Ahmed Johnson’s candid interview with Steve Fall for WrestlingNews.co shed light on several critical aspects of his time in WWE, as well as the challenges he faced due to racism within the industry.
During the interview, Johnson spoke about the initial excitement of being signed by WWE and receiving a call from Vince McMahon himself. He touched upon his run in WWE and the unfortunate derailing of plans for him to win the World Title.
As the conversation delved deeper, Johnson revealed some troubling issues he faced backstage, particularly with fellow wrestlers. He pointed out that while racism didn’t come directly from Vince McMahon, it did manifest among certain wrestlers, including Shawn Michaels and some members of The Kliq. Johnson expressed discomfort with a proposed lynching angle involving the Truth Commission, a subject deeply sensitive to the Black community. He adamantly refused to be part of such a storyline, recognizing the harmful and offensive implications it could have on his fans, especially his dying sister, who was a devoted supporter. He emphasized that promoting harmful racial imagery was not something he was willing to be associated with.
He stated: “I think racism did play its part in it, but not from Vince, from Shawn Michaels and some of the other boys. I mean, like they did that thing with DX when Bret Hart and the Hart Foundation and the Nation of Domination was getting into it, and they wrote all that stuff on the wall, you know, that was pushing it for me and I couldn’t have done that, and the thing with the Truth Commission was, what they wanted to do, they wanted him to hang me from a rope. You know how lynching is a very sore subject with black people?”
The WWE has a very awful spot of racism on it for the various angles and horrible things said during the early days up until just a few years ago. This is a topic that WWE try to shy away from answering why they ever did racism angles in the first place.
Ahmed continued: “They wanted to hang me from a rope. That just wouldn’t happen with me, brother. I’ll do any other angle, but the rope? No. I didn’t want her (his dying sister) to be in her last minutes watching me get beat up. She was a big fan and then she passed like a day or two after that, after I left, so she would have had to see me get beat up and hung from a rope before she passed. That was not an image I was trying to put out, not for her, not for the black kids out there, to anybody. That is going too far.”
Reflecting on the infamous Montreal Screwjob, Johnson expressed his discontent with how WWE treated Bret Hart, a loyal employee who dedicated 14 years of his life to the company. Witnessing Hart being mistreated and losing the belt in such a manner left a sour taste in Johnson’s mouth.
It is essential to condemn any form of racism in the wrestling industry or any other field. Ahmed Johnson’s revelations highlight the importance of promoting inclusivity and understanding, ensuring that storylines and character portrayals are respectful and sensitive to cultural and racial backgrounds.
Wrestling has come a long way in addressing issues related to diversity and inclusivity, but incidents like those mentioned by Johnson serve as a reminder that there is still work to be done. As fans and participants in the wrestling community, we must continue to advocate for an environment that celebrates all talents and appreciates the diverse backgrounds and experiences they bring to the sport.
We encourage everyone to watch the entire interview to gain a comprehensive understanding of Ahmed Johnson’s perspective and experiences in the wrestling world. By doing so, we can foster a more inclusive and respectful wrestling community for all.
