Top AEW star recalls Vince McMahon’s infamous n-word incident while calling out WWE’s lack of black representation

Over the past few months or so, the WWE Universe has called the company out for its underutilization of Black talent. Subsequently, wrestling figures also chimed in, with WWE Hall of Famer Booker T even defending the promotion. Recently, AEW star Swerve Strickland joined the discussion as well, providing his extensive thoughts on the matter.

While speaking with VladTV, Strickland first responded to Booker T by reminding him of the infamous Vince McMahon segment. During a 2005 backstage segment, the then-chairman explicitly said a racial slur while talking with John Cena. After the offensive line, Booker T and Queen Sharmell watched on as the former expressed his shock at his boss saying the n-word.

Strickland further delved into the current scenario of WWE. The former AEW World Champion referenced the online discussion, claiming that he was just reiterating what the promotion’s fanbase was complaining about. Strickland even alluded to Triple H‘s “color” line at the Bad Blood 2024 press conference, which received backlash. According to the 34-year-old star, this was not an overall good look for the company.

The former Hit Row member has been openly vocal about issues regarding Black talent representation in wrestling. In the past year, Swerve Strickland has made history in AEW, becoming the first Black World Champion in the company. Without doubt, he has also ascended to the top position as one of the most reliable wrestlers in the promotion. As such, the question does remain: Has the criticism toward WWE regarding lack of representation been warranted?

How WWE and Triple H has responded to the criticism

Last year’s Bad Blood PLE emanated from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. In the city referred to as the “Black Mecca,” fans expected representation on the show. However, not one Black talent competed. Instead, WWE had Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Jade Cargill host the entire event. While this might not have been intentional, the company did not respond well to the fan criticism.

During the post-show press conference, Triple H claimed that he did not see “color” when it came to booking talent. As expected, this statement sparked online outrage following the show. In addition to that, fans were unhappy with WWE showcasing Black artists on its shows but not doing the same for its wrestlers.

Since then, the situation has not changed significantly. At the Royal Rumble, only two Black stars competed in the men’s bout, Carmelo Hayes, who was eliminated first, and IShowSpeed, who was a celebrity entrant. Although The Street Profits recently won tag team gold, WWE can still do better with the talent in hand.

Swerve Strickland set to face Jon Moxley at AEW Dynasty

In the meantime, Swerve Strickland has once again found himself in the world title picture in AEW. Following his win over Ricochet at Revolution, Strickland became the #1 contender for the top prize. As such, he’ll be facing current World Champion Jon Moxley at the upcoming Dynasty PPV.

Moxley, who won the title at WrestleDream last year, has been terrorizing the main event scene alongside The Death Riders. Since capturing the gold, the likes of Adam Copeland, Orange Cassidy, and Adam Page have stepped up to Moxley. However, the numbers game has caught up to every single opponent.

As such, Strickland will have to prepare for his battle against not only Mox but also his faction. If the 34-year-old star does emerge victorious, he’ll become a two-time AEW World Champion and the third wrestler to do so after CM Punk and Moxley. Needless to say, it’ll be interesting to see how things transpire in the buildup to the April 6 event.

Related: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson issues sincere apology after failed UFL commitment by detailing scary mid-air incident

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