History
On the February 24, 2006 Smackdown Booker T and Sharmell had taken their customary place at the commentary table for a match between the Boogeyman and the Dicks. Boogeyman easily defeated the Dicks (who were on the way out anyway) and then turned his attention to commentary. Booker and Sharmell cleared out just before Boogeyman dumped a bag of worms on the table.
A week later, Booker was taking on Tatanka while Sharmell took a seat at the commentator’s table. Booker had gained complete control of the match when the lights went out and Boogeyman’s music started playing. As everyone’s attention was on the ramp, Boogeyman slowly stood up behind Sharmell with foam dripping from his mouth. Booker turned around and started yelling to his wife, which allowed Tatanka to pin him. Boogeyman then chased Sharmell and Booker out of the ring before eating some worms.
The next week, Booker and Sharmell brought a large bag out to the ring. They claimed that the bag was full of fan letters that demanded that Boogeyman should be banned from Smackdown. They opened the bag and red smoke came pouring out. Instead of letters, the bag was now full of worms. Boogeyman came out of the back and that was Booker and Sharmell’s cue to depart.
Booker T was set to face Jerry Young a week later, but he also had to contend with a terrified Sharmell. Booker, however, had a plan. He brought her out in a beekeeper’s outfit for his match. Booker won and Boogeyman’s music hit. Booker and Sharmell dove under the ring only for Boogeyman to show up and send them running to the back.
Booker was set to face Boogeyman at Saturday Night’s Main Event. However, before his match, Booker explained to GM Theodore Long that he was injured. Long accepted this excuse. After a Cutting Edge segment, Booker and Sharmell were celebrating backstage when Boogeyman showed up. Booker and Sharmell cleared out so quickly that Booker forgot to limp.
Booker faced off against Paul Burchill on March 31st. Burchill had control of the match when the Boogeyman came out, grabbed Sharmell, and pulled her to the back. Booker chased after them to draw a countout loss.
Booker spent the rest of the show tracking Sharmell and Boogeyman by following worms backstage. Finally we saw where Sharmell was – on top of a box in a room filled with worms.
That brought us to Wrestlemania. Booker and a still-terrified Sharmell were walking backstage when Sharmell accused Booker of working somewhere full of freaks. As they walked, we saw the Million Dollar Man trying to get Eugene to dribble a basketball 100 times for $1,000 (only to kick the ball on bounce #99), Burchill practicing his swordsmanship, and Snitsky licking Mae Young’s feet while Moolah watched on. Goldust then approached, wearing a black dress with a black wig and proclaiming himself Oprah-dust. Goldust gave Booker a hint to win the match, which was to embrace his inner freak. In response, Booker and Sharmell cleared out as the others looked after them.
That brought us to the match – a handicap affair where the Boogeyman took on Booker and Sharmell. Booker used Sharmell as a distraction to start the match then went on the offensive. Boogeyman took a break to gobble up some worms, then kissed Sharmell, which sent her running for the back. With Booker thus distracted, Boogeyman put him down for the win.
Needless to say, Booker was livid. He and Sharmell confronted Teddy Long on the next Smackdown with a restraining order that would not let Boogeyman within 100 feet of them. If he violated the order, then Booker announced his plans to sue Smackdown.
Booker went on to face Gunner Scott (better known as Brent Albright). Booker had the match firmly in hand when Boogeyman’s music started playing. Scott got a roll-up for the win, and after the match Teddy Long came out to announce that Boogeyman’s music playing was just a production mistake.
That was the end of the angle. Between Wrestlemania and Smackdown, Boogeyman had had surgery to repair a torn bicep. His return was planned for Summerslam, but he was instead fired. Surprisingly, he was hired back less than a month later.
This was an interesting angle. Let’s be honest – there was no way that the Boogeyman should have ever been over. His moveset is limited at best, and he lacks charisma on the microphone. However, the fans loved him and he was propelled up the ladder.
Booker and Sharmell were able to carry the feud well. Their facial expressions and indignation on the microphone were excellent. All Boogeyman had to do was show up and act creepy, which he excelled at.
The biggest problem was that the feud was aborted so quickly. With the restraining order angle, it was clear that the WWE was planning to give Boogeyman time to recuperate before returning to the feud and going back on the offensive. However, his release killed the idea and when he returned he was instead battling against the Miz, while Booker (now King Booker) had gone on to reclaim the World Heavyweight title.
As mentioned above, Booker won the King of the Ring and the World title shortly after the feud with Boogeyman ended. However, at Survivor Series, Batista regained the title. Booker went on to feud with Kane, only for a knee injury to flare up and put him on the shelf for two months. When he returned, he was drafted to the Raw brand. Queen Sharmell remains by her king’s side.
After he was rehired, Boogeyman began feuding with the Miz, before picking up a sidekick in a mini version of himself. The two of them then went after Finlay and Hornswoggle. In April of this year, Boogeyman feuded briefly with Kane before being drafted to ECW, where a feud with Matt Striker and Big Daddy V (formerly Viscera) appears imminent.
