Wrestling's 13 Greatest African-American Stars

13. Bearcat Wright

For former boxer Edward 'Bearcat' Wright, there was no obstacle he wasn't prepared to punch down in pro-wrestling.

A pioneer for African-American grapplers, Wright broke boundaries by declaring during a show in Gary, Indiana, that he'd no longer compete in 'black only' contests. He was handed a suspension from the State Athletic Commission for his troubles.

Promoters began to see value in making black wrestlers heels in what had been white-only territories, and through this murky expedient the business began to desegregate. Wright, thanks to his outspoken protest, was one of the key beneficiaries. In 1961, he claimed the Big Time Pro Wrestling title, but bigger things were to come. Just five days before Dr. Martin Luther King's landmark civil rights speech, Wright made history of his own for African-American equality when he defeated Freddie Blassie in LA to claim the WWA World Heavyweight Championship - becoming the first black 'world' champion in the process.