WWE has one of the largest and most diverse rosters in all of professional wrestling with talent coming from all kinds of backgrounds and walks of life. Recently, a lot has been said about the representation (or lack thereof) of black male Superstars at PLEs, which many fans have found lacking.
A black male wrestler has not won a singles match at a WWE PLE since Elimination Chamber 2023 where Bobby Lashley earned a DQ victory over Brock Lesnar. For the last time a black, male wrestler won via pinfall or submission, fans must go back to WWE SummerSlam 2022 where Lashley retained the U.S. Title against Austin Theory.
WWE has been made aware of the growing criticism regarding its handling of black, male Superstars, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reports.
One source within WWE is reported to have said “Well that’s obviously something that will be addressed now.” This weekend’s Bad Blood event will be WWE’s third consecutive PLE to feature no black, male Superstars.
This response from WWE comes after Swerve Strickland, AEW’s first black World Champion, had choice words for his former employer. Responding to a report that claimed WWE believes Strickland’s newly-signed AEW contract is above the market value, Swerve told The Breakfast Club “They only complain when a Black person gets paid.”
The topic of race and WWE’s handling of black wrestlers has been a topic of discussion for years. The important thing is that all talent of all backgrounds are treated with respect and given a fair opportunity to succeed in wrestling’s largest and most recognized promotion.
