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Black History Month: 25 of the Greatest Black Wrestlers to Ever Get in the Ring

Posted: Feb 15th 2012 By: mikeiles

They were (or currently are) champions. They drove from town to town just like the carnies and appeared in packed barns, carnivals, summer shows and anything else that would help promote the business.

And like other wrestlers, they fought hard, trained just as much and became popular heels and faces in the wrestling business,

While we celebrate Black History Month, here is a look at some of the greatest wrestlers to ever lace up their boots and give us and those before us a show.

And they too fought hard to break stereotypes, challenge for regional and national titles and above all, make a living in what was a very hard industry to keep up with.

Here are some of the greatest black wrestlers in the history of the business.

25. New Jack

New Jack was a successful wrestler who was part of ECW. He was known for his willingness to take high risk falls during matches.

He was trained by Ray Candy before turned he pro. He spent time in the independent circuits and in TNA among his travels in the business.

New Jack was probably best known for his antics and his hardcore style.

24. Kharma

Is there another female in the business who is as intimidating as Kharma?

And her willingness to get in the ring with men and beat on them for a while makes her that much more dangerous and appealing.

Kharma led a path of destruction through TNA and now resides in the WWE where she undoubtedly will be a force in the Divas Division and will hopefully challenge Beth Phoenix.

23. Porkchop Cash

Bobby Cash was a successful wrestler in the 1970s and 1980s, and had runs in Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.

He formed tag teams in the Continental Wrestling Association and spent time in Jerry Jarrett's promotion as a singles competitor as well.

Cash wrestles from time to time today, but his semi-retirement is more on then off.

Cash teamed with Koko B. Ware recently to challenge the likes of the Midnight Express and the Rock-N-Roll Express.

22. S. D. Jones

He was a guilty pleasure for us in the early 1980s.

S.D. Jones was a jobber in the WWF who was popular but did not win as often as we would have liked. Still, Jones was a mainstay in the WWF.

His claim to fame may have been the eight seconds he spent in the ring with King Kong Bundy in the first WrestleMania event.

21. Koko B. Ware

Got more run with his bird than he would if he had been a solo act.

Ware was a successful tag team champion before moving from WCCW to the WWF in the mid-1980s.

A smaller type of wrestler, he relied on quicks and fast thinking in the ring.

The bird at his side completed his ensemble.

20. Pistol Pez Whatley

He was a regional singles and tag team star in the early 1980s, changing his name when he turned heel to "Shasta Whatley".

Whatley always came into the ring in a top hat and tails and was a member of Paul Jones' Army.

Also a good tag team competitor with his partner Tiger Conway, Jr.

19. Elijah Burke/The Pope

He may have more talent than any wrestler on the TNA roster right now.

He failed in the WWE and moved over to Impact Wrestling where he had some minimal success.

Heel and face changes, plus no direction it would seem, have done him in so far. The Pope is far too talented to be in the situation he is in.

He would benefit from having a truly strong mentor or a tag team partner. If he changed promotions at some point, I would love to see him paired with Shelton Benjamin.

18. Ms. Jackie Moore

Jackie has been through some wars. As a face and as a heel female wrestler, Jackie has found success in the NWA, WCW, WWF and TNA.

Known for her harder side and aggressive style, she has wrestled them all.

The brunette beauty started her work in Texas and has spanned the states, even working with Kevin Sullivan at one point.

She is truly one of the icons in the female side of the business.

17. Bobby Lashley

Muscles upon muscles.

He looks like a freak of nature that will yell at you and beat the hell out of you. Then Lashley opens his mouth and he sounds like a kid.

There is great power and skill in that body, as he proved when he won the ECW Title.

Lashley also tried his hand at TNA wrestling as well MMA.

16. Tony Atlas

He had one of the better bodies in the business when he wrestled. And today, he still looks like he could carve someone up with his power and strength.

Atlas was a regional star and was also is an American body builder and champion powerlifter who was recognized as by his bodybuilding title, "Mr. USA" (a distinction he earned three times), and the title "The Black Superman."

He also gained fame for being the first man to press slam and then pin Hulk Hogan.

He and Rocky Johnson formed the "Soul Patrol" and were the first African American tag team to capture the WWF World Tag Team Titles.

15. Butch Reed

"Hacksaw" was a former NFL player who gave wrestling a try.

He was a successful face and heel in the NWA, wrestling in Louisiana under Bill Watts promotion and then found success again in Florida.

He challenged the likes of Ted DiBiase, Steve Williams and Hacksaw Jim Duggan then moved on to Florida where he formed a decent tag team combination with Skip Young and Cowboy Ron Bass.

Known for his "Soup Bone" fist that was potent, he challenged the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair for the NWA World Title in the early 1980s almost taking down the champ and becoming the first African American to claim the title.

He moved on the the WWF as "The Natural" and then joined forces with Ron Simmons to create a very successful tag team in "Doom" in WCW.

14. Brother Devon

One of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time, Devon Hughes former the Dudley Boyz with Buh Buh Ray and rose to meteoric fame.

The Dudleys won title everywhere they wrestled and enjoyed major success in ECW, WWE and TNA.

Now as a singles competitor since he and Buh Buh Ray split, he is not enjoying the singles wrestling success as much and has fallen on harder times within TNA.

13. Shelton Benjamin

If there was any wrestler of the modern era who should have already been tapped as the WWE Champion and did not wear the belt, Shelton Benjamin was it.

Benjamin maybe the most talented wrestler in the business today this side of Kurt Angle.

Benjamin has been a success in the WWE and ROH as both a singles and tag team competitor.

12. Rufus R. Jones

Jones was a talented mid-card wrestler from Dillon, SC. He competed in the Central States and Mid-Atlantic regional promotions, as well as in the AWA and the NWA in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The "Freight Train" was a North American Tag Team Champion twice while wrestling in the Midwest for promoter Bob Geigel.

Jones battled the likes of Paul Jones in the Mid-Atlantic territory in the early 1980s.

11. Ron Killings

A former NWA World Champion and all-around great performer.The current R-Truth in the WWE is a rare talent.

Killings became the first African American to hold the NWA's top crown on two occasions. He was also a two-time NWA World Tag Team Champion and a TNA World Tag Team Champion.

Now in the WWE, Killings is in mid-card status looking to climb the ladder again to earn a shot at the World Title.

10. Kamala

He was a lovable heel.

He never spoke, he slapped his belly and listened to a guy named Kimchi. How bad a life can that be?

Kamala was a success in the NWA, WCCW and the WWF.

He was definitely a cartoonish character that enjoyed his most success in Vince McMahon's circus.

9. Thunderbolt Patterson

Patterson may not be known as much for his wrestling prowess as he is known for challenging racial barriers in the south.

He started a union in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. He also spoke out against poor working conditions for wrestlers and sued for racial discrimination, and as a result, was blacklisted from wrestling.

Patterson was a crowd favorite who feuded with the likes of Ole Anderson. He held the Florida Title in 1976.

8. Bobo Brazil

Brazil helped break down stereotypes in wrestling like Patterson and fought racial segregation.

He served as mentor and trainer for Rocky Johnson as well.

Brazil would have many matches with competitors such as Killer Kowalski, Johnny Valentine and others. One of his main opponents over four decades was The Sheik and Abdulah the Butcher.

7. Rocky Johnson

The Rock's dad and an accomplished wrestler on his own.

Johnson was a chiseled wrestler who could talk as well as anyone in wrestling and would break stereotypes in singles and tag team wrestling. He was a regional title holder several times over.

He also teamed with Tony Atlas to former the "Soul Patrol" to become the first African American Tag Team to claim the WWF World Tag Team Titles.

6. Mark Henry

The World's Strongest Man finally has found a place as a top draw in the WWE.

After 13 years in the company, Henry is not considered one of the top talents, having won the World Heavyweight Title from Randy Orton in 2011.

He has developed the persona of a true heel, inflicting pain on his opponents any chance he can.

Right now, he is out of action due to injuries. When he comes back, he may still be involved in an angle with Daniel Bryan.

5. Junkyard Dog

Sylvester Ritter was one of the most popular characters and wrestlers in the UWF in Bill Watts' promotion.

He had memorable feuds with TedDiBiase, Butch Reed and Kamala. DiBiase, once JYD's friend and tag-team partner, turned heel and subsequently won a loser-leave-town match where JYD came back as Stagger Lee.

In the WWF he was more a part of the machine than anything else?a cartoon character that fit the mold of the 1980s wrestlers who followed Hulk Hogan.

4. Ron Simmons

The former FSU All-American turned to wrestling as a career. He made a wise choice. He was powerful and one of the strongest men in the business.

And he became the first ever African American wrestler to claim the WCW World Title when he bested Vader.

Simmons went on to enjoy success as a tag team partner of Butch Reed in Doom and with Bradshaw in the WWF in the APA.

3. The Rock

There has been some question over the years if The Rock is an African American wrestler based on his roots.

Because of his blood lines, he makes the list.

The Rock is one of the most charismatic wrestlers of all time, using his ability and his mic skills to develop a who new brand of wrestling.

And he can still bring it, even after being away from the ring for such a long period of time.

2. Booker T

Can you dig it? He is still a pretty good performer today,

Booker T was a tag team specialist with his brother in Harlem Heat (with Sister Sherri) and then branched out to a singles career that allowed him to capture numerous titles including the WCW World Title, becoming the second African American to do so.

Booker T is a great combination of brawl and brawn and has raw power that keeps his opponents at bay.

And by the looks of things, he could still take out a few opponents in his return to the ring.

1. Abdullah the Butcher

Abby is maybe the most recognizable name and face in professional wrestling. He's got the size, the scars and the girth.

What he has done to wrestlers in and out of the ring for years is truly amazing. And the fact his shtick and gimmick was so popular and effective is a true testament to the fact that he was able to keep a fan base and that wrestlers still challenged one of the largest men in the business night after night.