David Otunga waited 15 years to speak out — and Booker T needed only seconds to fire back.

After Otunga accused John Cena of verbally tearing him apart during a 2010 WWE tour stop in Paris, Booker T gave his unfiltered take during the Hall of Fame podcast — and he didn’t hold back on Otunga’s version of events.

Otunga had alleged that Cena went off on him both in the ring and backstage after a botched rope spot that Otunga insists wasn’t his fault. He claimed Cena sold the move way too early, then spent the rest of the match stiffing him and cussing him out. Backstage, Otunga said Cena berated him in front of the entire locker room, leading Otunga to feel humiliated and questioning whether he even wanted to stay in WWE. But when the topic came up on Booker T’s show, the WWE Hall of Famer made it clear he wasn’t interested in hearing about grown men complaining.

“When I hear a grown man talk about being bullied… he’s a punk ass.”

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Booker didn’t let up, dismissing the entire premise of being “bullied” backstage as something that simply doesn’t fly in pro wrestling — at least not if you’re cut out for it.

“Nobody ever bullied me in this business. Nobody. And I had guys try, you know, to throw their weight around. I had guys try to, you know, test me, but bully me? You got to be a punk to let somebody bully you.”

He framed the experience as part of the wrestling world’s old-school mindset — sink or swim — and warned that not everyone is built for it.

“That’s what this business is about. It’s about going through trials and tribulations. It’s about testing you, seeing if you got the heart to last in this game. And if you don’t, you don’t belong here.”

And to drive his point home, Booker sent a final message to anyone who thinks they were treated unfairly in the locker room.

“Don’t come crying and talking about you got bullied. Take your ass home. This ain’t for you.”

Otunga’s side of the story painted Cena as a locker room tyrant who crossed emotional and professional lines, while Booker’s stance reflected the old guard’s belief in resilience over reputation. No apology from Cena ever came, according to Otunga — but it’s clear from Booker’s reaction that, in his eyes, Otunga shouldn’t have been waiting for one.

What’s your take — was Otunga exposing a toxic culture or just not built for the grind? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what side you’re on.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Steve Carrier is the founder of Ringside News and has been reporting on pro wrestling since 1997. His stories have been featured on TMZ, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and more.

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