Check here top 10 black wrestlers of all time and their exceptional contributions.
In each and every sport, black athletes have left their marks in one way or the other. When it comes to wrestling, these legends have not stepped back. Wrestling history has given us some of the most admirable gems and black athletes have a significant contribution to it.
They did not let themselves succumb to norms and stereotypes and set an example for everyone through their hard work and incredible talent. Their flair and sheer popularity changed the dynamics of professional wrestling and paved the way for all the up-and-coming future wrestling stars. Let us shine some light on some of the best African-American wrestlers of all time.
List of Top 10 Black Wrestlers Of All Time
Here is the list of top 10 best black wrestlers of all time:
1. THE ROCK
Probably the most iconic name in WWE history and an amazing actor who starred in some of the highest-grossing films ever. Rock is truly a role model to many. His contribution to the ‘Attitude Era’ gave the WWE a new face. After his deteriorating football career let him down, he followed his family’s steps and secured a contract with the WWF.
The Rock rose to prominence with his gimmick which had great mic skills and was a trash talker. He went on to bag major titles like a 10-time world champion, 5-time tag team champion, and 2-time intercontinental champion. He also won the 2000 Royal Rumble and 6th triple crown champion of WWE. His acting career boomed as well and made him one of the highest-paid actors, so no wonder he was named one of the world’s most influential people by Time.
2. KOFI KINGSTON
Being the only African-born wrestler in WWE history, Kingston is one of the most decorated stars in the WWE. After forming The New Day with Big E and Xavier Woods in 2014, the trio broke the record for the longest tag team championship reign in WWE history. Kingston is a 14-time tag team champion and a total 22-time WWE champion.
If this was not enough to show how incredibly talented this man is, he himself holds a record of spending the most days as a tag team champion. In 2019, he gained the title of the new World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania 35 and got the breakthrough he always deserved.
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3. JUNKYARD DOG
One of the most charismatic wrestlers in the country, JYD often headlined cards that gathered large audiences at his shows. He sold out numerous major venues like the Louisiana Superdome. His incredible wrestling potential made him the first black wrestler to be made the undisputed top star of his promotion.
At the peak of his career in the 1980s, JYD was described as one of the most electrifying wrestlers and was particularly is known for his upper body strength and headbutt that gave him the power to bodyslam wrestlers of stature much bigger than him. In 1998, JYD left WWF to join WCW/TNA and hit new highs in his career, leaving significant impacts on both companies.
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4. JACQUELINE MOORE
Later in her career, she worked as a trainer and a referee for the WWF. She successfully established herself in a space that predominantly belonged to men and set an example for all the women in the wrestling field. She was inducted into the WWE hall of fame on 2nd April 2016.
5. ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER
Lawrence Robert Shreve, better known by his ring name Abdullah The Butcher, is known as one of the most disturbing and violent wrestlers to ever enter the ring. Also an amateur in martial arts, Shreve used those techniques in the ring, making his matches more grotesque. According to Mick Foley, the scars on Shreve’s forehead could hold a gambling chip.
His matches would scream bloody murder as he would use foreign objects to attack his competitors way before they were even allowed. He won 46 different titles during his career and still is pretty popular in Japan, Puerto Rico, and Europe. Being the absolute legendary figure that he is, he was inducted into the WWE hall of fame even though he never wrestled for the company.
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6. SASHA BANKS
Sasha has helped to pave a path and be a role model to all the female wrestlers in the industry. She revolutionized the wrestling scenario and helped bring women’s wrestling to major events like Wrestlemania. Her match against Bayley was the first-ever women’s match to headline a NXT Takeover and the first iron woman match in the history of WWE. It was also the longest women’s match in WWE history that had length of 30 minutes.
Needless to say, their match was voted Match of the Year while Sasha was voted the Woman of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. She went on to win numerous championships, being one of the most iconic and inspirational women. She was also the third most tweeted about athlete in the year 2021.
7. ROCKY JOHNSON
The father of The Rock and a legendary persona, Johnson became the first black wrestler to win the Georgia Heavyweight champion. He began wrestling at 16 and never looked back. He was an incredibly talented wrestler and a top contender in the National Wrestling Alliance, beating the legends at the time like Harley Race and Terry Funk.
Johnson was paired with Tony Atlas as a tag team in 1982. They defeated The Wild Samoanson the December 10 1983 episode of Championship Wrestling for the Tag Team Championship and became the first black men in WWE history to hold a WWE Championship.After his retirement in the year 1991, Johnson went on to train his son Dwayne to enter the wrestling world.
8. BOBBY LASHLEY
Lashley was not only a talented professional wrestler but also a mixed martial artist. He became a one-time United States Champion while appearing on the SmackDown brand. Lashley got drafted to the ECW brand in 2006 and became a 2-time ECW World Champion, establishing himself as the first-ever African-American to hold the championship. Although he only spent a short amount of time in the world of professional wrestling, he was a fan favorite.
After departing in the year 2008, he pursued a career in MMA where he came off with flying colors. After a career record of 10-2, he signed with Bellator MMA and won five career bouts from 2014 to 2016. In 2009, he began appearing in TNA and soon became the first African-American to hold a four-time TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
9. R-TRUTH
Being fired from the WWE was the best thing to happen to Ron Killings as he went on to join TNA where his career saw new levels of success. As Ron “The Truth” Killings, he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship twice and became the first African-American to hold the title. He was also the first African-American World Champion in TNA history. Truth headlined numerous pay-per-view events at the peak of his career. He formed a trio with BG James and Konnan and went on to bag the title of NWA World Tag Team Championship twice. Upon returning to WWE in 2008 as R-Truth, he gathered many accolades to his name.
10. MARK HENRY
Not just a professional wrestler, but also an Olympian and a powerlifter, Henry has one it all. He is credited for the biggest raw powerlifting, raw squat as well as greatest deadlift by an American citizen. His amazing skills were seen in the ring as well.
Upon joining the World Wrestling Federation in 1996 he became a two-time world champion and one-time WWF European Champion. He also held the WWE World Heavyweight title in the year 2011 and the ECW Championship in the year 2008. He became the fourth African-American world champion after The Rock, Booker T, and Bobby Lashley. Henry was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in the year 2018.
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He is 51 years old.
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