Entertainment · Celebrity · 3 hrs ago
LL Cool J explains the hand gesture he made on WWE SmackDown
LL Cool J has explained a hand gesture he made on WWE SmackDown during an appearance in 2002.
He made it toward wrestler Booker T while promoting the film Rollerball.
He said the move fit his “Ax Man” persona, which he described as an executioner who licks his axe before striking.
LL Cool J said he went with the moment and acted on purpose.
He had also described the gesture in 2023 in a post on X, saying it represented licking blood from a blade.
The explanation came during an interview with Carmelo Anthony and co-host Kazeem Famuyide.
The gesture has resurfaced as a topic of discussion, but no further action was announced.
LL Cool J explained the hand gesture he made toward wrestler Booker T during a 2002 appearance on WWE’s SmackDown.
He said the move fit his “Ax Man” persona and that he improvised while responding to the atmosphere.
LL Cool J said he performs deliberately and has other material he considers better.
He also described the gesture in a 2023 post on X.
- Who
- LL Cool J made the gesture toward wrestler Booker T.
- What
- He explained that it represented his “Ax Man” persona, likening it to an executioner licking an ax before striking.
- When
- He made the gesture in 2002 and explained it in an interview reported on October 19, 2026.
- Where
- On WWE’s SmackDown.
- Why
- He said he was going with the vibe and that the gesture fit his persona.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
LL Cool J appeared on WWE’s SmackDown to promote his film Rollerball and made the gesture toward Booker T.
LL Cool J described the gesture in a post on X.
Billboard published LL Cool J’s explanation of the gesture from an interview on 7PM in Brooklyn With Carmelo Anthony.
- Gesture target
- Booker T
- Show
- WWE’s SmackDown
- Appearance year
- 2002
- Film promoted
- Rollerball
- Persona
- Ax Man
What people are saying
I’m the ‘Ax Man.’ It’s like an executioner that licks his ax before he chops your head off and all that.
I just went with the vibe. I’m vibin’.
I do what I wanna do. I’ll own it
It means I’ll lick the blood off my blade after I chop your head off