Booker T made a successful transition from WCW to WWE, eventually becoming a two-time WWE Hall of Famer. But for years, fans and insiders alike have wondered why his brother and Harlem Heat tag team partner, Stevie Ray, never made the same leap. One person still puzzled by the decision is John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Speaking on Something To Wrestle With, JBL opened up about his lingering confusion over why Stevie Ray never joined WWE. “I always thought we got Booker. I always figured Stevie would come,” he admitted. “I don’t know why he didn’t. I never heard a reason. I never heard any negative thing about him… Everybody I’ve ever known him likes him. I certainly like him. I always thought he would be there.”

JBL praised Stevie Ray’s potential as a WWE star, citing his charisma, size, and in-ring skill. “Stevie could work also. I mean, he had everything,” JBL added. Recalling their early days on the Texas wrestling circuit, he said Harlem Heat was destined for greatness. “They were going to go big.”

Despite what appeared to be a clear path into WWE, Stevie Ray never took the offer. Over the years, he has been candid about the reasons for that decision, and money was not one of them. Speaking on Conversations with the Big Guy, Stevie framed it as a matter of pride during the intense WCW vs. WWF rivalry. “I was always in the mindset of this is competition to me… WCW vs WWF. To be honest with you bro, I didn’t want to go out like a b***.”

Stevie even skipped the final taping of WCW Monday Nitro, likening the sale to WWE as an act of surrender. “It was like when Germany got defeated. You’ve got to submit to the Allies. That’s how I felt. And I wasn’t going to be a part of that.”

On Talk Is Jericho, he expanded on his fears of WWE diluting the Harlem Heat legacy. “Frankly… I didn’t want Harlem Heat to be turned into something that it wasn’t,” he said. “I wanted people to remember Harlem Heat… two guys from the streets that’s here to kick ass.” He made it clear he wanted no part in becoming a comedic gimmick, adding, “I didn’t want us to be Doink the Clown.”

Other factors played a role as well. Stevie admitted that the politics of the business had worn him down. “I was pretty much done with the bureaucracy,” he said. Family was also a key priority, especially after years on the road. “I didn’t want to be on the road anymore,” Stevie said, even turning down an opportunity from Booker T years later.

Although Stevie Ray never entered a WWE ring as an active competitor, the company still recognized his contributions to professional wrestling. In 2019, Harlem Heat was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, giving both brothers their place in WWE history.