Ava’s WWE departure led to a ton of criticism about cash, alternative, and nepotism — however Booker T isn’t right here for the pile-on.
Whereas talking on the February 17, 2026 episode of his Corridor of Fame podcast, Booker addressed the criticism Ava has confronted since leaving NXT. Particularly, he took subject with veteran voices publicly tearing her down after her exit grew to become official. Booker didn’t mince phrases when discussing the backlash.
“It’s like folks leaping throughout Ava final week. Ava left NXT after which I see folks—outdated heads too, I’m going to name them out—like Stevie Richards and his companion James. I do know Richards tries to do his greatest to assist out James.”
He acknowledged that Ava’s well-known lineage — because the daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — might have opened doorways, however mentioned that shouldn’t erase the progress she made on display screen.
“However the factor is, perhaps Ava did get her job due to her dad. However I watched when she first began that job, and she or he wasn’t that good—I can attest to that. However I additionally watched Ava develop in that job, and I noticed her get so significantly better at what she was doing.”
Booker argued that development is all the level of the enterprise and felt critics had been ignoring that growth. He then turned the criticism again on these making it, asking them to contemplate how they’d really feel if their very own kids had been handled the identical manner.
“Individuals simply need to harp on how unhealthy she was and never give her credit score for a way significantly better she had gotten. That’s what this enterprise is about—it’s about rising. I can think about considered one of these guys talking on Ava—like Dutch Mantell and the remainder of them. I can solely think about in case your child was within the enterprise and getting the identical criticism Ava was getting when she was simply doing a job and hopefully having enjoyable doing it.“To listen to grown males tearing younger folks down like that—it’s past me. It truly is. They should verify themselves.”
He closed by reminding veterans how tough the wrestling enterprise actually is, so it makes him genuinely mad when oldheads simply tear down youthful expertise as a substitute of serving to them.
“Like I mentioned, I can solely think about in case you had a child striving to get into this enterprise. Take into consideration your personal careers and the way onerous it was to make it to the subsequent stage. Try this for a second as a substitute of sitting right here critiquing and knocking somebody who’s simply attempting to have enjoyable, do a job, and perhaps go away a legacy. It makes me mad once I hear these outdated heads—who know higher—doing that. Are you aware how onerous it’s on this enterprise? It’s ridiculous.”
Whether or not Ava left over cash, burnout, or a private pivot, Booker T made one factor clear: development issues — and veterans piling on a 24-year-old isn’t the transfer.
Do you agree with Booker T defending Ava, or do veteran voices have the proper to critique how she dealt with her position in NXT? Hold forth within the feedback.
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