Bobby Lashley turned heads at the AEW Full Gear media scrum, but it wasnt just his dominant win over Swerve Strickland that had everyone talking. Lashley, fresh off forcing Swerve to pass out in The Hurt Lock, delivered a powerful and thoughtful response when asked about representation in wrestling.
During the post-show media scrum Q&A, Kate from Fightful asked Lashley about his experience stepping into a company with several Black champions and what it meant to immediately challenge a former Black World Champion. Lashley didnt hold back, making it clear that the term Black Champion doesnt sit well with him.
I dont like the term Black Champion. Its just a champion. Weve already normalized that, and thats what I wanted to achievewinning a title as a champion, not specifically a Black Champion. There are other Black champions, and now we can erase that label and just say champion, Lashley said with conviction.
He continued, Whether someone is Black, Asian, or any other background, theyre simply a champion. Its great that weve reached this point. Thank you, and have a wonderful evening.
Lashleys response quickly became the highlight of the media scrum, earning praise for its strong stance on inclusivity and moving beyond labels in professional wrestling. Fans and pundits alike applauded his message, which underscored the importance of viewing champions for their skill and accomplishments rather than their ethnicity.
While MVPs fiery exchanges with journalists during the scrum added plenty of drama, it was Lashleys poised and impactful comments that truly stole the show.
Do you agree with Bobby Lashleys take on representation in wrestling? Should pro wrestling move away from these type of terms? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
