Pride: 10 of the best wrestlers of African origin

#9 Viro Small

Viro Small is one of the first, if not THE first, minority wrestlers in America.

Viro Small didn't just start at the bottom, he started off as being considered less than human. The former slave turned to wrestling as a way to keep himself fed--and out of the prison system, which was already becoming a surrogate for slavery.

Many historians credit Viro Small as being the first African American pro wrestler, but this has been challenged by other scholars. What is known for certain is he was the first popular black wrestling star.

Viro was as old school as it gets; He would often challenge people from the crowd to last a few minutes in the ring with him. Viro is certifiably the first black man to win a wrestling championship, as he was the Vermont Collar and Elbow title-holder twice.

Allegedly, Small fought dirty and used outside interference when the wrestling matches were still legit--he even had a cohort point a loaded gun at a referee during a match! One of his opponents was so angry with Small he even shot him in the neck, though Small lived.

While many wrestling fans have never heard of Small, and his era of shoot wrestling is long gone, he is still deserving of recognition on this list.