Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team composed of two brothers, Booker and Lash Huffman. The team achieved their greatest success in World Championship Wrestling, where they won the WCW World Tag Team Championship a record ten times. Kevin Powers of WWE remarked: "When debating the greatest tag team in WCW history, Harlem Heat and The Steiner Brothers are more or less interchangeable."
Harlem Heat was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 6, 2019, as part of the 2019 class.
History
Western Wrestling Alliance (1989–1991)
Booker T and Stevie Ray started to team together as The Huffman Brothers in Ivan Putski's Western Wrestling Alliance after a brief feud with each other. Soon after, the WWA ceased operating and the brothers started touring the Texas independent circuit.Global Wrestling Federation (1992–1993)
The Huffman Brothers caught the eye of Skandor Akbar who was involved with the Global Wrestling Federation out of Dallas in 1992. The brothers were repackaged as the "Ebony Experience" and quickly rose through the ranks of the GWF tag team division under the guidance of Gary Hart, defeating Skandor Akbar's "Goodfellows" for the GWF Tag Team Championship on July 31, 1992. Their first run with the GWF tag title lasted only a week before they were defeated by the Blackbirds. Booker and Stevie Ray made a comeback and defeated the cheating birds in September.The second run with the title lasted a bit longer than a week, but was ultimately short lived as the Rough Riders won the gold on October 23. The title loss was forced due to Booker T suffering a knee injury that needed surgery and time off to recover. In early 1993 the Ebony Experience returned to action and started to chase the Bad Breed who had won the titles while Booker T recovered. On February 26 the Ebony Experience won their third GWF Tag Team championship, becoming the only team to hold that title three times. Their third run with the title proved to be their longest as they held them until May 7 where Guido Falcone and Vito Mussolini defeated them for the titles. Not long after this Booker T and Stevie Ray left the GWF, having signed with World Championship Wrestling.
World Championship Wrestling
Early years (1993–1994)
On June 22, 1993, the brothers debuted in WCW as the tag team Harlem Heat, with Booker renamed Kole and Lash renamed Kane. They were then billed from Harlem. Originally, they were supposed to be a pair of prisoners won in a card game by manager Col. Rob Parker, but was changed due to racial sensitivity based on their look, coming out to the ring in wrist and foot shackles. Harlem Heat debuted on WCW television by defeating local wrestlers Dave Hart and Mike Thor on the August 14 episode of WorldWide. On the August 21 episode of Saturday Night, Harlem Heat became villains by teaming with Sid Vicious to defeat Ron Simmons, 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell in a six-man tag team match. Harlem Heat made their pay-per-view debut at Fall Brawl on September 19 by teaming with Vader and Sid Vicious against Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, and The Shockmaster in the WarGames match. They lost the match but were over as villains because of the caliber of fan favorites they wrestled.Harlem Heat suffered their first televised loss in WCW against Sting and Dustin Rhodes on the September 25 episode of Saturday Night. Shortly after, Harlem Heat ended their association with Col. Robert Parker. The following month, at Halloween Havoc, Harlem Heat teamed with The Equalizer against The Shockmaster, Ice Train and Charlie Norris in a losing effort. At Battlebowl, Kane was randomly partnered with Charlie Norris in a Lethal Lottery qualifying match against Big Van Vader and Cactus Jack in a losing effort. Kane was paired with Davey Boy Smith against Road Warrior Hawk and Rip Rogers in a losing effort.
At SuperBrawl IV on February 20, 1994, Harlem Heat defeated Thunder and Lightning. Shortly after, Harlem Heat engaged in a feud with Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio which led to the two teams exchanging wins with one another. Harlem Heat were soon joined by Ron Simmons while Ice Train joined Bagwell and Scorpio. Both teams traded wins in six-man tag team matches. In July, Kole and Kane changed their names back to Booker T and Stevie Ray.
World Tag Team Champions (1994–1996)
At Clash of the Champions XXIX, Sensuous Sherri joined Harlem Heat as their manager by helping them in defeating The Nasty Boys. On the December 3 episode of WorldWide, Harlem Heat renamed her Sister Sherri. The alliance with Sherri led to Harlem Heat being elevated in the tag team division. Harlem Heat faced Nasty Boys in a rematch at Starrcade, which Harlem Heat lost via disqualification.On December 8, Harlem Heat defeated Stars and Stripes to win their first WCW World Tag Team Championship, which aired on the January 14, 1995 episode of Saturday Night. Harlem Heat retained the titles against Stars and Stripes in a rematch at Clash of the Champions XXX. They continued their feud with the Nasty Boys, leading to a title defense against Nasty Boys at SuperBrawl V. Harlem Heat retained the titles via a disqualification win. At Uncensored, Harlem Heat lost to Nasty Boys in a non-title falls count anywhere match. Harlem Heat finally lost the titles to Nasty Boys at Slamboree.
Harlem Heat became tweeners and entered a feud with Col. Parker's Stud Stable of "Dirty" Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck. Harlem Heat defeated the team of Slater and Buck at The Great American Bash. On the June 24 episode of WorldWide, Harlem Heat defeated Nasty Boys to win their second World Tag Team Championship after interference by The Blue Bloods. The title win was taped on May 3. At Bash at the Beach, Harlem Heat retained the titles against Nasty Boys and Blue Bloods in a triangle match. Harlem Heat lost the tag team titles to Slater and Buck on the July 22 episode of Saturday Night, thanks to interference from Parker. At Clash of the Champions XXXI, Harlem Heat and Sherri defeated Slater, Buck and Parker in a six-person tag team match. As a result, Harlem Heat earned a tag team title shot against Slater and Buck at Fall Brawl. Harlem Heat defeated Slater and Buck with help from Nasty Boys to win their third World Tag Team Championship. Parker and Sherri were carrying on a love affair and Parker eventually left the Stud Stable in favor of the Heat to be with Sherri.
Just one night later, on Monday Nitro, Harlem Heat lost the tag team titles to The American Males. On the October 28 episode of Saturday Night, Harlem Heat defeated American Males to win their fourth World Tag Team Championship. This title change was taped on October 11. Harlem Heat lost the titles to Lex Luger and Sting on the January 22, 1996 episode of Nitro. Harlem Heat unsuccessfully challenged Luger and Sting for the titles at SuperBrawl VI. At Uncensored, Booker T teamed with Sting to defeat The Road Warriors in a street fight to earn Harlem Heat, a title shot against Luger and Sting on the April 22 episode of Nitro, which Harlem Heat lost. On the June 24 episode of Nitro, Harlem Heat defeated Luger and Sting and Steiner Brothers in a triangle match to win their fifth World Tag Team Championship.
Harlem Heat lost the tag team titles to Steiner Brothers at a live event on July 24. However, just three days later on July 27, Harlem Heat defeated Steiner Brothers to win their sixth World Tag Team Championship. Harlem Heat successfully defended the titles against Steiner Brothers at Hog Wild. At Clash of the Champions XXXIII, Harlem Heat retained the titles against Steiner Brothers and the team of Sting and Lex Luger in a triangle match as the match ended in a no contest when the referee Nick Patrick abruptly ended the match due to The Outsiders just appearing at ringside. At Fall Brawl, Harlem Heat successfully defended the titles against Nasty Boys.
On the September 23 episode of Nitro, Harlem Heat lost the titles to Public Enemy. On the October 5 episode of Saturday Night, Harlem Heat defeated Public Enemy in a rematch to win their seventh World Tag Team Championship. This match was taped on October 1. Harlem Heat lost the titles to The Outsiders at Halloween Havoc.
Managerial changes (1996–1997)
On the November 9 episode of Saturday Night, Harlem Heat became full-fledged faces when they fired Col. Robert Parker and beat him up to rescue Sister Sherri. They briefly feuded against Parker's newest team The Amazing French Canadians, defeating them in a match at World War 3. At Clash of the Champions XXXIV on January 21, 1997, Harlem Heat defeated the team of The Renegade and Joe Gomez.Soon after, Harlem Heat took on The Public Enemy and The Faces of Fear in a three-way dance at SuperBrawl VII, which Public Enemy won. The following month, at Uncensored, Harlem Heat defeated Public Enemy in a Texas Tornado match. At Spring Stampede, both members of Harlem Heat competed in a four corners match for a WCW World Heavyweight Championship title match. Lex Luger won the match.
Shortly after, Harlem Heat got involved in a feud with the Steiner Brothers over contention for the World Tag Team Championship, leading to a match between the two teams at The Great American Bash, which Harlem Heat won by disqualification after New World Order member Vincent interfered by attacking them. On the July 7 episode of Nitro, they fired Sherri after her interference backfired, costing them a match against Public Enemy. Vincent's repeated interferences in matches resulted in Harlem Heat beginning a feud with nWo's Vicious and Delicious, leading to a match between the two teams at Road Wild. During this match, Harlem Heat added Jacqueline as their new manager, who helped them in defeating Vicious and Delicious. After that, Harlem Heat resumed their feud with the Steiner Brothers, losing to them at Fall Brawl.