Does The WWE Have A Problem Promoting Black Male Talent?

In recent weeks, there has been some discussion about the promotion of Black male talent in the WWE . In a tweet that has served as a spotlight on the current state of Black talent featured weekly, the WWE has responded in its own way. During a press conference last week, Paul “Triple H” Levesque responded with “I don’t see color,” which of course to Black people is always a no-no. That’s not an indictment on Levesque’s view of Black people either. Quite frankly, I don’t think he is racist at all. However, he does have a white obliviousness, a tone-deafness that we know to be all too common. But regardless, I don’t believe the WWE has a problem promoting Black male talent.

Professional wrestling is a unique form of entertainment. So when claims like the WWE is having a problem promoting Black characters are made, it’s a bit dismissive. Having the ability to wrestle in professional wrestling is only one part of the equation. You also have to build a character, a persona. With that, this character then engages in this alternate universe of other characters. At this point, matches are made, and you get the on-screen product that we all know and love.

The truth of the matter is that although the WWE’s past has seen gross underutilization of Black talent, that isn’t the case today. To single out that there hasn’t been a Black male in a single match win in a while is true but also a stretch. Professional wrestling has long been a hugely white medium. We as Black people are minorities. We aren’t the largest consumers of this art form, and we also aren’t the largest contingent of people who train to become professional wrestlers. So by these demographics, we also make up less of the locker room.

Even with this being the case, the WWE currently touts its most diverse roster in all of the years that I’ve been watching. This spans race, size and variance of personas. As it stands currently, there are several Black male wrestlers on the come up. Their characters are still being defined. Look no further than Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams and Oba Femi of NXT if you have any doubts. Not to mention, other stories involve Black men in WWE right now. For instance, the potential breakup of “The New Day” is a thing with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. They’re both beloved WWE characters, not currently in the main event, but a part of a big story. So we have to add context at all times.

The future of Black wrestlers in the WWE is bright. There’s so much to look forward to if we just allow stories to play out. It takes time, and a few things need to be in alignment for us to see what we desire. But in this current regime, I sense no malice toward Black performers. If you ask me, we’re actually in the Blackest era of WWE ever. And it’s looking to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

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