AJ Gray goes in on Wrestling Twitter following blowback for pointing out lack of Diversity

[jackswstd]

What you want to hear from me?

Also, if you trynna call folks out.... your list a little light

I’m an AEW watcher but I don’t think I should say anything on this matter being that I’m not black.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

So y’all finna ride for Moose though and demand justice?


Just a question

 

[PlayerNinety_Nine]

I was with him until he started trying to say that S.D. Jones and Koko B. Ware weren't jobbers and were being unfairly compared to fukking Jerry Flynn of all people (I think people should check out Koko's Memphis work, including one of the best and most brutal squashes of all time, but he WAS a jobber and I guarantee more people care about him than fukking Jerry Flynn)

Should AEW be pushing more minority talent? Sure. Is the industry racist as fukk? Absolutely. But dude had about 3-4 good tweets before he decided to start making ridiculous claims.

Like, changing your style so you're not working like an unsafe botcher who was always hurt is somehow racist? Come on, don't fukk up the legitimate points you have by overstating the case.

Nah - dude has a point.

You're talking about them in terms of their WWF runs, where they were always booked to lose.

Koko B Ware had an 8 year long career before he went up north and SD Jones was putting in work in NWA too. That is the reason they're Hall Of Famers. Not just because Vince booked them to count the lights everytime they hit the ring and people have fond memories of Frankie.

 

[JerseyBoy23]

Who is he referring to? I assume Keith Lee, Sasha and Ricochet for 1, 3, and 4, but what about best technical wrestler and best manager? I ain't watched in a long while

Maybe Gresham.

 

[TrueEpic08]

Nah - dude has a point.

You're talking about them in terms of their WWF runs, where they were always booked to lose.

Koko B Ware had an 8 year long career before he went up north and SD Jones was putting in work in NWA too. That is the reason they're Hall Of Famers. Not just because Vince booked them to count the lights everytime they hit the ring.

But that doesn't discount the fact that they were, in fact, jobbers there. The history of pro wrestling is littered with the careers of super talented underneath guys that were stars in their territory and JTTS types in WWE/WCW.

I literally said in the post you quoted that I think people should watch Koko's Memphis work, so I'm not ignorant of what they did before the WWF (and I reiterate, Koko dished out of the most unheralded great squashes ever. Might post it if I can find it). But don't contest what was a fact, pimp their other work. Why not post that quality non-jobber work and boost traffic towards it instead?

 

[Peter Popoff]

@Bryan Danielson
@The Amerikkkan Idol
@S0ur²
@FaygoMI
@GOAT

come cape brehs

Why am I being mentioned in this? I shyt equally on both products. All wrestling is racist hence I stream illegally and watch NXT/AEW only.

 

[trick]

I assumed it was Gresham and MVP,

It just goes to show how many Black wrestlers there are out there right now.

Also - the fact that Fred Yehi hasn't been picked up by a major company is fukkING CRIMINAL

Meanwhile fukkin Marko Stunt is on TV EVERY WEEK and even had a storyline

 

[Starboy52]

I assumed it was Gresham and MVP,

It just goes to show how many Black wrestlers there are out there right now.

Also - the fact that Fred Yehi hasn't been picked up by a major company is fukkING CRIMINAL

Breh, I was ASTOUNDED when I found out he’s only 26-27 years old.

To be that young and that insanely talented? How the fukk has nobody managed to scoop him up yet???

 

[Ripp]

I was seeing some of this last night and he’s not wrong at all. I noticed when corona first hit, it’s like every jobber I saw (in the WWE as well) was black, literally every single one, and I don’t feel like that was a coincidence at all. There’s this one dude Denzel Dejournette that’s like 6’2” 260 and getting mopped up like he’s the size of Marko Stunt. That makes no sense.

Tehuty miles been getting the beats put on him as well and he isn't a small guy and mauro always mentions his military background on commentary... how is a dude with military training getting washed so easily?

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Meanwhile Impact, ROH, NWA looking at this thread like

AAA and NJPW like

 

[PlayerNinety_Nine]

Meanwhile fukkin Marko Stunt is on TV EVERY WEEK and even had a storyline

I know, fam. I know.

Breh, I was ASTOUNDED when I found out he’s only 26-27 years old.

To be that young and that insanely talented? How the fukk has nobody managed to scoop him up yet???

He was dope in MLW - then he just vanished. I'm holding out vain hope that he manages to get into the New Japan system via this Lion's Collision shows they have going. Bloodsport in particular have stayed fukking up by not bringing him in for anything so far.

EDIT: Looks like Yehi was supposed to be in an ROH tournament before the virus hit, so maybe someone was willing to bring him in from the cold....

 

[trick]

I know, fam. I know.
.

I know he's just enhancement talent, but the fact there's not a single featured BLACK male featured on Dynamite every week while they trumpet equality and progressive every week is laughable. Even the black males signed to AEW are enhancement talents: Sonny Kiss, Scorpio Sky, Ricky Starks and Sugar Dunkerton. They get featured for a week or two (in Scorpio's case, three months), and they're off the screen immediately. They have NO plans for them. They don't have any characters. Meanwhile, you have fukkin Marko Stunt on screen every week. You have MJF cutting the same promo.

AEW has a real problem. They clearly want to be progressive, but it's just lip service when it comes to black people IMO. Even the idiots at Impact are trying with Willie Mack, Chris Bey and Moose.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

I know he's just enhancement talent, but the fact there's not a single featured BLACK male featured on Dynamite every week while they trumpet equality and progressive every week is laughable. Even the black males signed to AEW are enhancement talents: Sonny Kiss, Scorpio Sky, Ricky Starks and Sugar Dunkerton. They get featured for a week or two (in Scorpio's case, three months), and they're off the screen immediately. They have NO plans for them. They don't have any characters. Meanwhile, you have fukkin Marko Stunt on screen every week. You have MJF cutting the same promo.

AEW has a real problem. They clearly want to be progressive, but it's just lip service when it comes to black people IMO. Even the idiots at Impact are trying with Willie Mack, Chris Bey and Moose.

Let me just ask you this question straight up.

And this isn’t to defend AEW or even shyt on them.

So all y’all other niccas can kill that before y’all get started


But for you, how do you feel about AEW Dark, their second show or do you even watch that?

 

[PlayerNinety_Nine]

I know he's just enhancement talent, but the fact there's not a single featured BLACK male featured on Dynamite every week while they trumpet equality and progressive every week is laughable. Even the black males signed to AEW are enhancement talents: Sonny Kiss, Scorpio Sky, Ricky Starks and Sugar Dunkerton. They get featured for a week or two (in Scorpio's case, three months), and they're off the screen immediately. They have NO plans for them. They don't have any characters. Meanwhile, you have fukkin Marko Stunt on screen every week. You have MJF cutting the same promo.

AEW has a real problem. They clearly want to be progressive, but it's just lip service when it comes to black people IMO. Even the idiots at Impact are trying with Willie Mack, Chris Bey and Moose.

I feel like in AEW it's a chicken and egg thing - you had Brandi talking about Cody saying he doesn't see color, and telling him "Well, then you don't see me" which required some insight, but then you have Brandi complaining that she wasn't seen as Black enough during the start of the George Floyd protests. They need someone to walk them through 'diversity' step by step. From what I've heard about WWE of late - MVP has been doing a good job of that.

With the whole Tyson thing, they've shown that they understand that it's Black mainstream celebrities who have taken wrestling up a level when they've been involved in the past (See: Mr. T/ Hogan, Tyson/ Austin I think they even tried it with Diesel and LT too). They need to do a better job of hiring and booking top of the card/ upper mid card Black talent..

I would really like to see them bring in Lio Rush, personally. Dude was good money on the indies and he has a ton of personality. Have him come in with two bigger guys and recreate that Griselda chemistry. He could still get off his music in his spare time, like Jericho does as well. shyt would just add to his character.

 

[Playaz Eyez]

Idk if that’s the same guy you’re referring to but one of those brehs towered over Johnny Gargano yet got jobbed out, fukking ridiculous

Lmao I think that was him. Cameron Grimes too