Kofi Kingston’s momentous title victory over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 is still receiving waves of positive feedback—not only in regards to the story told but also for what it means to Kofi and representation within WWE.
WWE Hall Of Famer, Mark Henry, spoke with TMZ Sports about Kofi’s WWE Championship win. “The World’s Strongest Man” would candidly discuss the importance of Kingston becoming champion after a well-documented 11 years with the company. He labelled Kofi an inspiration for future generations of black Superstars.
“It’s very significant,” Henry said on Kofi becoming champion. “I said it best from Ron Simmons to myself, it was a 15 year period of black champions, with me and Booker T and The Rock and Ron Simmons, in that time-frame. 15 years from now there might be another 2 or 3 black wrestlers that come into the industry, and they were inspired by Kofi Kingston.”
“It’s A Powerful Thing To Have Representation”
Henry would go on to talk about the importance of representation and diversity within WWE, saying:
“[…] it’s a powerful thing to have representation, and it’s also a powerful thing to be able to see somebody that looks like you, and have them tell you, first-hand, the struggle and what it took to get there. And I think it’ll be balanced and great for the sport of wrestling, not from just a color standpoint but from an exposure standpoint. We need to have our kids exposed to seeing great talents like Kofi Kingston.”
When asked about diversity within the company, Henry reflected on when he first signed with the company, juxtaposing that with WWE’s current roster.
“I don’t think they have a diversity problem,” he added. “[…] When I came into wrestling there were 3 people, 3 black people in the company. There is growth. There is a future for the African-American in pro wrestling, and ya know, I want to be a part of that as much as I can.”
Henry recently posed in a photo, one shared by NXT’s Kieth Lee, that shows off the sheer depth of black talent within WWE today.
