Black History Month for Wrestling

[CM Steel]

On WWE.com wrestling legend and Smackdown general manger Booker T gave his thoughts about black history month and who inspired him to become pro wrestler. So in that honor of black history month, in your opinion. Who was the greatest wrestler of african-american decent to grace the ring? There are various names. Let's take a look...

-Bobo Brazil
-'Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
-The Junkyard Dog
-Ron Simmons
-Tony Atlas
-Booker T.
-Ahmed Johnson
-Rocky Johnson
-S.D. Jones
-2 Cold Scorpio
-The Rock
-Thunderbolt Patterson

...the list can go on and on. Each of these wrestling legends brought something to the wrestling table that is still in wrestling today. So if you could say that this one legend in wrestling is the greatest african-american wrestler that you ever saw. Who would it be?

 

[NotoriousMEAT]

It'd have to be The Rock. He's arguably the greatest superstar in the history of wrestling. He's definitely the most successful. I won't rank them all, but The Junkyard Dog is second for me, and probably Booker T at third. A lot of the earlier wrestlers on this list like Bobo, Big Cat, Rocky Johnson, JYD of course and eventually Ron Simmons are definitely the legends that paved the way for guys like The Rock and Booker. Everyone mentioned above had a respectable career, the majority are already hall of famers.

 

[Da Solo]

I'm gonna ignore The Rock for this one, seeing as how he's probably gonna be an obvious answer.

So I'm gonna go with Booker T, the 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW champion. We know he's a legend, but I think people really underestimate his legacy. Think about it, a black man was arguably WCW's top star (or at least top 3) for its last days and carried that legacy into WWE, where he became one of the most decorated stars in the sport and was still thought of as being criminally underused. I've had family/friends watching wrestling sometimes, and before you get the usual "You know its fake, right?" Most of them stop when the Book man comes on screen and they're like "Damn, Booker T's still there? He used to be the man back in the day!" and they'd end up watching just to see how he ended up.

Booker T was also one of WWE's most creative in-ring wrestlers. The scissor kick was unique, his little gyrations after his moves were infectiously captivating and he had some surprisingly agile moves in his repertoire (The Harlem Hangover, Crescent kick, etc.)

 

[Trill Co$by]

It'd have to be The Rock. He's arguably the greatest superstar in the history of wrestling. He's definitely the most successful. I won't rank them all, but The Junkyard Dog is second for me, and probably Booker T at third. A lot of the earlier wrestlers on this list like Bobo, Big Cat, Rocky Johnson, JYD of course and eventually Ron Simmons are definitely the legends that paved the way for guys like The Rock and Booker. Everyone mentioned above had a respectable career, the majority are already hall of famers.

I'm gonna ignore The Rock for this one, seeing as how he's probably gonna be an obvious answer.

So I'm gonna go with Booker T, the 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW champion. We know he's a legend, but I think people really underestimate his legacy. Think about it, a black man was arguably WCW's top star (or at least top 3) for its last days and carried that legacy into WWE, where he became one of the most decorated stars in the sport and was still thought of as being criminally underused. I've had family/friends watching wrestling sometimes, and before you get the usual "You know its fake, right?" Most of them stop when the Book man comes on screen and they're like "Damn, Booker T's still there? He used to be the man back in the day!" and they'd end up watching just to see how he ended up.

Booker T was also one of WWE's most creative in-ring wrestlers. The scissor kick was unique, his little gyrations after his moves were infectiously captivating and he had some surprisingly agile moves in his repertoire (The Harlem Hangover, Crescent kick, etc.)

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DAMN!

That just sums it up for me. How do you NOT even consider Ron Simmons when thinking about Black Wrestling Legends? Where would Booker T, The Rock, Mark Henry, or even R-Truth (former NWA world champion) be without the barriers that Ron Simmons smashed through? Ignoring the tragedy that came about his career in WWE, his time in WCW speaks for itself. He was World Champion at the time that Ric Flair and Sting were still putting on classic matches and making WCW into the masterpiece it would become. Ron Simmons opened up such a giant world by becoming World champion that picking anyone other than him would be a complete disaster.

 

[thebarber]

Black generally refers to African Americans, not Samoan or the Islands.

Ron Simmons sis the ovious standout when it comes to successful African Americans in Prop wrestling. He was the first legitimate World Champion of AA heritage, and many of todays crop have publicly stated Ron Simmons was their inspiration.

 

[lil bitch Kid]

Ron Simmons... starting his mainstream career as part of the tag team Doom, under masks, which he and Reed would lose to the Horseman, he had a world of potential. When the team split, Simmons got one of the biggest upset title runs in history beating Vader to become the first black WCW and I even believe NWA World champ. No one expected this and he did pretty well with it. Fast forward to the F/E days and except for the unfortunate gladiator days, Simmons had a great run. The NOD days were very entertaining, and led right into the Acolytes which led to an incredible gimmick team, APA. In terms of impact and longevity, no one can deny the impact of Ron Simmons.

Booker T and the number of title reigns is a joke, right? As a tag team with Stevie, they were good. Even his best of 7 with Benoit was amazing. Booker, the world champ, was the benefactor of a weak, weak, weak roster and a lawsuit at the same time. Booker T, the gimmick, was brutal, and frankly, the wrestler is highly overrated. His promo work is, was and always will be lame, at best.

 

[HBsam31]

I have to go with the rest and say Ron Simmons. I still remember when he won the WCW title. It was a great moment and the crowd went absolutely nuts. Had a great run in WCW and in WWE and still contributes to this day. One of my all time favorites as a kid, and he paved the way for a lot of the other after him.

 

[Boats n Hoes 72]

Black generally refers to African Americans, not Samoan or the Islands.

Ron Simmons sis the ovious standout when it comes to successful African Americans in Prop wrestling. He was the first legitimate World Champion of AA heritage, and many of todays crop have publicly stated Ron Simmons was their inspiration.

The Rock is African American also

 

[peter_midnight]

The problem with the Rock isn't that he isn't full black, but that he never plays that up nor has the WWE. The WWE could have easily played up the fact that he is their first black world champion, but they've never done it. The fact is that even Booker T back in 2000 made a joke about him not being a "mandingo" like himself on a BET talk show with Tavis Smiley. The irony is that the Rock has "borrowed" from many black wrestlers in his promos, IceMan King Parsons being one of them. I'm half black myself and find it rather disappointing that other than acknowledging his father, Rocky has never really played up the black side of his family, but that's his business not mine.

Therefore, I would have to go with Booker T. Ron Simmons did a lot for sure, but Booker T is arguably one of the best of the late 90s and certainly was OVER in 1998. Even Kevin Sullivan after he was sent home by WCW in 2000 said that one of his regrets was that he didn't make Booker world champion sooner and said he could have been the Ric Flair of the 2000s. That says a lot right there.

 

[lowandmighty]

Aren't pacific islanders black? If they are his mother was black and his father was black so then The Rock is full black right? I always thought there were different types of black just like there's different versions of white such as gingers and black Irishmen as opposed to blonds and brunettes.

I think my favourite black wrestlers in order have got to go:

1.The Rock - Has just always been entertaining as fuck. I really do think he is the most electrifying man wrestling has ever seen, especially the look on his face before he drops the people's elbow which in my opinion is funniest finishing move ever. Just edging out the leg drop and Kung Fu Naki's Crane kick.

2. Booker T. Simply because he had in my opinion the best theme music of all time (the wcw/wwe version). Ok Stevie Ray had it as well but he only gets second best because Booker had the "can you dig it? Suckaaa!" at the beginning and previously "Don't hate the player, hate the game".

3. Mark Henry. He was in the Olympics, need I say more? I don't even care that he didn't win anything because to me just competing at the Olympics is one of the most respectful things anyone can do.

The only thing that still haunts me to this day about Mark Henry is that when he and Mae Young joined together in the most beautiful embrace human beings are capable of, the result was a WHITE hand!
I think Mark might not have been Mae Young's true love after all and she was getting some strange on the side. Or maybe Mark Henry leaves a bit to be desired down there and Mae needed some real satisfaction. It was the attitude era so..

I'm looking at you Triple H.

 

[lil bitch Kid]

The problem with the Rock isn't that he isn't full black, but that he never plays that up nor has the WWE. The WWE could have easily played up the fact that he is their first black world champion, but they've never done it. The fact is that even Booker T back in 2000 made a joke about him not being a "mandingo" like himself on a BET talk show with Tavis Smiley. The irony is that the Rock has "borrowed" from many black wrestlers in his promos, IceMan King Parsons being one of them. I'm half black myself and find it rather disappointing that other than acknowledging his father, Rocky has never really played up the black side of his family, but that's his business not mine.

Therefore, I would have to go with Booker T. Ron Simmons did a lot for sure, but Booker T is arguably one of the best of the late 90s and certainly was OVER in 1998. Even Kevin Sullivan after he was sent home by WCW in 2000 said that one of his regrets was that he didn't make Booker world champion sooner and said he could have been the Ric Flair of the 2000s. That says a lot right there.

You realize that Kevin Sullivan is a complete and utter nut bar who believes his people from the planet Zornot will take over the world, right? Ok, maybe not to that extent, but the guy is a nut.