Is it Time to Push Black in TNA?

[Uncle Sam]

Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed, Booker T... uh, Bobby Lashley. TNA has a fine collection of African American wrestlers, I'm sure you agree. Would you, my friends, not also agree that the timing is right to carry out one of those more beloved events in wrestling; the good ol' fashioned black push?

What's that? "Sam, your ideas are normally so brilliantly creative, we want to hear more of this "black push" idea"? Well, too bad.

It's a shit idea and whoever came up with it should be shot. Racists.

 

[InfoWarlord]

Awesome Kong is black, but I see your point. Creed isn't ready for a big push, but Booker T should be a future TNA champ. Bobby Lashley probably won't get the belt because he's to busy to defend it.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Well, Booker T is a poor man's... erm, Triple H. Lashley is a poor man's Brock Lesnar. But that's absolutely fine, considering that TNA is a poor man's WWE. As black wrestlers come, they're actually quite far up on the list. I'd say that Booker T is the most remembered black wrestler of all time. Unless you count The Rock (I don't).

They've more than enough talent to have a lacklustre, short-lived push. It'll be pretty long and impressive by TNA's standards.

 

[tbp82]

Just clear something up why don't you count The Rock? Barack Obama is considered the first black president (he's half white half black) so why wouldn't The Rock (half black/half samoan) be considered black?

 

[Uncle Sam]

Just clear something up why don't you count The Rock? Barack Obama is considered the first black president (he's half white half black) so why wouldn't The Rock (half black/half samoan) be considered black?

Because he's mixed race. He's not black or Samoan... or white. Is there white in there? There might be white in there. I also count Barack Obama as the first mixed race president. I've read about the so-called "One Drop" rule and consider it absolute bullshit.

As far as I'm aware, Creed, Lashley, Booker and maybe even Lethal have two black parents. Which doesn't bode well for them, really, does it? The last black world champion was Booker T. Before him, it was Bobby Lashley. Not looking good.

 

[bshort31092]

Well, there is a possibility that WWE and TNA and other pro wrestling organizations are missing the fact that their Black or African-American superstars tend to be the better athletes. The Rock, Shelton Benjamin, Booker T, Creed and Lethal, and R-Truth are all great athletes. And for the record, in case anyone forgot, R-Truth is a two-time NWA Heavyweight Champion earlier this decade, and Booker T was the last WCW Heavyweight and US Champion when the company folded, so really it was a good time for African-Americans a while ago. However, it would be nice to see another Black World Champion in either brand.

 

[Hero]

The black wrestlers in TNA don't actually warrant pushes at the current time. Booker's on his way down, and should be used as a jober to the stars, Creed just doesn't have 'it', Lethal's stuck with a shit gimmick which needs to be changed before any type of a push can be considered, and Lashley hasn't really done anything in TNA.

None of them deserve it.

 

[bshort31092]

I mean blame it on the bookers. I don't see why we can't have a champion who's not past his prime (Sting, Kurt Angle, JJ, Mick Foley)

 

[grifdog44]

Good thread. I'm black and been watching wrestling since 1985 when I was 9. I always had a theory about blacks winning championships and it had to do with their skin tone. Hear me out, Ron Simmons won the WCW World Championship in 1992 (darker skin complexion) and the Rock won the WWF/E Championship. Rock is mixed don't know if he claims he is black or what, but he won and was the FACE of the company. Booker T is/was more talented than the Rock and R-Truth is as athletic as it gets yet more predictable with his move set. MVP is lighter and look what is happening to him compared to Cryme Tyme and Kofi. Point being, a darker skin person in today's WWE doesn't get the love that TNA has for its black wrestlers. I think Lethal is ready. Loved the Macho Man gimmick but it is kind of old but don't know what to do with him. Creed is green and has a lot more to learn. Booker T has always been the man just needs a way out of the AJ feud with him winning. He has at least two more good reigns left before he should job totally to the future stars. I know a lot covered but it's time to push black in TNA simply because the WWE can't, won't, and and doesn't feel is necessary to do.

 

[bshort31092]

The skin color thing may be true, actually.

 

[Hero]

I mean blame it on the bookers. I don't see why we can't have a champion who's not past his prime (Sting, Kurt Angle, JJ, Mick Foley)

Samoa Joe scared TNA off using their own guys. Just imagine; you build up a man for a couple of years as a destroyer. The fans seemingly love him, and he looks ready to take control as the number one guy in the company. But then he flops.

If you were the TNA bookers, you too would be reluctant to be putting the belt on someone like Joe again. Especially now, since the ratings for iMPACT! have continued to grow substantially after he dropped the belt.

 

[bshort31092]

Samoa Joe scared TNA off using their own guys. Just imagine; you build up a man for a couple of years as a destroyer. The fans seemingly love him, and he looks ready to take control as the number one guy in the company. But then he flops.

If you were the TNA bookers, you too would be reluctant to be putting the belt on someone like Joe again. Especially now, since the ratings for iMPACT! have continued to grow substantially after he dropped the belt.

I would put the belt on who would make a good match because that is what makes the highest ratings.

 

[RAERAEIZZ....]

wasn't WWE pushing lashley before he left?

 

[Hero]

I would put the belt on who would make a good match because that is what makes the highest ratings.

What?

The best wrestler doesn't make for the best ratings at all. If that were so, why did ratings reach their highest point in TNA history with Sting as TNA Champion? Are you trying to tell me that Sting is the best wrestler to ever hold the TNA title?

 

[bshort31092]

What?

The best wrestler doesn't make for the best ratings at all. If that were so, why did ratings reach their highest point in TNA history with Sting as TNA Champion? Are you trying to tell me that Sting is the best wrestler to ever hold the TNA title?

Where did you pull that from out of my post? I said put on the superstars who make the best match. The best two superstars don't always make the best matches. Example a) these elimination chamber matches which throw 6 good superstars into a steel thing and make them pretty much kill each other, which turns out kinda lame. However, if I were to go back a few years, the HBK vs Razor Ramon ladder match is the best ever match IMO, but is Razor the best ever? Nope.

 

[mozenwrath]

I remember an interview with Ernie "The Big Cat" Ladd about this very subject. Even in his day white wrestlers were a dime a dozen and black wrestlers were considered a commodity. (and this is back in the 60's/70's.) Since good, black wrestlers were so rare at the time (and even today) they would be more than likely to get a push over their white counterparts because they're so hard to come by.

Good thread. I'm black and been watching wrestling since 1985 when I was 9. I always had a theory about blacks winning championships and it had to do with their skin tone. Hear me out, Ron Simmons won the WCW World Championship in 1992 (darker skin complexion) and the Rock won the WWF/E Championship. Rock is mixed don't know if he claims he is black or what, but he won and was the FACE of the company. Booker T is/was more talented than the Rock and R-Truth is as athletic as it gets yet more predictable with his move set. MVP is lighter and look what is happening to him compared to Cryme Tyme and Kofi. Point being, a darker skin person in today's WWE doesn't get the love that TNA has for its black wrestlers. I think Lethal is ready. Loved the Macho Man gimmick but it is kind of old but don't know what to do with him. Creed is green and has a lot more to learn. Booker T has always been the man just needs a way out of the AJ feud with him winning. He has at least two more good reigns left before he should job totally to the future stars. I know a lot covered but it's time to push black in TNA simply because the WWE can't, won't, and and doesn't feel is necessary to do.

 

[Hero]

Where did you pull that from out of my post? I said put on the superstars who make the best match. The best two superstars don't always make the best matches. Example a) these elimination chamber matches which throw 6 good superstars into a steel thing and make them pretty much kill each other, which turns out kinda lame. However, if I were to go back a few years, the HBK vs Razor Ramon ladder match is the best ever match IMO, but is Razor the best ever? Nope.

Batista isn't a great wrestler and he makes next to no good matches, yet he still outrates Chris Jericho. Match quality really isn't that big of a deal. Most people watch wrestling for the storylines, not the 'best' matches. If that were the case, ROH and Japanese wrestling would be in WWE's position.

 

[Raven123]

TNA should work an angle with Booker, Creed, Lethal and Kong where they feel they are being held back by their skin colour. Booker could be the manager and mentor, Lethal getting a heel push to the top, Creed going for the X Title having some greta feuds and Kong being the enforcer.

 

[Afro-Ameri-Spawn]

To be honest, and you have to remember that this is coming from Wresteszone Forum's resident black entity. For one, there aren't really any deserving black athletes in TNA at this point and time.

Ive always thought that Lashley was overrated and unpolished as a performer. He's a far cry from being a Brock Lesnar level performer and only gets over because Vince saw his as being his next great cash cow.

Jay Lethal has never come into his own and has only gotten as far as he has because of the gimmick that every "smark" on the net continues to criticize him for continuing to do

Consequences Creed has the potential to become something. Problem is that he's goofyas shit and still does that lame assed split and punch thing that is annoying and unbelievable as a signature move. I mean come on guys, The People's Elbow was a far stretch. If your move takes move longer than THAT, then here's a fuckin good suggestion.... DON'T DO IT! Until he becomes a serious performer, then Creed will just be a high classed jobber on the level of a JYD at best. Always a brides maid, but never a champion.

Booker T might be a champion in TNA one day, but he has never really proved himself as a champion when he has held that position. He didn't in WCW. He didn't in WWE. And he won't in TNA. And now, he's past his prime and hardly a commodity. So it would not be a deserved push.

With choices like this, it would be a slap in the face and a blatant insult to black wrestlers. I mean, it isn't like the WWE landscape where you can see many black performers held back and left in the dark. The black wrestlers(male) in TNA just aren't up to the par level of being seriously pushed at this point and time. I hope that they do get to that level, but without the help of token pushes.

 

[HartAttack]

I think the best black athlete TNA has right now (and maybe has ever had in their relatively short history) is Lethal. I think Creed can be something, too, but I think it's all in due time for him. I think it's good that he's working with Lethal. I see that as something that can only help him accelerate his career.

But Lethal I think delivers the entire package when it comes to in-ring wrestling and work on the mic. He's a lot of fun to watch. I remember flipping on TNA for the first time and I loved the guy right away. I like during his Macho Man diatribes when he mentions things from the past, like calling The MMG's The Rockers last week. lol

How do you feel about Sojourner Bolt?

 

[Spunky]

Booker T Hasn't proved shit in TNA, As I said in my thread on him a while ago, He hasn't done anything worth while, Some might say his fued with Roode was great. I thought otherwise.

Lethal, Although very good in the ring, Has to use an 80's gimmick to get over, And it's hated because EVERYONE who watrched wrestling in the 80's, And 90's knows he is ripping on the Macho man.

Creed, Again good in the ring, But the 80's gimmick is killing him. I'd love to see a fued between himself, And Daniel's, Or one of the MCMG's.

 

[HartAttack]

Booker T Hasn't proved shit in TNA, As I said in my thread on him a while ago, He hasn't done anything worth while, Some might say his fued with Roode was great. I thought otherwise.

Lethal, Although very good in the ring, Has to use an 80's gimmick to get over, And it's hated because EVERYONE who watrched wrestling in the 80's, And 90's knows he is ripping on the Macho man.

Creed, Again good in the ring, But the 80's gimmick is killing him. I'd love to see a fued between himself, And Daniel's, Or one of the MCMG's.

The feud Booker had with Roode was alright, but it went on WAY too long.

With Lethal, I thought he grew up as a huge fan of the Macho Man, and that's why he has an impersonating gimmick? I wasn't a wrestling fan when the Macho Man was in his prime, though, but I don't see how it's a dig.

 

[Spunky]

The feud Booker had with Roode was alright, but it went on WAY too long.

With Lethal, I thought he grew up as a huge fan of the Macho Man, and that's why he has an impersonating gimmick? I wasn't a wrestling fan when the Macho Man was in his prime, though, but I don't see how it's a dig.

The fued was above average , But in TNA above average means it gets overated.

Ripped off, Impersonating it's all the same really. He is copying someones personality. Honestly I don't mind it, But alot of people slate him for copying a gimmick from 20 years ago.

 

[HartAttack]

Yeah, I understand. Although, I think it's impersonating in good taste, though. Like I said, Lethal grew up basically idolizing the Macho Man. So, it's a tribute more than anything. But, if someone has a problem with it, that's fine, too.

If you want to say he's not creative enough so he has to rip off something from 20 years ago, I can agree with that. But I think how he executes it still makes it entertaining, and I think it's fine. Also, it might be TNA's fault for not coming up with something different for him.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Sojourner Bolts matches are awesome. Her asscrack hangs out the entire time, and she makes no effort to stop it! She should make a gimmick out of it. I dont think Booker was a failure as a champ in either brand. I always found him entertaining.