Ranking Every WCW Champion In History - From Worst To Best
8. Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons may have since gained fame amongst contemporary fans for his classic “damn!” catchphrase, but far more historically significant than that is his WCW title victory from way back in 1992.
When Simmons pinned Big Van Vader to capture the belt, he became the first African American in professional wrestling to be crowned world heavyweight champion.
Or at least, that’s the way the narrative has been billed. As Dave Meltzer has since reminded us, guys like Bobo Brazil already had world title wins to their name, although in the case of Brazil the reign isn’t officially recognised by the NWA.
Still, regardless of who was the very first black world heavyweight wrestling champion, Simmons’ WCW title victory was still a historic moment for himself, the company and the business as a whole. Plus, the reign clocked in at 150 days, which is pretty impressive within the context of this list.