE has told Booker to think things over while he is suspended (30 or 60 days) before deciding either way on what he wants to do.
Credit: PWTorch.com
Flair will be back . . . eventually, but Booker T might be done.
