Around this time last year Booker T was preparing to make his triumphant WWE return as a surprise entrant in the 2011 Royal Rumble.

“That was my favorite Royal Rumble,” said Booker T, who’s participated in eight Rumbles. “When I came back as an unexpected entry in the Royal Rumble, the fans were so excited to see me. It really made me feel like, ‘Wow, I’ve done something in the business that the fans have really appreciated more than anything.’

“It wasn’t about me going out there and winning the Rumble. It was the fans giving respect for what I’ve done in this business for 21 years. That was great. That was like a stamp of approval in this business for me.”

After the sale of WCW, Booker T competed in WWE from 2001-07. He then competed in Mexico, Puerto Rico and TNA before returning to WWE in January 2011 at the Rumble at the TD Garden Center in Boston.

The WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view is one of the ‘mark it down on your calendar’ events. Not only does it answer who will be one of the challengers for the WWE or World title at WrestleMania, but the 2012 version on Sunday, Jan. 29 also marks the 25th anniversary of the extravaganza.

WWE superstars can’t wait including Booker T who makes his ninth Royal Rumble appearance.

“I’ve competed in eight Royal Rumbles and haven’t won any of them,” Booker T chuckled. “You work hard to get to the Rumble. It’s a hard year — just like working your way to WrestleMania. Those are two of the biggest nights of the year — Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. It’s really hard to get there, and I wouldn’t say it’s easy to get in the door, and to stay there is a whole different story.”

This time it appears Booker T won’t have to worry about getting in the ring there as he will be a member of the WWE Royal Rumble broadcast team. Following last year’s Royal Rumble, he became WWE SmackDown’s new color commentator.

“This will be my first Royal Rumble commentating,” Booker T said. “That’s what I’m really looking forward to. I’ve worked so hard to get to this position in my career. I never in a million years thought it would be so great. Being able to be out there and watch the young guys, the guys of the future, the guys who are going to have to carry WrestleManias for the next 15 years, that’s really awesome.”

And calling the action doesn’t take its toll on the body.

“When I go home, I feel a whole lot better,” Booker T said.

Booker T, winner of 35 major titles, is a six-time world champion and a King of the Ring.

Did you ever think one day you would return to WWE?

“It never was a thought,” he said. “I wasn’t planning on coming back when I came back. I got a phone call, ‘Hey Book, would you like to come back and do ‘Tough Enough’ [as a trainer].’ Cool. Great. It was something different.

“I knew I wanted to wrap up my in-ring career. I wanted to get away from that. There comes a time when you got to pass the torch, and when I came back, it’s been great. I never thought it would be as good at it’s been this last year. It’s been awesome.”

During his earlier wrestling days, Booker T did commentary backstage for the other superstars watching the matches on the monitor. Something to do for fun turned into a fun job.

“I would always make-up things for the guys; I would always give them crazy moves; I would always make it fun and entertaining,” he said. “The guys used to say, ‘Man, we should do a DVD and then do another DVD [of the same DVD] and have you do commentary on that and sell two DVDs.’”

Booker T has no formal broadcast training. He’s learned on the fly from Raw and SmackDown commentator Michael Cole, SmackDown commentator Josh Mathews and WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, who is a former commentator.

“Michael Cole can be a headache sometimes, but he really has brought me along,” Booker T said. “Vince McMahon has helped me so many times. Josh Matthews. These guys have helped me hone my craft. It’s a learning process, just like being in the middle of that ring. You have to go out there and re-tool all over again.”

Booker T is a student and a teacher.

“I came up with The Bookend. That was my move, and then Rock stole it and made it the Rock Bottom,” Booker T chuckled. “He made it even more famous than The Bookend. That’s part of the business. I wanted to say, ‘Do you smell what I’m cooking?’ Probably at the same time he did, but he took it and made money on it. That’s the thing. You’ve got to be innovative. You’ve got to be quick.

“That’s what I encourage these young guys to do. It’s about competition. It’s not about the buddy system.

“Of course, we’re friends, but this is a business, and you’ve got to go out there and treat it like a business. You’ve got to think about being better than the next guy. These young guys really got to focus, if they want to work at the top of the card, if they want to be in that main event, if they want to carry the World title, if they want to be the WWE champion. They’ve got to really put their thinking cap on and really focus on what it’s going to take for me to get in that position. It’s a test each and every day.”

The 25th anniversary of World Wrestling Entertainment Royal Rumble pay-per-view is 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Fans just love it.

“There have been so many great superstars who have competed in the Royal Rumble, going all the way back 25 years ago ‘til now,” Booker T said. “For instance, Rey Mysterio lasting 62 minutes, that right there is a test in itself. To see a guy like Rye Mysterio go out there and last with so many guys, so much bigger than him, so much stronger than him, and to see him pull that thing off is amazing.”

At the 2006 Royal Rumble at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Mysterio entered second and lasted 62 minutes en route to winning the event. So Mysterio advanced to WrestleMania 22 in Rosemont, Ill., where he won the World title in a three-way battle against Kurt Angle and Randy Orton.

“The Royal Rumble is a night that has changed so many guys’ lives,” Booker T said. “To think of Shawn Michaels going out there and doing the balancing act and taking the people on that ride, that’s what the Royal Rumble is all about. It’s about guys making a statement, making history. I was here, and I did it. That’s what it’s all about.”

What’s the feeling like getting thrown over the top rope at the Rumble?

“It’s not a good feeling,” he said. “It’s like a lump in the bottom of your stomach when your feet hit the floor, because that was your shot. A lot of guys that may be their only shot of getting a World championship, a WWE title shot.

“I’ve been lucky to capture it six times. I put myself in great position outside the Royal Rumble, because I never won the Royal Rumble. That’s why I say it’s so hard to do. You’ve got to put yourself in the right position. Twenty-nine superstars will leave there heart broken, and one guy’s gonna win it. My pick is from SmackDown, Sheamus, the Celtic Warrior. He’s been on fire.”

Is there anyone you wish you could throw over the top rope at a Royal Rumble?

Booker T laughed: “I wish I could throw Michael Cole over. He falls on his head, forget who is, forget he’s a broadcaster and go work somewhere else or stay at home.

“That night is so unpredictable. There’s no way you can watch your back. Everyone asks, ‘What’s your strategy going into the Royal Rumble?’ I think there is no strategy. You can have 30 guys in the middle of that ring. You just have to play your cards, and hopefully they fall in the right place, and you’re the last man standing in the middle of that ring, and you get that title shot.”

The main event is the 30-man Royal Rumble where the winner gets his choice of a WWE or World title match at WrestleMania 28 which is April 1 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.

“Winning the Royal Rumble gets your foot in the door,” Booker T said. “You still have got to go out there and close it by cashing in and winning that world championship at WrestleMania. That right there is so hard to do. Also, be careful what you wish for because winning a world championship and carrying it is the hardest job in the business.”

WWE WrestleMania Miami is already headlined by the return of Miami’s own The Rock against the hardest working man in sports entertainment John Cena.

Also at the 2012 Rumble, WWE champ CM Punk defends against Dolph Ziggler (with Vickie Guerrero). WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis is the special guest referee.

World champ Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry and Big Show compete for the title in a triple threat steel cage match.

John Cena looks for revenge against the masked Kane.

South Floridians can watch the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view at the Mardi Gras Casino Dawg House Sports Bar & Grill, 831 N. Federal Hwy., Hallandale Beach. There is a fee. Call 954-924-3200.

• WWE WrestleMania 28 is 8 p.m. EST Sunday, April 1 at Sun Life Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens.

• WWE Fax Axxess tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 via TicketMaster online or by phone. The ultimate interactive fan experience during WrestleMania Week is March 29-April 1 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

• Hear Booker T on WWE SmackDown at 8 p.m. EST Fridays on Syfy.

• Like Facebook WWE WrestleMania 28 Miami.