Sports Debate: Who was the BEST Black Pro Wrestler of ALL TIME???
- Thread starter playahaitian
- Start date
I loved Ernie Ladd's political incorrectness. Best trash talker ever. A Grambling State Football legend as well.
He went in on Manny Fernandez at the 1 minute mark in the below promo. "He can't wrestle, he's just a wetback who can't wrestle".
He beat Jay Stongbow up wearing a pimp suit. Beat him with the gators and then stuffed him with feathers.
The ref wearing the stripes took two nasty tosses out the ring
He used to go in on other black wrestlers. On Junk Yard Dog he would say "he was going to beat the black off him". On Tony Atlas, saying he going to "send him back to Africa". Thunderbolt Patterson he use to call "Thunder mouth". Rufus R. Jones he would call him "Captain Nappy Head".
He would call Mr. Wrestling II a "Masked varmint", call Dusty Rhodes "Dirty Roads", and call Dick Murdoch and the rest of them no good lazy rednecks.
He was like Red Fox in a wrestler's body when he talked.
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I loved Ernie Ladd's political incorrectness. Best trash talker ever. A Grambling State Football legend as well.
He went in on Manny Fernandez at the 1 minute mark in the below promo. "He can't wrestle, he's just a wetback who can't wrestle".
He beat Jay Stongbow up wearing a pimp suit. Beat him with the gators and then stuffed him with feathers.
He used to go in on other black wrestlers. On Tony Atlas, saying he going to "send him back to Africa". Thunderbolt Patterson he use to call "Thunder mouth". Rufus R. Jones he would call him "Captain Nappy Head".
He would call Mr. Wrestling II a "Masked varmint", call Dusty Rhodes "Dirty Roads", and call Dick Murdoch and the rest of them no good lazy rednecks.
He was like Red Fox in a wrestler's body when he talked.
I never knew all this, Damn! Ernie The Big Cat Ladd had no fucks to give in the 70's and early80's
Man this was a good one and a serious trip down memory lane got me on youtube looking up classics.....i'm gonna give love to 2 of the baddest females in da game.....
Not the prettiest but they were tough.
Nice List! The one that's missing is the first black UWF champ Savannah Jack he had "Sweet Chin Music" before Sean Michaels stole it. It was called Savat KickThe Rock, Abdulla the Butcher, JYD, Rufus R. Jones, Booker T, Ernie Ladd, Carlos Colon, Sweet Daddy Siki, Ron Simmons, Hacksaw Butch Reed, Sweet Brown Sugar, Luther Lindsy, Bobo Brazil, Prince Pullins, T'bolt Patterson, Pistol Pez Whatley, Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, S.D Jones, Iceman King Parson, Norvell Austin, Koko B. Ware, Stevie Ray, New Jack, Mustafa..... Holla at a real wrestling fan!
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Dream triple team match would have been Harlem Heat vs Butch Reed and Ron Simmons vs Rocky Johnson and Tony AtlasStill my favorite black wrestler of all time
Wearing the North American Title Belt in Mid South territory
Doom with Ron Simmons and Teddy Long with the WCW Tag Belts
The short lived "The Hacksaws" with Jim Duggan in the Mid-South territory
Most memorable feud vs. Junkyard Dog in the Mid South territory. Best black on black feud ever. They used to sell out the Superdome. Even though JYD was immensely over as a fan favorite in Mid South, I always like Reed better despite him being the heel. They would wrestle each other in the WWF and WCW years later but it did not have the same heat and intensity as their Mid South feud in the early 80's.
Still my favorite black wrestler of all time
Wearing the North American Title Belt in Mid South territory
Doom with Ron Simmons and Teddy Long with the WCW Tag Belts
The short lived "The Hacksaws" with Jim Duggan in the Mid-South territory
Most memorable feud vs. Junkyard Dog in the Mid South territory. Best black on black feud ever. They used to sell out the Superdome. Even though JYD was immensely over as a fan favorite in Mid South, I always like Reed better despite him being the heel. They would wrestle each other in the WWF and WCW years later but it did not have the same heat and intensity as their Mid South feud in the early 80's.
According to Honky Tonk Man Reed was supposed to get the IC belt but he wasn't around so they gave it to him.
If you count the Rock, which some people don't, he would by far be the greatest.
Right behind him is Booker T.
Bad News Brown & D-Lo Brown should both been multiple time World champs but wasn't.
Ahmad Johnson too, but homeboy got fat & fell smooth the fuck off.
Jay Lethal is the future of black wrestling. Why WWE hasn't thrown the checkbook at this guy, I don't know. Probably his age.
And while New Jack isn't truly a wrestler (he can really wrestle, he just chooses not to), only Rock comes close to his insane promos.
And special shoutout to Junkyard Dog. The funny thing about JYD is that the WWE wasn't where he made his name. That man was so bad in Mid-South, that the company was never the same once he left. He had the same effect Hogan did when he left the AWA.
Right behind him is Booker T.
Bad News Brown & D-Lo Brown should both been multiple time World champs but wasn't.
Ahmad Johnson too, but homeboy got fat & fell smooth the fuck off.
Jay Lethal is the future of black wrestling. Why WWE hasn't thrown the checkbook at this guy, I don't know. Probably his age.
And while New Jack isn't truly a wrestler (he can really wrestle, he just chooses not to), only Rock comes close to his insane promos.
And special shoutout to Junkyard Dog. The funny thing about JYD is that the WWE wasn't where he made his name. That man was so bad in Mid-South, that the company was never the same once he left. He had the same effect Hogan did when he left the AWA.
JYD
The 90+ Best Black Wrestlers Of All Time, Ranked
Wrestling has been a cornerstone of sports entertainment for decades, and some of the best black wrestlers of all time have made truly unforgettable contributions. These athletes have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and delivered electric performances that fans continue to talk...
www.ranker.com
jyd was koko beware too correct??
the Rock period end of discussion. the Rock is a top 10 of all time regardless of color. I judge the top 10 on money drawn,in ring performer,asses in seats and mainstream appeal
1.Flair
2.Stone Cold
3.Hogan
4.Andre
5.Bruno
6.Rock
7.Undertaker
8.Cena
9.Brock
10.Triple H
1.Flair
2.Stone Cold
3.Hogan
4.Andre
5.Bruno
6.Rock
7.Undertaker
8.Cena
9.Brock
10.Triple H
Koko beware... wasn't the Junkyard dawg... brah
Hulk Hogan kept the belt many times at Bad News Brown’s expense; shit used to piss me off.
Bullshit ass McMahon.....
People don't understand how JYD helped race relations in the south just being a wrassler. From teaming up with a redneck like Dick Murdoch to battle Akbar's army(Devastion Inc.) and other heels to his epic angle with the Freebirds when he got "blinded" by them. The angle ended with Junkyard Dog battling Michael Hayes of the Freebirds in the cage match but JYD had bandages on his eyes so he wrestled "blind". JYD got the win and was super over as an inspirational folk hero.
Since this thread is about black wrestlers, who are your top picks?
Hulk Hogan kept the belt many times at Bad News Brown’s expense; shit used to piss me off.
Bad News was a good performer but he was never even close to being WWF champion. He wasnt a draw and he wasnt good in ring. He was a legit bad ass in that he was a master in Judo. The black performer from mid 70s to early 80s who was gonna be champion was Tony Atlas.
????
thats what Im sayin...if I remember correctly...
My top pick was Rock and my list was to show how far above any other black wrestler he is. It limits him to compare him to just black wrestlers cause it can be argued hes too low on my list and could be up there with Flair Hogan and Austin. I think JYD would be 2nd on the black list cause he was over huge and drew HUGE money in midsouth b4 going to WWF.
Bad News are good behind the mic, had believable heat, and was a legit tough guy so his work was snug in the ring but he was never a good worker. If had a strong opponent who could carry him like Macho Man or Steamboat he looked good but when he wrestled someone who couldnt carry him he had bad matches like the match against Piper at Wrestlemania. I liked Bad News but his strength was his mic skills and his legit fighting skills not his in ring work.
As far as this list goes it is a good list based on the criteria you listed. The only changes I would make is the sub in Macho Man Randy Savage for Triple H. A case can be made for Sting and Dusty Rhodes for their importance outside of Vince's vision. WWE(formerly WWF) had the mainstream appeal locked down since WM1. They became the defacto mainsteam brand. I do love the inclusion of Andre(he was a mega star decades before social media) and Bruno being a media darling with high profile Italian celebrities.
Thanks for clearing that up.
You are right about Macho Man! He would be 11 on my list. I put Triple H ahead of him cause I think he was a clear number 3 during the Austin/Rock era and he headlined more than Macho for more years. Macho was better in ring performer and they are close on the mic. I think Sting would be somewhere between 12-15 and Dusty would be 18-22. Andre was making 400k a year in early-mid 70s which was unheard of. Bruno was such a media darling and was so believeable in his gimmick he was given an audience with the Queen.
No biggie just wanted to see who black you thought. However Rock is of African decent due to his dad but his Samoan genes are just as strong so people will argue he is the Obama of pro wrestling. Black enough but not really black. So I just thought it was fair on my point to ask your opinion about who people identify as ados/fba. If you feel not like answering it's cool. Not trying to argue, just only trying to concentrate on black greats in this business since this thread was about that.
You right they try to downplay him being black cause hes such a huge success,but he is black in fact Somoans r African decented people just like Hawaiians and all those island people. I would rate a top 10 black wrestlers as follows
1.Rock
2.JYD
3.Booker T
4.Ron Simmons/Farooq
5.Abdullah the Butcher
6.Mark Henry
7.Bobo Brazil
8.Kofi Kingston
9.Koko B Ware
10.Thunderbolt Patterson
Macho Man shits all over Triple H in ring and with charisma, many people find Triple H booooorrrriiinnnnggggggggg. Imo marrying the Tycoon's daughter gives him an unfair advantage plus H had the benefit of being part of the modern era. With that said I'm now inclined to put Mic Foley ahead of Triple H. I am just saying Triple H is really not that good imo, maybe I'm biased but his relationships really gave him that stroke where he has full unfiltered freedom to book his own angles. With that power you can book yourself to lose but always look strong because you would never allow your character to look weak in defeat.