Since it’s around Martin Luther King Holiday, I might as well talk about the first recognized Black World Champion in Professional Wrestling, Ron Simmons aka Faarooq. In 1992, Bill Watts was the defacto promoter of WCW, and many of his decisions were already controversial such as following out of date traditional rules in wrestling and pushing his son down fans throats. One of his major decisions was to make a Black wrestler the top guy in the company as he had success with that in his former company Mid-South/UWF with wrestlers like the Junkyard Dog (RIP). As a result, Ron Simmons was the lucky dog to be picked. Would this be a success or a failure? Let’s see and find out.

Before we begin…

(A picture of Bearcat Wright, the first Black World Champion)

After getting feedback about my historical inaccuracies, I might as well change it up.

Let’s shoot the elephant in the room here, Ron Simmons was not the first Black World Champion, there were others before him. Most major companies like the WWE don’t recognize em. Yeah, they like to twist that up. The first ever Black world championship was Bearcat Wright as he beat Freddie Blassie for the LA WWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1963. This was iconic as this came around the era of segregation. However, he was stripped of the title due to refusal to drop it to someone that’s not Blassie. A few years later, Bobo Brazil would become the first Black wrestler to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the major world championship at the time. His reign is not recognized by the committee as he refused to accept it as the man he beat Buddy Rogers was injured at the time. It would be in 2002 that the NWA would have its first Black world champion in Ron “The Truth” Killings (yes R-Truth) who would win it twice in TNA (now Impact Wrestling). There were other Black Wrestlers who won World Champions, but the number were scarce and the belts they won were in smaller or independent promotions.

Now about Ron Simmons

Before he became a wrestler, he was a top defensive lineman at Florida State University, leading the team to the national polls in the late 70s/early 80s. He became a 2x All-American and was a contender for a Heinsman. He eventually went into NFL, but his tenure over there was short lived. He eventually turned into wrestling. In 1987, he became a part of WCW then known as Jim Crockett Productions, which was a part of the NWA. He eventually was a part of the tag team Doom with Butch Reed and they had the longest reign as NWA/WCW Tag Team Champions. They were initially managed by Woman (Nancy Benoit RIP) and later Teddy Long. In 1991, the team ended as Reed turned against Simmons, beginning a feud between them. The turn was a signal for Bill Watts to push Simmons to become WCW World Champion and how did he push him? By using racism.

Yeah, ya heard me, racism. Watts believed in doing that that it would get him over. Boy, he was in for an awakening. So in Simmons’ road to the gold, he was in a feud with then champion Lex Luger, where Luger convinced him to join his team as a chauffeur. Yes, this was racially coded as you know Black people then were made to be servants to white people. Simmons would later lose to him. Later on, he challenged another then champion Vader (RIP), who was becoming a dominant force in WCW. He was managed by Harley Race (RIP to him too), and here’s where it hits the fan. As Simmons got into a confrontation with Race, Race got into his face by calling him an errand boy and (this is when things got even more crazier) said that back then he had a little boy like him who carried his bags. This set Simmons off.

Now, are these guys really racist? Hmm. Idk, but keep in mind that this was kayfabe and all of this was Bill Watts’ idea in lieu of Simmons’ push. However, this was typical of heel promos as heels used racist attacks against minority wrestlers to gain heel heat. However, that doesn’t mean it was okay. Eventually on August 1992 after winning a raffle for the number one contender to Vader’s championship, Simmons beat Vader to become the first recognized (in WWE’s terms) Black World Champion as the original contender Sting was injured. He held it for five months, mostly feuding with Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) before losing it back to Vader. He eventually slid back into the mid card, never getting a chance to challenge for the World title ever. His last time he ever challenged for the world championship was in ECW where he challenged Shane Douglas for the ECW World Championship, tho he lost.

Now about the reign. Was it good?

Hmmm meh.

I mean he got the look, had ok mic skills, was a pretty solid powerhouse brawler, and held it for a good chunk of time. However, his reign was bogged down because it didn’t do business for the company. His reign didn’t make much of a draw. He wasn’t very over with the fans, and it didn’t help with the racist attacks against him. If they really wanted to push him, why they couldn’t push him without the race card being thrown at his face multiple times? Ironically, Bill Watts was forced after agreeing with a restauranteur’s racist policies, which got him into the doghouse of then Turner VP Baseball legend Hank Aaron. Another reason why his title didn’t work and it’s just my thoughts, the WCW World Title was devalued after Ric Flair’s firing, the WWF’s popularity which includes poaching Flair, and the Great American Bash 91.

Epilogue

I’m going to compare’s Simmons to another Black WCW World Champion, Booker T. CAN YOU DIG IT SUCKA!

Before becoming a FIVE TIME, FIVE TIME WCW Champion, Booker T was already an accomplished wrestler in WCW, holding the most reigns as Tag Team and Television Champion. It wouldn’t be long that he’s become World Champion. He won the belt on the 2000 Bash at the Beach which was infamous for Vince Russo onscreen firing Hulk Hogan. This was a great accomplishment for him as he was one of the most decorated WCW wrestlers, but if wasn’t Hogan being fired he wouldn’t be in it. Also, WCW was hit with multiple racial discrimination lawsuits, so that could be another reason, but who knows. Booker’s longest reign with the belt was in WWF (120 days) as they bought WCW, while his first three reigns in WCW equaled up to 113 days. He deserved he belt, but his reigns would suffer because this when WCW was on its last legs and the quality sank down hard. Also, the belt was much more devalued from multiple vacancies, short lived reigns, lack of memorable matches, stupid gimmicks, and oh yeah Vince Russo (also David Arquette). The belt was a joke compared to the WWF Title, who had better champions and a bit more longer reigns. Sadly, Booker was caught in all of this. However, he did end his time in WCW on a high note as he was both World and United States Champion on the final episode of Nitro.

Now who had the better reign? Hmm… Ron

Ron Simmons had a historic reign with the belt as being the first and he held it for 150 days. While Booker T had more reigns with the belt including combined reigns compared to Ron, and was more over, his reigns were a victim of WCW’s poor quality. In WWF, the belt was considered second tier, until WWF wrestlers began wearing it.

Who had the better build up? Booker

Simmons build up was hit with too many racial statements towards him and that he was pushed outta the blue in order to become the first Black World Champion. Also, He wasn’t very over the fans, which was hard for him to get over with the Southern crowd. Now, Booker was already over with the fans and was more accomplished championship wise. He was ready to become World Champion, despite WCW being WCW.

Who was the better wrestler? Neither.

They were both underrated wrestlers and were pretty solid workers in the ring in their own way.

Who was the most accomplished? Booker.

While Simmons sole reign was at 150 days, Booker’s five reigns totaled up to 253 days, the fourth most combined. Also, Booker would later win the World Heavyweight Champion under WWE adding another World Championship reign to his collection.

Now who was the better World Champion? Booker

He holds six reigns and had many chances to challenge for the world title in WCW, WWF/E, and even in TNA and was very over with the fans. While Simmons had one reign, and slid down in the mid card after the reign and the last time he had a challenge was in ECW.

That’s it y’all. Am I forgetting something? Oh yeah.

References:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Simmons

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watts

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WCW_World_Heavyweight_Champions

https://lastwordonprowrestling.com/2019/04/08/kofi-kingston-joins-small-club-as-only-27th-black-world-champion-in-wrestling-history/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearcat_Wright