Ron Simmons On Being The First Black World Champion And More

WWE Hall of Famer Ron Simmons recently spoke with the official podcast of WrestlingNewsSource.com, WNS Podcast. He discusses a number of topic which you can hear in the video above and also read some highlights below:

On his transition from professional football to professional wrestling: Well, I’ve always been a fan of professional wrestling.and because I’ve always loved sports that particularly had to have some kind of physical prowess and athletic ability. So, I’ve always been a big fan and I recall myself as a young man growing up watching guys like Tony Atlas, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair and throughout my football career I was always a big fan and I thought perhaps in the back of my mind one day that after my football career ended and if I didn’t go into Communications field coming out of the college I was at, I would probably give it a shot. As it turned out, I played 25 years of professional ball and decided to give professional wrestling a shot and got trained by Hiro Matsuda whom I consider to be, was, the best in the business at that particular time and for me he’ll be forever the best. And that transition for me it was harder than I thought it was going to be. I thought that coming from football it would be somewhat easy but I’ve got to be honest it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done as far as requiring physical ability.

On the reaction he received from family and friends after becoming the first black world heavyweight champion: At that particular time, it wasn’t so much celebrated as the first Black World Heavyweight Champion. It was just me having won the World Heavyweight Championship at that time. And then I think that perhaps as time went on then it set in that history was made. That I was the first black man to wear the World Heavyweight Championship and even to this day I sometimes have to catch myself to make sure that was real and that I have gone through the things that I did because I consider that to be quite an accomplishment. And I’m proud of myself and the most proud of myself for the fact that it opened up more doors for other young black men and women to pursue professional wrestling. But it gave encouragement to all young athletes. So, thats one of the things I’m biggest and most proud of

Thoughts on WWE being against giving a black man the world heavyweight championship: All the years I’ve worked with WWE, that opportunity is there for any man or woman for that matter. If you’re willing to work and put in the dedication that it requires you will get that shot. That I have no problem with. I’ve worked with Vince (McMahon) for quite a while. I know him, I know all of his family members. So, that’s not true. If opportunity presents itself and if there’s someone they consider to be worthy black or white they will get the opportunity to put that belt on and I’m certain that it won’t be long before that happens because you look up there you have quite a few black young men up there now that given a couple of more years under their belt will probably be wearing that belt really soon. So, no I have no problem with that. I think that’s going to happen real soon.