King Booker's Court

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name=King Booker's Court
type=S


caption=
members=King Booker
Queen Sharmell
Sir Finlay
Sir William Regal
The Little Bastard
names=The King's Court
King Booker's Court

heights=King Booker
6 ft 3 in (190 cm)
Finlay
5 ft 10½ in (179 cm)
William Regal
6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
weights=736 lb
debut=August 25 2006
disbanded=December 2006
promotions=WWE|

King Booker's Court was a heel professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on its "SmackDown!" brand. It was formed shortly after Booker T (who would become known as King Booker) won the King of the Ring tournament in mid-2006. King Booker would dub his wife Queen Sharmell and be joined by William Regal (later renamed Sir William Regal) and Finlay (renamed Sir Finlay). However, in November the court disbanded with another return in December without Regal.

History

Prior to Booker T becoming "King Booker", he would often enlist the aid of Finlay to do his dirty work for him.

The King's Court was unofficially founded on the May 26, 2006 edition of "SmackDown!", when King Booker had his Coronation Ceremony, celebrating his King of the Ring tournament final victory at "Judgment Day" over Bobby Lashley. The ceremony was led by Sir William Regal, playing the role of a town crier and repeatedly shouting "All hail King Booker!" as Booker walked to the ring. Sharmell was anointed by King Booker as his Queen, and Finlay/Sir Finlay joined the group to help Booker continue to feud with Lashley.

King Booker would soon end his feud with Lashley after losing to him in a Steel Cage Match for Lashley's United States Championship. He then became the #1 contender for Rey Mysterio's World Heavyweight Championship after winning a Battle Royal. However, Finlay would go on to defeat Lashley during this time to take Lashley's WWE United States Championship.

At Great American Bash 2006, King Booker became the World Heavyweight Champion, defeating Rey Mysterio with help from the heel turn of Chavo Guerrero. The Great American Bash also saw Finlay take on Regal in a one on one match for the United States Title, Sir Finlay coming out victorious with help from the Little Bastard. These events repeated themselves via rematches on the July 28 episode of "SmackDown!", at first making it unclear whether Sir Regal or Finlay had turned face, or whether they would even remain in the King's Court. At Summerslam, King Booker would lose to Batista by disqualification, thus retaing the title and Finlay and William Regal, along with Mr. Kennedy, the Spirit Squad and the Big Show attacked DX during their match against Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon.

On the August 25 episode of "SmackDown!", the two members were "knighted" together - thus renaming them as "Sir" William Regal and "Sir" Finlay, as well as signalling the official founding of the King's Court - before teaming up with their King in a 3-on-2 Handicap Match against Lashley and Batista later that night, which they lost.

Booker would later defeat Batista thanks to inference by Sir Finlay, who would continue to attack and bloody him afterward, igniting a feud between the two. The Court's issues with the peasant Bobby Lashley continued as he was set to take on Booker at No Mercy, however General Manager of SmackDown, Theodore Long, announced the match to be a fatal four-way match that would also contain Finlay and Batista.

On the October 6 edition of "SmackDown!", Booker and Lashley were each able to pick the other's opponent for that night. Booker had to fight Finlay so he asked Finlay to be a good knight and lay down, but Finlay said that he never lays down for anybody. They went on to have the match, in which Finlay picked up the victory. Afterwards, they interfered in the Lashley vs Batista match, (Batista being the "poison" that King Booker picked). Following this, Theodore Long announced the previously mentioned 4 way at No Mercy, and then booked Batista and Lashley vs Finlay and King Booker. Finlay and King Booker, however, did not get along.

At No Mercy 2006, King Booker retained his title in the Fatal-4 way match when he pinned Finlay after a Batista Bomb from Batista. Prior to the match, after failing at his task to get Finlay to be allies with Booker, King Booker called Regal pathetic and slapped him in the face. Regal could have no more so he punched Booker and walked away.

After this 'incident' the court disbanded with Regal dropping the 'Sir' part of his name and going into the tag team division with partner Dave Taylor and Finlay taking on Booker and Batista in singles matches (with Booker losing the World title in the process to Batista at Survivor Series 2006).

The court returned on the December 8 edition of "SmackDown!" (without Regal) when they attacked Batista in his match with Finlay with a chair and a shillelagh, leading to a tag team match at Armageddon with Batista choosing a mystery partner which turned out to be WWE Champion John Cena. Batista and Cena would win the match. Finlay and Booker would reunite in various tag team matches on "SmackDown!" as temporary allies since then.

The April 6 edition of "SmackDown!" seemed to be the end of the court. King Booker attempted to take revenge on Matt Hardy for trying to set up Sharmell for a twist of fate in the Money In The Bank match at "WrestleMania 23". However he would lose the match to Hardy and Sharmell berated him and declared that he was a disappointment and slapped him. Booker tried to impress her by attacking The Undertaker but got a Tombstone Piledriver on the announce table. It was announced on wwe.com that he suffered a sprain and strained contusion of the neck and would also be treated for his previous injuries of chronic knee pain, where he has a meniscus tear, and a chronic elbow strain and he would be out for several months. The court would then disband for the final time. During the 2007 WWE Draft King Booker (along with Queen Sharmell) made his return to "RAW" Brand and William Regal also returned to "RAW" in a Supplement Draft from "SmackDown!", becoming the General Manager of "RAW". On October 16 2007, it was officially announced on WWE.com that King Booker and Queen Sharmell would be released from their contracts effective October 27, 2007, thus completely destroying any possibility of a reunion.

Members

*King Booker - (May 26, 2006 - April 6 2007)
*Queen Sharmell - (May 26, 2006 - April 6 2007)
*Sir William Regal - (May 26, 2006 - October 8, 2006)
*Sir Finlay - (August 25, 2006 - October 6, 2006)
*Little Bastard - (August 25, 2006 - October 6, 2006)

Championships and accomplishments

*World Wrestling Entertainment
**2006 King of the Ring Winner (King Booker)
**WWE United States Championship (Finlay, 1-time)
**World Heavyweight Championship (King Booker, 1-time)

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/smackdown/finlay/ Finlay's WWE.com Profile]
* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/williamregal/ William Regal's WWE.com Profile]
* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/smackdown/hornswoggle/ Little Bastard's WWE.com Profile]
* [http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/363/37/ TNA Profile]