Mark Henry: I Don’t Think WWE Has A Diversity Problem
Mark Henry discusses Kofi Kingston’s title win.
Kofi Kingston made history at WrestleMania 35 when he became the first African-American born WWE Champion. In the lead up to his match with Daniel Bryan, Kofi discussed being an inspiration for black people and those who have struggled at any point in their life. You can view his comments by clicking here.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Mark Henry echoed Kingston’s comments.
“From Ron Simmons to myself, there was a 15 year period of black champions with me, Booker T, Rock, and Simmons. 15 years from now, there might be another two or three black wrestlers that come into the industry and were inspired by Kofi Kingston. It’s a powerful thing to have representation,” said Kingston. “It’s also a powerful thing to see somebody who looks like you and have them tell you the struggle and what it took for them to get there. I think it’ll be great for the balance and sport of wrestling, not just from a color standpoint but from an exposure standpoint. We need to have our kids exposed to seeing great talent like Kofi Kingston.”
When asked if WWE has a diversity problem due to their lack of black champions over the years, Henry shot down that notion.
“I don’t think they have a diversity problem. I think they have an alarming rate of turnover and guys don’t get to stay 24-years. It’s starting to get there but it takes times. I’m glad I’m one of those people who got to do it. It’s becoming more commonplace.”
Henry is a former ECW Champion and World Heavyweight Champion, but neither of those two titles has the lineage of the WWE Title, which is why Kingston’s victory is looked at as being more significant in the eyes of many fans.
Prior to WrestleMania, Mark Henry also praised Jay Lethal, who he believes should be mentioned in the same breath as The Rock. You can view his comments by clicking here.
