You can’t talk about wrestling in 2024 without talking about how Black wrestlers have taken over in remarkable ways. Wrestling is deeply embedded in Black culture and vice versa. Just look at the fact that WrestleMania 40 had Lil Wayne and Meek Mill as prominent performers this weekend. 2 Chainz and Wale (as usual) were also at ringside. The culture loves WWE. In return, WWE has made numerous strides in highlighting its Black superstars. After all, we’re just a few years removed from the first all-Black WrestleMania main event, and since then WWE has only done more to showcase Black talent on screen.
This weekend’s WrestleMania saw a Black main event at NXT for the first time, new Black champions, The Rock back in the main event and more. Andscape senior writers David Dennis Jr. and Martenzie Johnson watched every minute of the weekend, honing in on the Black wrestlers, their performances, and how WWE used them. There was a time when these big events left Black wrestling fans holding their breath, waiting for the insulting, derogatory depiction, but for now, those days seem to be over — hopefully. Take a read as we celebrate the Black wrestlers of WrestleMania 40 weekend.
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R-Truth
Match: Six-pack tag team ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Synopsis: This was one of the most heartwarming WrestleMania moments, considering R-Truth nearly lost his leg from an infection a few years ago. This was R-Truth’s first WrestleMania victory, and he did it in typical R-Truth comedic fashion. It was a ladder match — it ends when a team climbs a ladder to retrieve the championship belts — yet R-Truth found a way to turn into a tag match where he waited to be tagged in by his partner, The Miz. R-Truth also pulled out his John Cena imitation before eventually expressing his approval by yeeting one of his opponents from the ring onto the outside floor. The match was cinema.
Grade: A
Kelani Jordan
Match: Six-team tag match
Synopsis: Kelani Jordan was a bit of an afterthought in a match that was centered on Thea Hails’ beef with her former friend, Jacy Jayne. Still, Jordan is versatile. She has a high-flying skill set that made her one of the standouts in the event. Just look at this and this.
Again, Jordan wasn’t the center of attention, but for an event with so many big moments, hers stood out. Give us more Kelani Jordan.
Grade: B
Oba Femi
Match: Triple threat for NXT North American Championship
Synopsis: This wasn’t exactly what Big E of The New Day meant when he said “big meaty men slapping meat,” as Oba Femi was the only meaty man in the bout, but this was still a really good match. Femi was on the receiving end of one man throwing another man at him from the ring. But he somehow recovered enough to lift a man on his shoulders while that man was lifting another man on his shoulders. Also, even though Dijak was the crowd favorite in the match, NXT let Femi retain his title, so that’s always good.
Grade: A
Trick Williams
Match: Singles match vs. Carmelo Hayes
Synopsis: This was an example of WWE long-term booking at its best. They began planting seeds for this feud months ago, and they finally got it on here. The outcome of the match never really mattered, because Williams had 16,000 (mostly white) fans yelling “whoop that trick” in unison. Hayes made Williams look really good, and Williams can only build on this as he moves on to other feuds. That being said, the finish could’ve been better and more violent for a feud/match set up by Hayes beating Williams’ legs like Charlie Murphy.
Grade: B+
Carmelo Hayes
Match: Singles match vs. Trick Williams
Synopsis: Carmelo Hayes is your textbook narcissistic villain. In the vignette for this match, Hayes said he built the foundation for he and his former friend Trick Williams, and that Williams just carried the bricks. In this match, Hayes cheated, he hit Williams with a low blow, and he smirked at the crowd when he pulled off a heel act. Hayes seems primed for the main WWE roster, so this was a nice swan song for someone fans will definitely love to hate at the next level. And he gets bonus points for making Williams look like a mega superstar. Hayes was simply the trick that the fans wanted to whoop.
Grade: A
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The Rock
Match: Tag team match with Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
Synopsis: Everything about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a big deal. His entrance video felt like the opening credits of a Marvel movie. The Rock’s walk-in had his trademark Brahma bull engulfed in flames. And the match itself was well over 40 minutes long, the second-longest main event in WrestleMania history. The Rock’s last full match was over 11 years ago, but you would not have been able to tell. He took bumps. He didn’t run out of breath. He took a spear from Roman Reigns. And to top it off, he smacked Cody Rhodes in the head with a weightlifting belt. WWE got about the best return on investment one could get by bringing The Rock back for this match. WrestleMania Night 2 was Rock becoming the Final Boss, and squaring up with John Cena and The Undertaker. And the nonexistent roof came off the stadium both times. The Rock played it all perfectly, got humbled and set us up for an epic set of matches with Rhodes and Reigns down the line.
Grade: A+
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Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair and Naomi aka The Big 3
Match: Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL
Synopsis: This was one of the most incredible spectacles of the entire weekend. Naomi has had more WrestleMania appearances than any other woman. In the match, her job here was to be the steadying hand while WWE builds up its two most surefire stars, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill. Belair has already headlined WrestleMania and is further along in her journey. So the match was, in large part, a way to showcase Cargill.
Cargill is a license to print money and she looked like a million bucks, even in limited action. It was enough to show us her incredible strength, beauty and charisma. The match, though, will likely be more defined by the Big 3’s entrance, which featured a Cowboy Carter-like wardrobe, a raised platform and star power. Who knows what the future holds, but it would be a surprise if Belair and Cargill aren’t in the title match in 365 days.
Grade: A+++
The New Day
Match: Six-team tag match for the undisputed tag team championship
Synopsis: The New Day seem to be biding time until Big E — who suffered a broken neck two years ago — hopefully returns from injury. Xavier Woods had the high spot by pulling off an elbow drop from the top rope onto his opponent, who was lying horizontally on a ladder. But much like DIY and New Catch Republic, The New Day was a filler team in this match and deserved more.
Grade: C
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Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits
Match: The Final Testament (Karrion Kross and Authors of Pain) vs. Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) (Philadelphia Street Fight)
Synopsis: This match was there after the chaos of the opening Sunday. I’m glad Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits made it onto WrestleMania, but I can’t help but think that they could have been used for something more substantial. The match was fine, with a lot of table spots and a cool ending courtesy of Montez Ford’s acrobatics. My hope for the future is that Lashley and The Street Profits have something to sink their teeth into that elevates all of them, especially Ford, who feels like a solo superstar in the making.
Grade: B-
Samantha Irvin
Match: All of ’em
Synopsis: We can’t let the weekend go without acknowledging that this WrestleMania has solidified Samantha Irvin as one of the greatest ring announcers in wrestling history. She screamed at the top of her lungs, emoting, and hyping the crowd and wrestlers up with each introduction. There are so many legendary ring announcers out there, but Irvin is just as good as any of them.
Grade: A+
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Snoop Dogg
Match: Commentary
Hey, Snoop Dogg is a Hall of Famer, and he pinned The Miz last year at WrestleMania, so he counts. Snoop Dogg on color commentary is a must-listen. He was losing his mind for the entirety of the Final Testament vs. Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits’ match. I actually wouldn’t mind WWE doing a second-screen broadcast with him as host. He’s a genuine fan and could really add some spontaneity to the watch. Give us more!
Grade: B+
