When everything is a work, when everyone is skilled at putting on a front, and when the business itself revolves around deception, how do you manage the players in that world? How do you make sure that the art of the “work” doesn’t seep into the real business — twisting how people present themselves and their intentions? In pro wrestling, the people trusted with that responsibility, the ones “with the pencil,” are known as the Bookers.
Managing and booking a wrestling promotion is a mighty task, made even more difficult by the inherent deception of the entertainment itself. Perhaps that’s why the position has evolved into a team role — a booking committee — rather than the sole responsibility of one person.
Go figure then that, for much of pro wrestling’s history, the role was handled by a single “booker.” The booker was responsible for laying out storylines, both long-term arcs and on-the-fly developments in response to fan reaction. To succeed, a booker had to be creative, understand each wrestler’s strengths, spot industry trends, and plan the future for characters and storylines.
Given the trust involved, many bookers historically favoured the person they knew best — themselves — or their closest allies, often family members. Some legendary performers were entrusted to book while still active in the ring, while others came from outside the ropes altogether, rising from fan to respected creative mind.
The Families: Owner/Bookers
Before WWE became the singular national brand in the early 2000s — and before the Monday Night Wars of the 1990s — the wrestling world was divided into regional territories. WWE itself was the New York territory, owned by the McMahon family, with Vince McMahon Sr. and later Vince Jr. acting as head booker.
Other territories were dominated by family dynasties who not only promoted the shows but booked themselves and relatives into top positions.
Verne Gagne – AWA
Owner, wrestler, and booker for the American Wrestling Association out of Minneapolis. Gagne booked himself as champion for two decades before passing the torch to Nick Bockwinkel. His son Greg was pushed into the spotlight, but never achieved the same acclaim. Gagne’s stubbornness and financial disputes drove away stars like Hulk Hogan, who left in 1983 after Gagne demanded a cut of his merchandise sales.
Fritz von Erich – WCCW
Fritz booked himself to multiple titles in Dallas before pushing his six sons to the top. The von Erich boys collectively held 87 major championships in World Class Championship Wrestling. The promotion innovated presentation — entrance music, creative lighting, and ringside camera work — but the family story was plagued by tragedy, with four of Fritz’s sons dying prematurely.
Other Owner/Bookers
- Ed Farhat (The Sheik) – Detroit’s Big Time Wrestling, booked himself as champion 12 times.
- Eddie & Mike Graham – Florida Championship Wrestling, father and son with 46 combined major title reigns.
- Dory Funk Sr. – Amarillo’s NWA Western State Sports, booked himself and later sons Dory Jr. and Terry to multiple world titles.
- Stu Hart – Stampede Wrestling in Canada, with his sons winning 47 championships in the territory.
- Jerry Jarrett – Memphis promoter who booked his son Jeff to dozens of title runs in both CWA and USWA.
The McMahons stand apart from these families by rarely booking themselves as full-time in-ring talents, instead favouring trusted “utility players” to help shape storylines.
The Utility Players
Some bookers started as hardcore fans before climbing the ladder to creative control.
Jim Cornette
From running newsletters and selling posters to managing in WCW, Cornette eventually ran Smoky Mountain Wrestling before joining WWE’s booking committee in the mid-1990s. He often clashed with fellow writer Vince Russo over creative philosophy.
Paul Heyman
Founder of ECW and one of the few promoters to rival WWF and WCW in the 1990s. Heyman later became a key member of WWE’s creative team and remains a major on-screen personality.
Early WWE Creative Aides
Vince Sr. brought in Jim Barnett, a seasoned promoter from Chicago, Detroit, and Australia, to assist with creative. Fired after leaking information to WCW’s Jim Crockett, Barnett later booked in WCW until the mid-1990s.
WCW’s Booking Carousel
WCW cycled through many bookers: Cowboy Bill Watts (credited with pioneering weekly episodic wrestling), Ole Anderson, and even former WWF talent Terry Taylor. Eventually, Eric Bischoff took the reins in the mid-90s.
Pat Patterson
Perhaps Vince McMahon’s most trusted right-hand man for decades. The first Intercontinental Champion and creator of the Royal Rumble match, Patterson was instrumental in major booking decisions, including the iconic Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior clash at WrestleMania VI.
The Wrestlers as Bookers
Many legendary wrestlers moved into the booking role while still performing.
Dusty Rhodes
A creative mind obsessed with presentation, Rhodes devised the WarGames match and was notorious for the “Dusty Finish” — a fake-out title change reversed after the fact. He often booked himself in top spots, pairing with rising stars to stay relevant.
Ric Flair
Became WCW’s head booker in the mid-90s but often booked himself to lose in order to keep locker room harmony. Quit in 1995 after refusing to continually put over WWF imports like Hogan and Savage.
Bruiser Brody
A respected in-ring star and former sportswriter. Briefly booked for WCCW but often clashed with other bookers. Tragically murdered in 1988 by fellow wrestler/booker Jose Gonzalez after a locker room dispute.
Kevin Sullivan
Booked WCW during the mid-90s, remembered for the ill-fated Dungeon of Doom storyline and for creative conflicts that drove stars like Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Dean Malenko to leave for WWF.
International Influences
In Japan, legendary wrestler–bookers like Giant Baba, Antonio Inoki, Mitsuharu Misawa, and Riki Choshu have shaped long-term booking philosophies, often planning years ahead.
In Mexico, wrestler–bookers such as Konnan have had a huge impact on AAA and CMLL, merging lucha traditions with modern storytelling for international audiences.
Modern Era Booking – Successes and Failures
Today’s major wrestling promotions almost never rely on a single booker in the old territorial sense. Instead, creative direction is managed by figureheads who lead large teams of writers, producers, and talent liaisons. However, two modern names stand out as central forces in shaping wrestling’s current landscape: Triple H and Tony Khan.
Triple H (Paul Levesque)
After transitioning from full-time wrestling, Triple H became WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative, eventually overseeing NXT. His “Black & Gold” era of NXT from 2014–2019 is often hailed as one of the best-booked modern wrestling products, blending independent wrestling’s in-ring intensity with WWE’s production values. He elevated countless talents — from Kevin Owens to Finn Bálor to Sasha Banks — and cultivated long-term storytelling that rewarded loyal viewers.
Since 2022, with Vince McMahon’s creative role diminished, Triple H has taken a leading hand in WWE’s main roster booking. Under his watch, storylines have generally become more coherent, characters more consistent, and long-term arcs (like The Bloodline saga) have been allowed to breathe and build over months, echoing the best aspects of classic territory booking.
Tony Khan
The founder, owner, and head booker of All Elite Wrestling, Tony Khan has quickly made himself one of the most influential figures in the industry. Since AEW’s debut in 2019, Khan has worn multiple hats: booker, talent recruiter, and promoter. His booking style blends modern indie sensibilities with nods to classic NWA and WCW storytelling — often aiming for long-term feuds, big payoff matches, and consistent rankings-based logic.
Khan’s willingness to give wrestlers creative freedom, combined with his deep knowledge as a lifelong fan, has led to memorable angles like MJF’s meteoric rise, the Jon Moxley/Kenny Omega feud, and the revival of tag team wrestling as a main event draw. However, AEW’s rapid growth has also tested Khan’s booking consistency, with some critics pointing to overloaded cards and too many storylines running simultaneously. In recent times, Khan has came out and said that he has now been “back in the weeds” creatively and is way more hands on with the creative going forward
Other Notable Modern Bookers
- Gedo (NJPW) remains widely respected for meticulous, years-long arcs, particularly in the Okada–Tanahashi and Okada–Omega rivalries.
- Scott D’Amore (Impact Wrestling) has revitalised the brand’s reputation with a mix of veteran stars and breakout indie talent.
- Court Bauer (MLW) blends sports-style presentation with throwback territory vibes.
Notorious Booking Missteps
Even in the modern era, poor booking decisions can derail momentum:
- WCW’s Fingerpoke of Doom (1999) destroyed fan trust.
- TNA’s overbooked “Russo-isms” in the late 2000s alienated audiences.
- WWE’s “New Generation” lull (mid-90s) showed the dangers of weak character work.
Booker of the Year – Industry Recognition
For decades, wrestling media has celebrated the creative minds behind the matches, with the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) offering one of the most prestigious annual accolades in the industry — the “Best Booker” award. It serves as a defining benchmark to acknowledge booking excellence, storytelling innovation, and long-term narrative impact.
Notable Past Winners Include:
- 1986: Dusty Rhodes (Jim Crockett Promotions) — praised for imaginative storytelling and iconic angles.
- 1987 & 1998: Vince McMahon — WWF’s primary creative force, shaping wrestling’s global boom.
- 1994: Paul Heyman — revolutionised wrestling presentation with ECW’s gritty, innovative style.
- 2001 & 2003: Jim Cornette — known for strong regional booking and talent development.
- 2004: Gabe Sapolsky — elevated Ring of Honor into a top-tier independent promotion.
- 2011: Gedo & Jado — masterminded NJPW’s long-term storytelling and resurgence.
- 2020: Tony Khan — launched AEW and quickly cemented it as WWE’s first major competition in decades.
- 2023: Paul “Triple H” Levesque — revitalised WWE’s creative direction following leadership changes.
- 2024: Gedo — continued NJPW’s creative stability while integrating new stars into top positions.
- 2025: Tony Khan — recognised again for AEW’s sustained growth and high-profile story arcs.
These awards not only celebrate individual excellence but also keep the art of booking in the spotlight. Fans debate winners and fantasy book their own storylines, proving that the work behind the curtain is just as important as what happens inside the ring.
Legacy of the Booker
The best bookers are often invisible — their success measured in ticket sales, TV ratings, and the emotional reactions of the crowd. Whether running a one-man territory or leading a 20-person creative team, the job demands vision, diplomacy, and the ability to adapt when reality forces a change.
From Dusty Rhodes’ imaginative WarGames cages to Gedo’s multi-year arcs, booking remains one of the most demanding and misunderstood roles in wrestling. The faces in the ring may change, but behind the curtain, the art of telling compelling stories in a business built on illusion remains the same.
