Booker T Calls New WWE Champion 'A Diamond In The Rough'

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T took to his podcast Tuesday night to encourage fans not to underestimate one half of the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.

The former six-time world champion addressed comments from fans during the latest episode of "The Hall of Fame" podcast. One suggested WWE Women's Tag Champion Raquel Rodriguez lacks "a good partner." Rodriguez and her partner, Aliyah, became the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions on this week's "Monday Night RAW." The pair defeated Dakota Kai and IYO SKY to win the titles, which were vacated in May by Naomi and Sasha Banks.

Brad Gilmore, Booker T's co-host, said Aliyah has been "getting a lot of slander" from fans, leading Booker T to defend the new champion.

"Let me tell you, man: Aliyah, she's a diamond in the rough, man, she really is," Booker T said. "She's young, she's got a lot of years left in this business, she's talented. She's a looker too. I mean, when she comes out of the curtain, boom, it's all eyes on Aliyah."

Booker T said he's "been impressed" with Aliyah's work in the ring.

"I've been impressed with her to not go out there and screw it up," he said. "When I watch somebody work, I look for the little bitty things. I look for ... if they're going to go out there and put themselves in a position to screw up. And that's something ... when I watch Aliyah, I don't see that. I don't see her going out there trying to do something that she's not capable of doing."

Booker T said it's "icing on the cake" that Aliyah's tag team partner is Rodriguez, comparing their dynamic to Shawn Michaels and Diesel, who held the WWF Tag Team Championships together twice in the 1990s. Booker T said Diesel was a "buffer" for Michaels and he believes Rodriguez can fill the same role with Aliyah.

"I could see Aliyah being Shawn Michaels and really working that character very, very well," he said, adding that fans will remember the team of Aliyah and Rodriguez "for a long time."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Hall of Fame" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.