Booker T says it's about whether someone's talent warrants them being on the show.
At the WWE Bad Blood post-show press conference, TJ Legacy of Soapbox Run the Ropes asked Triple H about representation on WWE shows, noting that Black men had not been on the past three main-roster premium live events. Triple H responded by stating that he did not see the difference in anybody, he just saw talent.
Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast with co-host Brad Gilmore, WWE Hall of Famer and NXT commentator Booker T was asked whether he thinks Triple H has any bias against Black male wrestlers.
“I don’t think it’s any bias at all. I don’t think it’s looked at that way from Triple H. Me personally, I don’t. Just because I’m there, I’m there on a weekly basis. I know what the show needs to actually thrive and get to the next level. Has there been bias in the wrestling business, in the wrestling company before? Yes, there has. Are angles perhaps touchy? Yes. I’ve been a part of them. But do I think it’s race-related or anything like that, or someone being belittled on purpose? I saw something that there hadn’t been any black guys on [premium live events] in the last three months. Then I’m gonna say, okay, what guys are we talking about that we saying that should be on the pay-per-view? Are they in any angles to warrant a reason for being on the pay-per-view? [Laughs] I’m just saying. Because this thing goes and ebbs and flows. One thing about this business, it’s just a fact, there’s more white guys in it than there are black guys and girls. It just is. It’s always been that way. I never look at should someone just be on the show. I look at whether their talent warrants them being on the show, and as well, are they in an angle right now? Sometimes, you might want to see me, but I might want to be off," Booker T said.
Booker T continued by sharing his belief that focusing too much on the black-and-white perspective could lead to getting caught in the weeds. He reiterated that he did not think that Triple H had an "ulterior motive" regarding why people were not on the show. Booker T also emphasized that it was about the talent.
"This thing is like a merry-go-round. Sometimes you gotta be on, sometimes you gotta be off, and if you’re just thinking about it from a black and white perspective, you can get caught up in the weeds from what’s really going on. So to answer your question, no, I do not think Triple H has an ulterior motive to why people aren’t on the show. I think he has a motive to why people are on the show more than anything. I don’t think it’s a black and white thing, I don’t think it’s a race thing at this stage of the game. I think if you’re talented enough, if you’re good, cream is gonna rise to the top every time. I feel like Bianca Belair earned her spot, no one gave it to her. I feel that Jade Cargill has come in and done a hell of a job. She’s blending in perfectly to try to get to that next level as well. I look at someone like Bayley, who’s an extraordinary talent, and that’s the reason why she’s on the card, doing what she’s doing. That’s the only thing I look at when I look at the talent on the roster. Can they go out and perform? I think at the end of the day, the best guys are getting the opportunities," Booker T said.
Booker T continued by highlighting how Jey Uso was getting his opportunity after he made the fans respond to him. He noted that any time a talent did that, they should be rewarded. Booker T then said that talent had to figure out how to make that happen for themselves.
"I don’t think Jey Uso would be getting the opportunity if he wasn’t going out and making the fans rock because that arena rocks when he goes to the ring, when he’s doing his thing. When you’ve got guys like that, you put the rocket on them. It’s just that simple. You gotta figure out how to get the fans to do that. You gotta figure out how to make the fans move. It’s not gonna happen by osmosis. It’s not gonna happen by some angle that they put you in, and it works. If you’re waiting on somebody to write something for you to get you over, it ain’t gonna happen. You gotta do that yourself, you gotta create your own angles, and that’s in the middle of that squared circle. You do that, they’ll write something for you. They’ll make sure to get you on the show, trust me," Booker T said.
Check out Booker T's comments about MVP joining AEW here.
Click here to see what Trick Williams had to say about working with Booker T.
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