3 reasons why Velveteen Dream should win the NXT Championship

Representation

To date, there has only been one black NXT Champion out of sixteen titleholders. In December of 2012, Big E beat Seth Rollins to make history as the first African American man to hold the title.

Surprisingly, there hasn’t been another one over the last six years. That has to change and the Velveteen Dream is a perfect choice.

Last month, we covered WWE’s well-documented struggles to produce nuanced black male characters. Well, Dream is a rare exception because he doesn’t rely on heavy-handed stereotypes. In fact, his race doesn’t inform his personality traits like many other black men on the roster.

The Velveteen Dream is a phenomenal character. Still, it would be naïve to disregard the fact his eccentric and androgynous behavior disarms some viewers. He isn’t perceived as merely a black wrestler because he’s so esoteric.

In truth, Dream appeals to a wide audience because of his knack for theatrics and understanding of the sports entertainment aspects of pro wrestling.

For that reason, he would make a great NXT Champion. It would be a victory for black fans, hoping to see an African American as the face of the brand for a change. Hopefully, Dream’s success could possibly inspire more complex black characters in wrestling.