Harlem Heat

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name= Harlem Heat
type= T


caption= Stevie Ray (left), Sister Sherri (center) and Booker T (right)
members= Booker T
Stevie Ray
Sister Sherri
names=Harlem Heat
The Ebony Experience
The Ghetto Blasters
The Huffman Brothers
Harlem Heat 2000
former_members=Big T
Midnight
debut= 1991
disbanded= 2000
promotions= GWF
WCW
height=height|ft=6|in=3 – Booker
height|ft=6|in=5 – Stevie Ray
weight=convert|545|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
billed= 110th Street in Harlem, New York
hometown= Houston, Texas
trainer= Scott Casey
Ivan Putski|

Harlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team made up of two real-life brothers, Booker and Lane Huffman. Booker Huffman took the ring name of Booker T, and Lane Huffman took the ring name of Stevie Ray. As Harlem Heat, they won the WCW World Tag Team Championship a record ten times together.

The Ebony Experience

Booker T and Stevie Ray started to team together as The Huffman Brothers in Ivan Putski's "Western Wrestling Alliance" after a brief feud with each other. Soon after, the WWA ceased operating and the brothers started touring the Texas Independent circuit until they caught the eye of Skandor Akbar who was involved with the Global Wrestling Federation out of Dallas, Texas in 1992. cite video | people = Lane Huffman | title = Shoot Interview with Stevie Ray (2006) | medium = DVD] The brothers were repackaged as The Ebony Experience and quickly rose through the ranks of the GWF tag team division under the guidance of Gary Hart, defeating Skandor Akbar’s “Goodfellows” ("Gorgeous" Gary Young and Steve Dane) for the GWF Tag Team Championship on July 31, 1992 cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2006 | id=ISBN 0-9698161-5-4 ] . Their first run with the GWF tag title lasted only a week before they were defeated by "The Blackbirds" (”Iceman” King Parsons and Action Jackson). Booker and Stevie Ray made a comeback and defeated the cheating birds in September.

The second run with the title lasted a bit longer than a week but was ultimately short lived as the "Rough Riders" (Black Bart and Johnny Mantell) won the gold on October 23. The title loss was forced due to Booker T suffering a knee injury that needed surgery and time off to recover. In early 1993 the Ebony Experience returned to action and started to chase Bad Breed (Axl and Ian Rotten) who had won the titles while Booker T recovered. On February 26 the Ebony Experience won their third GWF Tag Team championship, becoming the only team to hold that title 3 times. Their third run with the title proved to be their longest as they held them until May 7 where Guido Falcone and Vito Mussolini (known as "the Sicilian Stallions") defeated them for the titles. Not long after this Booker T and Stevie Ray left the GWF to work for World Championship Wrestling cite book | author=Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson | title= The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams | publisher=ECW Press | year=2005| id=ISBN 978-1-5502-2683-6] .

Harlem Heat

Booker and his brother Lane signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the mid-1990s.

In August 1993, they debuted as the tag team Harlem Heat, with Booker renamed Kole and Lane renamed Kane. They were then billed from Harlem. They became heels and teamed with Harley Race and Col. Rob Parker in the War Games at Fall Brawl on September 19, 1993, against Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, and The Shockmaster. [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 139 | language = English] They lost the match but were over as heels because of the caliber of faces they wrestled.

Sister Sherri began managing the team in 1994 and changed their names back to Booker T and Stevie Ray, at their request. By the end of 1994, they were already Tag Team Champions, having defeated Stars 'n' Stripes (The Patriot and Marcus Alexander Bagwell) in December, en route to a five-month title reign. This would be their first of ten WCW World Tag Team Championship reigns together.

After dropping the title to the Nasty Boys, Harlem Heat regained the belts on June 24, 1995. Harlem Heat then entered a feud with Col. Parker's "Stud Stable" of "Dirty" Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck, eventually dropping the titles to them on an episode of "WCW Saturday Night" on July 22, 1995, thanks to interference from Parker. Parker and Sherri were carrying on a love affair and Parker eventually left the Stud Stable in favor of the Heat to be with Sherri. Harlem Heat regained the WCW World Tag Team titles from Slater and Buck at Fall Brawl 1995. [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 142 | language = English] Their third title only lasted one day, but the duo regained the tag team title nine days later from the American Males (Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Scotty Riggs). On the June 24, 1996 "Nitro," Harlem Heat defeated Lex Luger and Sting to capture their fifth WCW World Tag Team titles. Three days after losing the tag team titles to the Steiner Brothers, Harlem Heat regained the straps from the Steiners on July 27, 1996. On September 23, 1996 Booker T and Stevie Ray were defeated by Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) but took the titles back for the seventh time on October 1, 1996.

After the loss of their seventh WCW World Tag Team Championship, to the Outsiders (Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) on October 27, 1996 [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 144 | language = English] they became full-fledged faces when they fired Col. Parker and beat him up. They briefly feuded against Parker's newest team The Amazing French Canadians, a feud they would win. [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 144 | language = English] In 1997 they feuded with Public Enemy, The Steiners, and the nWo. In fall 1997, they fired Sherri and added a new manager, Jacqueline. They were briefly put out of action by the nWo but returned to feud with the "Faces of Fear" (Meng & The Barbarian). Stevie then took five months off from WCW to recover from an ankle injury and Jacqueline left for the WWF while Booker made a transition to singles competition. Booker managed to win the WCW World Television Championship during Stevie's absence. Upon his return to WCW, Stevie Ray turned on his brother and joined the New World Order.

By mid 1999, Booker was able to convince his brother to leave the nWo and reunited Harlem Heat once more. The two defeated Bam Bam Bigelow and Kanyon for the WCW World Tag Team titles at the 1999 Road Wild [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 150 | language = English] but lost them to Barry and Kendall Windham. Harlem Heat would defeat them about a month later at the 1999 Fall Brawl for the WCW World Tag Team titles. [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 151 | language = English] When the Filthy Animals were stripped of the WCW World Tag Team belts due to an injury suffered by Rey Mysterio Jr., the title was put up in a three-way dance at Halloween Havoc 1999. Harlem Heat claimed their tenth WCW World Tag Team title defeating members of The First Family (Hugh Morrus and Brian Knobbs) and the Filthy Animals (Konnan and Billy Kidman). [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 151 | language = English]

Harlem Heat 2000

By late 1999, a female bodybuilder named Midnight joined Harlem Heat. While Booker T liked the addition, Stevie Ray neglected her help and started arguing with Booker. Stevie eventually challenged Midnight in a match that would decide whether or not she would stay with Harlem Heat. After being defeated with a surprise small package, Stevie Ray turned on both Booker and Midnight. Afterwards he would form Harlem Heat, Inc. with Big T, Kash and J. Biggs. Stevie Ray and Big T would dub themselves Harlem Heat 2000. Throughout this period, Booker Huffman was referred to simply as Booker. Harlem Heat 2000 won the rights to the Harlem Heat name when Big T pinned Booker on February 20, 2000 at SuperBrawl 2000.cite news | author = Power Slam Staff | title = Power Slam Magazine, issue 69 | work = "Heroes of Wrestling 2" (Superbrawl 2000) | publisher = SW Publishing. | date = 2000-03-22 | pages = 23-25 | language = English] Kidman and Booker T defeated Harlem Heat 2000 (Stevie Ray and Big T) at Uncensored 2000. [cite news | author = PWI Staff | title = Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts | work = "Wrestling’s historical cards" | publisher = Kappa Publishing | year = 2007 | pages = 152 | language = English] and Ray soon retired to become a commentator.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"Heat Bomb" (Powerbomb (Stevie) / Diving elbow drop (Booker T) combination) :*"Towering Inferno" (Backbreaker (Stevie) / Diving leg drop (Booker) combination):*"Heat Seeker" (Electric chair (Stevie) / Missile dropkick (Booker) combination):*"Big Apple Blast" (Elevated bearhug (Stevie) / "Harlem Sidekick" (Booker) combination)

*Managers:*Gary Hart:*Gaston B. Means:*Col. Rob Fuller:*Sister Sherri:*Jacqueline:*J. Biggs

Championships and accomplishments

*Global Wrestling Federation:*GWF Tag Team Championship (3 times) (Most Regins)cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2006 | id=ISBN 0-9698161-5-4 ]

*World Championship Wrestling:*WCW World Tag Team Championship (10 times)(Most reigns as a team)

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated :*Ranked # 62 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years in 2003:*1995 PWI Tag Team of the Year:*1996 Tag Team of the Year

References

External links

* [http://mrtitopdc.tripod.com/february24_2001.htm The History of Booker T]
* [http://members.fortunecity.com/dread2099/harlemheat.html Dread's World: Harlem Heat]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/h/harlem-heat.html Harlem Heat on Online World of Wrestling]