Harlem Heat Joins WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Booker T is now a two-time Hall of Famer.

Courtesy of WWE

One of WCW’s top tag teams will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next month in New York.

Harlem Heat, comprised of real-life brothers Booker and Lash Huffman (known in the ring as Booker T and Stevie Ray), was announced Monday as the fourth inductee in the Hall’s 2019 class. 

The team debuted in WCW in August 1993, originally using Kole and Kane as their ring names. By the time they won the WCW Tag Team Championship for the first time in 1994, the duo had changed their names to Booker T and Stevie Ray. They went on to win the belts nine more times. Booker T also won the WCW World Television Championship six times and Stevie Ray won that title once. 

The tag team never actually competed under the WWE banner, but WCW’s assets were purchased by WWE and Booker T went on to have a storied career in WWE after WCW’s demise. 

“It was surprising, actually, I guess because one reason, my brother and I, we never actually wrestled in the WWE,” Booker T told FTW when asked for his reaction to learning Harlem Heat would be inducted. “My brother took a step aside at that point in time because he had a daughter, and he wanted to see her grow up and see her go to college. He got a chance to do that. But our career in WCW was awesome.”

The induction makes Booker T a two-time Hall of Famer. He was also inducted in 2013 as a solo performer, with Stevie Ray giving the induction speech. 

Harlem Heat will be inducted alongside the Honky Tonk Man, Torrie Wilson and D-Generation X at the Barclays Center on April 6.