Come on, Man: Black Wrestlers and the Creative Teams Who Kill Them

Alfred KonuwaApr 11, 2010

Making it to the very top of a major pro wrestling outfit is among the toughest achievements one can pursue in life.

The definition of 'lightning in a bottle' is one of the many characteristics one must possess in order to make it in pro wrestling.

Nobody seemed to tell John Cena about the one in a billion chance he actually had in becoming a WWE Champion.

Nobody seemed to tell Cena that, despite his all-American look, for every Bruno Sammartino there was a Chris Masters.

And for every Jack Brisco there was a Scott Putski.

Nobody told him about the many hurdles one has to jump through in order to to make a nice living exclusively as a pro wrestler, and even if anybody did tell him, they were proven wrong.

As difficult of a path it is to become a superstar in an industry that still seems to be suffering from the residual effects of The Old Boys Network, it might as well be impossible to make it to the top if you are black.

That's right.

Nobody told Shelton Benjamin that despite his abundance of talent and rare affinity to get in the ring and make the proverbial broomstick look like a million bucks, he would get cut off at some point.

Nobody told Kofi Kingston that despite a hot program with a top star that saw him literally soar in the world's most famous arena of Madison Square Garden, he would get cut off.

Nobody told R-Truth that no matter what he could do in the ring, he would be given a mic, some music, and a gimmick and after his catchy rap tune was cut off, he too would get cut off.

Nobody told any black wrestler what seems to be so obvious from trial and error. That unless you wanted to fulfill a negative stereotype on television and find a nice comfortable spot in the mid-card or lower, you really have no business in pro wrestling.

Nobody told them. Until now. This is a list of black wrestlers and the creative teams who kill them.

I have a feeling that I just might get heat for this.