Can a Afro American ever be a big main eventer?

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

I saw Booker T this Thursday with his wife and they did a great promo. I was all excited to see the match and when he won I thought it's a shame Booker T hasn't had a fair chance at the top in the WWE. The man is a great wrestler, he has a lot of charisma and he has experience. But I think the WWE doesn't push him because they think a Afro American wrestler will never be able to be as popular as someone like John Cena or Austin because of his skin color. I would love to see Booker T headlining PPV's but I may be right when I say that not entire America would like Booker T at the top because of his skin. I guess my question is:

 

Will a black wrestler ever be able to become as popular as John Cena or Austin?

[Adam 0]

First off, don't put Cena in the same breath as Austin for reaction. Maybe in a year when Cena's movie comes out he may be in the same ballpark. And ahem, have we forgotten that the Rock is half black, and half Samoan? No white there.

[justcoz 0]

I think Shelton Benjamin, if he isn't ruined by bad booking and creative, has a real good opportunity to be main eventing one day. I think he has better heel tendencies however.

[iggymcfly 0]

Yeah, ignoring skin color, Booker T's nowhere near as talented as someone like a Stone Cold Steve Austin, and I honestly believe that if he'd shown a little more charisma and acting ability in his feud with HHH, he would have won the title at WM XIX.

 

The Rock's a perfect example that if somebody's talented enough, he'll get over regardless of his skin color. I mean, when Michael Jordan was at his peak, no one was clamoring for Larry Bird to come back and take his throne away. Since wrestling's more about charisma than it is about athletic ability, the percentage of blacks is closer to the overall population than it is to the percentage of blacks in sports, but I'm pretty sure that if there is racism present in the WWE, it's only at the entry level, and they'd have no trouble pushing a black worker to the top if he was talented enough.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I'd like to see Shelton as a main eventer one of these days. All he needs to do is work up on his mic skills and I think the guy is pretty much set IMO.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I don't see any reason why not, but not many have come close to Austin in the past 10 years for marketability, regardless of race. Booker's not a great worker, Shelton needs a proper singles run with the IC belt without all this 6-man garbage crap. Then we'll see.

[Dark Age 0]

Yeah, ignoring skin color, Booker T's nowhere near as talented as someone like a Stone Cold Steve Austin, and I honestly believe that if he'd shown a little more charisma and acting ability in his feud with HHH, he would have won the title at WM XIX.

 

You have to go there again, don't you? Your bias against Book is obvious.

 

I don't see any reason why not, but not many have come close to Austin in the past 10 years for marketability, regardless of race. Booker's not a great worker, Shelton needs a proper singles run with the IC belt without all this 6-man garbage crap. Then we'll see.

 

There aren't many great wrestlers in the company. Book is still better than most of them, though.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I'm not convinced. Booker always puts forth a solid effort and I think he was over enough to warrant a big push at one stage, but we don't need another 40-year old in a main event slot when his popularity has seen it's peak.

[Dark Age 0]

Oh, I agree he's past his peak. No doubt. The window has gone on Book. However, one of the biggest arguments I hear is that it was the right decision to put Trips over Book because Booker wasn't any good. That's rubbish. At the time, he was the most over guy on Raw, and the best wrestler on Raw, and that includes Chris Jericho.

 

Though his limitations are obvious, he's still better than a good deal of the roster, and still really over. The amount of old guys in the main event scene is sad, but I'd rather see Booker in the spot than Trips, Shawn or Taker.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I agree he should have gone over HHH, and it's a shame they missed that opportunity.

[iggymcfly 0]

Oh, I agree he's past his peak. No doubt. The window has gone on Book. However, one of the biggest arguments I hear is that it was the right decision to put Trips over Book because Booker wasn't any good. That's rubbish. At the time, he was the most over guy on Raw, and the best wrestler on Raw, and that includes Chris Jericho.

 

Though his limitations are obvious, he's still better than a good deal of the roster, and still really over. The amount of old guys in the main event scene is sad, but I'd rather see Booker in the spot than Trips, Shawn or Taker.

You've got to be kidding me. Booker T hasn't had a **** singles match since joining the WWE, let alone reached the consistent match quality of a Chris Jericho or a Shawn Michaels. If you want to say that he was over for a while and he deserved the title, that's an arguable point, but to say he was the best worker on Raw is just ridiculous.

 

As for Trips, Shawn, and Taker, they're all established stars that had runs at the top before the company hit its latest downturn, and they're much more marketable than Booker T would be. You may feel sorry for Book because he never got the belt in the WWE, but that doesn't mean there's any logical reason to push him.

[Dark Age 0]

Stop saying worker. You don't know what it means, so shut the fuck up saying it.

 

He hasn't had a **** singles match? And? Because WWE is just FULL of ****+ matches, right? If you want to go on YOUR shitty scale for * ratings, then Book has had a ****+ singles match. With Kurt Angle in 01. When Kurt won the WCW title. But, tell me, when has he really been given the opportunity to have great matches? Taker, Edge and Big Show were the only PPV singles matches he had between dropping the WCW title to Rock (SS01) and his title match with Triple H (WM03). He's supposed to have a "****+ singles match" with who, exactly? Show? How many times did Book get enough time to have a "****+ singles match" on Raw? Only long matches in that time, that I can think of, on free TV, are his series with Angle (which were all good), and his SD match with Austin, which was very good, and better than most "classic" WWE TV matches. Other than that, what exactly? What is he supposed to do, have a **** match when wrestling Test for 4 minutes?

 

Also, Booker carred (yes, carried) Triple H to his best match of 02 and 03 at WrestleMania. Trips was blown up, and didn't do much of anything. Booker's selling, bumping, and offence made the match good. He was also a part of Triple H's best Raw match (the WM rematch).

 

What consistent match quality? Show me all the great Shawn matches of 03. No, show me the good matches. Jericho at WM? Maybe. What else? His matches with Orton sucked, his BB match with Flair sucked, and I can't think of any other notable singles matches he had, apart from the overrated Triple H match at year end.

 

Booker being over isn't arguable. I know you have something against him, but just drop it.

[Karc 0]

In the WWE, only if they shoot themselves up with enough steroids to look like a 320-pound superman can Afro-Americans have a shot at being in the main event. So Shelton still has a chance, if starts jucing now he might get there in seven years. There's a reason why Ahmed Johnson was the closest to ever getting there (i.e. Vince WANTED him there). And we've seen how they treated the half-black Rock. He was in the main event jobbing to everyone because he's the only one (besides Foley) who could be bothered to put guys over.

[justcoz 0]

Shelton has the personality to get over huge but they have him in the "smiling black kid does good" Bob Backlund from the hood role. If they allowed him to demostrate the personality he was showing on Smackdown and in his Raw debut, the mannerisms and attitude he had in skits with Bischoff and Austin and his match with HHH, he'd be in a different place right now. They've given the IC Title but haven't used the belt to get him over at all. I used to always argue that analogy, feeling the talent should be over before they get the title, but where would JBL be right now if that's the case. In pushing guys up the card, a solid championship reign should be important. Not a reign that is an afterthought, like Shelton's so far. He seems to be getting more recognition for his athleticism in recent weeks though. He's standing out from the rest of the talent, despite booking.

 

This was discussed in another thread but I feel Monty Brown would be over huge in WWE. I just like the guys enthusiasm. His promo style, despite being a throwback to the 80's, makes him seem like a star. I honestly feel he has a Rock like presence although they may need to work on his in-ring.

 

WWE also totally dropped the ball when they released Ron Killings and Elix Skipper. Killings could be a good rival for John Cena and Skipper could have added something to the Cruiserweight division.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

JYD was easily over enough to main event, even though he sucked as a worker. Imagine if he was actually good.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

FOR THE LAST TIME, THE ROCK IS AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HE MADE IT BIG IN THE WWE.

[2GOLD 0]

Bad worker or not, Booker should have went over for one reason.

They ran a "I'm better than you because I'm white".

They allowed Booker to be buried beyond belief and there was no excuse for that. I don't care if Book was going out for surgery, you don't run the racism angle and have the racist win the match. Because the other wrestler cannot recover from it. Ever. And Booker never recovered, the crowd never treated him the same.

 

That was the first time I can remember the racist wrestler PROVING his point.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Rock's 50%. Not the same. Besides, he plays much more to his other Samoan half.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Bad worker or not, Booker should have went over for one reason.

They ran a "I'm better than you because I'm white".

They allowed Booker to be buried beyond belief and there was no excuse for that. I don't care if Book was going out for surgery, you don't run the racism angle and have the racist win the match. Because the other wrestler cannot recover from it. Ever. And Booker never recovered, the crowd never treated him the same.

 

That was the first time I can remember the racist wrestler PROVING his point.

Why does it seem like the rascist always wins the feud eventually. Another one that was bad would be JBL/Eddie.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

JYD was easily over enough to main event, even though he sucked as a worker. Imagine if he was actually good.

Too bad he was around during the first Hogan run, or he might have had a chance.

 

Though I'm surprised they didn't at least give him the IC title.

 

...same with Jake the Snake and probably a few others.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Booker should have won a title soon after he came to the WWE, it would have helped him out a lot with credibility. Im just glad for the most part he's stopped saying "5 time x 5 WCW Champion" because it just proves that he was good enough to win 5 WCW titles during the dying days of WCW but he's not even a high midcarder in WWE.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Rock's 50%. Not the same. Besides, he plays much more to his other Samoan half.

So your saying that halfbreeds are not african-american? Being half black, I'm deeply offended by that comment.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Rock's 50%. Not the same. Besides, he plays much more to his other Samoan half.

Samoans aren't white if you didn't notice.

[2GOLD 0]

Bad worker or not, Booker should have went over for one reason.

They ran a "I'm better than you because I'm white".

They allowed Booker to be buried beyond belief and there was no excuse for that. I don't care if Book was going out for surgery, you don't run the racism angle and have the racist win the match. Because the other wrestler cannot recover from it. Ever. And Booker never recovered, the crowd never treated him the same.

 

That was the first time I can remember the racist wrestler PROVING his point.

Why does it seem like the rascist always wins the feud eventually. Another one that was bad would be JBL/Eddie.

 

Because I still believe the WWE is a racist company. It has just become more and more apparent here in the last few years. Or it might just be the writers and booking staff that is. Probably that one since it definately wasn't like this in the years with the Rock.

 

It just seems like "ok, that guy is a minority...I KNOW! Let's make the angle where the white man claims he is better, he completely insults and mocks the wrestlers hertiage and color and THEN the white man PROVES he is better!"

 

Eddie really got hammered on that deal bad.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Rock's 50%. Not the same. Besides, he plays much more to his other Samoan half.

Samoans aren't white if you didn't notice.

The topic is about African Americans specifically. Samoans aren't white, but they aren't that either.

[2GOLD 0]

I thought about this harder and now I wonder if maybe the question isn't about race at all

Maybe he wants to know if a wrestler with an afro could get over?

 

Like Carlito or that manager guy they sent back to OVW.

 

So no, I don't think a wrestler with an afro could be as over as Austin.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I thought about this harder and now I wonder if maybe the question isn't about race at all

Maybe he wants to know if a wrestler with an afro could get over?

 

Like Carlito or that manager guy they sent back to OVW.

 

So no, I don't think a wrestler with an afro could be as over as Austin.

...that's not cool.

 

*bites into an apple, then spits it in your face*

[alfdogg 0]

At the time, he was the most over guy on Raw, and the best wrestler on Raw, and that includes Chris Jericho.

OK, I like Booker, but I think that's pushing it a bit.

[Dark Age 0]

Name who was better. Really. Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels are the only two who come close, and there's nothing from either man AT THAT TIME that would suggest they were better than Booker T.

[Precious Roy 0]

It really doesn't matter if he was the best at the time, he was one of the best, and certainly competent enough in-ring, not to mention popular and charismatic, to be world champion. The six to eight months leading up to Mania was arguably Booker's peak, match wise, in the WWE. He was having much better performances than Hunter at the time, and Hunter was the champ.

 

Anyway, Shelton's character and mic skills need some improvement, but he's definitely got the goods to main event some day.