Recently, Bobby Lashley mentioned that he would like to normalize Black wrestlers just being called ‘Champion’ rather than a ‘Black champion.’ While speaking on The F Y’all Podcast with C.T. Fletcher, former WWE Superstar MVP shared that while he sees Lashley’s point, he highlighted why representation still matters in the business.
MVP shared that it is important to him for people to be able to look up to those who represent their race or ethnicity.
“So, I understand Bobby’s [Lashley] philosophy about normalizing champions and taking the race or ethnicity out of it. However, I also understand that representation matters. Growing up, I didn’t have any black action heroes. There weren’t black G.I. Joes. We didn’t have that. It means something, to be able to look up and see a champion that looks like you. And everybody, especially at this current time in our society with all the division regarding race and political ideology.
“I still believe that it does mean something. Especially for black men to have black role models. And to have black heroes that you can look up to and identify with. People who can identify with your plate, your story, your struggle. So, yeah, I’d love to get to a point where we can just normalize champions. But to me, the aspect of having representation, somebody to look up to that does look like you, that will always be important.”
MVP: You didn’t have one Black dude come through that was good enough
The former WWE Superstar also questioned why WWE could not find one talented Black wrestler who could have held the WWE Championship before The Rock.
“Prior to The Rock winning the WWE Championship, there were no champions… Well, you had Pedro Morales, you got a Puerto Rican champion. So, in the history of the company, nobody was good enough? You didn’t have one Black dude come through that was good enough to be champion? And then The Rock came, and then you didn’t have any for a long time. And then Booker [T] came. But Booker had the World Championship He had that WWE Championship… Did I say too much already man? There are certain things that are very evident.
“And I’m glad that there has come a time when, like he [Shelton Benjamin] said, now we can rattle of a bunch of names that were black men who have held that title. And that makes me happy. I’m glad to see that progress. But there are certain things that are blatantly obvious. And some people are, ‘Oh come on, you want to make everything about race.’ Because it is mother f*cker. It is,” MVP said.
Do you agree with MVP?
