AEW News: Cody Rhodes Discusses Criticism Over AEW’s Lack Of Black Wrestlers
All Elite Wrestling is arguably the most progressive wrestling company in the world at the moment. With transgender and openly gay wrestlers, not to mention a roster that boasts talent from all around the world, the company is proving its dedication to being inclusive in many ways. However, some fans have noticed that there’s a lack of black performers on the roster.
As documented by Wrestling Inc., AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes recently took part in a conference call, where he was asked about the lack of black representation in AEW. According to Rhodes, the company is still a work-in-progress, but they are always looking to add more performers of different ethnicities.
“I think African American representation on our brand is huge and there are some absolute studs – men and women – that I would love to be a part of AEW and Dynamite… We are doing everything we can to provide the most diverse roster – and first and foremost – the best roster.”
Rhodes also credited his wife, Brandi, for her efforts in recruiting a diverse roster, while also revealing that the company’s aim is to showcase a variety of superstars that represent America’s cultural melting pot.
“We wanted to put out a product that’s congruent with today’s society and is a snapshot of what America looks like. I think we’re doing a good job but that work is never finished.”
Some of AEW’s black performers have been showcased on the shows, but Rhodes said that the company has only revealed 40 percent of its roster and that we can expect more diversity going forward.
This handshake between @SammyGuevara & @CodyRhodes post-match speaks volumes. #AEWDynamite #AEW pic.twitter.com/oxLA6ywWgd
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 5, 2019
Given that the company is associated with Mexico’s Triple A, there are also plans to bring a lucha libre flavor to Dynamite. Rhodes compared AEW’s luchador roster to WCW Nitro‘s Cruiserweight division, and shared some praise for Aerostar and Black Taurus as young talent to keep an eye out for.
Being inclusive will certainly widen AEW’s appeal among audiences, but the company seems more focused on letting things evolve organically. As The Inquisitr previously reported, Tony Khan says that their main aim is to put on the best wrestling shows possible and hope that word-of-mouth attracts a wide demographic.
The company is currently on a high after Dynamite‘s debut pulled in 1.4 million viewers on TNT this past Wednesday. If AEW can continue to attract big numbers, we can expect to see plenty of diverse performers become mainstream stars.
