Swerve Strickland Calls Out Booker T for Defending WWE’s Treatment of Black Wrestlers

Swerve Strickland has been very outspoken when it comes to Black representation in the world of professional wrestling. WWE has been criticized for not featuring enough Black male wrestlers in Premium Live Events and now Swerve Strickland has responded to Booker T claiming Black talent are treated unfairly in WWE.

Booker T previously addressed Swerve Strickland’s comments about Black wrestlers in WWE not getting fair opportunities. He said he didn’t understand what Swerve meant because, as a Black man, he hasn’t experienced unfair treatment.

Booker suggested that maybe Swerve felt he should have been a bigger star in WWE. He also said he’s tired of the race conversation and believes WWE has treated him fairly during his 20 years with the company.

“I’m just trying to figure out what he’s talking about. I’m Black, so I’m just trying to understand if something happened to him personally… maybe he thought he should have been a bigger star in WWE. I hate that we’re still talking about this race thing. I’ve been working for the company for a long time, and I know I’ve been treated fairly for 20 years.”

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While speaking to Vlad TV, Swerve Strickland responded to Booker T’s comments by bringing up the time where Vince McMahon used the N-word in front of him, arguing that this was not an example of fair treatment.

Swerve Strickland clarified that his point wasn’t just his personal opinion but instead what many fans have been saying for years. Swerve stated that the audience has been voicing concerns for the past two to three years about Black wrestlers not getting singles matches on major WWE events like Premium Live Events.

“That’s not what happened when Vince said the N-word in front of you… that’s not being treated fairly. My opinion. And to that statement, it’s not what I’m saying, it’s that I’m saying what people are saying. I’m saying what your audience is saying. It’s not just me talking out of my ass. It’s what your audience has been complaining about for the better part of 2-3 years—about not seeing Black talent getting singles matches on PLEs and stuff like that.”

This is not a new issue as people have been worried about how Black male wrestlers are treated on WWE’s main roster, especially since they are rarely featured in Premium Live Events.

The discussion is still going, and it’s unclear if WWE will give more chances to Black wrestlers at big events. Representation in wrestling is important, and stars like Swerve Strickland are making sure the topic remains relevant for as long as possible. Therefore, we’ll have to see whether Booker T will respond to what Strickland had to say.

What do you think about the state of Black representation in WWE? Do you agree with Swerve Strickland, or do you see things more from Booker T’s perspective? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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