Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Avik Das
In different sports, black athletes have excelled, showing their talents and athleticism. In basketball, there are Michael Jordan and LeBron James; in MMA, there are Jon Jones and Anderson Silva; in boxing, there are Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, and in soccer, there are Pele and Ronaldinho. Therefore, famous black athletes have ruled every top sport around the globe.
Even though WWE faced criticism for not pushing enough black wrestlers, the scenario has thankfully altered in the past two decades. Additionally, the character presentation of African-American wrestlers has improved significantly. Now, whether in the men’s division or the women’s division, black wrestlers have shone to show their talent and also won titles. Here are some famous black wrestlers of all time to step foot in the squared circle of WWE.
# 10 Jacqueline
Jacqueline wrestled for WWE in an era when African-American wrestlers didn’t get the deserving opportunities. She had a great run in WWE during the Attitude Era when she captured the Women’s Championship, becoming the first-ever black female wrestler to win the gold. Jacqueline won the Women’s Championship twice in her WWE career. Besides the Women’s Championship, she also won the Cruiserweight Championship once and even got inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.
# 9 Mark Henry
Mark Henry was another popular African-American wrestler who had a decent run in the 1990s as well as the 2000s and the early 2010s. His storyline with Mae Young in the Attitude Era gave him a spotlight, but he reached a new altitude in his career in the 2000s, especially Ruthless Aggression Era. Mark Henry won the ECW Championship once and the World Heavyweight Championship once in his WWE career. For his spectacular career, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. Today, he is associated with AEW.
# 8 Big E
Big E, the powerhouse of New Day, is a homegrown wrestler of WWE. With a decade-long career in WWE, the New Day member has already achieved many things in the company. While he has won the Intercontinental Championship and the Tag Team Championship, his biggest accomplishment was capturing the WWE Championship. He was the third African-American wrestler to win the WWE Championship.
# 7 Kofi Kingston
Big E’s New Day team member Kofi Kingston debuted with a Jamaican gimmick. However, he was actually born in Ghana before moving to the United States. His success as a New Day member has been nothing short of spectacular, he made history by becoming the first African-American wrestler to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35.
Considering Kofi Kingston has been in company for over a decade and has seen ups and downs, he is currently one of the famous black wrestlers of the company, who represents his heritage.
# 6 Kamala
Kamala was a great WWE black wrestler in the 1980s. He predominantly wrestled in the Golden Era, when he was a noteworthy name in WWE. Wearing a loincloth and face paint, Kamala was known as the ‘Ugandan Giant’. The pinnacle of his career was facing Hulk Hogan in numerous WWE Championship matches in 1987. He also had good feuds with the likes of Jake Roberts, Randy Savage, The Undertaker, etc.
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# 5 Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair, the EST of WWE, has been on a roll is her main roster debut. With strength, swiftness in the ring, and good character work, she has been doing an incredible job as a top babyface of the women’s division. Bianca has already headlined WrestleMania, winning the Women’s Championships at the Grandest Stage of Them All. She is a two-time Women’s Champion with impressive reigns. Given her achievements in a short period, she has built a remarkable legacy.
# 4 Sasha Banks
As Sasha Banks is half black, she would be still considered for this list. She is a multi-time Women’s Champion, winning the SmackDown Women’s Champion as well as the RAW Women’s Championship. She also won the NXT Women’s Championship However, Sasha Banks isn’t currently part of WWE. Nevertheless, The Boss has set a new standard for the upcoming generation of female wrestlers
# 3 Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley struggled to find the top spot of the roster in his first run in WWE. However, the scenario altered after he returned for the second run in 2018. After being pushed as an invincible monster, Lashley has become the top star of the company.Bobby Lashley has become a two-time WWE Champion in his second stint at WWE. In addition, he has won the United States Championship and fought big names like Brock Lesnar and Goldberg. The Almighty has done enough to be a future Hall of Famer.
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# 2 Booker T
Booker T was already a main event-level star in WCW, headlining many shows of the company when it was operating. He won the World Heavyweight Championship four times. When Booker T arrived in WWE, he also tasted success. While it wasn’t as good as his WCW run, he was still pushed as a top star. Booker T won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship once. He also won other titles in the company becoming a Grand Slam Champion. His character as King Booker after winning the King of the Ring in 2006.
# 1 The Rock
Being part of the Anoa’i family, The Rock is recognized for his Samoan heritage. However, he also has a black heritage from his father’s side, as Rocky Johnson has Black Nova Scotian ancestry. Moreover, The Rock himself has claimed to be a WWE black wrestler. The Great One is arguably the most famous wrestler of all time, not just the most famous black wrestler of all time. Following his successful Hollywood career, his popularity has skyrocketed, and he is one of the most followed persons on Instagram.
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Avik Das is the founder of Sportsheed. He is a sports lover with broad knowledge of Professional Wrestling, MMA, Football, and Cricket. He has an English major and has previously written articles for various sports and entertainment websites
