Booker T has weighed in on the criticism surrounding Ava’s recent WWE exit, and he is not impressed with how some veterans have handled it.

Speaking on the February 17, 2026 episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, the two time WWE Hall of Famer addressed the backlash that followed Ava’s departure from NXT. Much of the conversation online centered around her opportunity within the company and whether her family name played a role in her position.

Booker did not hold back when referencing certain longtime voices in the industry who were publicly critical.

“It’s like people jumping all over Ava last week. Ava left NXT and then I see people, old heads too, I’m going to call them out, like Stevie Richards and his partner James. I know Richards tries to do his best to help out James.”

Ava, the daughter of Dwayne Johnson, has often faced claims that her path in WWE was shaped by nepotism. Booker acknowledged that her lineage may have opened doors but stressed that improvement and development are what truly matter in the business.

“But the thing is, maybe Ava did get her job because of her dad. But I watched when she first started that job, and she wasn’t that good, I can attest to that. But I also watched Ava grow in that job, and I saw her get so much better at what she was doing.”

According to Booker, that growth is exactly what professional wrestling is built on. He suggested that critics were overlooking how far she had come, choosing instead to focus solely on her early struggles.

“People just want to harp on how bad she was and not give her credit for how much better she had gotten. That’s what this business is about, it’s about growing. I can imagine one of these guys speaking on Ava, like Dutch Mantell and the rest of them. I can only imagine if your kid was in the business and getting the same criticism Ava was getting when she was just doing a job and hopefully having fun doing it. To hear grown men tearing young people down like that, it’s beyond me. It really is. They need to check themselves.”

He wrapped up his comments by reminding veterans just how difficult the road to success can be in wrestling. In his view, those who have lived through the grind should be offering perspective and support instead of harsh public takedowns.

“Like I said, I can only imagine if you had a kid striving to get into this business. Think about your own careers and how hard it was to make it to the next level. Do that for a second instead of sitting here critiquing and knocking someone who’s just trying to have fun, do a job, and maybe leave a legacy. It makes me mad when I hear these old heads, who know better, doing that. Do you know how hard it is in this business? It’s ridiculous.”