The conversation surrounding black representation in professional wrestling, particularly within WWE, has reignited following a public exchange between Swerve Strickland and Booker T. Strickland has been vocal about his concerns regarding an alleged lack of opportunities afforded to black male wrestlers on WWE’s main roster.
Booker T responded to Strickland’s comments, stating that he personally had not experienced unfair treatment during his 20-year tenure with the company. He expressed confusion regarding Strickland’s assertions, suggesting that perhaps Strickland’s perspective stemmed from a feeling of being underutilized.
Strickland, in an interview with Vlad TV, countered Booker T’s perspective by referencing a specific incident involving former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. “That’s not what happened when Vince said the N-word in front of you… that’s not being treated fairly,” Strickland argued.
He further clarified that his concerns were not solely based on personal opinion, but rather reflected a broader sentiment among WWE fans.
“My opinion. And to that statement, it’s not what I’m saying, it’s that I’m saying what people are saying. I’m saying what your audience is saying. It’s not just me talking out of my a$$. It’s what your audience has been complaining about for the better part of 2-3 years—about not seeing black talent getting singles matches on PLEs and stuff like that.”
After the AEW Dynasty 2025 PPV went off the air, Strickland cut a promo and said “F**k Booker T”.
You can watch it below:
— WrestleFeed (@WrestleFeedApp) April 7, 2025
On his podcast, Booker T had the following to say about Strickland’s F-bomb:
“Woke up this morning and I wondered, why is my name trending? I see the video of Swerve Strickland saying, ‘F Booker T’ at the end of Dynasty. I’m not gonna even get upset about it. I’m going to give Swerve Strickland a little bit of advice, just a little bit. That advice would be, don’t be talking about something other than the pay-per-view at the end of the night. That’s the main event and the last thing people are going to remember.
The last thing people are going to remember is me, my name being said. I’m sure Tony Khan don’t appreciate the news, the headline not being what happened at Dynasty with all the matches. They’re talking about Booker T.
That was a bad move. He’s got a lot of energy at the end of the show. I’m not that type. I’m from that school, if you got something to say to somebody, say it to their face. I’m gonna leave it at that.
Hopefully, Swerve Strickland has a hell of a career, and he’ll do very well in this business. I’m going to keep stressing what I’ve talked about for a long time, go out there and get it on your talent and merit. Nobody will ever be able to say you got it because of, only for your talent.
I’m gonna keep advocating for the young guys to go out there and perform at the highest level. Take what you want. It’s not gonna be given to you. You gotta take it. The only way to take it is through your performance and how good you really are inside the squared circle. That’s as much as I’m gonna say on that issue as far as Swerve Strickland goes.
The only one laughing is Vlad TV. He got all this stuff started and stirred up. I thought this thing was over with, I really did. The last thing I thought about was waking up this morning to a ‘F You.’ This generation, man. I’m an advocate for all young black talent to get into this business, but I’m an advocate for so many more young kids than just black kids.
I’m an advocate for anybody who has the talent to actually make it to the next level. I’ll put a word in for them. I think my reputation has been solid. I don’t publicize a lot of things. The guys out there, they know. They know if I’ve been on the side of righteousness. They know what Booker T has done behind the scenes. I don’t have to talk about it on social media. I’m not trying to get extra brownie points for anything I’ve done, but they know.
People like Swerve, we come from a different cloth, a totally different cloth. I wish nothing but the best for this dude. I want to see them succeed. Would I ever say anything positive about him, ever again? Probably not. Would I ever put him over as far as being a good worker and perhaps transform this business? I probably won’t do that again. I’ve learned my lesson. I ain’t gonna bring a personal beef to my job.”
