The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for a healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored insight and entertainment! This week, Fam, Mimi, DDm, and khal are joined by Smoke DZA to talk the upcoming HEELS HAVE EYES III: STEEL PRAYING show in Chicago this weekend, the 4th Rope journey, and much more! Later, the squad talks Chris Bey's recent injury, NXT, the Usos being on speaking terms, Bobby Lashley's AEW debut, a preview of Crown Jewel (with predictions), and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for a healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored insight and entertainment! This week, Fam, Matth, Mimi, and khal return to discuss Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns teaming up on the WWE SmackDown premiere on USA, Bronson Reed yeeting someone into Braun Strowman, Saturday Night's Main Event returning, the build to WWE Bad Blood, NXT on The CW, a plethora of signings and deals in the air (including word of the Lucha Bros signing with WWE), and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for a healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored insight and entertainment! This week, Fam, Matth, Mimi, and khal speak with rising star Maya World about her two-year journey in the world of pro wrestling, as well as what's next for her. Later, the squad talks WWE Bash in Berlin fallout, Odyssey Jones, Adam Page burning down Swerve Strickland's childhood home, previewing AEW All Out, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for a healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored insight and entertainment! This week, Fam, Matth, DDm and khal have a dope conversation with Sidney Akeem about his journey and the work
he's done during the summer of 2024. Later, the squad previews WWE Bash
in Berlin and NXT No Mercy, discuss the fallout from AEW All In (aka the
AEW All Out early preview), our trip to JobberSlam 4, the passing of
Sid Vicious, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for a healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored insight and entertainment! This week, Fam, Matth, and khal talk WWE SummerSlam 2024 (with their predictions), Shane McMahon and Tony Khan having a meeting, a historic ROH Death Before Dishonor, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We also stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for a healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored insight and entertainment! This week, Fam, Mimi, Matth, and khal talk the fallout from TNA Hard to Kill, including Nic Nemeth's debut in TNA and the rest of the former WWE superstars who were released when Nemeth was. Later, they discuss the world title matches on Raw and Dynamite, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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From Nickelodeon to Impact Wrestling, Kenny King has spent his time on this planet doing well at a number of things. In this conversation with the Black Rasslin' Podcast, King breaks down his 22-year career in pro wrestling (so far), from WWE Tough Enough to Impact Wrestling (and beyond). He also opens up about his career as an actor, particularly his time working on Nickelodeon's classic Black show My Brother and Me. The question is, what's next for Kenny King?
On this special edition of the Black Rasslin' Podcast, Kaun joins the
squad to talk about his impressive year, going from an indie darling to
being one-third of the current, reigning Ring of Honor World Six-Man
Champions. He speaks candidly about his recent trip with Toa Liona to
New Japan Pro-Wrestling to compete in the World Tag League, his
Cameroonian roots, his promo work, and much more!
The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns for the last pod of 2023! This week, Fam, Mimi, Matth, and khal talk ASÉ Wrestling announcing their February date, AEW Worlds End going down this Saturday, and more before giving their flowers the best way we know how: by each spending time highlighting their Black Rasslers of the YEAR!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, Fam, Matth, and khal return for for a long-awaited conversation with J Boujii, aka Fifty! Later, the squad discusses Trick Williams winning the Iron Survivor Challenge (and the fallout on NXT), CM Punk signing to Raw (and his confrontation with Seth Rollins), the AEW Continental Classic tournament, ROH Final Battle 2023, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, Mimi, Fam, Matth, and khal speak with The Midwest's Best Kept Secret Isaiah Broner about his time int he industry so far. Later, the squad breaks down CM Punk's surprise return to WWE at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames, Randy Orton and R-Truth also returning to WWE, Dante Martin making his return to AEW, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, Mimi, Fam, Matth, and khal link up to talk everything from Ronda Rousey showing up in Ring of Honor and Will Ospreay being All Elite to a #NoCapRecap of AEW Full Gear 2023, WWE Survivor Series: WarGames predictions, and much more!
NOTE: This episode was recorded earlier this week. Think "during Monday Night Raw" earlier this week. Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, Matth, Mimi, and khal are here to discuss The Rock returning to WWE SmackDown (and his comments about facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania), the recent batch of WWE layoffs (which include the likes of Shelton Benjamin, Top Dolla, Dolph Ziggler, and Mustafa Ali), AEW Grand Slam results and fallout, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of our Patreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, Mimi, Fam, and khal are joined by NXT's own Wes Lee! Later, the squad talks Sunday's NXT: Great American Bash card, Athena and Willow Nightingale main eventing Death Before Dishonor, Seth Rollins shopping for sneakers, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, Mimi, Matth, and khal are joined by King Tre D of WeLuvWrestling to discuss the 2023 #BRP50 list, the end(?) of The Bloodline, CM Punk's return to AEW, his AEW: Collision promo, and his future in AEW, as well as the Men's and Women's Owen Hart tournament brackets. Stacked show, you know what it is!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
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Although social media can be criticized for many things—with Wrestling Twitter having its own special place of toxicity and tribalism—it has been an excellent tool for discovering and finding your tribe of people who share your interests. Perhaps no place is this truer in pro wrestling than the boon of African Americans in the industry. At one time, Black wrestlers and their fans were little more than a novelty that was often met with a raised eyebrow when discussed out in the wild. But the past decade has seen exponential growth in both fans and talent across multiple promotions. And with that growth has come an era today where Black champions are almost normalized.
Thanks to acts like The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E), Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, Mercedes Moné (FKA Sasha Banks), Keith Lee, Bobby Lashley, Carmelo Hayes, Jay Lethal and others, the idea of a Black champion in professional wrestling is no longer a foreign concept.
The mold of what a Black wrestler is supposed to be no longer exists and the archetype that toggled somewhere between mindless brute and smiling Sambo for the better part of 40 years has been shattered. The idea of no longer being hamstrung by stereotypes has opened the door for African Americans to be true to themselves both in and out of the ring.
Why did it take so long?
For starters, the biggest wrestling promotion in the world was run through the eyes of a conservative white man who built the entirety of his company on stereotypes. Foreigners and minorities were often typecast into roles that the All-American white man had to conquer. Mexicans rode lawnmowers, Asians never spoke English, gay wrestlers were treated as jokes, and Black wrestlers were thugs or overly happy and way too eager to entertain the masses. None were ever viewed as champions unless they had white friends or stripped themselves of their culture on their way to the top.
Somehow, pro wrestling is one of the last forms of entertainment to reflect society. Think about this: there was a Black president before there was an African-born WWE champion.
With Black talent holding prominent positions in major wrestling promotions, it’s only right that we’ve seen a significant rise of African Americans in the indie ranks over the past decade. And as we’ve seen for the past decade, the independent scene is ripe with talent that will eventually feed into the major promotions as they seek new stars.
There was a time that you couldn’t find 50 Black pro wrestlers to fill up a list. But there is an abundance of talent to deliberate over that stretches across the globe. From the brilliant stylings of British talent Michael Oku to the physically imposing—but stunningly agile—Calvin Tankman to the technically superior Jonathan Gresham and the inexplicably talented Bianca Belair, there’s something for everyone and no two Black wrestlers are the same.
What makes this era truly special is the community that supports Black talent and, in turn, is responsible for them being pushed to the top of the card. The idea that the straight white male/female is the prototype for a wrestling promotion’s idea of a superstar is antiquated and, as a result, pro wrestling fans of all genders and races simply want their wrestling to reflect a society that is wrestling with diversity every single day. It may not be perfect, but it’s something that we can truly feel that we are a part of.
There are promotions that dedicate themselves to Black talent like Atlanta’s BattleSlam, shows that spotlight the Black indie scene like GCW’s For The Culture and events that bring the community together simply to celebrate one another, like WaleMania. We are no longer spectators yearning for scraps. We are a big chunk of the community that promoters are now forced to pay attention to. Our desires as wrestling fans won’t be ignored. And if they are, we’ll be sure to make a lot of noise.
Ask Black Wrestling Twitter.
While the casual wrestling fan is surely cognizant of the Bianca Belairs, Willow Nightingales, Ricochets, Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks of the industry because they grace our television screens on a weekly basis, there is a burgeoning community of Black independent talent that is truly tearing up the scene and absolutely necessary to be placed on your radar. The art of discovery is still significant and nobody wants to be late to the party when identifying something special within our community.
Not all of them will make it to the major leagues, and that’s okay. Not all of our favorite rappers end up being signed to a major label, either. And, oftentimes, it’s better that way because it doesn’t water them down. Some are sadistically hyper-violent (Billy Dixon), others are far too in touch with the dark side (Holidead) and then there are the absurdly athletic innovators of offense (Kevin Knight). They are globetrotters who make a living traversing across state lines and getting their passports stamped to showcase their ability. Eventually, some will make their way to the major promotions and (hopefully) continue to display just how uniquely diverse Black wrestlers are.
Remember, before he showed up in NXT, nobody had ever seen a big man move quite like Keith Lee did in the indies. Or, a woman who Vince McMahon would have ridiculed for her overly joyful persona and body type that isn’t rail thin but can absolutely go in the ring like Willow Nightingale. Or, a wrestler who defied gravity to the point that his ariel offense was considered a unique artform like Ricochet.
Black wrestlers continue to innovate and eventually become game-changers.
With that, it’s only right that we spotlight a few so you can make sure you catch them when they pay your city a visit.
***
Andreas Hale is the Senior Combat Sports Writer at The Sporting News. He’s also the co-host of “The Corner Podcast” with ESPN Ringside’s Kel Dansby, an on-air talent on Sirius XM’s Fight Nation and co host of “Fighting Words.” Before covering boxing, MMA and pro wrestling, Andreas held senior positions at HipHopDX, BET and Jay-Z’s Life+Times. He’s also the co-creator of the upcoming animated series “Our Heroes Rock” with Ettore “Big E” Ewen and Jonathan Davenport.
The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of rasslin'-flavored poddin'. This week, illfam79, Mimi, and khal are joined by MeekthaMage to discuss the death and legacy of the Iron Sheik, Roman Reigns' new Undisputed WWE Universal title, The Bloodline, Seth Rollins as a fighting champion, WWE blocking arenas, Adam Cole being next up for MJF, the Collision main event match, our pro wrestling Mt. Rushmores, and much more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
rate, comment, subscribe, and
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with healthy dose of insight and entertainment ahead of a busy weekend. At the top of the show, illfam79, Matth, Drip, and khal linked with Eel O'Neal to learn about one of the more promising pro
wrestlers on the scenes. Later, the squad talks Mercedes Moné winning
the IWGP Women's Championship, fallout from WWE's Elimination Chamber
PLE, Montez Ford's star-making moment, and a lot more!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with our brand of insight and entertainment after a news-heavy week in pro wrestling. This week, illfam79, Matth, Drip, Mimi, and khal are talking everything from Mandy Rose being released by the WWE (who also suspended Matt Riddle for failing a drug test) to MJF defeating Ricky Starks (and gaining a Bryan Danielson-sized foe), Bobby Lashley getting "fired," Vince McMahon apparently wanting to return in the midst of new allegations and a Vice documentary dropping, as well as fallout from ROH's Final Battle AND new stipulations on the Best of 7 series between The Elite and Death Triangle? Hopefully we make it through.
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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The Black Rasslin' Podcast returns with your required dose of insight and entertainment. This week, illfam79, Matth, Drip, Mimi, and khal talk a low-key stacked Saturday of pro wrestling this weekend, with
both NXT's Deadline pay-per-view and ROH Final Battle going down on the
same day. The squad's also talking WWE Raw from this past Monday, The
New Day showing up on NXT, the PWI Top 100 Tag Teams list, pro wrestlers
showing up at NBA games, Ricky Starks and MJF, and we will be picking
the winner of the prize we won during the Black Pod Connect Holiday Giveaway Trivia Night from last week. Tap in!
You know the routine: you can stream and download this week's episode via SoundCloud, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify! We stream live every Thursday at 8:35PM ET on YouTube. We also encourage you to become a member of the BRPatreon,
where you can get even MORE exclusive content (and merch discounts)!
We'll catch you next week; tell a friend to tell their homies to LIKE,
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