WWE: #KofiMania is just one important step in the fight for inclusion

A Kofi Kingston title reign is a step, but it’s not the final solution to help the WWE become more inclusive in the future.

While some may want the angle to be ignored, there is a very special piece to what is going on with #KofiMania. Much like Big E and Xavier Woods have said in the buildup to the WWE Championship match, all roads are pointing toward a moment where Kofi Kingston can break through the “glass ceiling” that is the WWE title picture.

With a win over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35, not only will Kingston become a member of the WWE Grand Slam club, but he will join a short list of Black men to ever hold the WWE Championship.

There’s a lot of history behind the WWE Championship. The title goes back to 1963 when Buddy Rogers became the first man to hold the belt.

Since then, several Hall of Famers have held that title above their head. From legends such as Pedro Morales, Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund, to modern day superstars like Triple H, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins have all reached the highest levels of acclaim in the organization.

But it’s well-documented that a Black man has never been elevated to the point of being the main champion within the WWE. Remember, the modern era of WWE has frequently had two titles due to brand splits with one being considered the primary belt; akin to Brock Lesnar being the Universal Champion today to Bryan holding the WWE Championship. Yes, The Rock is a multiple-time champion and he is Black and Samoan, but the heritage that comes from his father’s side is rarely recognized as compared to that which comes from the long line of Samoan wrestlers within his family. A potential Kingston reign as WWE Champion will not correct this issue, but it’s clearly time that this blemish is corrected.

In many ways, it’s still surprising that the WWE has not found a Black man deemed “worthy” enough to hold the main belt. Booker T and Mark Henry could have easily filled that bill back when they were in their primes. Today’s roster features Bobby Lashley, Apollo Crews, Big E, Shelton Benjamin and a host of other talented men. Outside of Kingston’s current run, none of these individuals have really sniffed the mainstream limelight that comes with being the promotion’s primary champion.

Why is that? We can wonder whether it’s the unconscious biases of those within leadership positions in the WWE. Is there concern that a Black man can’t cultivate the interest of the mainstream WWE fan, a demographic that is majority white and male?

While some may want to push the narrative that race, and ethnicity do not matter in sports and entertainment; it is one of the biggest factors in deciding which individuals get the opportunity to be featured front and center. Professional wrestling is the same as there is a large component of mainstream media work that is demanding of the champion and that plays a part in who is selected to reach the top.

Representation is important for the future of various forms of entertainment, such as professional wrestling. There’s something to be said when younger generations can watch today’s wrestling industry and see men and women that look like them rising to levels of success. Representation breeds imagination that leads to aspiration.

Think of all the future women wrestlers that are being inspired by the likes of Becky Lynch, Bayley, Charlotte and Sasha Banks. The same can be said about Black boys that are witnessing Kingston rise to this level. If this is the first step in a trend that completely changes how Black men are booked in the future, there’s no telling the talent that can be created for the future.

Diversity and inclusiveness are two related but different practices. While diversity calls for the openings to include those of different backgrounds, inclusiveness is the practice to create an atmosphere where minorities can succeed just like those in the majority.

Even though the WWE has made strides to be more diverse, the organization has fallen short of being inclusive in any shape or form. Professional wrestling has failed in being inclusive. A Kofi Kingston title reign will not solve the problem – not by a long shot. But it does build for the hope that things will change in the future; a change that can lead to a Black man being taken seriously and featured as the primary champion of the roster.