After defending their WWE Tag Team Championships twice on RAW this past Monday, The New Day became the longest reigning tag team champions in company history. After defeating Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, Cesaro & Sheamus, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns and Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens the trio were congratulated by all and sundry on social media. Big E. chose to mark the occasion in an emotional manner, posting a photo of the three alongside current WWE Cruiserweight Champion Rich Swann and RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks, with the hashtag ‘Black Excellence’.
Whilst the response to the picture has largely been positive a number of fans felt it was necessary to respond in a critical manner. This small section of fans felt that pointing out skin colour wasn’t necessary, and that if a group of white athletes had done something similar there would be uproar. Big E. was met with a no small criticism, as you can see from the tweet below.
Fellow tag team champion Kofi Kingston has subsequently taken to Twitter to speak further on the subject, with a lengthy post talking about why Big E. decided to put it up and why it is important to point out. Kofi’s response was well-weighted and written in an extremely respectful manner, with the former Intercontinental and the United States Champion stating ’Excellence is not the same as supremacy. #BlackExcellence is not meant to be divisive. For even if you do not fall into the specific category, you can still take enjoyment in our pride’.
Kingston ended his statement by saying that ’...in a society that often focuses on the negative aspects of race relations, what has transpired with the 5 of us speaks positively to the progress we’ve made as a nation’. It remains to be seen how fans respond to Kofi’s words, but whilst a small percentage of the audience will certainly take umbrage with his position the overwhelming majority will surely echo his sentiments. Race relations remain a subject of contention in the United States, and professional wrestling is no different.
The New Day have just surpassed Demolition’s record of 478 days as World Tag Team Champions, and are closing in on a full calendar year as champions in the process. The champions will defend their championships against Cesaro & Sheamus once more this coming Sunday at WWE Roadblock: End of the Line, with many expecting the titles to change hands for the first time in almost 500 days.
