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Black Out
14 Plays2 months ago
Join the Queens this week as they celebrate Black History Month!
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Transcript
Introduction to The Queen's Ring Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to Queen's Ring Podcast, where we celebrate the past, the present, and the future of professional wrestling. We're your hosts, Charity and Keri, your go-to duo. And on today's episode, we're diving into Black History Month.
00:00:16
Speaker
Period. So, checking in each other. shout out to Young Fuego. We about to respectfully whoop his behind this week.
Recent Activities and Upcoming Events
00:00:30
Speaker
Yes, this Friday, we're headed to SOS Pro Wrestling, as the queens normally do. We haven't been there, though, since no November. Yeah. It's a fubber. So... What? What?
00:00:43
Speaker
That's so funny!
00:01:03
Speaker
Oh my gosh.
00:01:08
Speaker
Y'all. So it has been a couple months since we've been at SOS. Sure
Tiffany Stratton vs. Mandy Rose: Who Owns the Phrase?
00:01:15
Speaker
has. But it's also been a couple months since me and Carrie seen each other before season two dropped.
00:01:22
Speaker
I was actually in Panama for majority of January and then we didn't record December or January because we took that break. to rebrand so and we really didn't see each other but was it six was this since the s SOS event no we saw each other at your birthday party oh yeah we
Inclusivity and Representation in Wrestling
00:01:50
Speaker
that show is right laughing laughing that show is right laughing laughing laughing
00:02:02
Speaker
episodes this already this is hilarious okay anyways so y'all we're going back to sos friday for their valentine's day 10 things i hate about you special and we got front row yes so we about to get all the good action the pictures the videos so we can't wait definitely
Impact of Black Wrestlers in History
00:02:25
Speaker
what who's deafy
00:02:34
Speaker
imagineary Debbie. Debbie, can you hear me?
00:02:41
Speaker
No, we're definitely going to in for a treat. We already see that a lot of people that we love are having matches. And don't know, it's like, it's something different about being gone for so long. So coming back is like very exciting.
00:02:58
Speaker
So our headline for this week is Tiffany Stratton responding to Mandy Rose's allegations in her interview with Ring the Bell.
00:03:08
Speaker
So her catchphrase, Mandy Rose catchphrase. Claims. Claims. Put some respect on my name. Girl, I don't ever recall you even saying that.
00:03:21
Speaker
Me neither, to be honest. First of all. Second of all, it's not your catchphrase. That's just a common phrase. Yeah. You don't own that catchphrase. And I think you only think that she says it a certain way. It's because you're both bubbly blondes and you talk the same.
00:03:37
Speaker
Yeah. That's why. Yeah. Like, it there's literally no comparison to Tiffany and Mandy. And I'm not even a Tiffany girl. Yeah. Or a Mandy girl, but I'm definitely not Tiffany girl.
00:03:48
Speaker
I'm not. So, for me to even be like, you're, there's no comparison of you to her? Slow your
Stereotypes and Challenges in Wrestling
00:03:55
Speaker
roll, Mandy. Slow your roll. So, Tiffany responded, honestly, i think it's little sad that she felt the need to go on her podcast and say something like that. I wish her the best, honestly. And, period. Because,
00:04:08
Speaker
Much nicer than me. Because I would have been like, girl, who are you for? Please. Okay? Because who else? She said something about Tiffany st Stratton and she said something about other people too. Girl, nobody's thinking about you.
00:04:20
Speaker
Don't be fooling yourself. And yeah I'm over here thinking like it's some weird catchphrase that she has that no one else is saying and blah, blah, blah. It's literally put some respect on my name. There's probably a dozen of people i who have said that in the business of wrestling. So, relax.
00:04:38
Speaker
and this episode we'll go
Legacy of Black Wrestling Pioneers
00:04:44
Speaker
We'll go into the importance of representation. So we've talked about the importance representation when it comes to the Black community before. And we will always continue, and I mean always, to highlight how promoting inclusivity and challenging stereotypes creates a space where viewers at home and fans from all backgrounds can see themselves in the ring.
00:05:09
Speaker
Exactly. And I want to say, please note, that that we are the ones the twos the threes the fours the five the six the seven eight and that intense okay we are that's just how it is and i also stated that because where would john cena be without the persona of the doctor of thuganomics period because we know that his career was not going anywhere and he thought he' was going to be kicked out
Achievements of Modern Black Wrestlers
00:05:35
Speaker
like fired because he he wasn't like clasping on onto anything yeah so without that doctor of thegonomics persona which is black be black the black black y'all three where would he be would he be gone yeah probably i'm gonna say he would definitely be gone yeah you so let's talk about kind of the civil rights movement the 60s and 70s of wrestling so during this time wrestling promotions were divided into territorial systems
00:06:04
Speaker
and segregation extended to the wrestling audience and performers. Black wrestlers often performed in segregated arenas or had to go into separate entrances or be snuck in.
00:06:17
Speaker
in cars or trunks brought in with the luggage etc. in is crazy. It's mad crazy. And not like a snook in and like oh it's a surprise he came back. You know what I mean? It's not that kind of snook Wrestlers were repeatedly excluded from championship titles and relegated to special attraction matches.
00:06:36
Speaker
That's crazy. That's a crazy title. yeah Special attraction. This ain't no amusement park. This the circus bitch.
Athena's Success and Advocacy for Diversity
00:06:46
Speaker
No, it ain't. Last time I checked. Subjected to racist gimmicks, portraying stereotypes rather than being presented as serious competitors. Their characters like characterization fed into societal prejudices.
00:07:01
Speaker
By simply existing in a mostly white industry, achieving success against the odds stacked against them, and refusing to conform to racist stereotypes and challenging segregation in the wrestling territories and demanding for fair treatment and pay and respect from promoters, Black wrestlers back then began to change the game.
00:07:21
Speaker
So going into historical highlights, in 1963, Bearcat Wright, he became the first Black wrestler to win a recognized world heavyweight title.
00:07:33
Speaker
Snap, snap, snap, 1963.
Future Prospects for Black Wrestlers
00:07:35
Speaker
Let's go. And 20 years later, in 1983, Soul Patrol, consisting of Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson, became the first black tag team to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.
00:07:49
Speaker
Period. As they should. And in 1992, Ron Simmons made history when he became the first black wrestler to win the WCW World Heavyweight title.
00:08:01
Speaker
And this is a landmark moment for racial representation in wrestling. And just six years later, Jacqueline Moore became the first Black woman to win the WWE Women's Championship.
00:08:13
Speaker
As you should, Jacqueline. Also in 1998, The Rock won the WWE wwewe Championship for the first time making him the first black WWE Champion recognized by the company. In 2002, Ron The Truth Killings became the first black NWA World Heavyweight Champion in TNA and the first recognized black NWA World Champion overall.
00:08:38
Speaker
Let us go, R-Truth! In 2017, we became the first black women to win the SmackDown WWE Championship. And this win also gave her the role of being the first Black woman to ever win a championship at WrestleMania.
00:08:55
Speaker
Now, isn't that a damn shame? In 2017, in 2019,
Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser
00:09:00
Speaker
Kofi Kingston achieved a groundbreaking victory at WrestleMania when he became the first Black wrestler born outside of the country to win the WWE championship.
00:09:10
Speaker
we love And we love that for Kofi, okay? Mm-hmm. And sticking with the WrestleMania theme, in 2021, Bianca Belair won the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 37 in the first ever main event that featured two Black women, Sasha Banks and her. And in 2022, Scorpio Sky won the AEW TNT Championship twice, making him the first Black singles champion in AEW history. Okay.
00:09:42
Speaker
Also... In 2022, Jade Cargill made history as nr role a e w tvbs champion become the becoming the company's first black woman to hold a major title in AEW. 2024, Swerve Strickland becomes AEW's first black AEW world champion.
00:10:02
Speaker
Let's go. Okay, let's get it. Let's go.
00:10:10
Speaker
and Another song.
00:10:12
Speaker
we sing in the song at each info And that's just that's just what it is. So going into the challenges and obstacles that black wrestlers face.
00:10:23
Speaker
The first one is stereotypes like Carrie mentioned earlier. Their gimmicks were often defined by the stereotypes rather than depth and individuality.
00:10:34
Speaker
So this lack of nuanced storytelling meant that Black wrestlers had fewer opportunities to evolve in the eyes of fans and often struggled to be seen as more than their racial identity.
00:10:45
Speaker
So this limits their potential to have a longer career and that character growth. Diving in a little bit more, we can talk about the limitations. that the Black wrestlers have, you know, they didn't get the opportunities for major titles or high-profile storylines for quite a long time, often being excluded from top-tier promotions or pushed into the background while White wrestlers were given the spotlight.
00:11:13
Speaker
Our last challenge is representation. Black wrestlers were underrepresented in mainstream wrestling promotions, making it difficult for Black fans to see themselves reflected in that sport.
00:11:28
Speaker
And if we don't have that representation, then we will feel like the space isn't welcoming us. And there was there's much more challenges, but like these, we just decided to name a few kids.
00:11:39
Speaker
The list is long. It's a long list. Before we talk about the stars of today, we you know have to talk about the pioneers who led us here, Bobo Brazil,
00:11:55
Speaker
Ernie Ladd, Ethel Johnson, Babs Wingo, Marble Scott, which are the three black sisters who helped break barriers for us. Sailor Art Thomas, Rocky Johnson, Ron Simmons, Twin Lake Atlas, and more.
00:12:11
Speaker
many Many, many more. So let's kind of get into the middle of that. So we can talk about few of those stars that have a cultural influence today.
00:12:24
Speaker
Yeah, so my first person is Mercedes Monet, formerly known as Sasha Banks. So Mercedes, she had a very successful career in WWE and a growing career in AEW. So Mercedes was known, at the time she was Sasha Banks, as the heel that didn't care about children and made them cry.
00:12:50
Speaker
Boom. Okay. She was a multi-time champion and one of the first to sign with New Japan Pro Wrestling, as well as the first African-American to wrestle in that company.
00:13:02
Speaker
She helped redefine what it means for women to succeed in global wrestling promotions, which we mentioned on the last episode, the Four Horsewomen. And she was a key part of the women's revolution, which speaks volume as a black woman.
00:13:17
Speaker
and Mercedes is a five times raw women's champion, one-time SmackDown Women's Champion, one-time NXT Women's Champion, and she also main evented WrestleMania 37 with her opponent Bianca Belair, as we mentioned last episode as well, I think.
00:13:40
Speaker
So she's currently signed with AEW, but appears in other promotions as well. She's the current TBS Champion, and World Wonder Ring Stardom Strong Woman Champion. Also, Rev Pro's current undisputed British Women's Champion.
00:13:56
Speaker
Mercedes is the first and only female professional wrestler to win championships across WWE, AEW, and JPW. And she doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.
00:14:08
Speaker
Yeah, she collecting those belts like she's Thanos collecting. Girl. No, for real. Insane? I know. Where you going? If you get another one, where you gonna hold that?
00:14:20
Speaker
She got one on both shoulders, one on the waist. Where you gonna put your knees? The fact we said two different... One gonna be right on her neck. You're gonna have to hire someone to carry these.
00:14:37
Speaker
I, at one point, like loved Sasha. like She was the heel that got on my nerves, but I respected her because she's very talented.
00:14:48
Speaker
But, yeah, now, after, like, some of her interviews and stuff about WWE, I mean, that's, like, made me not like her even more. But, like, it's kind of like, hmm.
00:15:02
Speaker
Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. I feel you. I feel you on that one. So, can talk about Naomi, you Who doesn't love to talk about Naomi? Yes, you do.
00:15:18
Speaker
With a career that has lasted over 16 years in the business, Naomi's kind contributions to wrestling history has helped break barriers and redefine representation.
00:15:29
Speaker
As we stated above, she's the first black woman to win a championship at WrestleMania. Her persona showcases empowerment and highlights individuality, making her an influential star.
00:15:42
Speaker
In 2018, Naomi made history again when she won the inaugural WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal. Naomi's presence and countless success inspires young Black girls to see themselves represented in a positive light.
00:15:56
Speaker
In an industry that is criticized for their lack of representation, Naomi's advocacy for diversity and author authenticity set her apart, often using her voice and platform to uplift other Black wrestlers,
00:16:11
Speaker
Her consistency in competing in high-level events, being on live TV every week, makes it easy for her to change the game. I've always loved Naomi. There was never a time that I didn't like her.
00:16:24
Speaker
So, always been Naomi girl and forever will be okay. Because we like the shine, like the glow. Dance, dance.
00:16:42
Speaker
Okay. Let me stop. my second person is an EST. Also one of my favorites, Bianca Belair has become a defining force in modern wrestling.
00:16:59
Speaker
She's shaped I did a little whistler or something. I'm like, wait, that felt weird. You did little whistler something. It felt weird.
00:17:11
Speaker
She shaped The industry with her unmatched athleticism, energy, and groundbreaking accomplishments. That woman is very athletic.
00:17:22
Speaker
Okay. Bianca is a two-time WWE Raw Women's Champion and a one-time WWE SmackDown Women's Champion. She made history, as mentioned above, when she won the title in 2021 where she main evented WrestleMania with Sasha Banks or known as Mercedes-Benz Monรกe.
00:17:41
Speaker
She continued to break records with her reigns, holding the Raw Women's Championship for a record set in 420 days, the longest in its history. Known for her incredible strength, agility, and her signature braid, she is inspiring a new generation of fans and wrestlers alike, showing that hard work and dedication can overcome any obstacle.
00:18:05
Speaker
Belair's influence extends beyond The Wrestling, where she contributes to various charitable and social causes. She's used her platform to champion the diversity, self-empowerment, body positivity, and embrace that individuality, which influences every everyone of color.
00:18:24
Speaker
Which, you know, they have that natural photo shoot and, like, interviews and stuff where, you know, she's more toned. So she had to tap into...
00:18:36
Speaker
being body positive and everything because of her being told she looks manly and those things like that and she's totally beautiful but I love that not only does she contribute in wrestling which a lot the wrestlers do when it comes to that they contribute outside but she we see her all over she has a show own show she's doing commercials and like I said doing a lot outside of WWE And, you know, in today's era of professional wrestling, we could not go through this episode without talking about Swerve Strickland.
00:19:15
Speaker
So could it. So could So from independent circuits to major promotions, his rise in cultural impact has made him one of the most prominent black wrestlers of today.
00:19:28
Speaker
With his innovative style and a persona that defies the typical stereotypes of what black wrestlers are often held to. Strickland's versatility is a breath of fresh air.
00:19:46
Speaker
God. His representation of Black culture within the wrestling world empowers a new generation of fans and even wrestlers. Which... Which is that.
00:20:00
Speaker
mean, we had to mention what Kerry said. like He from Tacoma. like Like, what you think we know about the mention of Washington Native? The head.
00:20:12
Speaker
Who you think we is? Who you think we is? Okay. So my last person is Kofi Kingston. Which right now, i don't like him.
00:20:24
Speaker
lovema Tomato, tomato, swivel.
00:20:28
Speaker
Tomato, swivel. So, Kofi has played a pivotal role in shaping wrestling through his accomplish accomplishments within his career.
00:20:40
Speaker
Kerry stated earlier, feel like we've been using people that say. It's always a history maker. Exactly. So his most memorable achievement came in 2019 when he made history by winning the WWE wwe Championship at WrestleMania 35, becoming the first African-born wrestler to hold the prestigious title.
00:21:04
Speaker
This monumental win not only marked a personal milestone, but also represented a significant cultural moment for the rest of the world. They were going crazy. They were.
00:21:15
Speaker
Whenever he like, I loved it. So that showcased the potential for greater diversity in WWE's top storylines.
00:21:28
Speaker
Moving on to 2021, went on to win King of the Kingston also has many achievements with his tag team, New Day, who are known for the power of positivity and can be considered as the most entertaining faction to me, to be honest.
00:21:45
Speaker
New Day has the longest WWE Raw Tag Team Championship reign, holding the belts from August 2015 to December 2016, and they are also the third tag team Triple Crown Champion in w WWE history.
00:22:01
Speaker
Kofi's work with the New Day fans transform tag team wrestling like i think we talked about before which season one is gone y'all wouldn't know but we talked about how they had that one gimmick that just wasn't fitting oh like the church style yeah that just wasn't fitting and then they went on to have the power of positivity which clearly went a long way until now Yeah, they ain't so positive anymore.
00:22:31
Speaker
Yeah. so Kofi and Bobby's the spirit of perseverance and determination, which inspires the fans to keep pushing forward and to never give never give up.
00:22:44
Speaker
That's giving them the hope that they someday could be successful. I can't. Yeah. So, speaking of record holders. Period.
00:22:55
Speaker
Let's talk about Miss Athena. Breaking the mold of what a female wrestler can do, Athena's incredible in-ring ability, toughness, and character work has led her to great success in the wrestling world.
00:23:09
Speaker
Currently, ROH's longest reigning champion in the history of the business, and this means surpassing those c crusty men as well.
00:23:21
Speaker
chris Those crusty men. Those crusty men. you should. Athena has been They're women's world champion since 2022. I love it.
00:23:32
Speaker
It's 2025 right now. Really? Insane. I know that's right. It is through her tenacity, resilience, and incredible work rate that can be called commendable and respected, using her platform to advocate for greater success.
00:23:48
Speaker
diversity and inclusion in wrestling, Athena is the perfect role model for Black women in wrestling. And her role in ROH has been instrumental in helping pave the way for wrestlers of color.
00:24:00
Speaker
Indeed. Well, living a title for three years is crazy No. And then, like, even she was hurt at some point, too. Crazy work.
00:24:10
Speaker
And she still kept it. Okay. I ain't mad at you at all. Okay. I loved her as Ember Moon, bro. Let me not just start on her for that shit.
00:24:22
Speaker
Because that thing was sick, okay?
00:24:29
Speaker
But going into the future, what does the future hold for Black wrestling? From wrestlers using their platform to address real-world issues, including racism and inequality in the business,
00:24:44
Speaker
to making sure the role they portray sees us in a positive light instead of negative stereotypes. The future of Black wrestling does look promising to me. i don't know about you, it's looking little promising.
00:24:57
Speaker
I don't what you're saying, but... As we increase visibility and representation across promotions, the strides in history-setting moments that Black wrestlers can take are astronomical.
00:25:11
Speaker
From on the screen to behind the scenes as we see growth in Black-owned wrestling promotions and spaces for Black voices like our podcast and our brother and our sister's podcast.
00:25:23
Speaker
Okay? To shape the narrative, we all will play a crucial role in the future. Yeah, and there's definitely still more room for progress.
00:25:34
Speaker
Yeah. And in a time where your voice matters, we must continue to make sure our visibility does not slip through the cracks. It won't. Sure won't, because guess what?
00:25:45
Speaker
We the ones that use the threes, the four, the five, six, seven, eight, not ten. And we here to stay. Okay? yeah Y'all ain't getting rid of it. Y'all ain't getting rid of it. Y'all ain't getting rid of it. We here for a good, oh no, we here for a long time, not a good
00:26:05
Speaker
We're here for a good and a long time. And a time will be had. And will.
00:26:11
Speaker
It's already happened. It's already happened. Sorry. Not sorry. And there's 10. What? I think that's it I think that will conclude this week's episode. Make sure you join us next week as we discuss the midcard, the unsung heroes of professional wrestling.
00:26:31
Speaker
Charity. Where can they find you? They can find me on Instagram and TikTok at livinglavishwithloni. And you guys can find me on Instagram and TikTok at kerryvicious.
00:26:47
Speaker
Thank you once again first stepping into the ring with us this week and hanging with your girls. Make sure to like and subscribe for more exciting episodes every Wednesday. And head over to our Instagram.
00:26:59
Speaker
Instagram, Instagram, Instagram. And TikTok, Queen Drink Podcast. We love to interact with the wrestling community. Not just the community, but specifically the wrestling community.
00:27:11
Speaker
Period. So do not be shy. be shy. Until then, keep your crowns high and your shoulders off the mat.
00:27:24
Speaker
Suckers.