WWE Hall of Famer and Reality of Wrestling owner Booker T has responded to claims that he fired a wrestler because she was the victim of stalking.
This week, Raychell Rose spoke about her experiences with ROW, and claimed that a trainee called Shawn Reed stalked her for years. Reed even went as far as to threaten a shoot-up at a ROW event, according to sources close to the situation.
Booker T Responds
Rose claims that after an incident with Reed at a bar that resulted in multiple arrests, she was let go from Reality of Wrestling. This bar was a known hangout for ROW talent after shows, and it is believed Reed deliberately went with the intent of stalking Rose. The wrestler alleges that the blame for Reed's behavior was put on her as an alleged source of issues.
On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker addressed the incident at the bar and said he encouraged Rose to not go to the bar despite the tradition.
I stressed, 'Raychell Rose, go somewhere else. Go anywhere. So many other places you can go to. Do that for me so we can diffuse the situation.' I left, went home, next thing you know, I'm getting a phone call from the bar owner, I'm getting a phone call from the police and the boys to come back and figure out what happened. Raychell Rose chose to go to the bar. What happened after that was totally out of my control.
When asked about Reed reportedly bringing a weapon to a ROW event, Booker denied the notion.
That's not true. The place he sat, I made sure he was watched by an armed guard and six other people. I made sure of that. I got instinct. I could have easily let Shawn Reed leave the building that night and he left in a depressed state and something really happened that night, but nothing happened at Reality of Wrestling.
Not Stalking?
When asked about Reed's alleged stalking of Rose and if he was aware, Booker said he was more concerned over Reed's situation.
Not stalking. He made aware that he did not want to date her. He said, 'I don't want to date her, I just want to be part of Reality of Wrestling. This is something I've missed for the last four years.' That's what my concern was. My concern was the kid. I didn't know about her issue. Maybe had I been aware of her issue, I would have taken just as much consideration.
Raychell is Fired
Booker added that following the incident at the bar, a phone call happened between himself and Rose in which it was agreed she wouldn't be returning for ROW events. Booker said that the decision was amicable and that she was not 'fired.'
No one ever said to Raychell Rose, 'You're fired.' That's not a word we use at Reality of Wrestling because we don't hire people. Raychell Rose, if she would have did what I asked, she says it, 'I remember him saying go somewhere else, but we have a tradition to go to the bar.' If we have a tradition to go to the bar, we have a problem. I'm trying to help you and save your life. That was disregarded.
Booker added that there has not been an incident like this in the 20 years of Reality of Wrestling. He added that even if he could have seen the bar incident coming, he does not believe anything he could have done would have changed the situation.
H/T - Fightful
